Author: Rosalind Sack

Why South-West London Property Prices Now Rival Central London

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

The best houses in Wimbledon Village, Richmond and Barnes are bought, refurbished, lived in for a generation, and many never reach the open market. Our Partner and south-west London specialist James Burridge reflects on what that scarcity now means for buyers and for the renovations that follow

The Buying Solution, Richmond, London. specialist Partner James Burridge
Richmond, London

In parts of south-west London, a house now costs as much as its equivalent in central London, and in some cases more. Not so long ago the idea would have been inconceivable, yet now Wimbledon Village, Richmond, Barnes and the better parts of Fulham are no longer the sensible alternative to Chelsea’s Kings Road. For many families, they are now the prime destination.

That reflects the growing appeal of this corner of London and the fundamental shift of how we now buy homes. A family’s property life once followed a comfortable script: you bought a two-bed flat, then a cottage, then a house, climbing the ladder as life demanded. Since stamp duty changed in 2014, the buyers I meet – domestic and international alike – tell me they must now live in the house for 10-15 years. So the home has to see a family through several life stages: too big at the start, about right in the middle, too big again at the end.

With so much riding on one purchase, people look hard at what £5 million actually buys. North of the river, it can get you a fairly tall, skinny house. Cross to Wimbledon Village, Wandsworth Common or Richmond and it buys something far wider and lower built, with a bigger garden, off-street parking and good schooling all around. Proximity to the Kings Road is no longer a necessity. A decent high street will do, with its coffee shops, high-end clothing stores and Waitrose, and a more village-like feel thrown in.

Why price per square foot is misleading

Of course, prime Notting Hill remains more expensive than Wimbledon Village, but parts of the lower end of the Kings Road and the better parts of Fulham are now drawing level on price. And people are paying a great deal for low, wide houses around Wandsworth Common, Wimbledon Common and Richmond Hill. £2,000 a square foot is no longer a high-water mark here.

Walk into a £5 million house in Paultons Square in Chelsea and you think, “Lovely, but I expected more.” Walk into a really good house two miles away on the Toast Rack – an enclave of grand late-Victorian and Edwardian townhouses and semi-detached properties near Wandsworth Common – and the difference is immediately apparent: in the width, the depth, the parking and a decent garden. Some pockets are now more expensive, but the quality of the homes is so much better.

Which is why getting hung up on the price per square foot is a fool’s errand, particularly as the figure is calculated on the house, not the garden. Value a house in Paultons Square with a 30-foot garden against one on Wimbledon Common with 150 feet of outside space, and the pounds per square foot will look similar. Yet there is a substantial value in that land which the number never captures. Look at the whole package, not just the house – the elusive off-street parking, the extra-large garden, a five-minute walk to the high street.

The question that matters most is repeatability. If we see a house like this just once a year, or even once every few years, it is very special indeed. If we see one once a quarter, it is rather less so. It’s a term that can be thrown around too lightly but these are generational homes. If someone buys a house on Marryat Road in Wimbledon Village, or Montague Road on Richmond Hill, refurbishes it and stays put, it may not become available again for 30 years.

The logjam within the prime London market

This brings me to the frustration that defines this market. Many long-standing owners bought in the 1980s or 1990s, their children have flown the nest and they are rattling around in a house they no longer need, yet there is little financial benefit in downsizing. Move from a £5 million house full of memories to a £3 million one, pay 12 or 13% stamp duty on the purchase, then refurbish, and there is not a huge amount left over.

The people who would trade up into those family houses are not able to unlock these special homes; it is a logjam at every level. These houses can sit in negative equity for a very long time, so now more than ever you cannot afford to get it wrong.

Even then, the house you want may never appear and above £5 million, properties generally do not reach the open market at all. They trade discretely and nobody knows they have come and gone. I estimate that around 75% of property over £3 million never hits the open market, of which a similar percentage need refurbishment.

That is why working with expert representation like ours becomes such a worthy investment. We unearth off market opportunities and undertake thorough due diligence to ensure the purchase is sound for years to come.

The Buying Solution, houses next to green open space in Fulham, London. Specialist Partner James Burridge
Fulham, London

Why being open-minded to a project pays dividends

Around 90% of clients begin their search by telling me they do not want a project. Perhaps 75% of those end up transacting on a home that needs updating. Turnkey houses do exist and command a premium of perhaps 10 or even 20%, but there are very few of them.

Look at 10 homes, find that seven need substantial refurbishment and none are truly turnkey, and the realisation lands that you have been limiting your search. Those who accept this earlier end up in their next home sooner.

The projects themselves can run from a new kitchen, bathrooms and redecoration at the minimum to replumbing, rewiring and digging basements. The topic growing fastest in refurbishment conversations is the requirement for air conditioning, which is now front and centre of almost every search.

Substantial works involve planning applications, architects and structural engineers and very few clients come with that depth of team. We can make those introductions to the most sought-after professionals, beginning with a project manager, an architect and a planning consultant, then building out to quantity surveyors and the rest. Having someone acting solely on your behalf who you trust helps enormously, and it gets people off the mark far quicker.

