CityGate North

08/09/2026

A debate for the property industry…

Recently, I had a sale where the buyer pulled out the day before completion.

After weeks of work, negotiation, due diligence and preparation, the deal collapsed at the final hurdle.

It got me thinking.

Should we exchange on day one and properly lock everyone in?

Should more work be completed before offers are accepted?

Would that protect:

• The agent’s time and effort?
• The vendor’s position?
• The buyer from gazumping?
• The buyer from a vendor changing their mind?

Surely a more committed process could make things better for everyone.

Or would we then become too accountable, in our polite English society, to simply pull out at the last minute?

There’s a balance to find. Buyers need proper due diligence. Vendors need confidence that a buyer is serious. Agents need a process that recognises the time and cost involved in getting a transaction to the line.

Because when someone pulls out the day before completion, it can feel a bit like dipping a teabag for too long… then deciding you’ve come this far and drinking it anyway.

Not ideal, but somehow you’ve got to swallow it.

What do you think?

Should the process change, or is this simply part of buying and selling property in England?

26/08/2026

September is when the property market wakes up and the scramble starts.

The investors who are ready for the autumn rush are usually the ones who used the quieter summer weeks properly.

They’ve taken the time to:

✓ Review their current portfolio
✓ Restructure where needed
✓ Revisit their investment strategy
✓ Identify the right funding approach
✓ Line up potential Q4 acquisitions

That preparation matters.

By the time everyone else starts looking, the best opportunities may already have been spotted, assessed and negotiated.

At CityGate North, we help investors across Hull and East Yorkshire get into position before the market gathers pace from detailed portfolio reviews and investment analysis to sourcing acquisitions and managing the process from start to finish.

The autumn push is coming.

If your portfolio, finances or acquisition strategy needs a fresh look before September gets busy, send me a message. Let’s get you ready.

11/08/2026

Two purchases and both are proper value-add projects rather than turnkey investments.

The first was bought for £97,000 and needs around £20,000 spending on a full refurbishment. Once complete, we’re expecting a refinance value of around £140,000, with rent at approximately £850pcm.

The second was bought below the stamp duty threshold and will need around £15,000 spending to bring it up to standard. Once finished, we’re expecting an end value of around £90,000 and rent in the region of £700pcm.

Neither property is glamorous today, but that’s often where the opportunity is.

Buy well, understand the works, know the end value and make sure the numbers stack up before you start.

Two more projects over the line.

16/07/2026

Today is our Property Directors Club summer social at the Lexington Rooftop Bar in Hull.

The point of the club has always been simple. Put good property people in the same room, create the right environment for proper conversations and let relationships develop naturally from there.

Some of the most useful opportunities in property begin before there is a brochure, a listing or a formal deal on the table. They begin because somebody knows who to call.

We are looking forward to welcoming everyone from 1pm.

Book your tickets
https://propertydirectorsclub.co.uk/upcoming-events

13/07/2026

Most property deals do not start with a listing. They start with the right conversation happening early enough.

That is exactly why we created the Property Directors Club.

On 16 July, we are bringing property people together at the Lexington Rooftop Bar at DoubleTree by Hilton Hull from 1pm for our summer social.

No forced networking and no room full of people waiting to pitch at each other. The value is in strong conversations, useful introductions and the kind of relationships that can turn into opportunities long after the event finishes.

If you work in property and want to be in the room, get in touch for details.

Book your place:
https://propertydirectorsclub.co.uk/upcoming-events

08/07/2026

The British are polite, aren’t we? We’ll walk around a property saying it’s nice, thanking people for showing us round and acting like everything is absolutely fine.

But behind the smile, most buyers are already doing the maths.

They’re looking at the bathroom thinking it needs money spending on it, they’re wondering how much the kitchen will cost to bring up to scratch, they’re noticing the carpets, the windows, the damp smell, the gutters and all the little things that give them a reason to come in lower.

And to be fair, we’ve all done it when buying property. We look for the problems because we’re trying to get the best deal we can.

That’s why presentation really does matter. It’s not about hiding issues or pretending a property is something it isn’t, because you still have to be fair and honest with the next buyer. It’s about making sure you’re not giving people easy reasons to chip away at the price before the negotiation has even started.

Get the basics right, show the property in its best light and you give yourself a much better chance of maximising the return.

27/06/2026

CityGate North is bringing something Premier to Hull & East Yorkshire!

While we all know that the Premier League is coming to Hull for the 2026/27 season, did you know that CItyGate North is also stepping up to offer a premier service for the Landlords in Hull & East Yorkshire?

That's right, CityGate Lettings Management is coming soon. Stay tuned for more details...

12/06/2026

𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙄'𝙢 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚. 🥊🥊🥊

On Saturday 20th June 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, I will be competing in 𝗥𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 to raise money for the 𝗭𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, which was established to support charities, community initiatives and individuals who need help the most. This year we are raising money for 𝗟𝗼𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗻, who has been diagnosed with 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟰 𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮, for her to gain access to a life changing vaccine. The goal is to raise £𝟲𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 to fund her treatment and give Louise and her family the chance to move forward with hope, possibility and time.

If you would like to support me and give money to a fantastic cause, here is the link to my Just Giving Page
𝗵𝘁𝘁𝗽𝘀://𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴.𝗰𝗼𝗺/𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲/𝗱𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱-𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗻-𝟭

Thank you

https://youtube.com/shorts/3ODoXNSmUVQ?feature=share

I really need your support as I'm doing a charity boxing bout but i...

08/06/2026

Help me, I'm getting into the Ring...🥊

Thats right, I'm doing a charity boxing bout to raise money for a fantastic cause, The Zenith Foundation. On Saturday 20th June 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, I will be competing in Ring for Hope 2026.

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘰𝘱𝘦 2026 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦, 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 10 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯.

𝘓𝘰𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘑𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 4 𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦-𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘏𝘚. 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 4 𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦.

𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮."

If you would like to support me, here is the link to my Just Giving Page
https://www.justgiving.com/page/david-petersen-1

https://youtube.com/shorts/vmMQEL18DdU

I'm stepping into the ring... Please HelpThat's right, I'm doing a...

18/05/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿
With Monthly events, held at the Lexington Bar at the Double Tree by Hilton every third Thursday of the month, members get to mix and converse with the leading people and businesses in the field. This is where property is discussed, debate and shared.
Can you afford not to be in the room?

Join now or book your place at the next event on Thursday 21st May from 1pm.
propertydirectorsclub.co.uk