The Flip engine scores every active sale listing on 5 signal sources: refurb keywords (needs modernisation, project, fixer-upper), distress keywords (motivated seller, repossessed, vacant possession), EPC D-G (energy upgrade adds to refurb spec + insurance value), 2+ price reductions (meaningful vendor pressure), and auction route (typically below-OMV acquisition). The more signals stack, the deeper the flip margin. Gold tier = 5+ signals, Silver 3-4, Bronze 1-2.
A flip = buy + refurb + sell. You acquire at a discount, add value via works (kitchen, bathroom, decoration, sometimes layout + EPC), then sell at the higher After-Repair Value within 6-12 months. Different from BRRR — flips exit via sale, not refinance. The margin lives in two places: (1) the acquisition discount (how far below OMV you bought it), and (2) the value uplift from the works (how much more it's worth post-refurb). Our engine doesn't pretend to project ARV per-flip (that's the BRRR engine's job) — it stacks the leading indicators of a profitable flip so you can skip straight to the listings where the margin is most likely to be there: stacked distress + refurb intent + EPC upgrade + vendor pressure + auction route.
Refurb keywords (needs modernisation, requires modernization, project, doer-upper, run-down, fixer-upper). Distress keywords (investment only, motivated seller, repossessed, vacant possession, quick sale). EPC D-G (energy upgrade adds to refurb spec). 2+ price reductions (vendor pressure). Auction route (is_auction OR switched_to_auction). Each contributes +1 to the score.
Gold: ≥5 signals stacked — deep value-add play, multiple distress markers + energy upgrade + vendor pressure. Silver: 3-4 signals — solid flip, clear refurb scope + supporting signal. Bronze: 1-2 signals — marginal, verify ARV before commitment. Excluded: 0 signals, rental listing, or commercial / land.
Flip signals identify the opportunity; the BRRR engine (which uses the same refurb cost model) does the actual £-per-sqm refurb stack + ARV projection. Cross-reference any Gold flip on /properties/brrr-candidates for the full refurb maths — most Gold flips also tier well as BRRR candidates, the difference is exit strategy (sell vs refinance + hold).
Every excluded property carries a specific reason: "Rental listing — cannot be acquired for flip", "Not a residential flip candidate (Commercial)", "No flip signals — no refurb intent, no vendor distress, no EPC upgrade, no price reductions". No mystery exclusions.
BRRR = buy + refurb + refinance + rent (hold long-term, recycle most of your capital via the refi). Flip = buy + refurb + sell (exit within 6-12 months, take the profit as a cash lump). Different exit, similar acquisition profile. Both engines score the same signal sources, but BRRR adds an ARV projection + 75% LTV refinance maths. If you see a property scoring Gold on Flip AND Gold on BRRR, the question is: do you want the rental income (BRRR) or the lump-sum profit (Flip)? Tax treatment differs too — BRRR rental income is taxed annually; Flip profit is CGT (or trading income via Ltd).
The signals are direct extractions from the listing data + property metadata — no AI interpretation, no guesswork. Refurb / distress keywords are matched against the listing description + property_keywords satellite table. EPC band comes from the EPC certificate satellite. Price reductions come from the price_history table. Auction status is the source's own flag. Stack-count is exact; tier thresholds (5/3/1) are calibrated against historical sold-prices analysis where stacked-signal flips outperformed single-signal by 4-7x on margin.
No — only D-G. EPC C is the MEES floor for rental properties from 2028 onwards, so properties already at C don't benefit from an energy-upgrade flip play. The signal is specifically about properties where the upgrade adds resale value (insulation, double glazing, heat pump grant eligibility for F/G). C+ properties can still flip on the other signal sources — they just don't get the EPC bonus +1.
The engine doesn't compute net flip profit per-listing — that needs your specific deal structure (SPV vs personal, replacement of main residence, etc). It identifies the OPPORTUNITY (which listings have stacked margin signals). For the full flip P&L including SDLT surcharge (3% on the whole price for additional residential properties in England + 7% in Wales LBTT/LTT), CGT on personal vs trading income on Ltd, and 6-month bridging interest, run the property through the strategy calculator on the property detail page.
Save your flip buying box (location, max price, refurb budget) and get instant alerts when Gold or Silver flip listings hit the market — already pre-scored against 5 signal sources so you skip straight to the deals with the deepest value-add margin.
See flip candidates7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