Timing is a lever too and very few people realise the lead times – with planning, detailed drawings, specification of works and tender, it is probably six months before a spade goes in the ground. So where we can, we negotiate a longer completion date, at which point the client has paid only a 10% deposit, but can put a planning application in and start the design and specification of works. Once you have completed, the house is empty and you are on the clock. This way, you hit the ground running.

In Barnes Village, we recently completed on a house for a couple with a young child who wanted to put down roots near friends and find a home they could stay in for the next 20 years. They will do a large ground floor extension and extend the first and top floors, which is likely a two-year project, so we delayed completion to let them organise as much as possible beforehand.

In Wimbledon Village, we bought a property last year for a client who was downsizing and wanted the village on her doorstep so she would not need the car. She has future-proofed the house by installing a lift, so she never has to move again. The purchase was an 18-month project, as the property had previously been divided into two flats, and we waited for the vendor to get permission to put them back together, which took the planning risk away.

Planning restrictions in prime south-west London

Many of the neighbourhoods I work in, such as Richmond, Wimbledon Village, Fulham and Barnes, contain some of the most architecturally significant conservation areas in south-west London. They are protected so that their historical character survives, which means that standard permitted development rights are tightly restricted.

Few properties are nationally listed, but many are locally listed or classed by the borough as Buildings of Townscape Merit (BTMs). So normal planning rules apply, yet scrutiny is much higher on external alterations such as replacing windows and front roof extensions.

How restrictive planning is depends on how far you push the envelope. On terraces and semi-detached houses, the tone of the road rules. If nobody has done a front mansard, do not even bother applying. Basements under terraces are also difficult to get approved as boroughs are very risk-averse. Larger detached houses with good depth, front and back, can push the boundaries more.

The evolution of the neighbourhoods I call home

I grew up in Wimbledon and now live in Fulham with my family, and the high streets have improved substantially in that time. Where once you may have had a Pizza Express you will now find the likes of Sticks’n’Sushi, The Ivy, even Scott’s – brands you would once have found only in the smartest parts of London.

The big occasions are marked a lot more extravagantly too. Wimbledon Village now looks little different from Holland Park at Halloween, with huge displays outside the houses. Before we had children, my wife and I used to tour the grandest neighbourhoods of central London on the back of my scooter every year to see the Christmas lights and displays. You no longer need to leave south-west London to do it!

All of which helps explain why families are putting down roots here, and why they do so with such care. A home that must carry you through several stages of life, in a market where exceptional houses rarely appear, leaves little room for error. Whether it is finding the house before it reaches the open market, accepting early that it will most likely need work, or having the right team in place by the time you complete, the aim is the same: to get it right first time, so that our clients can spend the next 20 years enjoying it.

James Burridge The Buying Solution

James Burridge is our specialist Partner in London

For news, expert commentary and invaluable property insight, subscribe to The Insider, our quarterly newsletter, here.

Prime London Resets, and Why Buyers Stand to Gain

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

For Britain’s richest, signs suggest that their homes are becoming a less important source of wealth, reports Melissa Lawford in The Telegraph. In the article Head of The Buying Solution Will Watson shares his insight and explains why this is creating opportunities for buyers

Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

London’s luxury property market has taken the hit from a succession of punitive tax changes in recent times, resulting in other assets, besides residential property, becoming more important for the very wealthy, reports The Telegraph.

Yet while older homeowners potentially face significant losses when selling their multi-million pound homes in London’s prime areas, such as Kensington, the City of London and Westminster, Richmond Park and Hampstead & Kilburn, this is creating opportunities for buyers with a long-term outlook on their investment.

“In the last 12 or 24 months, in pretty much every example of homes that we have been buying for our clients, we are paying less than the owners did 10 years ago,” says Will to journalist Melissa Lawford. 

Read the full article here.

The Fresh Appeal of Riverside Homes in London

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

The number of new residential developments along the banks of the River Thames illustrates the growing demand for riverside homes in London, reports Paul Carey in The National, with comment from Head of The Buying Solution Will Watson

With dozens of riverside developments currently underway on the stretch of the River Thames between London’s Hammersmith and City Airport, life beside the River has changed infinitely in recent times. Yet, despite the Thames being one of the capital’s most defining features, only around 1% of people currently live directly beside the water, making a riverside home in London a highly coveted and rare asset, explains Will Watson in UAE newspaper The National.

Speaking to journalist Paul Carey, Will discusses the nature of the appeal of riverside living and the protection it offers, and the premiums that people can expect to pay for these sought-after properties in London.

Read the article here.

The Insider’s Guide to Buying a Home in West Sussex

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

Katherine Watters, our Partner in the Southern Home Counties, shares her detailed inside knowledge on the most coveted towns and villages in West Sussex, what to expect when buying property here and why there’s far more to this picturesque region than first meets the eye.

