Diary of an estate agent: Kensington

An unusual property comes on the market in Old Brompton Road and one client chooses a viewing to ask his girlfriend a very important question... 
9 May 2018

Monday

I commute from north Hertfordshire to Kensington and in spring the Ducati comes out — I am a seasonal biker. I arrive just before 8.30am today and after a second cup of coffee we handle the Saturday action before updating clients and reviewing appointments for the week ahead.

Our monthly sales meeting looms and a number of valuations and viewings are booked, including one tomorrow of a very unusual property in Old Brompton Road that used to be a nightclub.

Eager to proceed, the applicant has asked if our marketing and PR team will be able to attend.

Tuesday

A lovely four-bedroom house in Fulham is my first valuation today. The clients are realistic about their expected asking price, in the region of £3 million. I head back to the office to meet Sarah, our director of residential lettings, who has agreed to review details of a penthouse that a client wants to let.

Sarah agrees to a meeting with the client, then my 1:30pm appointment arrives and we set off to look at a lovely one-bedroom flat on at £775,000. I think it may be a pre-wedding purchase but no details are revealed. One of the most unusual requests I’ve ever had was to help stage a proposal.

The chap called on the morning of a second viewing and asked if he could propose to his girlfriend in the flat during their appointment. He wanted to bring champagne and the ring. How could I refuse? Thankfully, she said yes to his proposal, they made an offer on the flat and it was accepted.

It was a bit awkward trying not to intrude on their special moment — but not nearly as embarrassing as the time I undertook a viewing, only to discover too late that the gentleman of the house had failed to let his wife know prospective buyers would be calling in, and that the vendors were both naturists…

Back to today, and the Old Brompton Road former nightclub viewing. Our marketing manager Nicola and the PR team arrive and we all go to meet the clients, a Brazilian artist and her husband.

There’s plenty of space here for artwork and for entertaining. But the couple have a new baby and need even more room.

Wednesday

After our monthly meeting in the Knightsbridge office for all the residential team, I’m off to Notting Hill to value a three-bedroom flat in a newly refurbished portered block.

The area’s charm and colourful houses remind me of Belsize Park, where my career began. Valuation complete, I head back to the Kensington office where I hear the good news that the Old Brompton Road couple will be instructing us.

It’s a late finish tonight, with a valuation at 6.30pm. At 5.45 I grab a coffee and make my way to Palace Wharf in W6 to see a beautiful house on the river.

Later I chase up the owners of a couple of properties who have yet to respond to offers made last week. One owner, in Holland Park, accepts.

The other stays silent and the offer is lost. Then an old client calls wanting to sell a property with a tenant. We agree a viewing next week.

Thursday

At the Knightsbridge office I meet up with Sarah, review current Kensington lettings and discuss some clients who have asked her to contact them about potentially letting their property rather than selling it — not uncommon in the present market.

Friday

Our active sales instructions are up and we have three pending following valuations, with three more booked for next week and three properties under offer.

I call our PR team to discuss the Old Brompton Road property now the paperwork’s done. At 2pm I’ve time to review brochures and look at next week’s schedule. This has been a good week, far more active than I expected.

But my weekend — refereeing two boys who’ll soon be teenagers — won’t be exactly restful.

  • Joel Hughes is sales manager at Harrods Estates Kensington (020 3650 4600).

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