A single mother who once faced £24,000 of debt has built a property portfolio worth millions, transforming her financial future in just a few years.
Abi Hookway is now behind a £9million portfolio spanning short-term lets, luxury holiday cottages and property developments, after turning one successful deal into a repeatable strategy.
She spoke exclusively to GB News about her journey from debt to building a multi-million pound property business.
Despite starting with no capital, her company Redmayne Smith is now projected to hit £12million turnover in 2026.
After leaving her marriage, Ms Hookway was raising two children on a £32,000 salary while covering the mortgage, childcare and everyday expenses alone. With no savings to fall back on, she relied heavily on credit cards to bridge the gap, often falling short each month as interest on her debt built up. Over time she has accumulated £24,000 debt.
However everything changed in 2018 when she came across a social media post about a property investor who had built wealth by buying, renovating and selling homes. The idea of using “angel investors” to fund purchases, with profits divided afterwards, transformed her outlook.
Determined to break into the industry, she sought out a mentor who ran an estate agency and gained hands-on experience in sourcing deals, negotiating purchases and managing refurbishments.
Her breakthrough came unexpectedly during a visit to the dentist, where she discussed a property she had found. Her dentist agreed to fund the purchase, investing £127,000 into a two-bed terrace house in Doncaster, with an agreement that he would receive his full investment back plus an additional 10 per cent return.
The property had been vacant for 18 months and required renovation, including the addition of an extra bedroom to increase its value.
She said: “Using my dentist’s investment, I successfully flipped the property, paid back the loan with a 10 per cent return, and walked away with £72,000 in just six months. I said goodbye to my £24,000 debt, and the rest of the money was reinvested. I’d just made double my annual salary in less than six months.”
The £72,000 profit cleared her £24,000 debt in full and gave her the foundation to reinvest and scale her property strategy.
Ms Hookway said her turning point came with her first property flip.
She added: “The first deal was when everything clicked. It wasn’t just about the money, it was proof that this actually worked and that I could repeat it.
Abi Hookway and her children
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GBNEWS
Abi Hookway and one of her properties
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GBNEWS
“From there, I focused heavily on education and understanding how property investment really works. I studied everything I could, from how to structure deals and pitch to investors, to how to buy, refurbish, and sell properties for profit.”
Over time, Ms Hookway built a portfolio worth around £10million across residential and commercial property, including holiday lets which provide long-term rental income rather than being sold on.
Her journey, however, was not without mistakes. She said her biggest early error was her mindset around money.
“My biggest mistake wasn’t a single deal; it was thinking too small for too long and not understanding how to use money properly. I initially viewed debt as purely negative, without realising that, when used correctly, it can be a powerful tool for building wealth.”
She believes many people hold themselves back by assuming they need savings before starting.
“One of the biggest mistakes I see others make is believing they need money before they can start. I didn’t start with money either; I started by learning how the strategy actually works.”
Abi Hookway at a building site
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Abi Hookway and her children
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GBNEWS
Despite her success, Ms Hookway acknowledged the risks involved, particularly in a changing market.
“The game has definitely changed, but that doesn’t mean the opportunity has disappeared. What doesn’t work as well now is the ‘buy a house, put a tenant in, and wait’ approach.
“You have to be more strategic and creative. There are still plenty of ways to make money in property, but you need to understand multiple strategies and adapt to the market rather than relying on one simple model.
“I’ve now built a property portfolio, buy-to-let properties, holiday homes and commercial properties.”
She added that mindset played a critical role in her journey, particularly when faced with doubt from others.
“I also had to ignore a lot of outside opinions, people telling me it was too risky or unrealistic. For me, I accepted early on that there’s risk in everything, including staying stuck where you are.”
Now, her definition of financial success has shifted away from simply earning money.
“At the beginning, success was simple; it was about getting out of debt, paying my bills, and having some stability for my kids and me. Now, it’s much more about freedom. It’s having control over my time, not being tied to a job, and being able to choose how I live and work.
“Nothing changed financially for me until I changed how I thought. A lot of people believe they need to wait until they’re “ready” or have savings in place, but those are often just limiting beliefs. The real shift is moving from thinking ‘that’s risky’ to ‘I just don’t understand it yet,’ and from trading time for money to learning how to make money work for you.”
For those looking to follow a similar path, Ms Hookway said the key is to focus on learning and income generation first, rather than ownership.
Abi Hookway has a wide range of properties
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Abi Hookway has challenged one of the most common misconceptions about building wealth
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GBNEWS
“The most realistic first step is to stop thinking you need to own property straight away,” she said. “Instead, focus on learning how to generate income from property first, things like deal sourcing, rent-to-rent, or working with investors. Build your cash flow and your knowledge at the same time. Once you’ve done that, you can move into ownership much more confidently.”
She also challenged one of the most common misconceptions about building wealth.
“The biggest myth is that you need a lot of money to get started. In reality, it’s less about how much money you have and more about how resourceful you’re willing to be.
“My advice is to focus on increasing your income, not just saving it. Saving alone won’t create financial freedom; bringing more money in and understanding how to use it will. Most people don’t lack opportunity; they lack understanding, and that gap is often filled with fear instead of education.”