We research the market. You make the decision.
Empire Property is a buyer-side property matching and research service. You tell us the budget, the areas and the way you actually want to live; we research what is genuinely available, compare the options line by line, and hand you a shortlist that explains itself. No viewings pushed on you, no commission, no pressure to buy.
What a match is built from
Four inputs go into every search we run.
- Budget and buying position — deposit, mortgage agreement in principle and the ceiling you will not cross.
- Areas and daily travel — target postcodes, commute, schools, and the streets you would rather avoid.
- Property and condition — house, bungalow, flat or new build; space now and space later.
- Timing and lifestyle — when you need to move, what you need nearby, and what you will not compromise on.
Fees are fixed and agreed in writing before any work starts. We are an independent research service, not a sales business, and we are never a party to your purchase.
Four things that shape how we work with you
An objective view of what your budget can actually buy
Searching for a home usually means juggling a dozen browser tabs, photographs taken from flattering angles, and listings that disappear before you can see them. The information is out there — it is simply scattered, inconsistent and hard to compare fairly.
We do that work for you. Starting from a written profile of your requirements, we build a picture of the current market in your chosen areas, verify the details that matter, and lay the options out side by side. You get a shortlist with the reasoning attached, so the decision stays yours and is made with something solid in front of you.
- A single written profile that every search is measured against
- Current availability researched directly rather than recalled
- Comparisons on the criteria that genuinely drive your decision
- A shortlist you can take to viewings, with questions already drafted
Different homes, different things to check
The list of questions changes with the type of property. Here is what we look into for the most common searches.
Victorian and period terraces
Character, high ceilings and mature streets — typically narrower layouts and older services to check.
New-build townhouses
Fixed specifications and warranties, with plot premiums and finish levels to weigh up.
Apartments and low-rise
Service charges, lease length and ground rent are checked before anything reaches your shortlist.
Family houses
Catchment areas, school runs and safe routes are researched alongside the property itself.
Rural and village homes
Heating type, broadband, drainage and travel times matter more than the photographs suggest.
Quiet residential closes
Traffic, parking pressure, extensions nearby and any planned development in the area.
Five services, used separately or as a complete package
You can take any one of these on its own, or run all five as a full buyer match.
Buyer Requirement Profiling
A structured conversation that turns a vague sense of what you want into a written brief we can search against.
- Budget range, deposit and mortgage position
- Target areas, commute and school needs
- Property type, size and condition appetite
- Lifestyle priorities and deal-breakers
Property Research
A current picture of the market in your areas, built from live listings and public records rather than memory.
- Live availability across your chosen areas
- Local amenities, transport and catchment checks
- Public records, planning and flood information
- Every source noted so you can verify it
Option Comparison
The options that survive research are then compared on the criteria that will actually decide it for you.
- Side-by-side comparison on your own criteria
- Trade-offs labelled, not hidden
- Prioritised ranking with your weights applied
- A reserve list in case first choices move
Shortlist Presentation
A finished document you can take to viewings, hand to family, and work through at your own pace.
- Shortlist presented as a single document
- Advantages and drawbacks listed side by side
- Suggested viewing order and what to look for
- A decision memo summarising the open points
Buying Process Support
Once you have chosen, we help you keep track of what happens next and what is expected of you.
- Plain-English explanation of each stage
- Reminders at the key deadlines
- A checklist of the documents you will need
- Questions answered as they come up
From first conversation to a shortlist you trust
A typical match runs through four stages. Most searches reach the shortlist within ten working days.
Profile
A structured call or written questionnaire covering budget, areas, property type and lifestyle.
Research
We search current availability, verify the details and gather the local context.
Compare
Options are scored against your criteria and the trade-offs are written out in full.
Shortlist
You receive a finished document, plus time to talk it through before you view.
Backed by a person, not a portal
Behind every shortlist is a conversation. You will always know who is doing the work, what stage it has reached and when to expect the next piece of it.
- A named contact for the whole search
- Written updates rather than silence
- Questions answered between stages, not just at the end
- A clear finish point, with nothing open-ended
We do not sell viewings, valuations or mortgage products, and we do not pass your details to anyone who does.