Sweeping views across Harting Down in West Sussex

If the Cotswolds is the country’s best-known countryside beauty, West Sussex is its understated cousin – with its own style of period stone houses, protected estates, farm shops and gastropubs, just with a little less fanfare.

I spend most of my working life in Surrey and West Sussex, and the West Sussex side of that patch is the part I find myself talking about most with clients who haven’t yet fully considered it.

Yet they come to me with the same handful of assumptions: that it’s too far from London, that it’s “in the middle of nowhere,” that stock is thin. None of that is true. Here’s what I tell my clients when they ask me where to look, why, and what they can expect to get for their money.

West Sussex’s Golden Triangle

If you ask anyone working in this market where the money goes first, it’s what’s known locally as the Golden Triangle, formed by Haslemere, Petworth and Midhurst with the three villages of Lickfold, Lurgashall and Lodsworth (the “3 L’s”), sitting in the centre.

It behaves a bit like the golden triangle of Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Burford in the Cotswolds: they’re the names people have heard before they’ve even started looking, and it commands a premium because of it.

The reason this area works so well for London families is the historic market town of Haslemere itself. Drive through it and head down the A283 or A286 and you’re at the gateway to the South Downs. You leave the busier feel of Surrey behind and the landscape opens up into rolling downland. Some families who might previously have settled for the more traditional London exodus routes of Cobham, Esher and Oxshott, or Guildford, Godalming and the Surrey Hills now choose to bypass them altogether, because Haslemere offers the same access with a completely different feel.

Two practical things changed this decisively. In 2011, the Hindhead Tunnel opened on the A3, cutting out a notorious bottleneck and making Haslemere genuinely commutable. Haslemere station also significantly upgraded its carpark, adding 110 extra spaces, and offers a regular, fast line into London.

Schooling has done the rest. Seaford College, just outside Petworth, has transformed since a change of headship in 2013 brought new focus and new energy, and it has seen a steady stream of families moving their children over from more traditional Surrey-based schools. Its head retires this summer, with a new appointment starting in September – worth watching if you have children of school age and are weighing up the area.

Architecturally, this is proper period-house country, built largely from beautiful pale greyish-blue Petworth stone.

The New West Sussex Hotspots

Popularity has a cost. As the Golden Triangle has become better known, it has become more competitive and more expensive, so – as happens everywhere – buyers have also started looking just beyond it.

The main beneficiary has been the Milland Valley which has become one of the most sought-after pockets in the area over the past five to ten years. It offers the same rural feel as the golden triangle and is helped by the train line at Liphook and a rich choice of excellent schools. Churcher’s College and Highfield & Brookham School cover most ages between them.

Slightly further south, the stretch between Midhurst and Petersfield was, for years, overlooked entirely – people went to Hampshire instead. Then the penny dropped: the A272 connects east and west, so if Hampshire felt like too much of a commute, Petersfield was a genuine alternative. It has a good station, lovely nearby villages, coastal access and connections back to the larger towns.

Roughly speaking, north of the A272 – in villages such as Milland, Henley, Fernhurst and the Golden Triangle – the market is more family and commuter-led, with buyers often seeking space, community and a connection to London.

The popular West Sussex coastal village of Bosham

The Southern stretch of West Sussex and the Coast

South of the A272, the character changes slightly – the area is still entirely commutable, but it attracts more of a weekend-house, countryside-first buyer. I am working with a London-based client whose children are schooled in London and will remain so, but who wants nothing more complicated than to get down the A3 on a Friday night to a proper weekend house in the South Downs. The Hartings and the Mardens, East Dean and Charlton are all very pretty villages in this stretch.

It is also where buyers go for coastal access: sailors gravitating towards Bosham for waterfront living, and families wanting the pull of buzzy Chichester without losing the rural feel.

There is a well-regarded sailing school for children at Thorney Island, while the annual family-friendly music festival in Madehurst always draws a crowd. The Pig in the South Downs at Madehurst, with its very own vineyard, opened in 2021 and remains hugely popular. Ten minutes down the road, Arundel is known for its antique shops and tea rooms, as well as its castle and RSPB wetlands.

Chichester itself is beautiful, and home to the Chichester Festival Theatre – a well-known testing ground for shows heading to the West End.

The Witterings remain a perennially popular holiday destination. West Wittering’s Blue Flag-awarded sweeping sandy beach, backed by the National Trust’s East Head nature reserve, is a huge draw. The Wittering Surf indie clothing brand, based in East Wittering, has near cult status.

Road access in West Sussex is unusually good in every direction: the A3 to the west, the A24 connecting to the A283/A280 east, the A272 cutting straight across the top, and the A27 through Chichester to Emsworth linking the coastal towns. Access north, south, east and west is rare – but here, you have it.

The Benefits of National Park Status

I’d argue that South Downs National Park status is one of the best-kept secrets of buying here. It brings serious development restrictions to the villages within it, protecting the character and value of what’s already there. It also comes with the Dark Skies designation.

In Surrey, a buyer might put in a tennis court with floodlights, or uplight the trees along their driveway, without a second thought. Try that inside the National Park and the answer is a firm no. From 9pm, external lighting is tightly restricted.

