Not every deal ends in a payday. Sometimes, the biggest win is walking away. This looked like a straightforward mid terraced property in Cumbria. Turnkey condition, recently refurbed by the vendor, tenanted, and we sold it within hours. Financially, it stacked perfectly. But I was naive. The property had a flying freehold. I’d encountered them before, usually minor alleyways or shared stairwells. This one was different. The first floor extended into the neighbouring property, 26% of the total footprint. That alone wrecked our financing options. Best offer? 10% interest, 50% deposit. Completely crushed the yield. So, we renegotiated. Thought we’d salvaged the deal. But two months into conveyancing, we hit another wall. The garden, just a tiny postage stamp of outdoor space, had no legal access from the house. No right of way. No guarantee for future resale. That was the final red flag. We pulled the deal. Most sourcers would’ve pushed it through to get paid. But I’m in this for the long game. If the purchase is hard, the sale will be harder. That’s the difference between selling a deal and building a business with longevity. This learning experience forced us to level up. We increased our upfront due diligence process to make sure this kind of issue never slips through again. These experiences are exactly why I created my award nominated training academy. I’m a firm believer in teaching from losses, not just wins, because that’s where the real lessons live.

Posted by Paul Stapleton at 2025-06-08 10:35:41 UTC