Our Client
A Nigerian based client who was looking to upsize from their apartment in Kensington to a semi-detached house
The Challenge
Our client was looking to relocate from busy Kensington to a more tranquil and quiet part of London. They were open to areas, but the property needed to have easy access to both Heathrow and Luton airports. Importantly our client wanted the master bedroom to either be located on the ground floor, or with very few steps leading to it.
The Perfect Conclusion
We identified a brand newly developed house on a quiet and sought after cul-de-sac in an area known as The Hocrofts. The house measured almost 4700 sq. feet and had an impressive 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, all en-suite. Arranged over just 3 floors, with the majority of space on just two floors, it was the ideal solution for our client. The house originally came to market with an asking price of £3.85 million. It was then significantly reduced. We beat off competition from a corporate tenant to secure the property for our client and also managed to save them £75,000 from the reduced asking price. We paid an equivalent of £728 per sq. foot. Previous sales in the street have achieved £837 and £824 per sq. foot in 2017/16.
Our Client
An English couple with a growing family looking to upsize to a larger family home.
The Challenge
Our clients had been living in a beautiful apartment in Kensington but with a growing family decided that they wanted to buy a house in the same area. They were very focused on identifying a property where they could add value and so were open to the idea of buying something which required a significant amount of work. Initially our clients had started the search themselves but had become increasingly frustrated with the lack of good quality stock combined with the unrealistic price expectations of many sellers in this area of London. They engaged Black Brick to take over their search.
The Perfect Conclusion
Through our network we were introduced to an off market house on Bedford Gardens in Kensington which had been owned by the same family for many years. The family had successfully applied for planning permission which allowed for the house to be almost doubled in size through a basement extension, developing the side and rear of the ground floor level as well as a loft conversion. The property had an asking price of £5,950,000 however as a result of our negotiations we were able to secure a discount of £1,100,000 (or nearly 19%) and contracts were exchanged at £4,850,000.
Our Client
An English family looking to move from an apartment to a family house.
The Challenge
Our clients had lived in the Little Venice/Maida Vale area for many years. The combination of lower house prices combined with cheap lending gave them the motivation to upgrade to a larger family house, St Johns Wood being an area they had always dreamed of living in. With two older children living and working in London, the house needed to have the right balance of good bedroom and living space in order to give adults and older children the space to live under the same roof. The house needed to have at least 4 bedrooms, and be walking distance from the tube. Whilst initial research threw up around 30 potential houses, in reality, decent houses that were sensibly priced were far and few between.
The Perfect Conclusion
After an abortive transaction on a Grade II listed house where we discovered that the owners had failed to obtain the necessary planning consents, we finally managed to identify a much better alternative house within 3 months of being retained. We were the very first people in through the door to view a special house located on Blenheim Road. The house had been meticulously refurbished by the current owners who were relocating abroad and therefore extremely motivated to sell. With 4 bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, ample entertaining and reception space, outside space and off street parking, the house met with every single one of our clients requirements. Our early viewing resulted in a week of negotiations and a price being agreed at well below the planned asking price of £4.75 million. We saved our client £350,000 or 7.3% from the asking price, equating to a very competitive £1600 per sq. foot. Recent house sales in the area have been achieving as much as £1865 per sq. foot. We also managed to get the seller to agree not to bring the property onto the open market, allowing our client the necessary time needed to exchange contracts without the pressure of another potential buyer coming along.
Our Client
A family from the Middle East, looking for a second home in London.
The Challenge
Our clients were looking for a second home in London, as they spend considerable time in the city during school holidays. With 5 children, we were tasked to find a large 4 bedroom apartment in a secure modern or brand new build development. Proximity to the west end for shopping was also very important. The budget for the purchase was between £3 million to £3.5 million. Due to planning laws and the price of high quality new build in Prime Central London, 4 bedroom apartments are extremely hard to find at this price point.
The Perfect Conclusion
We identified an opportunity to join two apartments on the same floor in a brand new development, Castle Lane. Nestled in the historic Birdcage Walk Conservation Area of Westminster, Castle Lane is a rare, new boutique development of 28 meticulously crafted apartments and 3 townhouses. By joining two apartments together, we were able to create a lateral 4 bedroom 4 bathroom apartment measuring almost 2000 sq. feet. As well as negotiating for the developer to carry out the work to join the apartments together, we also managed to save our client £250,000 from the asking price, equating to a purchase price of £1,962 per sq. foot. New builds regularly achieve in excess of £2000 per sq. foot in this location.
