Fiona Fullerton

 

It might seem an unlikely change of career but former model and ex Bond girl Fiona Fullerton is now a successful property writer and investor with a portfolio of properties. Lynda Clark discovers the secrets of her success...

A  celebrity at the age of 11, Fiona Fullerton's film star status was cemented in 1985 when she strutted her Bond-girl stuff in the 007 blockbuster, A View to a Kill. Despite her full time career, Fullerton had always harboured a passion for interior design. "I had been earning money from my early career as an actor so by the time I left home at 19 I wanted to buy rather than rent. I had always felt that owning a property gave me the freedom to express myself, so in 1976, I ended up buying a tiny flat in Ealing, West London. It turned out to be a good move," she said. Fullerton was working down the road at the BBC at the time. "It was a conversion at the top of an Edwardian house and cost a whopping £10,250. I discovered I had a flair for turning a woodchip nightmare into a haven of Sanderson gorgeousness," she boasts.

Two years later, Fullerton sold the flat for £16,000 and bought a house. She continued to trade up until she was living in Knightsbridge. The housing market was booming at the time and this latest investment tripled in value in just six years. In 1989, she bought another property in Chelsea. "I was a single girl about town and had lots of fun, so living in Chelsea was ideal. In 1994, she married her partner Neil and moved to Surrey, so she sold the Chelsea property and bought two flats. "It was then that my creative juices really started to flow. I did them up myself and had a great time. It was a hobby really and I became a buy-to-let investor by default," Fullerton explains.

Realising she wanted to know more about the property market, Fullerton met two letting agents who gave her a huge amount of practical advice. "I didn't want to mess about and make too many mistakes. I had previously bought a place which was a disaster; it was in the wrong location, had no parking space and no transport links. I spent a lot of money on it but made a big loss. I couldn't afford to do that again and had to learn the hard way."
Fullerton realised that "when you are buying to let you have to decorate in a very formulaic way. You need to keep things neutral, and not cut corners as it's a false economy. I always buy hard-wearing, good quality furniture with good fixtures and fittings which will last. I now expect to spend around £20,000 on the upgrade, which isn't very much really. Everything is very contemporary, which works well and is very different from my own home, as I love colour and am much more traditional."

 

Fullerton takes full control of her buy-to-let projects: "I manage everything myself and I do all the interior design. I'm quite hands-on as I often do the decorating too, which I enjoy. I do have a letting agent as well, who deals with contracts and tenancy agreements, as that has to be 100% correct. But, if a washing machine blows up, then it's me who deals with it." She also buys property that isn't too far from her own home so she doesn't have to travel great distances if things do go wrong. "I had a very nice Iranian girl move in recently and although she spoke English, she couldn't understand any instruction manuals so I had to go and explain how to use everything. You never know what you might have to do next, but that's exciting and keeps you on your toes".

So what has Fiona learned along the way? "Well, property can be a fantastic investment if you get it right. Even in a recession, if you sit tight, your property will usually double in value every seven years. However, buying and selling right now is madness." Her advice to first time buyers is to buy a place that can be improved, as this is the quickest way to increase the investment. She also recommends: "Stay put for as long as you can, especially nowadays with the credit crunch. Scour the local papers for the small ads and look for private sellers because these may not be online. Always get a survey. Don't buy near a pub, and view the property at different times of the day".

Luckily, the property downturn hasn't affected Fullerton too much. "Because I buy to let, my portfolio hasn't been affected by the recession and, of course, my interest payments are lower. However, I wouldn't sell anything right now. I don't see a recovery for at least two years. I have made mistakes, just before the crash, I rather stupidly bought two big houses in Oxford to convert into flats for the rental market. After 10 months, only one is finished and let, but the other one already had students in it so I'm leaving it as it is for the time being."

In addition to her portfolio, Fullerton has penned three property-related books, How to Make Money from Your Property, Fiona Fullerton's Guide to Buying, Selling and Moving House and Fiona Fullerton's Guide to Buying to Let and, until recently, had her own column in a Sunday newspaper. She writes freelance property features and has been involved in a new venture with her husband. "Neil bought some land on a development in The Old Town in Swindon which dates back to the Domesday Book. The Grade II listed coach house and stables are in the courtyard of an old manor house and we've developed them into eight houses. They have high, vaulted ceilings and beams, so to maximise the space we designed the living area on the first floor and the bedrooms downstairs. I have designed all the bathrooms and kitchens, which are very individual and slightly different from one another and we have worked hand-in-hand with English Heritage. It has been a real departure for me and I have just completed the showhome so I've been busy buying furniture and accessories. Although it's an old building, the interior is contemporary with a huge living space and an integral kitchen/dining area. It has been very hard work and a totally different kind of project. It's been a learning curve for me."

Fullerton is a real home lover and lives in a stunning 17th century vicarage in Gloucestershire with Neil and their two children, Lucy and James. "I am very happy when I'm at home as I suppose I have a real nesting instinct." Her tips to make a house a home are simple. "Don't be afraid of colour. It's the cheapest way to give your home personality and warmth. I love auctions and markets for household items. An old kitchen chair is much nicer than a new one." While Fiona Fullerton may be missed on the stage and screen, her knowledge of property is extensive. This Bond girl certainly had a view to a kill when it came to climbing the property ladder.