That’s what this business is built on. And there are a few different ways you can be part of it — whether you’re selling, investing, working in property professionally, or you just want to earn a fee for pointing me towards the right opportunity.
This post explains exactly how it all works.
Who I Am and What I Do
My name is John Ratchford. I’m based on the Wirral and I operate across Merseyside, Liverpool, Chester and the surrounding areas. I buy houses directly from people who need to sell quickly, I work with landowners on option agreements for sites with planning potential, and I source off-market property deals for a network of serious investors.
I’m not an estate agent. I’m not a broker. There’s no team behind me, no office, no layers of process. When you deal with me, you deal with me directly. That’s the point.
No agents. No chains. No messing around. Just deals done properly.
If You Need to Sell
If you need to sell your house quickly and the estate agent route isn’t working — or you just don’t want the hassle of it — I buy direct. I’ll look at what you’ve got, tell you honestly whether I can make it work, and if I can, I’ll move quickly.
I’m not interested in wasting your time or mine. I don’t make offers I can’t back up. If the numbers work, we can be in a solicitor’s office within days.
The Sell Your House page on this site has a form. It’s deliberately thorough — I ask for photos, a video walkthrough, condition details, the lot. That’s not to make your life difficult. It’s so that when I come back to you, I’m coming back with a real answer, not a time-wasting conversation that leads nowhere. Fill it in properly and I’ll take it seriously.
If You Own Land
If you’ve got land — a big garden, a plot, an old commercial site, something with refused planning or no planning at all — it may well be worth more than you think. Planning decisions that seem final often aren’t, and there are ways to structure a deal that protects you while giving the land the best chance of reaching its full value.
I work on option agreements across the Wirral and Cheshire. I take on the planning risk. If planning comes through, you get a price that reflects the uplift. If it doesn’t, you haven’t spent a penny. Get in touch via the Land & Planning page and I’ll give you an honest view.
If You Want to Invest
If you’ve got capital to deploy and you want access to property deals before they hit the open market — or deals that never make it to the open market at all — register as an investor.
I bring deals to my investor network privately. Investors don’t talk to each other. Nobody knows who else is in the group. When I find something that fits your criteria, I’ll contact you directly. It’s discreet, it’s efficient, and it cuts out the noise of the public market.
There’s no monthly fee to register. No subscription. You just tell me what you’re looking for — location, property type, budget — and I’ll come to you when something fits. Simple as that.
If we do a deal together, there’s a sourcing fee. That gets agreed in writing upfront, before anything is committed. No surprises.
If You’re a Professional
I work with solicitors, mortgage brokers, surveyors and estate agents on a regular basis. If you’re a professional operating in Merseyside or Cheshire and you want to be on my list for referrals, register via the Professional Partners page.
I refer clients to people I trust and who I know do good work. It’s not a formal arrangement, there’s no exclusivity, and I don’t charge you for being on the list. I just need to know you’re there and what you can do.
Estate agents are also welcome — if you’ve got a listing that’s been sitting or a vendor who needs a faster exit, come and talk to me. I can sometimes move on things that the open market is struggling with.
If You Want to Earn a Finder’s Fee
This is one that a lot of people don’t know about. If you know someone who needs to sell — a neighbour, a friend, a family member — and you put me in touch, and we do a deal, I’ll pay you a finder’s fee. It’s that straightforward.
You don’t need to be in property. You don’t need any qualifications or licences. You just need to know the right people and be willing to make an introduction. The fee gets agreed in writing before any introduction is acted on, and it’s paid on completion.
A lot of the best deals I’ve ever done have come from someone saying ‘I know a bloke who might want to sell.’ If that sounds like something you could do, get in touch and I’ll explain how the finder programme works.
How It All Connects
The way I see it, every part of this business feeds the others. Sellers need buyers. Investors need deals. Deals need to be found by someone. Professionals need referrals. Finders need to know who to call.
I’m the hub. Everything goes through me. Nothing goes around me. That’s how the trust works, and it’s why people keep coming back.
If you’re interested in any part of what I’ve described above, use the relevant page on this site to get in touch. Or if you’re not sure where you fit — just drop me a message via the Contact page and tell me what you’ve got. I’ll work out where the conversation needs to go.
→ Ready to get started? Use the navigation menu above to find the right page for you.