Our Client
Our clients were an Asian/Australian family looking to purchase their first family home in central London.
The Challenge
Since moving to London from Australia three years ago they had been in rented accommodation in the Holland Park area, and with a baby on the way, had decided they wanted to put down some proper roots and buy a permanent home. The market in Holland Park and surrounding areas for sensibly priced and well located properties in the £2m to £3.5m range is severely limited. Good properties often sell before coming onto the open market and competition is rife.
The Perfect Conclusion
Due to our excellent contacts with the right local agents, we were first in the door of this beautifully presented 3 bedroom freehold house, measuring almost 1800 square feet and with the added benefit of secure off street parking and south west facing garden. Abbotsbury Road is one of the most sought after roads in W14 and is located directly opposite Holland Park, making it an ideal family location. We managed to agree the sale during the first week of marketing, and also successfully negotiated a £205,000 discount from the asking price.
Our Client
British clients wanting to give their daughters their first step on the property ladder.
The Challenge
Our client instructed us to find her daughters their first London property. They were unsure whether to buy two separate or just one property, and whether to buy modernised or unmodernised. We showed them a number of options to help educate them on the market and what would work best. It was critical that the property be on a quiet residential street whilst still being close to shops and restaurants as well as being very close to the tube. It was also crucial that the property had two roughly equal sized bedrooms. We ended up securing a 4 bedroom terraced house on a prime residential road in Balham. The property was in excellent condition and the vendors were motivated.
The Perfect Conclusion
Using our network of agents and our knowledge of the area we were able to preview a prime house before it was officially launched to the market that matched our clients criteria perfectly. This gave our client an opportunity to act quickly in a very competitive domestic market. We were able to secure the house below the asking price on the condition that no further viewings go ahead and it was removed from the market. We ended up securing the property for £724 per sq. foot whilst the going rate on this road for similar properties can be in excess of £800 per sq. foot.
Our Client
A previous Black Brick client.
The Challenge
In 2015 we sourced this stunning 2 bedroom garden apartment for £975,000 for clients of ours who had relocated to London for work. In 2017 our clients decided that they were relocating away from London and so approached us to handle the sale for them. Market conditions had changed considerably since our client acquired the property, and so careful management of the sale and working with the right agents was crucial for a successful outcome.
The Perfect Conclusion
In a very challenging sales market we agreed terms with a first time buyer for £1,071,250. The buyer was nervous about the market and the deal required a lot of patience and handholding to ensure it went through successfully. With fall through rates being high, and properties sitting on the market for up to a year or longer, we were delighted that we were able find a buyer and conclude the transaction within 7 months of being instructed.
Our Client
Our client was looking for a three bedroom property with a garden suitable for pets.
The Challenge
The property had to be within walking distance of an apartment their staff were currently renting. This meant we were searching within a very small radius. In addition, finding properties with Landlords that are happy to allow pets can be a challenge.
The Perfect Conclusion
We successfully agreed the rental of this attractive townhouse on Chepstow Road at £600 less than the monthly asking price, saving our clients an impressive 7% from the asking price rent. As part of our negotiations, we also managed to get the landlord to agree to carry out a light refurbishment before our clients moved in, and arranged for a garden landscaping company to work on the garden. This involved speaking to relevant contractors, arranging quotes and securing the best price, all as part of our service.
Our Client
A British client looking for a family home.
The Challenge
Our client wanted a large, detached house in South West London. Their ideal property needed to be very private, not overlooked and with a secluded garden. With three dogs, access to open spaces within walking distance from the property was also an important requirement. They had previously been under offer on another property in Wimbledon for £6.5 million, but had lost confidence in both the property and the price being paid, and so engaged us as their buying agent to provide proper guidance and advice.
The Perfect Conclusion
We spent time educating our client on various desirable areas in South West London, working out what was important to them and what wasn’t. We identified Putney as a suitable location, and one that would offer our clients better value for money than more expensive Wimbledon. Through our network of contacts we identified an off market house in Heathview Gardens. The front of the house had uninterrupted views across a cricket pitch with a stunning, private 90 foot west facing garden to the rear. Heathview Gardens is located on Putney Heath, surrounded by woodland with Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park easily accessible. Crucially we managed to save our client £300,000 or 5.1% from the asking price concluding the purchase at £5,500,000 or £935 per square foot.
Our Client
An Indian client looking for a two bedroom apartment to rent in central London.