I recently had a client looking on the side of Black Down – the highest point in the South Downs National Park. The 65-mile Serpent Trail winds through it, a resident herd of Belted Galloway cattle roam the hillside, and there are genuinely dark skies at night. Development there is very tightly controlled, and for the right buyer, that’s exactly the point. If you want a house in the country, you presumably want it to feel like the country, with undisturbed wildlife and no light pollution from your neighbours.

The Private Estates Stewarding the Land

A huge amount of land around Haslemere, Petworth, Midhurst and Petersfield is held by private estates, which also actively protect and shape the landscape here.

The Foley Estate in Liphook, Petworth Park and adjoining National Trust land at Petworth, Leconfield, Hollycombe; many are managing large areas of habitat, woodland and agriculture. Modern estates are moving away from intensive farming to restore chalk grassland, plant hedgerows and create wetlands. They also maintain footpaths and bridleways.

There is none more impressive in this regard than Knepp Estate, now globally known for its trailblazing 3,500-acre rewilding project, which has inspired a wave of similar initiatives across the country.

Many of these estates are also diversifying. The Cowdray Estate in Midhurst has a fantastic farm shop and a very popular wellness offering including rest-and-reset weekends and Ayurvedic practitioners – a long way from its traditional polo-only image.

Goodwood Estate, of course, is a global attraction in its own right, with its famous motor circuit and racecourse. The estate also has a member’s club house, health club, restaurants, organic farm and farm shop and art foundation.

Interspersed with the estate land, and thanks to the chalk downland, are an increasing number of vineyards, which have become as much part of the landscape as they have the local economy. Tinwood Estate near Chichester, Kinsbrook Vineyard in Thakeham and, of course, the multi-award-winning Nyetimber sparkling wine producer in West Chiltington to name but a few.

The majestic castle rises above the streets of Arundel

Who Buys Property in West Sussex?

Most often, this is someone’s second or third move out of London. The first was about being near schools when the children were small; by the time they’re looking here, the children may be at boarding school, and the family is either heading back to London or moving further into Sussex.

And once people are in Sussex, they tend to stay. The patterns I see most are families with slightly older children moving to a bigger house with a pool and tennis court in North Marden, East Marden, Trotton or Stedham, or couples downsizing to live within walking distance of a town such as Petersfield, Midhurst, Petworth, Chichester or Arundel.

I recently worked with a couple in Balls Cross, just north of Petworth. Their children had grown up and they were downsizing from a 20-acre property with a pool. Their brief was specific: they wanted to be walking distance to Petworth, or at least on a bus route, so they could still feel connected to a town rather than isolated in the countryside.

Another client, whose family had holidayed in the same Witterings house for generations, eventually stopped driving and felt cut off despite loving the location. We moved her to the edge of Chichester, walking distance to the theatre and galleries, close enough to meet friends for supper without needing a car.

There is also a seasonal international presence centred around Midhurst with an influx of polo patrons, largely Argentinian and also Emirati, between April and September, with ponies wintering locally and significant money flowing into the area as a result. Elsewhere, it’s mostly second-home owners and Londoners after a different pace of life, rather than an international buyer base.

That said, I’d expect it to grow. The sailing crowd tends to gravitate towards Cowes and Sandbanks instead, which have a flashier, more cosmopolitan feel and large seafront houses to match. That’s not really what West Sussex offers, and I’d say that’s part of its appeal. This is more “slightly muddy Land Rover” than “shiny V8.”

Housing Types and Renovation Opportunities in West Sussex

Off-market activity is significant here, and the best properties tend to move quickly, often before they’re formally listed.

Modern housing is rare and tends to come from small, localised developments – such as Kings Drive, built on the site of a former hospital on the outskirts of Midhurst, or the new development on a 10.5-hectare former ICI site just outside Fernhurst.

This is overwhelmingly period-house country: old farmhouses, stone cottages, and the local vernacular – flint and brick banding, Horsham stone, clay tiles, alongside traditional timber-framed houses.

Many of these properties are listed, which means a different planning process, but in my experience, the planners are largely pragmatic rather than obstructive. They understand that many of these houses need updating, and the general principle is for sympathetic renovation, extending to the rear or side, to keep the front facade untouched.

Oak-framed orangeries and generous kitchen extensions to the rear are common and well tolerated – provided they’re in keeping and in line with local planning legislation. What planners are genuinely strict about is any extension that significantly alters the property’s traditional footprint, though they’re increasingly open to eco-friendly materials within that constraint.

The Hidden Delights of West Sussex

Here, you will find genuinely tight-knit communities built around lively independent ventures, rather than chain retail and hospitality. And there’s a lot going on here, if you look closely.

Just outside East Dean, Ides Barn Farm is a working dairy farm with a Milk Hut and café, as well as Punk Padel courts in a former agricultural building. Bring your own bottles and fill them straight from the farm at Buddington Dairy’s milk vending machines.

