In the Spotlight with Henri Sant-Cassia

We caught up with Henri Sant-Cassia, Chief Executive of investment focussed property platform, One and Only Pro.

Related topics:  In The Spotlight
Warren Lewis
24th April 2019
Henri Sant-Cassia 776

PR: How did you get into the property industry?

HSC: I was heavily influenced by my family who were involved in property investment and held a BTL portfolio featuring developments and single occupancy accommodation across the UK and Europe. I was involved in my parent’s property business in my teens, helping out with the finances, chasing rent payments, check-outs etc. I could see it was a great industry to get into, so I officially joined the family business when I hit 24.

PR: Why did you develop One and Only Pro?

HSC: One and Only Pro was borne out of a private client service. We used it within our property investment firm to find and analyse deals across the UK. It speeded up the whole process and enabled us to unearth hidden gems – BTL properties that offered yields of more than 20% and had good capital growth potential.

We decided to develop an AI-powered property investment portal, so other property investors and landlords could identify the best BTL properties across the UK. One and Only Pro uses a mathematical analysis to create an easy-to-understand scoring system, which identifies the BTL properties most likely to see the highest yields and capital growth.

The unique algorithm shows accurate potential yields and forecast property values, providing highly valuable information, at the touch of a button. Properties are given a score from one to ten and the higher the score, the more likely it is to rise in price. Properties which score ten are a once in a lifetime investment, that will sell quickly. Properties with scores between seven and nine will outperform other similar properties.

The algorithm also identifies below market value properties - properties which are too cheaply priced for the type and location they are in. It can also predict which properties have more chances of increasing in price, by looking at benchmarking and patterns.

The portal features thousands of available properties which users can compare and contrast using a range of innovative AI-powered features, including capital appreciation, potential scores and potential rental yields.

PR: Is Brexit deterring property investors?

HSC: While Brexit has impacted property prices and consumer confidence, it has not deterred UK and international property investors. Over the last month or so, the auction houses, property prices and transactions have been doing well and we have seen a sharp increase is investors using our portal during the same period. We are predicting an increase in property prices in many areas of the UK over the next 6-12 months. We are at the bottom of a new upward cycle and there has never been a better time for investors to buy BTL property.

PR: What advice would you give to potential investors?

HSC: Property investors need to carry out thorough research before they buy, to ensure they purchase a highly profitable property. There are plenty of opportunities to acquire below market value, or discounted properties and these will give a good margin of safety, if anything does go wrong. If investors are buying with a mortgage, there will not be much margin for error, as the stress testing imposed on mortgage companies is very strict. If investors are buying with cash, it is worth checking to see if they could meet the stress testing of mortgages and reconsidering the potential investment, if it fails the stress testing, at a high loan to value of 75%+.

PR: What do you love about the property market?

HSC: I love the fact that if you buy the right property with a mortgage, you can’t really lose. I love hearing stories of how much property cost years ago and its value today. It’s amazing that 200 years ago, most of London was undeveloped and it’s fascinating to see how things have changed. I look forward to the future and seeing how the property market evolves.

PR: What’s next for One and Only Pro?

HSC: One and Only Pro is consumer centric and is built around the property buyer and what they want, so we are going to continue improving our customer service and product.

We are working with selected estate agents to implement a property reservation system. This will require a small deposit, paid by the purchaser to reserve a property. We find many Londoners want to buy properties in Darlington for say £35,000, but by the time they go and view them they are sold or outbidded. This is frustrating and a great opportunity is lost. There should be a ‘buy it now’ price for serious purchasers, subject to legals and a survey of property.

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