The Challenge
Our client instructed us to find his daughter a two bedroom apartment between her University at St Martins and Marylebone. It was critical that the property be within a modern, secure development with 24 hour concierge, security and be very close to the tube.
The Perfect Conclusion
Our knowledge of the area enabled us to shortlist those developments which would provide the accommodation and services our client required. The best property we identified was located within Fitzrovia Apartments which is a small development of apartments next to Great Portland Street tube station which benefits from 24 hour security and concierge. The property was listed at £850 per week (and had been previously let for £900 per week unfurnished) but we agreed terms with the landlord at £800 per week furnished – a saving of nearly 6% for our client.
Our Client
British clients looking for a London pied-a-terre.
The Challenge
Our client was an extremely time-poor senior executive, living with his family outside London but seeking a pied-a-terre to use during the week and on children’s holidays. The flat needed to be a secure lock-up and leave, providing easy access to our clients office in the City and local transport links
The Perfect Conclusion
We successfully sourced this off-plan 2 bedroom apartment measuring 907 square feet on the 2nd floor with views over an internal courtyard garden. The apartment also benefits from a balcony and is due for completion at the end of 2017. Bart’s Square is a new-build apartment block in a vibrant mixed-use development around the corner from Smithfields Market, with residents’ gardens, a bar, meeting room and cinema, and offering secure, lock-and-leave properties. Although the developer had sold the best apartments, we worked our contacts to secure one second-hand, off-market. The development is ideally located next to the new Farringdon Crossrail station.
Our Client
Northern Irish ex-pat clients looking for a London pied-a-terre.
The Challenge
As a second home, our clients wanted something in a central location, with easy access to amenities and transport. The property was also required to provide good value for money as a long term investment.
The Perfect Conclusion
Black Brick successfully sourced this spacious two bedroom apartment measuring over 1,000 sq ft with lift access and a porter. The flat is located on the best garden square address in South Kensington, and was bought for £1,600 per sq ft, with properties selling on the same square for as much as £2,800 per sq ft in the last 12 months. We have introduced the client to a trusted building contractor to assist with renovation works. The apartment had over 15 viewings within the first week of marketing and we successfully secured it against competitive bidding from another party.
Our Client
Swiss clients looking for a London pied-a-terre.
The Challenge
As their second home, our clients were looking for something with a wow factor for the family to enjoy, in a safe area that was also close to amenities and transport.
The Perfect Conclusion
We successfully sourced this special and rare third floor floor flat, benefiting from direct lift access and with triple aspect views directly overlooking communal gardens. The flat has a near perfect layout and is situated in one of the best run buildings in South Kensington. Importantly, we saved the clients a substantial £255,000 from the asking price, paying just £2,242 per square foot.
Our Client
A previous Black Brick client.
The Challenge
In 2009 we sourced this stunning freehold house located in a prestigious Kensington development for £5,440,775 or £1752 per square foot. In 2014 our clients bought a larger, unmodernised property in Belgravia through Black Brick which, once completed, would become their primary residence. With the new home ready for occupation we were instructed to sell the Kensington house.
The Perfect Conclusion
In a very challenging sales market we agreed terms with an Italian buyer at £6,5000,000 or £2093 per square foot which equated to a 20% increase in capital value for our client during the period of his ownership. The transaction was very complicated and eventually took over 9 months to reach a conclusion during which time the buyer sought to renegotiate the price which had been agreed. We successfully managed to avoid the price renegotiation and contracts were exchanged at the agreed level.
Our Client
IBV International Vaults, a global Swiss vault company.
The Challenge
Our client operates IBV vaults, a market leading safety deposit box company across several locations including Switzerland and South Africa, but was keen to expand into London, where he could offer his VIP service to the world’s elite. There are very few bank vaults still in operation, and even fewer that are willing to sub-lease or sell their space to a third party. Many banks no longer offer safe deposit box facilities, but demand for such facilities is high as storing valuables in secure safety deposit boxes can avoid soaring insurance premiums.
The Perfect Conclusion
As a residential buying agency, this was a very unusual deal for us, made possible by our excellent connections as the vault was only available off-market. Situated on Park Lane in Mayfair, and next to the Dorchester Hotel, the location could not have been more perfect for our client. We negotiated a long lease with Barclays, and a significant rent free period as our client intends on carrying out significant works to improve the vaults. The 2,077 sq. ft. vault will open in November 2017 and will be completed to a luxurious standard, providing 3,300 safety deposit boxes for discerning clients.
