SKYWORK.AI DOCUMENT BRIEF
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Title: The UK Home Buyer's Search Guide
Subtitle: How to find, shortlist and compare properties like a pro
Format: PDF, A4, ~16 pages
Tone: Clear, confident, empowering — like a smart older sibling who bought recently
Audience: UK buyers who are actively searching or about to start — overwhelmed by choice, unsure of process

COVER PAGE
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Headline: "The UK Home Buyer's Search Guide"
Subheadline: "From confused browser to confident buyer — your step-by-step plan"
Tagline: "Free from Findo — the home buying intelligence platform"
Visual direction: Blueprint/map aesthetic, blue palette, clean sans-serif

INTRO (1 page)
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Hook: Most buyers spend 6–12 months searching. Most of that time is wasted.
Problem: No system for searching means you see the wrong properties, miss the right ones, and end up making emotional decisions.
Promise: This guide gives you a search system. Work through each chapter in order and by the end you'll have a shortlist, a comparison framework, and the confidence to make a move.
Stat to include: "The average UK buyer views 9 properties before making an offer. Buyers with a clear criteria framework offer on their 5th." (frame as insight, not citation)

CHAPTER 1: DEFINE YOUR NON-NEGOTIABLES (2 pages)
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Intro: Before you search, decide what you cannot compromise on. Everything else is negotiable.
Exercise 1 — Must-Haves vs. Nice-to-Haves:
  Create two columns. Must-Haves = things you'll regret not having in 2 years. Nice-to-Haves = preferences that won't affect daily quality of life.
  Example must-haves: minimum bedrooms, max commute time, school catchment, garden, off-road parking
  Example nice-to-haves: en-suite, separate dining room, bay windows, period features

Exercise 2 — Budget Reality Check:
  Line 1: Max mortgage offer (from AIP)
  Line 2: + Deposit
  Line 3: = Total purchase budget
  Line 4: - Stamp duty (use HMRC calculator — link to it)
  Line 5: - Solicitor + surveys (~£3,000–£4,500)
  Line 6: - Moving costs + initial works budget
  Line 7: = Real maximum property price you can afford
  Note: "Most buyers skip this. Don't. Falling in love with a property £30k over your real budget is how you get into trouble."

True monthly cost formula:
  Mortgage repayment + council tax + utilities + service charge (if flat) + buildings insurance + maintenance buffer
  "Findo calculates this from any listing URL. It's free."

Chapter summary box: Your Must-Have list + Real Budget = your search brief. Write it down. Pin it up.

CHAPTER 2: WHERE TO SEARCH (2 pages)
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Intro: The UK property portals each show different things. Use all three.

Portal breakdown:
  Rightmove — largest UK portal, most listings, best mobile app. Set up alerts immediately.
  Zoopla — shows estimated values and sold price data alongside listings. Good for context.
  OnTheMarket — often gets "fresh to market" listings 24 hours before the others. Set an alert.
  ESPC — essential for Scottish buyers. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeenshire. Note solicitor-estate-agent model.
  Direct from agents — follow local independent agents on social media. Some properties never hit portals.

Alert setup tips:
  - Set the widest sensible radius, then filter down
  - Set budget 5% above your real max (agents often list at round numbers, negotiation happens)
  - Alert frequency: instant for new listings, daily digest for price reductions
  - Save search criteria across all three portals — they don't talk to each other

The price reduction tactic:
  "Properties that reduce price are often sellers who were overpriced and are now motivated. A price drop after 3–4 weeks on the market is a buying signal."

Chapter summary box: Set up alerts on all three portals today. Check OnTheMarket first each morning.

CHAPTER 3: HOW TO SHORTLIST EFFICIENTLY (2 pages)
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Intro: Your job at this stage is to eliminate, not fall in love.

The 2-minute scan rule:
  First 2 minutes: hero photo + floorplan + price + location on map
  If any of these fail your must-have criteria → archive immediately
  Don't read the description yet — it's written by the seller's agent

Photos vs. reality:
  Wide-angle lenses make rooms look 40% larger. Every photo is taken to maximise.
  What to look for: does the floorplan match the photo? Is there a photo of the bathroom? (if not, it's bad). Are there photos of every room?
  Red flag: no floorplan, only 4-5 photos, photos taken at odd angles

When to book a viewing:
  - Passes your must-have scan
  - Floorplan works for your life (traffic flow, bedroom sizes, storage)
  - Location on map works (draw your commute mentally)
  - Price is within adjusted budget
  If all four: book. Don't overthink it.

The shortlisting ratio:
  Aim to view ~1 in 5 properties you enquire on. If you're viewing more than that, your must-have list is too loose. If fewer, it's too tight.

