Mark Shaw, known as "lifestyle investor," has been in the property investment sector for over 25 years, leveraging creative strategies to find and secure deals. Having owned and operated multiple estate and letting agencies for more than two decades, Mark brings a wealth of experience in property negotiation, creative finance, and deal structuring. He now shares his knowledge as a coach through his Lifestyle Investor Mastermind Program.
In this week’s episode of Deal Finder’s Corner, Mark Shaw joins us to discuss how to educate estate agents to bring you creative deals, such as lease options, assisted sales, and joint ventures. He breaks down practical strategies to help investors make the most of their relationships with agents, gain exclusive deal access, and structure win-win scenarios.
"You're not just making offers; you're providing solutions that make the agent’s job easier and more rewarding."
To succeed in property investing, Mark emphasises the importance of thinking like an estate or letting agent. When you understand their point of view, you can communicate more effectively and educate them on your creative strategies.
"One of the first things we've got to do is start thinking like an estate agent or a letting agent. Once we start understanding things from their viewpoint, we can start communicating better with them."
By aligning your objectives with the agent's needs, you'll increase your chances of being the first investor they think of when a new opportunity arises.
Trigger points: There are specific scenarios, such as slow progressions, chain breaks, or properties with high price expectations, where agents will think of you if you've educated them well.
Communication via email: Mark prefers communicating through email, as it allows for clear explanations and reduces misunderstandings. This strategy also enables agents to relay your offer to the vendor accurately.
Mark provides practical tips on how to educate agents to bring you deals before they hit the market:
Use specific examples: Pick properties from an agent’s existing listings and explain how you would handle them using your creative strategy. This helps the agent understand your methods and think of you for future opportunities.
Be clear and specific: When approaching agents, always be precise about the type of properties you’re looking for and the strategies you use, such as lease options or assisted sales.
Follow up with emails: After an initial conversation, follow up with detailed emails to reinforce your strategies and keep your approach clear in the agent's mind.
Mark Shaw's insights on educating agents and leveraging creative deal structures can significantly improve your property investment strategy. By understanding the agent's perspective, using specific scenarios like slow progressions or chain breaks, and employing methods like assisted sales, you can access off-market opportunities and build stronger relationships with agents.
Connect with Mark Shaw on Facebook and Instagram to learn more about his strategies and upcoming Mastermind Programs. For the full conversation with Mark and more valuable insights on property investment, head over to our YouTube channel and watch the full interview.
Deal Finder's Corner is your weekly property talk show, proudly brought to you by Property Filter. Our mission is to equip you with the best resources by inviting expert guests to share the most up-to-date and effective strategies, tactics, and insights for finding and securing property deals across the UK.