Gather with friends in the taproom and courtyard at Langham Brewery in Lodsworth, surrounded by countryside, or catch an open-air cinema evening in summer at The Rising Sun in Milland. Meanwhile, arts-lovers descend on Petworth every year for its trio of events – the Petworth Proms, Summer Festival and Literary Festival.

West Sussex is also home to many thriving village shops, which are real community hubs, supporting local growers and producers. Pick up a fresh bean-to-cup coffee alongside your essentials, or a puncture repair kit if you’re on two wheels, at Lodsworth Larder. Milland Stores goes further still, combining local produce with its own café, dry cleaning collections, a postal service and tickets to local events.

The Duke of Cumberland Arms at Henley Common, The Horse Guards Inn in Tillington and The Noah’s Ark Inn at Lurgashall are all highly regarded gastropubs, while The Parsons Table in Arundel holds a hard-earned place in the Michelin guide.

And, as I remind people: Ocado delivers everywhere, Deliveroo works and yes, your phone still gets signal!

Woman in blue suit jacket with long brown hair looking at camera

Katherine Watters is our specialist Partner in the Southern Home Counties

For news, expert commentary and invaluable property insight, subscribe to The Insider, our quarterly newsletter, here.

Relocating to the UK or the Country? How to Do it Well

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

Relocating – whether from overseas to the UK or from London to the country – is about more than finding a property; it’s about redesigning your life. From schooling and commute times to budgeting for country living, the right decisions early on shape everything that follows. Drawing on years of on-the-ground experience, here are ten essential considerations for anyone planning a successful UK relocation.

1. Start with lifestyle, not property

Define your lifestyle before you look at properties. Rural vs. town, privacy vs. walkability, and whether London is a daily or occasional commute all matter more than the details of any single listing. You can change the house – you can’t change its location.

2. Treat home, school and office as one system

If one corner of the triangle of home, school and office is misaligned, everything else becomes harder to sustain.

3. Research schooling early

School choice will define your location more than anything else. Shortlist the schools you think would best suit your child before narrowing property areas.

4. Be honest about travel time

Always consider the full journey – home to station, train and onward travel – and what you want that to look like. Not just isolated segments.

5. Work with local experts

Online listings rarely, if ever, tell the full story. Micro-location, road noise, school run traffic and pricing nuance require expert local knowledge.

6. Be realistic about space and scale

British homes often differ from overseas properties in style, size and electrical systems so consider what truly suits your next stage of life. Shipping oversized items like a 20ft dining table or Texan barbecue may prove costly and impractical.

7. Budget for the reality of country living

Maintenance, staffing and security all add to ongoing costs and should be factored in early.

8. Be cautious about relying on renting outside London

Supply is limited. Renting to ‘try before you buy’ can sometimes introduce compromise rather than clarity.

9. Think long term, not transitional

The most successful relocations are rarely short-term experiments. A longer horizon tends to produce better decisions.

10. Make peace with trade-offs and define the gain

Every move involves loss. That might be climate, space, lifestyle, familiarity or proximity to other global centres. But it also involves gain: better schooling, more space, a different pace of life, and often a greater sense of stability. The key is to hold both in view at the same time.

For news, expert commentary and invaluable property insight, subscribe to The Insider, our quarterly newsletter, here.

Is Buying Property for Children in London still a Smart Move?

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

Parental-led purchases have always formed a significant part of the prime London market. But right now, the logic behind them feels more persuasive than ever – and in some cases, more urgent. The fundamentals are as strong as they have always been, while the context around them has shifted in ways that genuinely favour buyers who are ready to move, write our Partner James Burridge.

Two teenagers looking at phone with father and smiling. Buying property for children.

Why the Case Remains Strong

Around 20% of my active requirements at any one time come from clients buying property for their children. That proportion has remained consistent, and the reasons families pursue these purchases are essentially the same as they always were: a desire to provide security, a long-term view on wealth, and a recognition that London property – the right London property – is a reliable store of value.

What has changed is the environment in which these transactions are taking place. We are in a period of genuine uncertainty. Politically and economically, there is a great deal of noise. And when the world feels uncertain, good bricks and mortar in a good location feels like a safe place to park significant capital, particularly over the long term.

A More Motivated Market

Another notable shift in the current market is the behaviour of sellers. Some properties have been on the market for a year or more, and many sellers have missed opportunities as a result. A family in Wandsworth wanting to move to the country, for instance, may have found that they couldn’t sell their London house quickly enough to secure the property they wanted elsewhere. That creates real pressure to transact.

For our clients – predominantly cash buyers who can move without a chain and without debt – this is a powerful position to be in. When the majority of competing buyers are in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties, first-time buyers, relying on mortgage offers, the ability to offer flexibility and certainty is a real advantage. We can negotiate on price, offer quick completions, or in some cases even allow a short leaseback period. In a market where sellers are more focused than they have been in years, buyers with firepower can find that the market rewards them.

That said, I wouldn’t suggest there are runaway capital gains to be had in the near term. The appeal here is not a quick uplift. It is quality, liquidity and location – and knowing that good property in the right part of London will always let well in the interim and serve the next generation well when the time comes.

