From Recruitment to PropTech: How Lisa Mortie is Building a More Trusted UK Property Investment Marketplace

Lisa Mortie, Founder and CEO of Sylvest, expected the greatest challenge in property investment to be finding the right opportunity. Instead, she discovered that the greater challenge was knowing who to trust. After leaving a successful 20-year career in recruitment and entering the property sector, she expected credible opportunities and professional connections to be within easy reach. What she found was a fragmented market in which deals frequently moved  through social media groups, private messages and informal networks.

"I did not create Sylvest simply because I saw a gap in the market," she says. "I created it because I experienced that gap myself."

A Problem Hiding in Plain Sight

Lisa had invested in property education with genuine ambition. Yet the more she searched, the more the same obstacle appeared. There was no simple,dedicated marketplace where Property Investors could compare opportunities and where professional Deal Sourcers could present their deals clearly. Investors often struggled to assess who was presenting an opportunity and whether it suited their strategy. Deal Sourcers, meanwhile, faced the continuing challenge of reaching serious investors consistently.

This revealed two connected problems. Investors needed a clearer, and more structured way to discover opportunities. Deal Sourcers needed a dedicated platform through which to reach an  audience already interested in property investment. Rather than accept the existing situation, Lisa decided to build the solution herself.

"Property opportunities are often shared across social media groups and informal networks," she explains. "I wanted to create one dedicated place where investors could search more effectively and professional Deal Sourcers could present their opportunities more clearly."

The result is Sylvest, an emerging UK property technology company and introduction marketplace preparing for its next stage of growth. Sylvest does not sell property, provide financial advice or recommend particular investments. Its purpose is focused and clearly defined: to create a more organised and transparent environment in which Property Investors and Deal Sourcers can discover and connect with one another.

Recognition for Innovation in Property Investment

Sylvest’s approach has also received recognition within the UK property sector. In 2026, Best of Best Review named Sylvest Best Property Investment Marketplace in the UK 2026, recognising the company’s focus on creating more structured connections between Property Investors and professional Deal Sourcers. The recognition reflects Sylvest’s marketplace concept, emphasis on transparency and founder-led approach to addressing the challenges Lisa experienced within the property investment market.

How Sylvest Works

Through the Sylvest online marketplace, Property Investors can search for opportunities using criteria such as location, purchase price and investment strategy. Deal Sourcers present their opportunities in a clear, structured format, giving investors access to the available information they need when considering whether a deal may be relevant to them.

The commercial model is designed to reduce the upfront barriers faced by both sides. Deal Sourcers pay an affordable fee to advertise their opportunities. Investors can browse the available deals before deciding whether to pay an introduction fee. This browse-before-paying approach is one of Sylvest’s key distinctions, allowing investors to establish whether relevant opportunities are available before purchasing an introduction.

Once the introduction fee has been paid, the investor receives access to an Investor Pack containing the available property information, supporting deal details, images where provided, and the Deal Sourcer's professional profile and contact information. The pack remains locked while an investor is browsing and is released after payment. This protects the value of the Deal Sourcer's work while providing the investor with a structured handover from which to begin independent assessment and due diligence.

Building Trust, Not Promises

Trust and transparency sit at the centre of the Sylvest brand. The company is developing its three-tier "Verified by Sylvest" framework:  Verified, Verified Plus and Verified Premium. Each level is intended to show the level of information and documentation Sylvest has obtained from a participating Deal Sourcer.

Sylvest is equally clear about the limits of that framework. Verification is not an endorsement, a regulatory approval, investment recommendation or a guarantee. Investors must always conduct their own independent legal, financial and property due diligence before deciding whether to proceed with an opportunity..

"Trust cannot be created through a badge or a promise alone," Lisa says. "It comes from transparency, clear information and helping people understand what they must verify for themselves."

That honesty defines the brand's approach. Sylvest does not tell investors which property to buy or promise that an opportunity will succeed. Its role is to facilitate a more structured and transparent introduction, giving both parties a better-informed place to begin their conversation.

The Recruitment Foundation

Lisa's two decades in recruitment shaped the connected-led philosophy behind Sylvest. Her career revolved around understanding requirements, assessing suitability and connecting the right individuals with the right opportunities. Those same principles now underpin the Sylvest market place.

"My recruitment career taught me that a successful introduction begins with understanding what both sides need," she reflects. "Sylvest brings that same principle into the property investment sector."

Leaving a familiar and successful career was not a small decision. It required her to invest in new education and apply her existing experience within a different and demanding industry.

 "Starting again in a new industry after a 20-year career was not the easiest path but I believe some of the most meaningful businesses begin when someone decides that an existing problem deserves a better solution."

A Name With Meaning

The company's name carries deep personal significance. Sylvest was named in honour of Lisa's late father, whose strength, values and influence helped shape her entrepreneurial journey. The business is therefore both a commercial vision and a personal legacy.

"My father, Sylvester, represented strength, resilience and integrity," she says. "Naming the company after him reminds me that I am not only building a business; I am also building something intended to carry those values forward."

That sense of purpose has supported Lisa  through the demanding process of building a technology marketplace from the ground up. Sylvest has secured registered protection for its distinctive brand logo in the United Kingdom and continues to develop its platform, verification framework and educational content ahead of its next stage of growth.

An early pilot helped test the marketplace model in practice. An experienced UK Deal Sourcer, with more than ten years in the property sector, registered on the platform, completed the initial verification process and uploaded twenty-eight property opportunities. This early participation helped Sylvest assess how multiple opportunities could be presented in a structured, searchable format, while informing the continued development of its listing, verification and investor-introduction processes.

The Road Ahead

Sylvest is preparing for its wider market launch, including further platform development, expanded verification processes,educational content,  strategic industry relationships and targeted campaigns for Property Investors and professional Deal Sourcers across the United Kingdom. Its guiding principle is simple: better information, greater transparency and more trusted property connections.

“My long-term vision is for Sylvest to become a globally recognised and trusted destination for property opportunities,” Lisa says, “building a strong foundation in the UK before expanding internationally and helping credible Deal Sourcers connect with Property Investors across the world.”

For Property Investors seeking a more organised way to discover opportunities, and professional Deal Sourcers looking to present their work to a focused audience, Sylvest offers a more transparent starting point. The platform’s marketplace, Investor Pack and developing verification framework have been designed to support clearer, better-informed property introductions across the UK.

Explore Sylvest

Property Investors and professional Deal Sourcers can explore the Sylvest Property Investment Marketplace to learn more about the platform and follow its next stage of growth visit Sylvest Ltd.