Diagnosed With Cancer at 27 — Then Property Changed Her Life

At just 27, Ally Wilkes was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer—an experience that completely changed how she viewed time, security and the life she wanted to build.After years working in the NHS, Ally took the leap into property. She completed a flip that made just under £30,000, used the BRR strategy to build her own portfolio and eventually left her job to run ACG Property, managing renovation projects for investors.In this honest conversation with Nick and Steven, Ally shares the numbers behind her deals, the reality of becoming self-employed, the nightmare first tenant who trashed her property and what investors should realistically expect to spend on a refurbishment today.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS• How a cancer diagnosis at 27 changed Ally’s outlook on work, security and life• Why she had wanted to become a property developer from a young age• The numbers behind her first flip: bought for £81,000, spent around £17,000 and sold for £135,750• How that first project produced a profit of just under £30,000• Her first BRR: bought for £66,000, refurbished for around £30,000 and revalued at £130,000• What happened when her first buy-to-let tenant trashed the property after only eight weeks• Leaving the NHS and adjusting to the lack of routine that comes with self-employment• How networking and sharing her journey online helped Ally secure her first clients• Why Ally charges 15% of the refurbishment cost for project management• Why Ally budgets roughly £15,000–£20,000 for a good two-bedroom refurbishment with kitchen and bathroom upgrades, excluding electrics, windows and boiler or heating work• The hidden problems investors cannot always spot before work begins, including thermal bridging• Why Ally prioritises good-quality assets instead of growing a portfolio for appearancesTIMESTAMPS00:00 - Meet Ally Wilkes01:47 - Wanting to work in property from a young age06:38 - The cancer diagnosis that changed everything15:37 - Why property became Ally’s next chapter18:27 - The numbers behind her first flip21:49 - Moving from flipping to BRR and buy-to-let22:16 - A £66,000 purchase revalued at £130,00022:53 - The nightmare first tenant27:23 - Leaving the NHS for property full-time33:26 - How networking brought Ally her first clients35:42 - Building a personal brand by being authentic38:19 - Why investors use a project manager39:27 - Project-management fees and realistic budgets43:17 - What a two-bedroom refurbishment costs today45:09 - Thermal bridging and other hidden problems48:12 - Kitchens, bathrooms and timeless design51:53 - Managing a refurbishment for a remote investor53:23 - Ally’s plans for ACG Property and her portfolio- 55:29 Where to connect with AllyCONNECT WITH ALLYAlly Wilkes — ACG PropertyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/allywilkesproperty_inhaus/NETWORKING EVENTSFirst Wednesday of every month📍 Aberdeen | Dundee | Edinburgh | GlasgowFollow our socials for speakers and detailsSPONSORED BYPrime Property Auctions — earn £1,500 just for sending a WhatsApp. If you know someone selling a property, John and Lewis will pay you £1,500 or 1% of the sale price (whichever is higher) just for passing on their details. They've paid out over £350,000 in referral fees so far.👉 https://primepropertyauctions.co.uk/🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode👍 Like the video if you found it valuable💬 Would you leave a secure career to pursue property full-time? Let us know in the comments 👇