EP188: Lock the Profit In at Purchase with Ant Lyons and Markus Zeller

In this episode, Ant sits down with Markus Zeller — a former pharmaceutical CFO turned property investor — to unpack how he's built a genuine flipping business alongside a demanding corporate career. Markus shares his journey from "accidental landlord" to disciplined property trader, and the finance mindset he's brought with him: locking in profit at the point of purchase, weighing absolute vs. relative returns, and treating opportunity cost as seriously as any spreadsheet model. We dig into a real deal — a smelly, unloved probate bungalow in Southend-on-Sea — and talk through vendor motivation, agent relationships, and the discipline it takes to buy for the market rather than your own taste. Markus also opens up about working with Susie Cole to professionalize his approach, the challenge of staying separate from his corporate identity, and why he believes there's no such thing as overnight success — just years of consistent effort. If you're balancing a full-time career with building a property business, or just want an honest, numbers-driven take on flipping, this one's for you. Topics covered: Accidental landlord to full-time property ambitions Why 20% profit / £50k minimum is his deal criteria The hidden risks of "low value" flips Building trust with agents (and why he discounts what they tell him by 10%) Structuring investor finance: loans vs. profit share Working with a mentor to fill knowledge gaps Time management, work-life balance, and staying disciplined