Area: Belgravia
Sloane Terrace Mansions
The Challenge
Our Swiss client was looking for a London apartment for personal use. With children at school in the UK, they wanted a family apartment to use when visiting the city. Our client was not in a rush to buy and needed advice on the market, timing their transaction, and access to the best opportunities in their favoured areas of Chelsea, Knightsbridge & Belgravia.
The Perfect Conclusion
We sourced a grand and spacious second floor lateral apartment situated in a quiet position, but only a few steps from Sloane Square. The building consists of only 12 large apartments and the flat itself comes with a share of freehold, a rarity for the area. Through our negotiation we then agreed a huge £500,000 discount from the asking price. Beyond the negotiation, we also introduced our clients to tried and tested third parties such as a specialist structural surveyor and design & build contractor.
The Unfair Advantage
We know the market intimately. The property was listed through a single-office boutique estate agent we have transacted with in the past. As a result we were the first to be made aware of it. We negotiated strongly, taking advantage of the current lack of overseas buyers in London and achieved an impressive 12% discount from the asking price for a rare asset. We made sure our client had all the necessary comparable sales data and advice, in order for them to make an informed decision prior to submitting the offer.
Ebury Street
The Challenge
Our clients were looking to sell this large lateral three bedroom apartment in Belgravia. Covid has led to a shift away from buyers wanting to buy flats towards houses in more rural areas. This combined with a current lack of international buyers makes for a tough environment to sell central London flats in. In addition to our clients flat, there were several properties in the same building that have been on the market for a substantial period of time without achieving a sale.”
The Perfect Conclusion
We successfully found the perfect buyer through a buying agent from our unrivalled network of contacts and once the sale was agreed ensured an exchange of contracts within six weeks.
The Unfair Advantage
We have the experience, expertise and patience to manage sales in a difficult market. Acting for fewer sellers means we have the time and dedication to deliver a successful sale, no matter how long it takes.
Ebury Square
The Challenge
We were engaged by an overseas client who was looking to purchase a two bedroom apartment in either Belgravia or Knightsbridge as an investment. It was critical that the apartment be in good condition and benefit from air conditioning, a lift and a porter. Air conditioning is increasingly becoming a high priority for many of our clients given the summers are getting warmer, and severely limit the options available. Most apartments that have air conditioning tend to be new build, and can command up to £5,000/sq. ft in prime Central London, so finding a suitable option was going to be no easy task given we had a budget of £3,500,000.
The Perfect Conclusion
We identified a two bedroom apartment in 1 Ebury Square, a well serviced modern development in Belgravia, which matched all the criteria given to us. However when it was first launched to the market at £4,250,000 we knew it was going to be beyond our client’s budget. We monitored the property over several months, as its asking price was reduced to £3,950,000 and then finally to £3,700,000 just before lockdown. We began negotiations during lockdown and were able to agree the purchase at £378,000 (over 10%) below the asking price. We also agreed the deal “subject to viewing” allowing our client time to fly to London, isolate for 14 days and view the property prior to exchanging contracts.
The Unfair Advantage
We are patient. By monitoring and waiting, we managed to save our client 10% from the reduced asking price, and a staggering 21% from the initial asking price.
Eaton Square
The Challenge
Our US client was looking for a London pied-a-terre. They had been looking at the market for a number of months and had conducted some viewings but had found the market difficult to navigate. They had concerns over pricing transparency and were unsure that they had gained access to the best opportunities in the Chelsea & Belgravia areas.
The Perfect Conclusion
Eaton Square is widely considered one of the top three addresses in prime Central London due to the attractive period architecture and immaculately maintained private gardens, all closely managed by the Grosvenor Estate. The most desirable properties are often sold off market and gaining access without professional representation can be difficult. We sourced a rare and impressive first and second floor duplex in one of the ‘key’ mid-terrace buildings on Eaton Square. Through our negotiation we then agreed a huge £1,000,000 discount from the asking price. Beyond the negotiation we were also able to introduce the clients to experienced advisors, essential due to the complex nature of how property is held and managed on the square, this included a leasehold enfranchisement specialist and building project manager.
The Unfair Advantage
We know the market intimately. We provided our client with sales comparables that are not available in the public domain and as a result, we negotiated a 14% discount from the asking price for a rare and impressive apartment on one the best streets in London. We made sure the client had all the necessary information and advice, in order for them to make an informed decision prior to exchanging contracts. This is important on an address such as Eaton Square, where the leasehold structures and management policies are relatively complex and far more comprehensive than your average street in London.
Ebury Street
The Challenge
Our client was looking to sell this two bedroom, two bathroom apartment in Belgravia which they no longer used. The biggest challenge we faced was the competition from other apartments in the area for sale. There were five other similar units for sale in the same building alone, and many more in the wider area.
The Perfect Conclusion
We personally wrote letters to every resident living in the building, making them aware of the sale. As a result we were contacted by a resident who had a friend interested in purchasing the apartment. We then conducted viewings with their representative and negotiated the subsequent offers agreeing the sale at £1.8m, just £50,000 below the asking price.
The Unfair Advantage
We go the extra mile. In addition to sending the property details to our extensive list of property agents and private contacts, we wrote letters to every single resident in the building, over 100 people in total. This enabled us to quickly identify a suitable buyer, whilst other similar flats remain for sale in the building.
Belgrave Square
Our Client
A high profile member of a Middle Eastern royal family.
The Challenge
Our clients were specifically looking to acquire a significant family residence in prime Central London. Specifically, they would only consider Belgravia, freehold houses measuring over 14,000 square feet, and houses that represented good value and had not previously been done up by a developer.
The Perfect Conclusion
We thoroughly researched the market, considering both on, off and pre-market houses. Through our network we were finally able to identify an entirely off market house that met with our clients very specific criteria. The owner had decided to sell off market as they had a very expensive private art collection inside the house, and only wanted serious, vetted buyers in through the door. The house measured over 20,000 sq. feet and we were able to negotiate an impressive rate of £2700 per sq. foot. Fully modernised houses in this part of London can achieve up to £5000 per sq. foot.
Eaton Square
The Client
An International buyer.
The Challenge
Our client wanted a two bedroom pied a terre in Belgravia. The apartment had to have high ceilings, lots of natural light and crucially views of a communal garden. Whilst they were prepared to purchase a renovation project they had a preference for a property in immaculate condition. Flats like these do not come onto the market very often and are therefore difficult to find.
The Perfect Conclusion
We identified an extremely rare and exceptional first and second floor flat on Eaton Square which had recently been the subject of a complete refurbishment. The reception room and master bedroom had stunning views over the private communal gardens. We were able to negotiate nearly two million pounds from the asking price and contracts were exchanged within 12 working days. We have also provided a complete solution for our clients and look after the property while they are away through our dedicated Vacant Care Service.
Chester Street
The Client
An International family.
The Challenge
Long standing Black Brick clients were looking to upgrade their family home. They wanted a property with high ceilings and lots of natural light as well as at least five bedrooms and significant entertaining space.
The Perfect Conclusion
We successfully secured a period home in the heart of Belgravia, the first floor reception room was south facing and 27 ft wide with very high ceilings. The upper floors offered six bedrooms with three lower floors dedicated to entertaining and reception space.
Headfort Place
The Client
A Russian Buyer
The Challenge
Our client wanted a 4 bedroom house in Belgravia for their sons. They had been looking for a property for 2 years prior to engaging us, and had lost out on several previous properties.
The Perfect Conclusion
We managed to secure a beautiful property in Belgravia saving £600,000 from the asking price, representing a 13% reduction.