Budget, Locations and the Long Game

I consistently tend to see families searching for properties within the £2 to £5 million price range. What continues to evolve is the conversation around which areas offer the best value at that price point.

I am currently helping a family buy the second of four properties in London, each for a different child. The choice of area is largely driven by the children themselves, not the parents. One wanted to be near where they grew up, another had a strong desire to live in a more central location. That is fairly typical.

It is a conversation I have regularly with parents: the relative value of one pocket versus another. Three million pounds in Fulham looks very different to three million pounds in Notting Hill. In Fulham, you are more likely to get a proper house with a garden. In Notting Hill, you are paying a premium for the postcode. The young person moving in rarely sees it that way, of course. They want to be in the thick of it. But in ten years, when they have children and need more space, the one who took the house in Fulham will be grateful they did not have to pay stamp duty twice.

Transport links also continue to be a significant factor in these searches. For young people in their twenties, connectivity matters enormously, and parents are increasingly attuned to that.

Why Freeholds Make Sense

The preference for freehold houses over leasehold flats has, if anything, become more pronounced in recent times. There are no service charges, no building management committees to deal with, no unexpected bills for lift repairs or communal area renovations. It is a cleaner investment in every sense.

That said, we have bought individual freehold houses for multiple children before, with both living in the property together. In one case, the elder sibling lives there with a friend, and the younger one collects rent from that friend until they are ready to move in. It is a practical arrangement, and it works when the family dynamic supports it.

Inheritance Tax Planning

Inheritance tax planning is increasingly in the background of these conversations – and in many cases it has moved firmly to the foreground. Putting a property in a child’s name removes that capital from the parent’s estate. For families with significant assets, that is a meaningful consideration.

The awareness that a £2 or £3 million property purchase can serve simultaneously as a home for their child, a rental investment, and an estate planning tool is something that sophisticated buyers are carrying into these conversations.

The Journey Takes Time

One point worth emphasising, and something I stress to every client at the outset: finding the right property takes time. The volume of genuinely good stock is smaller than it once was because fewer people are choosing to move. That means the search for a house in Fulham, for example, is not a three-month exercise. From initial brief to taking keys, twelve months is a more realistic expectation.

If parents are serious about this, the time to start the conversation is now – not when their child is six months from finishing university.

The Enduring Appeal

The emotional dimension of these purchases is as present as it always was. Parents want to know that their children are safe, that they are not renting from a landlord they have never met, and that there is some family oversight of where and how they are living. That instinct has not shifted.

Nor has the satisfaction of seeing it through. There is something particularly rewarding about returning to a property we bought for a teenager, years later, and finding them settled in a home they have made their own. When a family comes back to us for the next child, and the one after that, it says everything about the trust that this kind of work builds. It is genuinely rewarding.

As I said at the outset, the fundamentals have not changed in recent years. If anything, the combination of motivated sellers, experienced buyers with liquidity, and the enduring quality of prime London property makes the case for buying for your children stronger today than it has been for some time.

James Burridge The Buying Solution

James Burridge is our Partner and Prime Central London and South West London specialist

For news, expert commentary and invaluable property insight, subscribe to The Insider, our quarterly newsletter, here.

Old Barns, New Profits: Why Farmers are Embracing Padel

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

With the rapid rise of padel across the UK, agricultural landowners are finding innovative ways to generate income – including converting redundant barns into high-demand sports facilities, reports Cathy Hawker in the Financial Times, with insight from Harry Gladwin.

Many farmers are facing sustained pressure on margins, as our Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Harry Gladwin highlights in the Financial Times. Repurposing underused buildings – whether for padel courts or other commercial uses – offers a practical way to create supplementary income while preserving the integrity of rural estates.

Examples such as Padel X at Todenham Manor Farm near Moreton-in-Marsh, Punk Padel at Grammarsham Farm near Basingstoke and The Padel Farm York are leading the way.

“Most farmers would prefer to focus purely on farming but margins have been compressed for some time,” Harry says in the report. “For estates with redundant or underused buildings, repurposing them for alternative uses — whether that’s padel courts, car storage, cafés or gyms — can provide meaningful supplementary income without materially changing the character of the holding.”

Read the full article here.

Renovation Rewards in the Cotswolds

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

While many buyers now favour turnkey properties, wary of the cost, time and complexity of a major renovation, the Cotswolds still offers compelling opportunities for those with an appetite for a project. With specialist input and a deliberate approach, the right property can be remodelled to create a truly exceptional legacy home – and a robust long-term investment – writes our Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Harry Gladwin

Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

The allure of crafting a truly bespoke property that leaves a lasting legacy, or the romance of stewarding a historic property into its next chapter is irresistible to some. Fifteen or 20 years ago buyers might purchase a house for £1 million, spend another £1 million transforming it and end up with a £3 million property. A renovation project was the aspiration and the numbers stacked up.

