Every deal comes with its workings
A sourced deal arrives with an inspection summary, comparable sales and lettings, and a line-by-line cost breakdown, so you can test the figures rather than take them on trust.
How our deal sourcing works → Derby-based property deal sourcing
Property Investment Deals, Found and Checked for You
We find, check and negotiate buy-to-let, HMO and commercial property across the Midlands and the North. You buy in your own name, and our fee is due only when you complete.
LAT Property Investments is run by Liam Taylor, who has spent ten years renovating property and the last three sourcing deals for investors. Every property we put in front of you comes with the comparables, rental evidence and full cost breakdown behind it.
- Fee payable on completion only
- Budgets from £20,000
- Midlands and northern cities
- First-time and experienced investors
Buying investment property without the guesswork
Most investors do not struggle to find property. The portals are full of it. The hard part is knowing which listing still makes sense once the deposit, stamp duty, repairs, empty periods and letting costs are counted, and which one only looks good in the advert.
That is the job we do. We search agent networks, auctions and portfolio sales for property that fits your brief, screen out what does not stack up, and present the few that do with the numbers laid out so you can check them yourself. You decide, you buy in your own name or your company's, and you only pay our property deal sourcing fee if a purchase completes.
From first search to completion
What working with LAT looks like in practice.
Planning more than one purchase
If the first property is the start of a portfolio, we plan the order of purchases around your deposit, your borrowing and how hands-on you want to be.
Buy-to-let investment advice →
Markets chosen for rental demand
We concentrate on cities where purchase prices still leave room for the rent to cover the mortgage and running costs, and where employers and universities keep tenant demand steady.
Where we source property →
Based in Derby
Derby is our base. Family houses in its established suburbs make it a practical first market for many investors, with lower entry prices than the larger cities nearby.
Property investment in Derby →Our property investment services
Sourcing sits at the centre of everything we do. The other services are the strategies we source for.
Property deal sourcing
Off-market, pre-market and auction property screened against your brief, with full analysis on every deal we present.
Deal sourcing →HMO investment
Licensed, ready-let HMOs in established student and professional areas, checked for licensing and planning status before you see them.
HMO investment →Buy-to-let advice
Straight answers on location, deposit, lender stress tests and running costs before you commit to a first or next purchase.
Buy-to-let advice →Lease option agreements
For experienced investors: control of a property now, with the option to buy later at an agreed price, used only where every party clearly benefits.
Lease options →Commercial property
Shops, offices and industrial units on established leases, for investors with larger deposits who want longer tenancies.
Commercial property →Joint venture introductions
Occasional introductions between experienced investors. Each side takes its own legal advice, and we do not arrange or run the partnership.
Joint ventures →How our deal sourcing works
Five stages, from the first call to the day you get the keys.
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Your brief
A 45 to 60 minute video call covering budget, property type, target areas, risk appetite and timescale. We write it up as your sourcing brief.
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The search
We watch agent listings before they reach the portals, plus auction catalogues, portfolio sales and motivated-seller situations in your chosen areas.
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Screening
Anything overpriced against local sales, short on rental demand or carrying obvious legal or condition problems is dropped before it reaches you.
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Viewing and due diligence
A room-by-room inspection with photographs and a repair estimate, plus checks on title, planning history and, for HMOs, licensing.
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Offer to completion
We agree the offer strategy with you, then keep your solicitor, broker, surveyor and the selling agent moving until you complete. Our fee is due at completion.
Who you will deal with
Liam Taylor founded LAT Property Investments. He has spent ten years renovating and refurbishing property, mostly across the Midlands, and the last three years sourcing investment property for other investors.
That building background matters at viewings. It is how a tired kitchen gets priced properly, and how damp, an old consumer unit or a failing roof gets spotted before it becomes your problem.
You deal with Liam from the first call to completion, and he explains every figure in plain language. Read more about Liam.
Why investors use LAT
Four things we hold to on every deal.
Figures you can check
Comparables, rental evidence and every cost, including stamp duty at additional-property rates, set out so you can test them yourself.
Honest about weak deals
If a property does not stack up, we say so, even when you have fallen for it. Walking away from the wrong deal is part of the service.
Specialists for the regulated parts
We source and analyse. Mortgage, tax and legal advice come from qualified brokers, accountants and solicitors, whom we can introduce.
Paid when you complete
Our sourcing fee is charged only when a purchase completes, so we are paid for deals that happen, not for sending listings.
Where we source property
We work Midlands and northern cities where property prices still leave room for rent to cover the mortgage and running costs, and where local employers and universities keep tenant demand steady.
What it costs to buy through us
Our sourcing fee depends on the property's value and the level of service. We confirm it in writing before any work starts, and it is payable only on completion. On top of that, budget for the costs every investor pays:
- Deposit: usually at least 25% of the price with a buy-to-let mortgage.
- Stamp duty at additional-property rates: 5 percentage points above the standard rate on every band. On a £120,000 purchase that is £6,000. Non-UK residents pay a further 2%.
- Legal, survey and lender fees: conveyancing, a survey and any mortgage arrangement fee.
- A reserve: several months of mortgage and running costs, for empty periods and repairs.
Letting under the Renters' Rights Act
Since 1 May 2026, tenancies in England are periodic, Section 21 "no-fault" notices can no longer be used, and landlords regain possession only on the grounds set out in Section 8. That makes tenant referencing, property condition and realistic rents part of the purchase decision, so we assess them at the sourcing stage.
This is a general summary, not legal advice. A solicitor or letting agent can advise on a specific tenancy.
Tell us what you are looking for
A short call is usually enough to tell whether sourcing suits you. There is no obligation.
Property investment questions
How does property deal sourcing work?
You tell us your budget, strategy and target areas. We search agent networks, auctions and portfolio sales, drop anything that does not stack up, and send you the properties that do, with comparables, rental evidence and full costs. If you go ahead, we help negotiate and see the purchase through to completion.
How much does your sourcing service cost?
Our fee depends on the property's value and the level of service, and we confirm it in writing before any work starts. It is charged only when a purchase completes. If none of the properties we present are right for you, you pay nothing.
How much money do I need to start investing in property?
It depends on the price and the strategy. With a buy-to-let mortgage you will usually need a 25% deposit, plus stamp duty at additional-property rates, legal and survey fees, and a reserve for empty periods and repairs. On a £100,000 house that is a £25,000 deposit and £5,000 stamp duty before fees. Some lower-priced deals start from around £20,000 of your own money. We will give you a realistic figure on the first call.
Will I own the property?
Yes. You buy in your own name or through your own limited company, using your own solicitor. We do not pool investors' money or hold funds for investment. Whether to buy personally or through a company is a tax question for your accountant.
Do you give financial or mortgage advice?
No. We find and analyse property and explain the numbers behind each deal, but we are not authorised to give regulated financial or mortgage advice. We can introduce you to independent brokers, accountants and solicitors who are.
Do you manage or refurbish the property after I buy?
Not directly. LAT sources the property and helps you buy it. For refurbishment and lettings we introduce you to contractors and letting agents, and you contract with them yourself.
Can I invest in UK property if I live overseas?
Yes. Lenders usually ask non-residents for a larger deposit, and non-UK residents pay a further 2% stamp duty surcharge on top of additional-property rates. We can run viewings by video walk-through and work around your time zone. Take tax advice in both countries before you buy.
Which areas do you cover?
Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Birmingham and Coventry in the Midlands, and Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield in the North. We also look further afield in those regions when a brief calls for it.
