Deal sourcing
Property deal sourcing & packaging, explained
Deal sourcing means finding investment property opportunities and presenting them to investors for a fee. Deal packaging is the polished version — a complete pack with the numbers, strategy and evidence an investor needs to say yes. This is the end-to-end process, what goes in a pack, the compliance you need, and the typical fees.
The deal sourcing process
- 01
Marketing
Build a presence and a pipeline — investor list, content, referrals.
- 02
Lead generation
Find motivated sellers and on/off-market opportunities.
- 03
Qualifying
Filter for genuine motivation, realistic price and a workable strategy.
- 04
Research
Comparables, rents, refurb scope, planning, area data — the numbers.
- 05
Viewing
Inspect, photograph and confirm the condition and works.
- 06
Offer
Negotiate a price that leaves margin for your investor and your fee.
- 07
Agreement
Reserve the deal, agree terms, issue the pack to the investor.
- 08
Completion
Solicitors complete; the investor takes the deal; your fee is paid.
What goes in a deal pack
A strong pack leads with the headline (address, BMV %, strategy and ROI), then the full numbers — purchase price, all-in capital, yield, cashflow self-managed and managed — a strategy breakdown, the location and area data, photos, risk flags with sources, and your contact and fee terms. Our Pack Maker builds exactly this, and the Deal Analyser computes the figures for free.
Compliance for UK sourcers
Verified June 2026. Rules change — confirm the current detail with each regulator before you trade. This is information, not legal advice.
Redress scheme
Sourcing for a fee is estate-agency work, so you must join an approved redress scheme — The Property Ombudsman (TPO) or the Property Redress Scheme (PRS).
ICO registration
You handle personal data (sellers, investors, tenants), so you must register with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
AML supervision
You fall under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 — register for anti-money-laundering supervision with HMRC (or another supervisor).
PI insurance
Professional Indemnity insurance isn’t a standalone legal duty, but the redress schemes require it as a membership condition — so in practice it’s mandatory.
FCA & advice
Sourcing itself generally doesn’t need FCA authorisation — but never give financial or investment advice unless you are FCA-regulated. Present deals, not recommendations.
Sourcing fees
Sourcing fees in the UK are commonly £3,000–£5,000 per deal, rising toward £10,000 for higher-value London deals. This is a market range, not advice — fees must be agreed and disclosed to your investor up front, and your pack should state them clearly.
Tools for sourcers
Run the numbers in the free Deal Analyser, package it in the Pack Maker, and check the property’s risks with a OfferCheck.
Questions
Deal sourcing — common questions
- Do I need to be FCA-regulated to source property deals?
- Generally no — finding deals to an investor’s brief isn’t a regulated financial activity. But you must not give financial or investment advice unless you are FCA-authorised. Present the numbers; let the investor decide.
- What compliance do UK property sourcers need?
- Redress-scheme membership (TPO or PRS), ICO data-protection registration, HMRC anti-money-laundering supervision, and Professional Indemnity insurance (required by the redress schemes). Verify the current detail with each regulator before trading.
- How much is a typical sourcing fee?
- Sourcing fees are commonly £3,000–£5,000 per deal, rising toward £10,000 for higher-value London deals. Treat this as a market range, not advice — fees must be agreed and disclosed up front.