Property sourcing in Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas

What property sourcing actually is

A property sourcing agent does the searching and the assessment on an investor's behalf. Instead of monitoring portals, calling agents and appraising properties yourself, you agree written criteria with us, and we bring forward the opportunities that fit. Every opportunity is presented with the numbers, the reasoning, the local context and the risks.

We are a deal sourcing business, not an estate agency and not a financial adviser. We do not sell you a product. We source property against a brief, and we tell you what we think of it.

How Westwood works

Our process is deliberately simple, and it starts with a conversation rather than a form. Chris will ask about your goals, your funding position, your experience, the areas you are open to and the areas you are not.

• We agree your criteria in writing, so there is no ambiguity about what we are looking for.
• We search on market and off market across our coverage area.
• We appraise each candidate on street-level evidence, not borough averages.
• We present suitable opportunities with a full breakdown of numbers and assumptions.
• We support the purchase through offer, solicitors, survey and access.

Who the service is for

Property sourcing suits investors who know roughly what they want to achieve but lack the time, contacts or local knowledge to search one market thoroughly. In practice that means first-time investors who want the numbers explained, portfolio landlords who want deal flow that matches specific criteria, and investors based outside the North West who need someone on the ground.

What types of opportunity we can source

We work across the strategies below. Which one is appropriate depends entirely on your objectives, your funding and your appetite for management and works.

• Buy to Let — Single-let residential property held for rental income and long-term ownership.
• HMOs — Houses in multiple occupation let by the room, typically producing a higher gross yield.
• Refurbishments — Tired or dated property bought below its finished value and improved before letting or sale.
• Below Market Value — Property acquired at a discount to fair market value, usually because of speed, condition or circumstance.
• Development Opportunities — Sites, conversions and change-of-use projects where value is created through planning and build.
• High Yield Property — Lower entry price stock in areas where rent relative to price is strong.
• Capital Growth Opportunities — Property in locations where the longer-term case rests on value appreciation as well as rent.
• Off Market Property — Opportunities that are not openly advertised on the major portals.

How opportunities are assessed

Appraisal is where sourcing either adds value or wastes your time. For every opportunity we look at comparable sold prices rather than asking prices, achievable rents on the specific street rather than a wider average, the condition and tenure of the building, likely works with a contingency, and the full cost of purchase including stamp duty and legal fees.

Every figure we present is an estimate. Estimates are there to help you decide whether something is worth progressing — they are not a substitute for your own due diligence, survey, valuation and professional advice.

What happens after a deal is presented

You review it in your own time and decide. If you want to progress, we support the next stage: putting the offer forward, coordinating with the vendor or agent, arranging access for surveys and viewings, and keeping the purchase moving with your solicitor. If you decide against it, that is a perfectly normal outcome and we carry on sourcing.

What information clients receive

• Location, property type, bedrooms and bathrooms, and tenure position
• Asking price, our appraisal of value, and any sourcing fee, stated clearly
• Estimated refurbishment cost with contingency where works are involved
• Estimated rental value with the evidence behind it
• Estimated gross and, where relevant, net yield
• Estimated GDV for refurbishment and development projects
• Purchase costs: stamp duty estimate, legal costs estimate, other costs
• Investment summary, why we like it, and the potential risks we can see
• Local area overview, photographs, floor plans and supporting documents

Where we source

Greater Manchester is our strongest focus, including Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Trafford, Bolton, Bury and the rest of the conurbation. We also source across Cheshire, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Merseyside and Derbyshire. See areas we cover for local detail.