What is Deal Sourcing
Deal sourcing is the process of finding and securing high-value property opportunities for personal investment or to sell to other investors. This proactive approach allows investors to discover and access deals before their competitors, providing a significant competitive advantage.
By actively seeking out these opportunities, investors can quickly capitalise on compelling deals, enhancing their investment portfolio or generating profit through resale.
Difference between an Estate Agent and a Deal Sourcer
Estate Agent - An estate agent is typically paid by the seller to secure the highest possible price for a property. Their role focuses on marketing the property, managing viewings, and negotiating offers to achieve the best sale terms.
Deal Sourcer - A deal sourcer specialises in identifying properties that present significant investment opportunities, such as those sold below market value or those offering a high return on investment. Their expertise lies in uncovering potential deals that can yield substantial profits for investors.
Systemise Your Sourcing Business With Property Filter
Streamline your search for great deals using our ready-made strategy templates, which provide all you need to succeed as a Property Sourcer. This tool quickly identifies top property opportunities, boosting your sourcing efficiency.
1. Define Your Area, Strategy, and Criteria.
Area Selection: Start by focusing on fewer than ten postcodes to understand each area's advantages. Expand your search as needed.
Strategy Development: Choose and research an investment strategy suitable for your area, such as Buy-to-Let, HMO, or Purchased Lease Option, to maximise returns.
2. Leads Generator
Set your criteria once and start with postcode areas you are familiar with, gradually expanding to nearby locations. Knowing the area will guide your investment decisions. Configure your leads generator to align with your chosen strategy, efficiently pinpointing potential opportunities.
3. Identify Motivated Sellers
After setting up your lead generator, focus on the most motivated sellers, typically listed further on the left of the generator. Evaluate each lead and decide which ones to add to your pipeline for further action.
4. Due Diligence
The primary reason for conducting due diligence is to avoid surprises after the purchase. Property is a significant investment, and uncovering potential issues beforehand can save you from future headaches and financial losses.
4.1 Address - Ensure that the property has complete address.
4.2 Background - Gather all relevant information about the property's history.
4.2.a Sales History - Understanding the sales history provides context and insight into what the owner has experienced. Key elements include:
Last Sold Date
Price & Status History
Agents Involved
4.2.b Ownership - To understand the current status of the property’s ownership, the approach to the vendors will depend on the following:
Owner Occupier
Privately Rented
Social Housing
Company Owned
4.2.c Property Condition and Restriction - This section provides a clear indication of the property's condition and offers insights when looking for comparable properties. It also includes information on planning restrictions and licences related to the property, such as:
EPC (Energy Performance Certificate): Assesses the condition and energy efficiency of the property
m²/sqft: Indicates the size of the property
Planning & Restrictions: Details of any planning permissions and restrictions
4.3 Comparables - Reviewing comparables involves looking back in time to check the following categories: Available Comparables, Sold Subject to Contract, Withdrawn Comparables, and Last Sold Comparables.
Using all this data, you can leverage it to negotiate a better selling price compared to the asking price. Having comprehensive comparables data gives you a clearer idea of a property's actual worth, empowering you to make informed decisions during negotiations.
4.4 Demographics
The goal here is to assess the Area and Demand. Evaluate the area by examining the deprivation indicator and the mix of social versus privately owned dwellings. For demand, consider how quickly properties rent and sell in the area.
Investors ideally seek properties that provide positive cash flow and offer opportunities for capital appreciation due to high demand in the area.
4.5 Exits
Utilise deal calculators to explore multiple exit strategies. This approach allows you to evaluate various scenarios and choose the best option for maximising your investment returns.
5. Organise Viewings
Once due diligence is complete, aim to view at least one property per week. Making this a regular practice will help you build momentum in evaluating properties that you consider good leads.
6. Make Offers
If a property is worth viewing, it's worth making an offer. The more offers you make, the higher your chances of getting one accepted and closing a deal.
7. Follow up
Never miss a follow-up because deals are often secured during this stage. Don't be discouraged if your initial offer is rejected; persistence pays off, as most deals are closed during follow-ups.
Skills Required
Marketing
Effectively promote that you are buying properties and attract pre-qualified investor clients.
Deal Analysis
Filter out poor deals by verifying if the numbers add up. Ensure that the potential investment meets your financial criteria and expectations, and that the deal stacks.
Negotiation
When dealing directly with vendors or sellers, there are many aspects you can negotiate. For instance, you can propose offers with conditions that imply delayed completion.
Example:
Conditional Offer
For properties with planning uplift opportunities, you can make an offer to the vendor that is subject to obtaining planning permission. Once the planning permission is granted, you agree to pay a higher price for the property.
Project Management
Be organised and effective in getting things done.
Funding
This can come from various sources such as bridging companies, mortgage lenders, joint ventures, or equity funding. If you have a great deal, you will always find people willing to fund it.
Focus on Fundable Deals
Concentrate on deals you can fund and retain. To achieve this, seek out properties with investment potential. Purchase from motivated sellers at a discount to market value, and look for opportunities to increase the property's value. This strategy provides a significant equity boost, allowing you to refinance the property after the deal is completed and withdraw most of your initial investment.