Result: Off Market

Abingdon Road

The Challenge

Our international client had purchased a house in Kensington for family use more than 10 years ago but it was no longer required. He was keen to sell despite the fact the sales market was extremely challenging given the uncertainties over the Brexit outcome. The property had been vacant for some time and there were a long list of outstanding maintenance issues which needed to be rectified.

 

The Perfect Conclusion

With our many years of experience we knew it was crucial that the house was presented in its best possible state before any viewings from potential purchasers were allowed to commence. We worked through the maintenance issues and also recommended that our client use the services of a professional staging company who then furnished the entire house with stunning furniture and art. Once this first stage had been completed we then made our network of fellow buying agents aware that the property was available off market.

We received an acceptable offer from only the second viewing at the house with a completion date set for April 2020. Unfortunately this was during the coronavirus crisis but we were able to ensure that completion happened without any delay.

 

The Unfair Advantage

Our many years of experience and unrivalled network allowed our client to achieve an off market sale in a very challenging market from just two viewings.

 

Sloane Gardens

The Challenge

Our Canadian clients were looking for a pied-à-terre in Prime Central London that offered beautiful high ceilings, period details, green views and it had to be close to a tube station. They were only in London for a week and had limited time for viewings. Our clients knew and liked Marylebone, in particular because of the high street, but we felt that there were other areas worthy of consideration that were better value and would offer our clients more for their budget. 

 

The Perfect Conclusion

Although our clients had initially come to us wanting to purchase in Marylebone, we ended up securing them a fabulous apartment in Chelsea. The Cadogan Estate have in recent years taken a very active role in the re-development of the area around Sloane Square, with Duke of York’s Square and Pavilion Road under-going a complete transformation, the latest stage of which will be the arrival of Hotel Costes with its first hotel outside of Paris.

We successfully negotiated the purchase of a stunning off market, 1st floor, one bedroom apartment overlooking private communal gardens located just a minutes’ walk from Sloane Square station. The apartment has the ideal East to West aspect which gives the bedroom the light in the morning and living room in the afternoon. It has the most wonderful period details which include exquisite ceiling mouldings and parquet flooring. Despite being off market we were still able to negotiate a saving of £45,000 from the asking price.

 

The Unfair Advantage

Our relationships with agents gain us priority access. We viewed this apartment before anyone else. This enabled us to offer and agree a purchase price before it was launched to the open market, thereby avoiding competition from other buyers.

 

Ashley Gardens

The Challenge

Our clients had been trying unsuccessfully for more than a year to identify a suitable apartment to buy before instructing Black Brick to assist with their search. They had identified a very small area in Westminster where they wanted to buy an apartment. The area and style of property suited them for a number of reasons compared with more expensive surrounding areas, and they had narrowed their search down to one block in particular called Ashley Gardens. Property values and styles in Westminster mean that buyers are able to purchase large (in excess of 2000 square feet) lateral mansion block apartments for under £1300 per sq. foot. By way of comparison, a similar sized apartment in Belgravia would cost a minimum of £2000 per square foot. As a result competition can be fierce.

 

The Perfect Conclusion

Once instructed we managed to highlight a suitable opportunity in Ashley Gardens, prior to it coming to market, in the block they favoured. The flat worked especially well as it was located on the first floor, measuring 2200 sq. feet and had the unique appeal of having one of the largest balconies in the block. We were able to access the opportunity off-market, which enabled our clients to offer on the property without facing competition.

 

The Unfair Advantage

We gain access where others can’t. Our relationships with key estate agents in the area meant we were able to gain access to a special opportunity prior to it coming to market.

Mount Street

The Challenge

Our US client wanted to purchase a two bedroom apartment in Mayfair or Knightsbridge which would be let in the short term before being used by his family in the future. He was open to looking at both options in new build schemes as well as more traditional mansion block properties, and had a budget of up to £7,000,000. Before appointing Black Brick, our client had had a bad experience trying to acquire a property in a different part of London. It was at this point he decided that engaging a professional buying agent to assist with his search was the right approach.

 

The Perfect Conclusion

We undertook a forensic search of the significant number of new developments which had either recently completed or were available off plan whilst also looking at what was available in the more traditional mansion blocks. As a result of our analysis our client decided that he was not prepared to pay the premium being charged to be in a new build development, which in Mayfair can be as high as £5000-£6000 per sq. foot.  Through our network we were alerted to an off market two bedroom, two bathroom apartment on the second floor of a period block on Mount Street which is one of Mayfair’s most iconic and prestigious addresses. The ceiling heights and aspect over Mount Street and Berkeley Square made this flat highly desirable. The vendor was asking £6,950,000 however as a result of our negotiations we were able to save our client £325,000 or 4.6% from the asking price. Our “first in the door” advantage followed by an offer meant that the property never came onto the open market.

 

The Unfair Advantage

Our network is unrivalled – we gained access to this highly desirable apartment located on Mount Street before anyone else.

Garrett Street

The Challenge

Our clients were looking to sell this unique Freehold “live-work” warehouse conversion measuring over 4000 sq. feet in Old Street/Clerkenwell, EC1. Our clients were high profile and we therefore decided on a more discreet approach that did not involve over exposure to the market, or listing the property on any of the traditional web portals. Given the rare and unique nature of the property we also knew exactly what kind of buyer the property would appeal to and how to effectively target them.

 

The Perfect Conclusion

After a carefully targeted campaign, tapping into our network of buying agents, private banks and other professional intermediaries, we generated multiple interest on the property resulting in several bids in a very short space of time. Within just a few weeks, we received a full asking price offer on the property from a well-qualified buyer. Once the sale was agreed the property exchanged contracts within one week. In a sluggish sales market, this was an outstanding achievement for our client.

 

The Unfair Advantage

We have the contacts and expertise to handle sensitive sales in a difficult market. The property was sold within four weeks at the full asking price resulting in the best possible outcome for our clients.