Episode 25 - Empty Property Hunting (with Simon Taylor)

In this episode, Ruban Selvanayagam from national homebuying company Property Solvers delves into the fascinating world of empty property finding with Simon Taylor, the driving force behind Empty Property Hunters. Simon's unique approach focuses on uncovering abandoned and neglected properties, reconnecting them with owners, and giving them a new lease of life. With a rich background in estate agency and a passion for adding value to properties, Simon shares the journey that led him to focus on empty homes. From tracing owners across continents to dealing with complex probate cases and sentimental attachments, Empty Property Hunters is on a mission to bring these dormant assets back into use. Simon highlights some shocking statistics: over 300,000 homes in England alone are sitting empty, a number that dwarfs the country's homeless population. He shares the challenges and quirks of this niche market, such as uncovering properties left abandoned for decades or persuading owners who aren’t motivated by money to consider selling. This episode is packed with insights, from spotting the telltale signs of an empty property to how Simon's team uses everything from neighbourly chats to advanced tools like Ancestry to track down elusive owners.    #EmptyProperty #EmptyProperties #FindEmptyProperty #EmptyPropertyHunters #WeBuyAnyHouse   

LINKS (RESOURCES) REFERRED TO IN THE PODCAST

Empty Property Hunters

Follow Simon Taylor on LinkedIn

RELEVANT LINKS

Property Solvers Investor Profiling

Become an Auction Partner

Property Solvers (Sell House Fast)

Property Solvers (We Buy Any House)

Property Solvers Auctions

Property Auctions News

How to Value Your House

 

TIMESTAMPS

00:10 - Introduction of Simon Taylor from Empty Property Hunters 00:21 - Background of Simon’s career and passion for property 00:54 - Founding and growing of Empty Property Hunters 02:58 - Encouraging public involvement in reporting empty homes 03:59 - Discussion of the scale of empty homes in England 04:30 - Importance of repurposing abandoned properties 05:21 - Common reasons properties remain empty 06:54 - Challenges with owners not motivated by money 07:40 - Costs associated with leaving properties empty 08:33 - Risks of squatters in empty properties 09:49 - Explanation of Bona Vacantia and ownerless properties 12:31 - Process of selling ownerless properties through auctions 12:59 - Common signs of empty homes 14:29 - Appearance of properties deceiving actual occupancy 15:02 - Simon’s process of tracing empty property owners 16:32 - Neighbours as a valuable source of information 17:42 - Tools and techniques used for finding property owners 19:10 - Joint ventures and incentives for identifying empty homes 20:58 - Submitting property leads to Empty Property Hunters 22:07 - Addressing the issue of widespread empty homes 23:55 - Increasing number of empty properties across the UK 24:14 - Potential for repurposing commercial properties 25:26 - Conclusion and how to report empty properties