What Makes a Property Deal Worth It? Our 5-Minute Property Deal Assessment Framework

When it comes to property investing, time is money. And wasting time chasing the wrong deal? That can cost more than you think.

At Headway, we’ve developed a quick but effective property deal assessment framework that lets us know - within minutes - whether something is worth deeper analysis or an immediate “no”.

Here’s exactly how it works.

Why You Need a Fast Property Deal Assessment Process

In today’s market, deals move fast. If you can’t make decisions quickly, someone else will.

But that doesn’t mean guessing or going by gut feeling. A solid property deal assessment helps us:

• Avoid wasting time on duds

• Focus our energy on high-potential projects

• Keep our pipeline moving

• Minimise risk early on

Our 5-Minute Property Deal Assessment Checklist

This is the basic framework we use when a new opportunity lands in front of us:

1. Location:

   Is it in a high-demand area we know well? Are schools, transport, and shops nearby?If we don’t understand the micro-location, we pause.

   
   

2. Purchase Price vs. Local Values:

   Does the asking price make sense for the area? Are we getting it at a discount or full market value? We cross-reference similar sales immediately.

   
   

3. Potential to Add Value:

   Can we refurb, extend, reconfigure, or change use? If there’s no value to add, there’s no profit.

   
   

4. Exit Strategy Fit:

   Will this work as a flip, BRR, or rental? If we can’t clearly define an exit from the start, it’s a no.

   
   

5. Red Flags:

   Legal complications, structural issues, difficult access, awkward layouts, or overly optimistic agents. One red flag can kill a deal.

If a deal doesn’t pass this quick assessment, we move on. If it does, we dive deeper.

How Property Deal Assessment Helps Our Investors Too

This isn’t just about saving our time - it protects our investors too.

Because we assess every opportunity using this model before we present it in our investor packets, it ensures that:

• We only share deals with real potential

• We’re not gambling on best-case scenarios

• Every opportunity has a clear path forward

That’s part of our overall risk mitigation strategy, and one reason investors trust our judgment.

What About the Ones That Don’t Pass?

Most don’t. And that’s the point.

Without a framework, it’s easy to get emotionally attached to deals that aren’t right. Our property deal assessment process keeps us objective and focused on what works - not what looks good on the surface.

Make It Yours

If you’re a new investor, try building your own quickfire checklist.

Or borrow ours - because when you master fast, informed decisions, everything else moves quicker too.