THE SHORT ANSWER
When asking prices are this high, the deals don’t come from waiting for a discount. They come from spotting what the market has mispriced. At our 22 September meet, Suzi Carter of Commercial Property Academy walked the room through where that mispricing usually hides, and why the right buyer can see value everyone else has scrolled past.
Why do good deals look so ordinary on paper?
Because most buyers ask the same short list of questions. Is it a nice property? What’s the rent? Can I get a mortgage on it? Fine questions, but everyone is asking them, so everyone reaches the same price.
Commercial investors tend to ask more: who is the tenant and how secure are they, what lease can I get, what can be changed, how many ways out do I have. It sounds more complicated. Suzi’s point was that it isn’t, once you know which questions to ask. And the extra questions are exactly where the opportunities sit.
“The opportunities are not hidden, they just need the right pair of glasses to spot them.”Suzi Carter, Commercial Property Academy, speaking at Phoenix Property Meet, 22 September 2026
Where does the market misprice property?
Suzi grouped it into four places. The headlines, without the homework:
- Income the market hasn’t recognised yet. In commercial property, rent drives value. Rent that could be higher, and hasn’t been tested, is value sitting on the table.
- Time and lease events. A short lease or an approaching break scares buyers off. Sometimes rightly. Sometimes a conversation with the tenant changes everything.
- Motivated sellers. Retirement, refinancing trouble, probate, partnerships that have stopped speaking. The seller’s situation often matters more than the property’s.
- Buildings the market has written off. Badly marketed, badly configured or simply left on the shelf too long. Vacancy is not the same as no demand.
What does “asking prices are not values” actually mean?
An asking price is often a hopeful guess, not a calculation. The discipline Suzi described is working backwards: start with what the property is worth once you’ve done what you plan to do, take off what it costs to get there and the return you need, and offer the number that works. Then follow up, because plenty of deals get done the second time round.
It’s less exciting than “below market value” banners. It’s also considerably more reliable.
Want the case studies?
EXCLUSIVE TO PHOENIX VIP MEMBERS
Suzi’s full talk is in the Phoenix Vault, which is exclusive to VIP members. That includes the real deals behind each category, the numbers before and after, and the twelve questions she asks before she buys anything. We’re not putting those here. Some things are worth joining for.
Questions people actually ask
What does “mispriced” mean in property?
A property is mispriced when its price reflects what it is today, not what it could be. That gap might come from rent that could rise, a lease problem that can be solved, or a seller who needs to move quickly.
Is commercial property only for experienced investors?
No, but it rewards preparation. The questions are different from residential, and the lending and valuation work differently, so learning the basics before you buy matters more than the size of your first deal.
Where can I watch Suzi Carter’s full talk?
The full session from 22 September 2026 is in the Phoenix Vault, along with the other talks from that day. The Vault is exclusive to Phoenix VIP members, so you’ll need to become a VIP to watch it.