The same questions asked of every property
When you look at one property at a time it is easy to fall for it. Compare six on the same page and the differences become obvious — which is usually where the real decision is made.
Every shortlisted option is assessed against the same framework, so you are never comparing a carefully researched house with a listing you happened to open on a lunch break.
| Criterion | What we record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Asking price vs budget | Headroom or overstretch | Shows what else the budget could reach |
| Space and layout | Rooms, storage, potential | The part that is hardest to change later |
| Condition and works | Age of key elements, obvious work | Affects what you will spend after moving |
| Location and travel | Commute, amenities, catchment | Determines daily life more than the floor plan |
| Lease or title points | Lease length, charges, restrictions | Can change the cost of ownership |
The detail behind a shortlist
Space, condition, light and setting — the things a listing photograph rarely settles.
What the finished document looks like
Three illustrative entries from a shortlist. Yours will reflect your own criteria and the properties genuinely available at the time.
Option A — period terrace
Slightly over the middle of budget, but the largest internal space of the three and within walking distance of the station.
- Asking within budget with modest headroom
- Three bedrooms, two receptions
- Original features, dated kitchen
- Roof and boiler age to confirm at viewing
Option B — new-build townhouse
Comes in under budget and needs no immediate work, but the plot is smaller and the finish level is basic.
- Below budget, warranty remaining
- Three bedrooms, low maintenance
- Smaller garden than requested
- Service charge applies to the estate
Option C — village cottage
The strongest on setting and condition, but the commute is longer and heating costs need checking.
- Within budget, recently refurbished
- Two bedrooms plus a study
- Longer commute than your stated target
- Oil heating — running costs to review
Illustrative examples only, provided to show the format of a shortlist. They are not current listings and no outcome is promised.
Fixed fees, agreed before we start
You pay for the work, not for a result. There is no commission and nothing is owed to us when you buy.
Requirement Profile
Best if you want clarity on what to search for before you begin.
£45 one-off
One-off fee
- Structured requirements session
- Written buyer brief
- Budget and area assessment
- Two rounds of amendments
Research & Compare
One full search round across your chosen areas.
£120 per search round
Per round
- Everything in Requirement Profile
- Live availability research
- Local and public record checks
- Comparison framework applied
- Reserve list included
Full Buyer Match
The complete service, from first call to viewing pack.
£195 per search cycle
Complete package
- Everything in Research & Compare
- Formatted shortlist document
- Viewing order and question sheet
- Buying process support
- Two weeks of follow-up questions
All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and confirmed in writing before work begins. Additional search rounds, where you choose to widen or change your requirements, are charged at a lower rate and agreed in advance. We do not take commission from any seller, developer, introducer or lender.
What you can hold us to
We stay on your side
Our only payment comes from you. Nothing in a shortlist is influenced by who is selling it.
We show the trade-offs
Every option carries its drawbacks in writing. A shortlist that only flatters is not useful.
We never pressure
You decide the pace. There is no target, no quota and nothing to lose by walking away.
We keep it confidential
Your requirements, budget and personal details are used for your search and nothing else.
The questions buyers ask us first
Are you a property agency?
No. Empire Property is an independent buyer-side research and matching service. We do not market or list properties, we do not act for any seller, and we are not a party to your purchase. Any offer, negotiation and legal work is carried out by you with the seller’s own representatives and your solicitor.
Will you negotiate or make an offer for me?
No. We do not negotiate, bid or transact on your behalf, and we do not contact sellers. Our work ends with giving you the information, the comparison and the questions to ask, so that you can deal directly with the selling side and your solicitor.
How do your fees work?
We charge a fixed fee for each piece of work, agreed in writing before we begin. There is no commission, no percentage of the purchase price and nothing payable on completion.
How long does a search take?
Most searches reach a shortlist within ten working days of the requirements session, provided we have your brief and any mortgage position confirmed. Wider areas or unusual requirements can take longer, and we will tell you if that looks likely.
Tell us what you are looking for
A first conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. We will tell you plainly whether a search is worth running.