- A designers' relocation dream to London
- Buy-to-let property investments in Hertfordshire
- First time buyer relocates to London
- Professional relocates to London
- Relocation to Berkshire
- Couple relocate to West London
A designers' relocation dream to London
Tall order renovation property
Two extremely busy globetrotting North London fashion designers wanted to source their dream country cottage as a renovation project. Having already spent over a year searching in their spare time and losing out in several vicious bidding wars they finally threw in the towel and called in the professionals. Their remit was a Georgian rectory, but we quickly convinced the ambitious couple that their budget simply wouldn't stretch. And after much effort in getting both parties in the country at the same time, we found two cottages that could be knocked together in a wonderful hamlet close to Lambourn in the Berkshire Downs. We picked up the keys just in time for our clients to hang a Xmas wreath on their new door. They said that once they have cut their teeth on this property, they are coming back for us to find that rectory!
Instructed November 2006
Completed February 2007
Buy-to-let property investments in Hertfordshire
Auction success for Watford designers
Our clients run a busy design company and want to build up a long term portfolio of properties, which need to produce good rental income. Having looked at traditional buy-to-let properties themselves, they realised that the rental yields were not achieving more than a five percent return. So when they appointed us, we threw away the rule book and looked at it creatively. We went to auction on their behalf and successfully bid on a fully tenanted six-studio apartment property. Tenancy agreements were in place with income at £41,000pa. We purchased at £400,000, with the property being valued at £460,000 if it was converted back to a family home. We sourced and appointed a management company for our clients and advised a rent increase of 10 percent and an internal re-configuration to maximise future income.
Instructed October 2005
Completed January 2006
First time buyer relocates to London
"Find me a home before I'm priced out the market" cries young lawyer
Our client, a busy lawyer, contacted us at the end of September 2006. She would be spending all of December and January overseas and as a first time buyer, could see that the London property market was running away from her. We needed to secure her an apartment before she left the country. Her hectic lifestyle meant that any interesting properties she found were selling before she could even view them. Fitting in around occasional windows in her busy schedule, we arranging viewings at eight apartments from Battersea to Wandsworth and Fulham. The second one in Battersea was perfect and we managed to secure it against other bidders - and with a discount on the asking price which was unheard of in the London market at this time. A fortnight later, an identical flat sold for £10,000 more. It completed just as she left for her extended trip and we organised keys, changing locks and central heating for the empty winter months.
Instructed September 2006
Completed December 2006
Professional relocates to London
For star-gazing prof
Winter 2006 and our newly single doctor needed to find a cosy new home as soon as possible so he could stop living off friends' kindness. Two beds to accommodate visiting teenage kids and some outside space for star-gazing were top of his list of requirements. A busy professor, his limited free time was precious, so we had to make the most of every minute. Two afternoons and the job was done. (Not without hours of street walking for us though!) We found a fabulous place complete with roof terrace for the telescope. One very happy Doc.
Instructed December 2006
Completed January 2007
Relocation to Berkshire
And the furniture came for free
Speed was the essence in this relocation from Guernsey to Berkshire. A rental lease coming to an end and the need to quickly settle the children in a new school meant that there was no room for delay in this urgent channel hop. Finding a property with no chain was essential. Aside from that, the remit was for a good family home with a reasonable garden, eat-in family kitchen and all in tip-top condition. After taking the clients on an orientation of various areas, we focussed on Maidenhead as it is close to the M4, has good family facilities and is better value than other local areas. From a fairly limited selection, we short-listed four properties for viewing. Our clients made an offer on the very first one they saw - and had it accepted. The house was perfect: an immaculate detached and gated property in the desirable river area of Maidenhead. This property was not on the market but our relationship with the estate agents meant that we were able to organise a one-off viewing. As a bonus, we negotiated the furniture into the purchase price as our clients had lived in furnished property for many years and had very little furniture.
Instructed January 2006
Completed April 2006
Couple relocate to West London
Fought off other bidders for spectacular stable conversion
A complete change of lifestyle beckoned for this south west London couple who were seeking a new start in a quirky and semi-rural character property. Having lovingly tended a handkerchief of a London garden, a proper garden was high on their wish list, along with a good pub within staggering distance. Having quickly ascertained that setting up home in a converted water tower was a little too quirky, we found a converted stables in Marlow which ticked all of their boxes. On the edge of a common in an area of outstanding beauty, it was still in striking distance of the M40 and Starbucks. This being the mad property market of summer 2006, we had to fight off many other bidders, but we succeeded and with a healthy discount on the asking price.
Instructed September 2006
Completed December 2006
