Viewber Diaries: Paula’s Story of Property, Freedom & Life in Northumberland

Viewber Diaries: Paula’s Story of Property, Freedom & Life in Northumberland

Hi, I’m Paula and I’ve been a Viewber Member for nearly a year now, and I absolutely love it. When I first started with Viewber, I only wanted to work part-time due to other commitments, so my calendar was quite blocked out. However, I started 2026 with a different mindset about what I wanted from my work, and Viewber came out on top.

I now make myself available whenever I can, including weekends. When a viewing request comes in, I don’t look at the appointment type – if I’m available, I’ll do it. It’s that simple for me.

I live in Northumberland with my husband Dave, who retired in 2025. He has now become my regular driver and loves travelling around with me to appointments. I did suggest he wear a chauffeur’s hat, but he wasn’t having any of that!

Around six years ago, we lived in a beautiful farmhouse with an acre of land. It had been our passion for 13 years, and we painstakingly renovated it. We had a stream in the garden, which unfortunately burst its banks during Storm Desmond in 2015 and left the house devastated by floodwater. After renovating it again, we flooded twice more, so we made the painful decision to sell up in 2019.

Because of this experience, my favourite quote is by Bob Marley: “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” I understand this wholeheartedly.

We now happily live in an off-grid cabin in Northumberland, which we upgraded and renovated ourselves. We have solar panels and a generator for electricity, and we use gas bottles for cooking and hot water. It’s a very simple way of living, but it feels like paradise, with incredible wildlife and stunning views across the Tyne Valley.

We also have a beautiful caravan lodge on the Northumberland coast, where we spend the winter months before returning to our cabin in early spring. We are very lucky indeed.

We love walking, and in 2025 we bought a VW campervan, so we’re looking forward to many adventures ahead. We’ve already completed the NC500 in Scotland and are planning to travel the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland this summer.

I have a real passion for property. I previously co-owned two estate and lettings agencies in Newcastle upon Tyne with my husband David before selling up in 2007. I then managed my own rental portfolio of 16 properties, which I recently sold, with the last one completing in 2023. There isn’t much I haven’t seen, so I’m never shocked when I attend a Viewber appointment, whether a property needs work or has been left in poor condition. I’ve honestly seen it all.

My dream is to own a holiday let cottage in Northumberland. I currently rent out my caravan in the summer months and love giving people a wonderful holiday experience. I’m obsessed with interior décor and enjoy browsing magazines for inspiration. I also love upcycling old furniture and have sold a few pieces along the way.

My favourite Viewber appointments are when young couples are buying their first home together. I genuinely get excited for them when they love a property and consider making an offer.

One of my most interesting viewings was an old bungalow that had been empty for over 15 years. It was boarded up and very dark inside, but huge once you were in. I loved the viewers’ reactions to the old 1980s décor and the speculation about who had lived there and what had happened.

A tip for other Viewber Members is to always start the day prepared for more appointments to come in. I often begin with just one booking and end up with a full day, so I never know when I’ll be out working all day. I always take walking shoes, lunch, and plenty of water – and I always make sure I know where the nearest public toilets are!

I always do my research before every viewing. If I’m not familiar with the area, I make sure I have key local information such as schools and transport links. I screenshot the key safe code and appointment details in case I lose signal, and I also write down important property information such as price and council tax band. This helps me stay prepared and also reinforces the details in my memory.

I recently completed my first floor plan after finishing the Viewber Member Academy. I was nervous at first, but I haven’t had any complaints, so it must have gone well. I’m looking forward to doing more.

My mileage range with Viewber is quite flexible because of the two locations I live between, so I can choose appointments based on where I am that day.

I’ve met a few other Members along the way, and I always make sure to exchange contact details. It’s helpful if I ever need a substitute for an appointment. I consider myself very reliable and would hate to cancel, so having that support is reassuring. I’m also a key holder for Viewber, and doing multiple viewings over time really makes me care about what happens to each property.

Viewber has given me the ability to continue being self-employed, which is very important to me. I plan to continue developing my skills through the Viewber Academy – it’s onwards and upwards from here.