Yet the rising cost of a large-scale project – not to mention the stress and time-consuming complexity of a build – have caused appetites to shift, particularly at the upper end of the market.I’m seeing far more buyers prioritising turnkey homes than those actively seeking properties with renovation potential.

One of the fundamental issues is that many sellers simply haven’t adjusted their expectations to reflect the true cost of major works. Construction material prices rose by 15% in the 12 months following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to the Department for Business and Trade. Costs have eased slightly (up 3.7% in the 12 months to January 2026), but the Building Cost Information Service forecasts a 15% rise in the next five years, with the Iran war likely to push costs higher. Labour costs have also risen sharply as a result of higher national insurance contributions for employers.

Renovations that once required a few hundred thousand pounds now run into the millions. Sellers haven’t caught up with that reality, creating a disconnect between expectation and execution.

In the Cotswolds’ most desirable ‘golden triangle’ – the area around Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold and Burford – property prices remain robust and, as I have consistently seen, continue to rise. Best-in-class properties in these prime locations still command a premium. Elsewhere in the Cotswolds region, the market is more complex. Many properties came to market last year priced at around 20% above where they realistically should have been, as sellers and agents pushed expectations higher. But I’m starting to see those numbers correcting to more sensible levels, heightening the renovation potential from a financial perspective. When priced realistically, the houses sell – and quickly.

The Turnkey Premium

An immaculate, turnkey property will always command a premium. That said, true turnkey quality to the standard that our clients expect is rare. Many houses have what I would describe as a veneer of quality, lacking in the finer attention to detail.

The very best examples tend to be homes renovated by owners for themselves, never expecting to sell. Corners weren’t cut and the finish is properly considered. When those houses come to market – often due to life changes such as divorce or relocation – they are highly sought after. For these kinds of properties, a 20% turnkey premium is not unusual.

Yet even then, buyers often want to put their own stamp on a new home with a kitchen of their choice, for example. For our clients, the cost of this can easily run into the hundreds of thousands and that kind of investment needs to be factored in from the outset.

Where Renovation Can Still Add Significant Value

Value can be created in almost any type of property – from modest bungalows to listed manor houses. But the greatest opportunity often lies in starting from scratch; demolishing what’s there and rebuilding from the ground up to create a truly unique home.

These properties can sometimes sit in reasonable acreage and are typically acquired for less money because they’re not of such high quality. There may also be stamp duty advantages depending on how surrounding land is classified and building from scratch can also offer VAT efficiencies on construction costs. Just as importantly, this allows you to start again with new drainage, new electrics and a layout designed entirely for modern living. When executed well, the result can be a genuinely best-in-class home that will always command a premium.

But location is critical. It costs as much to renovate in a C-grade location as it does in an A-grade one, but rarely returns the same value. So understanding exactly what and where you’re buying is critical. Without that knowledge you risk owning a very expensive lemon.

Having lived and worked in the Cotswolds for decades, through multiple market cycles, I’ve built up a detailed sense of which areas are consistently resilient, which come in and out of fashion, and which are most exposed during downturns. I see so many people spend vast sums improving houses in secondary locations, only to struggle to recoup their investment when they try to sell.

Older, perhaps listed properties with layouts that simply no longer work for modern living also hold hidden potential, although they can be difficult to find. A clever, sympathetic redesign retaining the character of the property can unlock considerable value – if executed with skill and consideration.

Red Flags Buyers Should Never Ignore

Certain compromises are very difficult to overcome, no matter how much money is spent on a renovation. Flood risk, proximity to busy roads, aircraft flight paths or public rights of way running directly past the house can all affect long-term value, regardless of renovation or turnkey status.

Other risks include structural issues such as roofs, subsidence, or listing restrictions. Many buyers assume listed status only applies to the façade; in fact, every element is considered to be historic fabric and is protected, and when you start peeling back the layers, you realise just how complex it can be.

Potential development nearby is another crucial consideration. With increasing pressure for housing across the UK, it’s vital to be aware of where large-scale development may occur in the future and its potential impact.

Given the cost of acquisition at this level, understanding those compromises from the outset in order to future-proof your purchase is essential.

Navigating Planning and Heritage

A substantial renovation can take anywhere between two to four years, particularly when planning permissions, heritage constraints and listed status are involved. For many of our clients with demanding professional lives, time is in very short supply, so assembling the right team of experts to smoothly and successfully steer the project through to completion is crucial.

There is often a myth that little can be done with historic properties in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or National Landscape as it is now known. In reality, it is rarely that simple. People tend to go wrong by becoming overly fixated on a particular outcome and then battling every stage of the planning process to achieve it.

The key is to work collaboratively with planners, conservation officers and heritage consultants. While the route may differ from what was initially imagined, with the right team it is usually possible to reach a very good outcome.

Within the Cotswolds National Landscape, the fundamental aim of the planners is to protect and enhance the environment. Projects that respect the landscape and work with it rather than against it tend to succeed.

We help our clients assemble the right team of leading specialists – from planning consultants to architects, surveyors, heritage specialists and builders – all of whom play an important role in navigating the process as smoothly as possible.

