What are off-market properties and where can I find them?

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Posted on 10 June 2025

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What are off-market properties, and where can I find them?

This blog explains what off-market empty properties are, why they matter, and how Land Attic can help you find them.

The property market has a hidden side, an underworld if you like, where valuable opportunities change hands without ever appearing on Rightmove, Zoopla, or in Estate Agents’ windows.

These ‘off-market’ empty properties are much sought after by developers, investors and anyone else involved in the property business. But until now, finding them has been a frustrating, time-consuming process, often reliant on insider connections or sometimes, just pure luck.

For years, access to these unseen opportunities has been limited to those with established networks and contacts. But now the property landscape is changing, with new approaches emerging that are democratising access to off-market opportunities and opening them up to wider markets.

This blog explains what off-market opportunities are, why they’re important, and how Land Attic can help you save countless wasted hours on outdated search methods that deliver inconsistent and unsatisfactory results.

What is an off-market property?

An off-market property is one that changes hands without public advertising. These properties don’t appear on standard listings on Rightmove or Zoopla; they remain invisible to the general market.

Empty properties account for a significant proportion of these off-market properties. According to Government figures, around 265,000 homes in England have been empty for more than six months, with an estimated 165,000 privately owned commercial and business premises across the UK also sitting vacant. These empty homes and buildings often hold tremendous potential for developers, investors and other property professionals.

But why do so many empty properties stay off the market? The reasons vary:

• Some owners might be unsure about selling, either for sentimental reasons or due to financial complications;
• Absentee landlords sometimes lose track of their properties, or lack the motivation to sell, despite leaving their buildings unused for years;
• Some empty properties have fallen into a state of disrepair, making them unsuitable for sale without significant investment;
• Banks holding repossessed properties sometimes delay putting them on the open market;
• While local authorities often maintain lists of empty properties, they lack an effective means of connecting them to potential buyers.

 And yet, empty properties offer unique benefits for buyers with vision:

• They’re already vacant - no waiting for tenants to move out or dealing with sitting occupants;
• There are usually no complications with the chain; and
• They often sell at discounted prices, reflecting their condition.

So, for developers in particular, empty properties can be an opportunity to acquire assets with genuine value-adding potential that hasn’t already been factored into their price on the open market. The key challenge isn’t just  finding those off-market properties for sale – it’s identifying the empty buildings with owners who might consider selling, given the right approach.

Traditional methods of finding off-market properties

Until recently, finding off-market properties required a combination of persistence, the right connections, and good fortune.

• Historically, estate agents have been the primary gateway to off-market properties. They might contact their ‘preferred’ buyers before listing these properties publicly. While this approach can work for some, it’s inherently limited and often favours established developers with proven track records of regular business dealings.
• Property sourcing networks offer another traditional route, with professionals finding properties for clients. These services typically charge a small percentage of the purchase price, or a fixed finder’s fee of several thousand pounds per deal. However, the quality and exclusivity of these opportunities can vary considerably, with seekers searching the same limited pool of properties.
• Specialist property finders resort to more direct approaches, such as leafleting in target areas, sending letters to commercial property owners, or even knocking on doors.

The fundamental problem with all of the above approaches is that they are inconsistent, and they create an uneven playing field where accessing the best opportunities depends more on who you know that what you’re looking to achieve.

Land Attic’s solution

Land Attic’s approach to the challenge of sourcing empty properties is different. We use technology and communities to open up a more accessible, efficient marketplace. Instead of relying on closed networks, Land Attic harnesses the power of community knowledge, using our nationwide network of ‘Land Heroes’; people ‘on the ground’, who identify and submit details of vacant properties in their area via our dedicated app.

As a result, we have created the UK’s most comprehensive collection of empty properties and development opportunities in one accessible place.

Subscribing property professionals receive tailored alerts about relevant opportunities directly to their inboxes. No more chasing multiple agents or paying sourcing companies for the same properties. The Land Attic platform ‘s property matching system will connect you to opportunities that fit your requirements. You’ll receive full access to all our empty property listings for just £30 a month.

As for property owners and agents, Land Attic provides access to thousands of motivated buyers who are specifically looking for opportunities like yours. You can list your empty property on our website for free, and we can help you find the right purchaser.

How to get started

Commencing your empty property search through Land Attic couldn’t be simpler.

Register for free on the platform and specify what you’re looking for: property type, location, price range, etc. Once you’re signed up, you’ll start receiving alerts about the properties matching your criteria. The opportunities come from thousands of community contributors across the UK, creating a much wider net for you to cast than you would through the traditional methods discussed earlier in this blog.

Not all opportunities are off-market as they comprise a mixture of empty property types and tenures and involvement from purchasers and sellers, so there's still some hard work to be done. Our community-driven, technology-enabled platform does however offer fairer access to opportunities for everyone involved in the property and development process, connecting the right people to the right properties at the right time.

Register today to start receiving empty property notifications directly into your inbox. Join thousands of other property professionals who have already discovered that finding their next project doesn’t have to be left to chance.

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