Main strategy:
BRRR, HMO & Flips
Time member:
Since 2024
Meet Rob Peters
Meet Rob Peters, the owner of Simple Fast Mortgage, a specialist property finance company that helps investors and developers secure funding. Rob has been a landlord since 2007, initially entering the market when he found himself with a property in negative equity. Instead of selling at a loss, he refurbished and rented it out, sparking a long-term passion for property investment.
By 2020, Rob transitioned fully into property finance, leveraging his background as a financial adviser since 2004 to assist other investors in growing their portfolios. Based in the UK, he works with property investors both locally and internationally, offering strategic financing solutions. Although Rob looks for value across different strategies, his current focus is high-end HMO investments in Manchester, where he aims to source and develop HMOs using Property Filter.
Before Property Filter
Time constraints posed a significant challenge for Rob in securing property deals. Balancing a demanding career in property finance and family life left limited hours to search for, analyse, and secure investment properties.
"Time is the biggest challenge that I have because we're very busy; we deal with a lot of clients in my day job, plus I manage a team, plus I do a lot of other stuff around property."
Prior to using Property Filter, Rob relied on traditional platforms like Rightmove and Zoopla, which lacked efficient features to categorise properties, track potential deals, and eliminate unsuitable options.
"You can't categorise anything in Rightmove. You can't take anything out and say, 'I've dealt with that and looked at that, and I don’t want to see it anymore."
First Impressions
Rob discovered Property Filter at the Strategy Implementation Live event in 2024 and through a client who was already using it. Although intrigued, he had initial reservations. However, he decided to sign up for the free trial to evaluate the software's effectiveness.
"After the event finished at 6 or 7 pm, after dinner at 8 pm, I went back, registered, and went through the properties till one o'clock in the morning."
Using Property Filter’s advanced filtering, Rob quickly identified properties that matched his criteria, saving him countless hours of manual searching. The results were immediate.
"Within that week, I found and bought two properties. That’s something that would have taken me much longer before."
Ilkley Deals Case Studies
#1: One-Bedroom Flat in Ilkley
One of them was a promising opportunity in Ilkley: a one-bedroom flat listed at £75,000. Upon thorough research, he determined that similar flats in the area typically sold for £135,000 to £150,000, indicating the property was priced approximately 45% below market value. The listing mentioned an age restriction requiring buyers to be over 55, which deterred many potential investors. However, after getting familiar with the legal documentation, Rob discovered that the restriction actually applied to tenants, not buyers. This oversight allowed him to acquire the flat for £78,000. Including legal fees and stamp duty, his total investment was £84,000.
Opting not to refurbish, Rob secured a mortgage at 65% loan-to-value, based on a new valuation of £135,000 straight after legal completion, hence withdrawing £87,000. This not only covered his initial investment and provided a 'free' property but also resulted in a monthly cash flow of £276.
"I did zero work on it. I put a mortgage on it, pulled out £87,000, and now it generates £276 per month in cash flow."
Purchase Price | £78,000 (Approx. 45% BMV) |
Total Costs | £84,000 |
Cash Released | £87,000 |
Approx. Valuation | £135,000 |
Monthly Cashflow | £276 |
Purchased Price | £161,000 |
Refurbishment Costs | £61,000 |
Expected Sale Price | £280,000 |
The Future
Looking ahead, Rob plans to expand his property portfolio by securing two more HMOs in Manchester this year, using Property Filter to refine his search and maximise his return on investment.
If you believe you could benefit from Rob's expertise in financial products for property investors, please visit the Simple Fast Mortgage website.