Chapter summary box: Scan fast, book when the 4 criteria pass, never skip the floorplan.

CHAPTER 4: WHAT TO ACTUALLY COMPARE (2 pages)
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Intro: Price is the least important comparison metric. Here's what to compare instead.

True monthly cost (most important):
  Two properties at the same asking price can cost £300–£500/month different to run.
  Factors: mortgage rate vs. fixed term, council tax band, EPC rating (heating cost), service charge, leasehold ground rent

Commute reality:
  "Great transport links" means nothing without your commute measured.
  Use Google Maps at 8am on a Tuesday (not Sunday) to test drive times and public transport.
  Measure both partners' commutes if applicable.

School catchment (if relevant):
  Check the LA's school admissions map, not the listing's claim.
  Catchment areas change every year. Confirm with the council.

Risk factors:
  - Flood risk: check Environment Agency flood map
  - Subsidence risk: check postcode on the British Geological Survey map
  - Flight path / noise: check NATS airspace or Council planning noise maps
  - Broadband: check Openreach availability, not the listing claim

Lease vs. freehold (flats):
  Lease under 80 years = expensive to extend, mortgage issues
  Service charge over £3,000/year = investigate what it covers
  Ground rent over £250/year = Leasehold Reform Act risk — check with solicitor

Comparison framework (printable table in PDF):
  Columns: Property A / B / C
  Rows: Price · Monthly cost · EPC · Commute (you) · Commute (partner) · School · Lease years · Service charge · Flood risk · Gut score /10

Chapter summary box: Run every shortlisted property through this table before booking a second viewing.

CHAPTER 5: MAKING OFFERS CONFIDENTLY (2 pages)
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Intro: Making an offer feels scary. It shouldn't. You have more power than you think.

Research before you offer:
  Check Rightmove/Zoopla sold prices for the same street and equivalent streets in the last 12 months.
  Calculate price per square foot. Is this property above or below the street average?
  Check how long it's been on the market. Rightmove shows listing date. 60+ days = motivated seller.
  Check for price reductions. Each reduction indicates declining demand.

How to pitch an offer:
  Don't start at full asking price unless it's launch day with competition.
  Start 3–7% below asking depending on market heat and days on market.
  State your position clearly in the offer: "We have an AIP, no chain, and can move quickly."
  Never reveal the top of your budget to the agent — they represent the seller.

What to say (and not say):
  Say: "We love the property and want to make it work. We're in a strong position to proceed."
  Don't say: "This is our maximum." / "We'll go higher if we need to." / "We've been looking for 2 years."

Post-offer:
  If rejected: ask what the seller needs to accept. Sometimes it's speed, not price.
  If accepted: immediately instruct a solicitor (don't wait for paperwork).

Chapter summary box: Research comparables, pitch below asking, state your position. Speed and certainty often beat price.

CHAPTER 6: PROTECTING YOURSELF (2 pages)
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Intro: Most regrets in home buying come from skipping due diligence.

Surveys explained:
  Level 1 (Condition Report) — basic. For new builds or recently renovated. ~£300–£500.
  Level 2 (HomeBuyer Report) — standard for most purchases. Highlights defects, doesn't open up structure. ~£500–£900.
  Level 3 (Full Structural Survey) — for older, unusual or cheaper properties. Opens up floors/walls. ~£900–£1,500.
  "Always get at least a Level 2. A mortgage valuation is not a survey."

When the survey flags issues:
  Level 3 issues (serious defects): get a specialist quote. Then negotiate the repair cost off the price.
  Level 2 issues: get a contractor to estimate. Use it as a renegotiation tool, not a reason to withdraw.
  How to renegotiate: "We've had the survey back. There are items that will require £X to rectify. We'd like to proceed at £Y to reflect this."

Conveyancing searches:
  Local authority search — planning, road schemes nearby
  Water & drainage — adoption status, flooding, sewer proximity
  Environmental — contamination, landfill, industrial history
  Mining (if relevant area) — subsidence from old workings
  Chancel repair — rare but worth checking in rural areas

Red flags in conveyancing:
  - Flying freehold (part of your property over/under a neighbour)
  - Missing building regulations certificates for extensions
  - Short lease not disclosed at offer stage
  - Restrictive covenants that affect your plans

Chapter summary box: Get a Level 2 minimum. Use the survey as a negotiation tool, not an exit door.

BACK PAGE
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Headline: "Ready to shortlist smarter?"
Body: "Findo pulls all your properties into one place — with AI analysis, cost breakdowns, comparison tools and location scores. Free to join."
CTA: "findo.co"
Tagline: "Home buying intelligence for serious buyers."