From Airbus to Assets: How I Replaced My Income by Splitting Titles
If you'd told me five years ago that I'd be living off property income, I wouldn't have believed you. I’d spent most of my adult life in aerospace engineering, traveling across Europe and working up the corporate ladder at Airbus. But in 2020, during the chaos of COVID, I made a decision that changed everything: I left a secure job and dove headfirst into property.
I didn’t have a big portfolio. In fact, I had just one rental bringing in a grand total of £20 a month. But I did have a strong sense of purpose, and a fire in my belly to build something better for my family.
Today, I’ve replaced my income through property, utilised a model that allows me to scale, and helped solve some thorny legal challenges in the process - all thanks to a strategy many overlook: Title Splitting.
My journey into property wasn’t just about chasing freedom, it was about taking control. I started at Airbus as an apprentice at 18, later moving to Hamburg and Seville for secondment roles, before returning to North Wales in 2015. By 2020, I was progressing well, but something didn’t sit right. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to achieve.
COVID offered an unexpected opportunity: voluntary redundancy. With a small payout and a 12-month window to “make it work,” I jumped. Around the same time, I discovered the Prosperity Network, and what began as a few Zoom calls quickly became a support system that helped me transform my mindset and my strategy.
There was another reason too. My sister, who I tragically lost to breast cancer in 2022, was one of my biggest supporters. When I wavered on the idea of leaving Airbus, she told me, simply, “Go for it.” and I carry that with me every day.
Title splitting in property means buying one building or piece of land that sits under a single ownership (title), like a block of flats, a parcel of land, or a shop with flats above, and then dividing it into separate titles.
When you're starting out in property, it's easy to get distracted by shiny strategies. But I knew I needed focus. Title splitting became my niche. Why?
It lets you create multiple assets from a single purchase giving the ability to scale quicker.
It offers flexible exit strategies - keep some, sell some.
It’s ideal for solving overlooked problems—run-down blocks, unusual layouts, or title issues.
It also allowed me to build momentum and scale fast. Once I understood the process, and built the right team around me, I could rinse and repeat. Below are three real-life examples that show just how powerful this can be.
Property: Block of 4 flats on a single freehold title Purchase Price: £265,000 Refurbishment: £90,000 Stamp Duty: £12,750 (MDR applied) Purchase Legals: £1,500
Title Split & Refinance Costs (per flat, x4):
Solicitor fee to draft leases – £900
Architect fee for floorplans – £150
Broker fee – £500
Valuation & mortgage product fee – £450
Conveyancing fee – £1,500
Total per unit: £3,500
Total (4 units): £14,000
Total Investment: £383,250
Revaluation (post-split):
Flats 1–3 – £135,000 each
Flat 4 – £160,000 (upgraded to 2-bed)
Total GDV: £565,000
Refinance (75% LTV): £423,750
Result:
All money back out, plus £40,500
ROI: Infinite
Rental income: £36,000 p.a.
Cashflow: £1,000/month
This project was about solving a major legal headache. The six flats were unmortgageable due to an absent freeholder and a dissolved management company, with the freehold sitting with the Crown Estate. After lengthy negotiations, we completed on both the leaseholds and the freehold on the same day, unlocking real value in the process.
Property: 6 flats (leasehold) with absent freeholder Purchase Price: £280,000 Freehold: £5,000 Refurbishment: £190,000 Stamp Duty: £1,750 Purchase Legals: £9,000
Refinance Costs: £16,000
Total Investment: £500,750
Revaluation (post-refurbishment):
Total GDV: £1,050,000
Refinance (65% LTV): £680,000
Result:
All money out, plus £180,000
ROI: Infinite
Rental income: £58,000 p.a.
Cashflow: £1,750/month
This was another legal tangle—five leasehold flats with a problematic freeholder still linked to the repossessed units. After previous sales had fallen through, we negotiated directly with the freeholder to buy the title and completed on both leaseholds and freehold simultaneously. The deal took 18 months from initial offer and nearly collapsed during conveyancing, but persistence won the day
Property: 5 flats (leasehold) with freeholder risk Purchase Price: £355,000 Freehold: £2,500 + £1,000 legals Refurbishment: £95,000 Stamp Duty: £12,750 Purchase Legals: £6,000
Refinance Costs: £12,750 Total Investment: £485,000
Revaluation (post-refurb):
Total GDV: £650,000
Refinance (75% LTV): £487,500
Result:
All money out, plus £2,500
ROI: Infinite
Rental income: £52,000 p.a.
Cashflow: £2,000/month
Title splitting is not for the faint-hearted. These projects required legal navigation, vendor negotiations, and patient persistence. But if you’re willing to learn, the rewards are there.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Your legal team is everything. Complex titles need specialists, don’t cut corners here.
Structure matters. You’ll need two companies: one to hold the freehold, the other the leaseholds. Set up a group structure early to avoid surprise tax bills.
Split utilities and confirm planning use. Avoid costly delays by checking these before you buy.
Know your exits. Value flats as individual units, not just as a block. This helps with refinancing and resale.
Run conservative numbers. Always stress-test your deals for market shifts and cost escalations.
I owe much of my growth to the Prosperity Network. It gave me access to deal flow, joint ventures, and most importantly, a community that kept me accountable. In early 2021, I started working with Michael Almond as a mentor and I still work with him today.
His guidance proved invaluable during some of the toughest moments. Whether it was a tricky legal challenge or a wavering mindset, he helped me navigate through it. Combined with the constant support from Danny Inman and the wider Prosperity community, I had the tools, knowledge, and resilience I needed to push forward.
If you're just starting, here’s my advice:
Join a network of like-minded people.
Find a mentor who’s walked the path before you.
Get educated, you can’t wing this game.
Choose a strategy aligned with your goals, define your area, and take consistent action.
Avoid common mistakes: overestimating values, underestimating costs, chasing too many strategies, or only raising finance when you need it.
At the heart of it all, this journey has always been about creating freedom for myself, for my family, and for the life we want to live. Property has given me more than just cashflow; it’s given me choices, the ability to spend time how I choose and to create experiences with the people I love.
And if there’s one lesson I carry with me above all, it’s this: Life is short, tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, so don’t fear failure.
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