The Challenge
Our repeat Hong Kong client was searching for a property with very specific requirements that are hard to achieve in the Knightsbridge area. The property had to be situated in a period building, with ceiling heights of at least 3m, but with no-one above the bedrooms. Apartments in the area generally have depreciating ceiling heights as you go up in the building, so there are very few flats on the top floors where this can be found. The building also had to have a lift.
The Perfect Conclusion
We successfully agreed the purchase of this stunning 2,050 sq ft duplex penthouse apartment with 3m ceiling heights and far reaching views across Knightsbridge. The apartment has been purchased shell & core, providing a blank canvas for our client to create a new unique space to their own taste. We negotiated £200,000 off the asking price, with the final purchase price equating to a rate of £2,097 per sq ft. Similar flats in good condition on the street have achieved as much as £3,346 per sq ft in the last 12 months.
The Unfair Advantage
We’re patient – despite very tough search requirements, we worked tirelessly over a 12 month period in order to source the right apartment for our client
The Challenge
Our client from Hong Kong was looking to invest circa £2 million into the London market. They had limited knowledge of the geography and market conditions in central London. We advised them to split the budget for the investment into two properties, rather than one, providing diversity of investment and stronger rental prospects. This is one of the two flats our client purchased on our advice.
The Perfect Conclusion
We successfully agreed the purchase of this brand newly completed one bedroom flat located in a block of only 27 private residential apartments. The building is regarded as one of the best to have been completed in the area within the last 24 months, with all units selling out off-plan. The building is finished to a very high standard with 24 hr security/concierge and underground parking. The property sold for the original contract price of £1,600,000, but the buyer failed to complete. Through our contacts we were quickly made aware of the opportunity to purchase at a heavily discounted rate before the property was released back onto the open market. We subsequently agreed the purchase at £1,150,000, a 28% discount from the original contract price.
The Unfair Advantage
We gain access to the best deals – an early heads up meant we were able to achieve an impressive 28% discount from the original contract price.
The Challenge
Our client from Hong Kong was looking to invest circa £2 million into the London property market. They had limited knowledge of the geography and market conditions in central London.
The Perfect Conclusion
We successfully agreed the purchase of this newly converted two bed two bath apartment located on a garden square in WC1 at £100,000 less than the asking price. The property provides good potential yield due to high demand for rental apartments in the area from a number of University students and law professionals studying and working locally. This is one of two properties purchased by our client. We advised them to split the budget for the investment into two properties, rather than one, providing diversity of investment and better rental prospects. The property is also two bed, two bath, a bonus considering most other new build or newly converted flats in the area at this price are one beds. We will be managing the properties on an ongoing basis, providing an end to end service from purchase through to management when the tenants are in-situ.
The Unfair Advantage
Knowledge is power – we successfully rented the property within a week of it coming to the market, resulting in a 3.5% gross yield.
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
Our client was a first time buyer in his twenties looking in East London.
The Challenge
The property had to be in a new build development with an onsite gym, concierge and have a minimum of two bedrooms. With a full on job and without an in depth knowledge of the market or the areas, our assistance was required to explore, educate and advise on both.
The Perfect Conclusion
We were able to secure a stunning 2 bedroom apartment with South facing views of the river and the city in a new development with all facilities he required. And with a new Crossrail station opening only 500m away we are confident that this apartment will not only make a wonderful home but also a very sound investment. We successfully negotiated £40,000 off the asking price (a 6% saving) equating to a very competitive £693 per square foot.
Our Client
Our client was a first time buyer in his twenties looking in East London.
The Challenge
The property had to be new build (or in very good condition), with a minimum of two bedrooms. Working full time and without an in depth knowledge of the market, he needed assistance in navigating the market and unearthing the right opportunities at the right price.
The Perfect Conclusion
Black Brick found this brand new two bed duplex flat measuring over 1100 square foot, located less than 5 mins walk from Dalston Overground Station. We successfully negotiated £50,000 off the asking price (a 7.1% saving) equating to a very competitive £589 per square foot.
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
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
An Indian family
The Challenge
Our clients were looking for a pied a Terre within walking distance of Hyde Park and Mayfair. They wanted the apartment to be new or newly renovated and in a building with a concierge. They had a budget of up to £1m and needed a one bedroom apartment.
