If you’re a property investor, there are many skills you need in your armoury! But there is one skill that I think can make sure you can get the very best deals out there. Indeed, sometimes it’s not about having the biggest war chest, the best connections, or even the sharpest negotiating skills. It’s something far simpler yet infinitely more powerful: the art of follow up.

Whilst this is a longer-term approach to getting deals, in my experience this is one of the best ways to get the very best deals out there. However, it’s definitely not a sexy strategy. It requires systems, patience and persistence.

The Current Commercial Property Market
The UK commercial property market is still nursing a hangover from the past few years. Interest rate shocks, economic uncertainty, and changing work patterns have reduced pricing. This makes it a great window of opportunity in which to buy deals at much reduced prices. But many vendors are clinging to peak valuations, hoping the recovery will start soon. Meanwhile, agents are doing what they do – talking up prices because that’s their job.

But beneath this surface optimism, there are cracks. Financing costs have at least doubled for many owners and tenant demand has shifted dramatically in some sectors. Indeed, the vendors who may seem unmotivated today are often just one quarterly review, one rent review, or one refinancing conversation away from a complete change of heart. This is the territory where the art of the follow-up is essential.

Understanding the Psychology of Property Decisions
Commercial property decisions aren’t made in a vacuum. They’re the result of complex business pressures, personal circumstances, and market timing that can take months or years to align. The vendor who laughs off your offer today might be desperately seeking your phone number six months from now.