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<\/p>\nA SUCCESSFUL businesswoman has shared her experience of buying a second home in Ramsgate only to be met with backlash from locals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julia Champion, 54, from Sydenham, London, is a proud second homeowner. In April 2023 she bought a \u00a3330,000 – down from \u00a3350,000 – second home on the Kent coast which she rents out to family, friends and holidaymakers.<\/p>\n
She spoke exclusively to Fabulous in defence of second homeowners.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Julia, who runs her own talent agency and works in PR, said her \u201cbusiness was going well\u201d in 2022, and thought \u201cwhat better way to\u00a0 invest than in a holiday let\u201d which she could also enjoy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She explained: \u201cThe house I bought in spring last year was in hot demand \u2013 there was a queue of potential buyers waiting to view it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the first house I viewed and, despite its shabby and dated appearance, I knew immediately that it had potential.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I paid around \u00a320,000 to have it renovated, redecorated and furnished and put it onto the lettings market with a local holiday lettings agency in October last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo far, it\u2019s been renting really well for at least two\/three weekends a month and I\u2019ve had several five star reviews, both from holidaymakers and people working in the area.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Speaking about the financial move, Julia added: \u201cI never intended to become a landlady but, the way I see it, I\u2019ve provided a lovely place for people to stay and I\u2019ve created a huge amount of employment for local people and the local pubs, bars, restaurants and shops have benefited from my custom and that of my friends, family and renters.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m married with teenage children, but this is my little project and I love having it as a side hustle and having free rein to do what I want with it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy husband teases me that it\u2019s like I have a grown-up dolls\u2019 house to play with. <\/p>\n "I didn\u2019t intend to rent it out as a long-term let as it brings me so much joy to use it myself and to let my friends and family use it too.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf I ever had to sell it, I\u2019m sure it must have gone up at least \u00a350,000 in value, but I hope that never happens.\u201d<\/p>\n Julia revealed how no one had criticised her to her face but she experienced a backlash when she revealed she was a second homeowner on a Facebook group.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I first bought the house, I joined a local Facebook group," she said. <\/p>\n "I put a post up saying, \u2018I\u2019ve bought a holiday house in Ramsgate and I\u2019m looking for local tradespeople \u2013 I need a painter and decorator, a gardener, a tiler, plumbers and electricians etc.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWithin minutes I got a barrage of abuse from people saying things like, \u2018Perhaps you\u2019d like to house the homeless in your SECOND home\u2019 and Don\u2019t you know there\u2019s a cost of living crisis going on?\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Julia believes that admitting to buying a second home in Ramsgate made her a target of cowboy builders too. She explained how she received a message from a \u201ccomplete cowboy\u201d tradesperson who offered to take on the DIY work.\u00a0<\/p>\n She said: \u201cHe said he was a tiler but could turn his hand to anything or knew other tradesmen who could help him.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI needed someone quickly and his website looked okay and I was a bit shocked when I met him to give him the keys as he was only in his twenties, but my mum was dying at the time, so I had to trust him to get on with the work and Whatsapp me how much I owed him at the end of each week.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I finally had a chance to drive to Ramsgate, [there was] rubble and carnage everywhere [inside] \u2013 wires hanging out of the wall now kitchen or bathroom and paint spills and dirt and spliff butts strewn all over the floors so I had to get all the carpets and flooring replaced.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI managed to get the \u00a313,500 I had paid him for labour and materials back from my bank as he\u2019d clearly been ripping me off and lying to me for weeks.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite the initial disaster building work, Julia has managed to make her house a home and recently \u201ccleaned, gardened and added the finishing touches\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n She said she \u201cscoured the local vintage and charity shops\u201d and visited \u201cthe brilliant Petticoat Lane flea market in Ramsgate and bought a gorgeous rug and some pieces of furniture, mirrors and ornaments\u201d, as well as ordering \u201csome luxurious cushions, feather pillows and bits and pieces online\u201d.<\/p>\n As for how much money Julia is making from her second home, she said: \u201cI haven\u2019t really started making a profit yet as I\u2019ve had to pay for all the improvements, but it only has to rent out for about four nights a month to pay my mortgage.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s obviously bills including wifi, council tax, water, gas and electricity on top of this though.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n She's not the only one who has faced a backlash from locals for buying in seaside resorts.<\/p>\n Dr Rebecca Tidy told Fabulous about the backlash she received from Cornish locals after she bought another property in the local area. <\/p>\n Rebecca \u00a0invested in a holiday home near picturesque St Mawes during 2020 and she bought it as a "long-term investment" which she now "rents to tourists as a holiday let". <\/p>\n She explained: "The profits help cover the big mortgage on my main home in London."<\/p>\n<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2230-bst-wednesday-september-7-758781009-2.jpg\")
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