“I’ve made it my business to get to know the whole city and really understand the character and the nature of each of its areas”, says Middleton’s Ashley Wilsdon. “As well as identifying the best property, it’s equally important to match people up with a part of the city that most suits their personality and lifestyle.”
“And our clients are as diverse as London itself. We’ve bought and sold property for first-timers through to FTSE company CEOs, each with their own, very specific requirements and aspirations.”
“As one example, we were commissioned to find and buy a property by a young, artistic couple who were new to London, and had previously lived in a loft apartment in New York. It was important to really get to know them before we started searching, let alone go through any front doors,” says Ashley. “We eventually purchased an apartment within a converted flour mill, full of original features and a terrace overlooking the Thames. It wasn’t so simple as, ‘find us a loft apartment’. It was more about understanding ‘how’ they live and finding London’s answer.”
“When we’re buying, it’s paramount we have explored all avenues both on and off the market, so that our clients can make a confident and fully informed decision.”
“As consultants, we’re not afraid to advise our clients not to buy something. As well as sourcing and assessing the true market value of a flat or house, we spend a lot of time appraising local factors that could potentially have an adverse effect on the full enjoyment of a property. Recently, we had identified a substantial home, which was not available on the open market, on behalf of a client. We discovered a new railway tunnel was due to be bored in close proximity to the house. Although our client did eventually decide to proceed with the purchase, we were able to provide 20/20 vision on a factor that, in normal circumstances, would not have come to light.”
In the meantime, the London property market is always evolving, says Ashley. “It’s important to keep a close eye on local infrastructure, regeneration projects, new developments and changes to the high street, as well as understanding the broader economic and lifestyle trends.”