The Biggest Raising Finance Mistakes Property Investors Make (And How to Fix Them)

By Jackie Tomes 

When it comes to raising finance, many property investors feel their biggest challenge is finding investors.   

They assume that if they could figure out where investors are hiding, their deals would get funded.  

But the truth?   

There are plenty of people with money who want to invest. 

And the real reason many property investors struggle to secure finance is:  

They make avoidable mistakes in how they talk to potential investors that mean they aren’t clear about what they do or what investing with them really means (and remember, potential investors are just other human beings, just like me and you!) 

Every month, Dave (my husband and business partner) and I run ‘Pitch & Pipeline Practice Sessions’ with property investors in our Deal Maker Accelerator mentorship programme.  

These workshops allow them to practice the process to raising finance in a safe environment, get our feedback, and refine their approach.   

And after years of supporting investors to raise finance I’ve noticed… the same mistakes crop up over and over again. 

The good news is, when you fix these mistakes, raising finance becomes dramatically easier.  

And that’s why in today’s article, I’m breaking down 5 key mistakes (and how to avoid them)… so YOU can attract more investors, do more deals, and increase your cash flow. 

Mistake #1: Do People Even Know You Work with Investors? 

A major mistake property investors make with raising finance is assuming people know they work with investors.  

 But in reality, they often don’t. 

For example, if a property investor posts about a £3 million deal they’re working on, people don’t typically think: ‘Oh, it would have been interesting to invest in a project like that.’ 

Often, they assume… ‘Wow, good for them, they must be loaded!’ 

The problem is, if people don’t know you work with investors, there’s zero chance they’ll invest with you. 

However, that doesn’t mean you need to hard-sell or pitch all the time! (Let’s face it we all hate being hard sold to or pitched to!) 

Instead, you can naturally and consistently share that you work with investors: 

• On Social Media → mentioning your investors in an organic way e.g. ‘Just had my weekly catch-up with an investor. The project’s on track, and we’re excited for the next stage!’ 
• Whilst Networking → Your elevator pitch should include it: ‘I work with people who want to invest in property but don’t want the hassle of doing it themselves.’ 

The bottom line? Don’t hard sell potential investors. But you must make it clear that investing with you is an option. 

 Mistake #2: Assuming Someone Doesn’t Have Money 

Property investors often go to networking events, meet someone new… and immediately assume they don’t have money to invest. 

But here’s the problem: people don’t wear neon signs saying, ‘I have money’! (especially not at a property networking event, they know that they’d get mobbed and pitched at!)  

And many investors do have capital sitting in the bank, waiting for the right opportunity.  

Maybe they sold a property, received an inheritance, or accumulated cash from their business. But unless you ask the right questions, you’ll never know. 

That’s why the fix for this is asking better questions.  

Instead of assuming someone doesn’t have money, ask: ‘What’s your biggest challenge at the moment with investing in property?’ 

If they say, ‘I’m struggling to find good deals,’ for me -- that’s a strong sign money isn’t their problem. And I’ll ask more questions to explore if we’re a good fit to work together. 

When you assume people don’t have the cash… your subconscious basically looks for reasons to prove to you that that is true.  

And while it is true sometimes, it's NOT true all the time. 

The lesson? Don’t assume. Ask more questions to get crystal clear on if someone has funds to invest… and if you’re a good fit to work together. 

Mistake #3: Feeling “Unworthy” of the Money 

One of the biggest ‘subconscious blocks’ property investors have is not feeling worthy of raising finance.  

Many compare their deals to things like big, sexy commercial conversions and think ‘my little two-bed buy-to-lets aren’t good enough’. 

They undermine their own property strategy (what we call a ‘business model’) instead of having confidence in the value it provides.  

But here’s the truth… 

 A simple, replicable, property business model is often more attractive to investors than ‘sexier’, higher risk investments. 

It’s not about how exciting your deals are. It’s about how predictable, scalable, and profitable they are.  

 I encourage everyone I mentor to create an ‘investment brochure’ - but not for the reasons you might think!  I’ve seen £millions raised (and raised millions myself) WITHOUT a brochure... BUT what CREATING an investment brochure does, is force you to think about WHY you are doing what you are doing in property, and what makes it great.  

For example... why have you chosen this business model? In this area? How are you balancing risk vs. return?  

 In short... create an investment brochure to clarify for YOURSELF why what you are doing is great and what it can offer an investor, to help boost your confidence and give you the clarity to be able to articulate this through conversations.  

Mistake #4: Procrastination Due to Fear  

Ever had a great conversation with a potential investor… but then failed to follow up?  

If so, you’re not alone. Many property investors sabotage themselves at this point in the process.   

And the hard truth is, this is often due to fear of moving forward. 

 Some common fears I hear every week are:  

‘What if the investor asks a question I can’t answer?’ 

‘What if they say no?’ 

‘What if I mess it up?’ 

And, as a result of these fears, property investors procrastinate. 

They tell themselves they’re too busy to follow up with potential investors. But in reality?  

Fear is the actual culprit.   

That’s why a great ‘quick fix’ for this is simply to keep the conversation moving. At the end of every chat with a potential investor, book in the next step straight away. 

For example, you could say ‘I’d love to share more about how we work with investors… let’s book a quick chat next week’. 

Momentum is key here. If in doubt, just keep taking the next step.  

You’ll likely be surprised how much easier securing finance becomes if you do this regularly. 

Mistake #5: Not Asking Enough Questions 

If your conversations with potential investors don’t go anywhere, the problem likely isn’t them… 

…it’s probably the questions you’re NOT asking. 

A common mistake property investors make is thinking they know what an investor wants, before they’ve really found out. 

For example, someone might say, ‘I want to do a joint venture’. And it’s easy to assume they want to be actively involved.  

But when I ask more questions? I often discover they actually want a hands-off investment and aren’t interested in doing the work. 

That’s why asking enough questions is crucial for finding the right investors for your deals. 

Here are examples of deeper questions you can ask:  

• “What are you trying to achieve?”  

• “Are you looking for a passive income?”  

• “Are you looking for a solid, reliable income stream?”  

• “Or are you looking for a long-term growth of wealth?”  

You’ve got to ask enough questions to truly understand what someone wants.  

Because the truth is, many investors don’t actually know exactly what they need. 

As a property investor, you need to match the right person with the right opportunity. And asking more questions is how you do that.  

By doing this consistently, you’ll find more investors to fund your deals. (Plus, you’ll avoid wasting lots of time, energy and resources on working with the wrong investors!)  

Raising Finance Is Like Skiing… It Gets Easier the More You Do It! 

Dave and I were on a ski lift in the French Alps, debriefing after a ‘Raising Finance Formula’ workshop we ran for property investors.   

And it struck us that raising finance is a lot like skiing.  

At first, it feels awkward and unnatural. You make mistakes, ‘fall down’, and overthink every move. But the more you do it… things begin to click. 

Like with learning how to ski, the property investors who smash it with raising finance are those who keep working at it. 

Because doing this successfully, month after month, isn’t about luck… or simply finding people with money to invest.  

It’s about consistency, building confidence over time, and refining your approach. The most successful property investors I know are always learning, adjusting, and growing.  

So if you’ve been struggling to raise finance for your deals? 

Keep putting yourself out there at networking events, implement the tips in this article, and constantly make small improvements to your approach.  

Over time, you’ll likely find raising finance feels as natural as gliding down a mountain does for an experienced skier! 

To doing more deals and going on holiday every 6 weeks, 

Love Jackie x