Property doesn't have a money problem. It has a trust problem. Here's my take on how to catch 'a traitor'... Just like everyone's favourite January TV show that concludes tonight. Trust is scarce. (Yes, it's terrifying what AI can produce!) Here's my top tips to tell the Pinochios from the Professionals: 1. Accounts Check out Companies House. If they're claiming to be doing £1M deals but they're -£10,000 in accounts. It's safe to say they're lying. 2. Skin Do they practice what they preach? Can they show you case studies? Can they show you what project they are doing right now? If they appear to sell more courses than buy houses, ask yourself why. 3. Memberships & Supervisions Quality, scrutinised, memberships like NAPSA: National Association of Professional Sourcing Agents: and Trust Verified are hard work achieve. Money changing hands also requires supervision. Operators also have to be registered with an ombudsman or redress scheme. If they don't ask where your funds are from, who you actually are or how you could lodge a complaint against them - they're breaking the law. Avoid. 4. Language In teaching, we used to say: If you know it, then you should be able to simplify it. Acronyms and technical language isn't a gatekeep - it's a mask hiding for lack of knowledge. 5. Avoid Promise-Makers The two most dangerous words in property are 'promise' and 'gaurentee'. In life, nothing is - why in earth would it be in property? Avoid. Property is an investment (translation: risk). If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 6. Humility Most professional operators are humble and relaxed. Those with something to prove make the most noise. This also goes for the big ego characters. As the saying goes: empty vessels make the most noise. 7. Visibility If they seemingly 'live' on LinkedIn and they aren't a big company with a social media person - how much work/investing are they actually doing? 8. Systems and Legals Do they have a system for onboarding calls? Do they have proper contracts? (NDA's don't count). Do they turn up when they say they will? If they don't, ask yourself how you think they'd hope to find you 'deals'? 9. Instinct Your gut still matters. Property - like the Traitors Round Table - is built on partnerships and instinctive trust even when evidence is sometimes lacking. Herd mentality is dangerous. Personal Gaurentees and JVs potentially ruinous. If you're too different people, it probably won't work -.no matter how good the money/investment is. Find someone on your level. Because in property it's important to know: Who knows their game... Who doesn't... And who's playing the game of their lives [with your money]. Comment below: who's winning Series 4 Traitors? #uktraitors #propertylies #trust #investorprotection

Posted by James Lovell-Smith at 2026-01-23 16:57:06 UTC