The Perfect Conclusion
We secured one of only 24 apartments in a new development in Marylebone, minutes’ walk from Mayfair and Hyde Park. Not only will the building benefit from a day concierge and 24 hour security, it has underground parking and access to the gardens and tennis courts of highly desirable Portman Square. The development was so popular that all 24 apartments were sold within two weeks of their release. We secured our client’s apartment for £925,000, which equates to £1,708 per square foot. Most new developments in the area are selling for at least £2,500 per square foot.
Our Client
An English Buyer.
The Challenge
Our English client was a first time buyer who had grown up in Bedford and had recently moved to London for work. She was looking for a two bedroom flat in a ‘villagey’ area within 40 minutes’ commute of Central London. Her budget was £360,000. Finding a two bedroom flat for under £400,000 in Zones 1 – 3 is incredibly difficult and the understated nature of ‘villagey’ areas is such that they are very difficult to find unless you know where they are.
The Perfect Conclusion
Our in-depth and widespread knowledge of London allowed us to immediately introduce different ‘villagey’ areas to our client in areas within Zones 1 – 3. We drove her round the areas giving her an orientation of each of them, showing only the best and most suitable properties. The client fell in love with one of the properties we introduced to her on that first tour – a refurbished, two bedroom flat with private entrance and communal gardens, within three minutes’ walk of the station and local shops of Ladywell. The apartment was bought for £370,000.
Our Client
An American Buyer.
The Challenge
Our American clients were looking for a long term investment situated between Islington and the West End. Their daughter was going to live in the apartment whilst working and living in London and needed to be able to rent a room out to a friend.
The Perfect Conclusion
Our knowledge and experience in having searched these locations for clients on many occasions allowed us to isolate very quickly the best investments in the market and to present the safest and best located options to the family. Having had an offer accepted on an excellent apartment in Islington and progressing the transaction very close to exchange of contracts, the seller then decided not to sell and pulled the contract. We were able to source an excellent alternative for the client in less than a week. Much to our delight, the family preferred the new property – a top floor, two bedroom apartment in a modern development measuring 1,263 square feet on a quiet turning very close to Highbury and Islington tube station. The apartment was one of only two of its kind in the development and had lovely light, lots of space and rooftop views. The apartment was bought for £1.25m, which equates to £989 per square foot.
Our Client
A Middle Eastern Buyer.
The Challenge
A repeat client of ours was looking for a secure long term property investment in Central London.
The Perfect Conclusion
We identified a distressed sale in Phase 1 of the new Battersea Power Station Development. We managed to negotiate and secure a 14th floor river facing 2 bedroom unit at approximately £1,500 per square foot. Other similar units have exchanged for £1,800 per square foot plus. We were able to negotiate a substantially reduced price as the vendor was keen to sell having suffered from a severe currency depreciation in their home country. The unit is in one of the best positions in the scheme and includes a 200 square foot winter garden. In addition we have provided a complete solution for our client through our Property Management Service, and successfully identified a suitable tenant paying £725 per week.
Our Client
A Dutch buyer.
The Challenge
Our client was relocating from Hong Kong to take up a new position as CEO of a multi-national company. He had very little time to research the market and view property, and virtually no knowledge of the local market having never lived in London before. We were able to conduct viewing tours after working hours on Friday’s and at weekends, with only the very best properties cherry picked for our client to see.
The Perfect Conclusion
We successfully agreed the purchase of this stunning 2 bedroom first floor apartment on one of the best streets in South Kensington at £545,000 below the asking price, which equated to £2249 per sq. foot. The vendor accepted a below-asking price offer because our client was organised and able to exchange contracts quickly – and one that, at £2,249 per square foot, was also substantially below the £3,085-3,480 per sq. foot at which the last three first floor flats on the street sold. We managed the legal process, surveys and mortgage to ensure the deal exchanged contracts within the required timeframe.
The Client
An American buyer.
The Challenge
Our client was looking to upgrade his home in London. As an investment banker he had very little time to search the market and source opportunities. He was looking for a penthouse apartment with private outside space and within a 10 minute commute from his office.
The Perfect Conclusion
We obtained early access to this unique lateral penthouse flat measuring over 2400 square feet. In addition we managed to negotiate £650,000 from the asking price, over a 10% discount.
