Result: Reputation
7 Champ de Mars, Allée Adrienne Lecouvreur
Ashburn Place
Alleyn Road
Cadogan Square
Raymond Road
Old Church Street
Great Portland Street
Welbeck Street
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.
Pont Street
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
Lion House
The Challenge
Our repeat client for whom we originally acquired Red Lion House, was looking to acquire other investment property in Central London. We were the very first to be made aware of Lion House, a freehold block of 6 apartments, located directly behind our clients house. Strategically it made perfect sense for our client to acquire the building given the close proximity to his main house. Our challenge was trying to secure the property at a sensible price and avoid the block being launched onto the open market.
The Perfect Conclusion
Given our strong track record of having recently acquired Red Lion House, we used this as a key advantage and managed to swiftly agree terms at £7 million, saving our client 6.6% from the asking price. This equated to a very reasonable £1826 per square foot, without the property ever being openly advertised.
The Unfair Advantage
Our track record and strong reputation for getting deals done opens doors. We were the first in and secured the property without it ever coming onto the open market.
Lillie Square
The Challenge
Our client was looking for a 3 bedroom apartment in a new build development to hold as a long term investment. The budget for the purchase was £2,000,000.
The Perfect Conclusion
We identified a rare opportunity to purchase a stunning, sub-penthouse apartment in the popular Lillie Square development from a distressed seller who could no longer complete. Lillie Square will be one of the most high-profile residential developments in London, transforming a 7.4 acre car park on Seagrave Road into 808 high-end new homes offering modern garden square living. The seller, having originally exchanged contracts at £2,074,000, wasn’t able to complete on the purchase and as a result we were able to agree terms on the contract at £1,700,000, some £374,000 or 18% below the original contract price. Three bedroom apartments in this scheme and on this floor have traded at £1,714/sqft, we secured this for our client at at a highly competitive £1,352/sqft.
The Unfair Advantage
We buy below market value and can identify highly motivated sellers. At £1,352 per square foot, we acquired the property for 18% below the original contract price.
Red Lion House
The Challenge
Our client was a sophisticated investor, already owning significant commercial and residential real estate assets in London. He had been looking for some time to acquire a family home in London, and did not want to pay the huge premium that comes with buying new build properties. He needed 4 to 5 bedrooms and at least 3000 square feet in Marylebone or Mayfair.
The Perfect Conclusion
We identified a freehold house in Mayfair, measuring just over 8500 square feet which was being sold by receivers. The house had previously been sold in 2014 for £19.175m. Once a famous pub, The Red Lion was shut down in 2009 and sold to a luxury developer, and initially had asking price of £25 million. With 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 2 receptions rooms, dining room, kitchen, media room, gym, swimming pool, roof terrace and an internal lift, the house met with every single one of our clients requirements.
The purchase price of £15 million, equated to a highly competitive £1748 per square foot. Unmodernised houses in Mayfair usually achieve over £2000 per sq. foot, and modernised houses often achieve well in excess of £3000 per sq. foot. Red Lion House was in almost new condition, so the price was extremely attractive. Of course, we were not the only potential buyers interested in the property, and we had to move quickly and demonstrate our ability to get on and do the deal in order to win the contract from at least two other interested parties.
The area immediately surrounding the property is interesting from a future investment perspective. On one side of the property business entrepreneur and billionaire John Caudwell is developing his own private residence of over 50,000 sq. feet, and on the other side he is developing a new luxury block of residential apartments – Audley Square which is due to be one of the most luxurious new build developments in Central London, with prices set to be in the region of £10,000 per sq. foot.
Finally, we are in discussions with our client regarding our Vacant Care Service to help look after and service our clients home for him when he is travelling.
The Unfair Advantage
Mayfair houses traded at an average rate of £2567 per square foot in 2018. We acquired Red Lion House at an astonishing £1748 per square foot, 32% below the market average.
The Sherwood
The Challenge
The brief was to find an immaculate one bedroom apartment, in a secure apartment block close to our client’s university at Regents University College.
The Perfect Conclusion
We were able to secure a large, off market, one bedroom apartment in the Crown Estate’s newest development, the Sherwood which is just off Regents street. The building has just under gone a complete renovation and has been fitted out with both a concierge and 24hr security. Through our long standing relationship with the estate agent we were able to gain access to several one bedroom apartments that weren’t on the open market, this being the best.
The Unfair Advantage
We have the inside track – not every property is listed on websites… this ideal one bedroom apartment was sourced entirely off market.