The Future of Renovation in the Cotswolds

Renovation projects in and around the Cotswolds are likely to become ever more complex. Planning authorities are already under huge pressure and have limited resources to process increasingly complicated applications. Suitable sites are becoming scarcer, and the region itself is more densely populated than it once was, so there is more sensitivity around creating new homes.

Acquisition costs are high – stamp duty alone can consume over 10% of the purchase price –and construction costs also remain unpredictable. Commodity prices have been rising steadily, and current geopolitical events create further volatility.

All of this is not to say that renovation projects should be off limits, but that they require greater care and consideration than ever before. Short-term buyers looking to hold their property for five years or less are particularly exposed, while those with a more long-term lens of 10-20 years have the market to cushion any missteps.

Too often buyers purchase first and only then begin their renovation research – by this point the margin for error becomes very small. It’s vital to understand what you’re buying, where and why, before you commit. Do your homework first, or you can find that the costs can quickly overwhelm.

Harry Gladwin, Partner, specialist buying agent in the Cotswolds


Harry Gladwin is our Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Region

For news, expert commentary and invaluable property insight, subscribe to The Insider, our quarterly newsletter, here.

A New Chapter for London’s St James’s

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

Long associated with aristocratic tradition, St James’s is entering a new chapter as major redevelopment projects transform a historic corner of central London. Head of The Buying Solution Will Watson discusses the appeal of the area with journalist Paul Carey at UAE newspaper The National

While known for its royal palaces and gentlemen’s clubs, St James’s has a more low-key history of innovation, including housing what is considered London’s first skyscraper. That building, the Grade I-listed 55 Broadway above St James’s Park station, is now being redeveloped by Blue Orchid Hotels into a luxury hotel designed by the architects behind The Ned and The Old War Office.

The project forms part of a trio of nearby redevelopments – alongside The Broadway and 102 Petty France – that are revitalising the district between Victoria and Westminster and helping it emerge from the shadow of neighbouring Mayfair. Will Watson explains more about St James’s appeal and the property prices it commands.

Read the article here.

What I’ve Learnt from 25 Years Advising on London’s Finest Houses

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

Head of The Buying Solution, Will Watson, has decades of experience navigating London’s property market at its highest levels, having held senior roles on the selling side before moving into buying. Here he shares what he has learnt about trust, success and managing risk

There is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ market

I cannot recall a more unpredictable market than the one we find ourselves navigating today. Domestic politics feels unusually fluid, global events continue to shock, and the six-month outlook is unclear – let alone the five-year view. Even the near-term leadership of the country is uncertain day to day.

In my experience, property decisions, at their best, aren’t driven by forecasts or speculation. They’re made based on your personal circumstances: your life, your priorities, and your timing. That has rarely felt more relevant.

We appear to be bouncing along the bottom of the market, but cycles always turn. Consider the discussion around non-dom taxation. Italy’s flat annual regime has already drawn buyers to Milan, though many would have preferred to remain in London. Were a comparable policy introduced here, it would materially alter sentiment. For now, however, London presents unusually compelling value for domestic buyers with a medium-to long-term view. In some instances, properties are transacting at circa 30% below their listed price from just two years ago.

Writing at the tail-end of Winter, the market is seasonally quieter, and transaction volumes are lighter – but deals are still being done. In fact, we’re notably busy. Our clients recognise that thinner competition before the Spring market gains momentum offers a strategic window. Particularly where sellers who failed to secure a buyer in 2025 have become more pragmatic.

Ultimately, buying property is less about reacting to headlines and more about recognising when your own circumstances align with opportunity.

The best property isn’t about price per square foot

It is easy to get fixated on numbers and what you feel you should be paying per square foot. But comparable data is just a guide and, more often than not, it doesn’t give the full picture of a property. A truly special house is hard to repeat and rare to trade; we may only see its like once every few years at best. Therefore, if you find a property that you really want and you are trying to be too clever on pricing, someone will likely beat you to it – and you might never get that opportunity again.

One of my longest-standing clients, a seasoned international buyer with properties around the world, once told me his strategy. He buys the best available asset when he needs it. That might mean a one-bedroom apartment in Chelsea for a child at £2m, or a detached family house in Holland Park for £30m+. The price point is secondary, the quality is not.

He has never been preoccupied with pounds per square foot or comparable evidence. By focusing instead on rarity and quality, those acquisitions have consistently proven to be exceptional homes, as well as a reliable store of wealth. He is frequently approached about selling one of his properties, as demand remains strong for the best, despite the unpredictability of the current market.

He summed it to me up perfectly: “We’ll buy what we need to buy, and we’ll pay what we need to pay – if it’s rare.”It is advice I’ve carried ever since. Focus on the unique, the hard-to-repeat, and the rest usually takes care of itself. After all, whether it’s property, a car, a watch, or any rare asset, scarcity ensures there is always a buyer.

You can’t eliminate risk, but you can control it

Almost every buyer worries about overpaying. No one wants to complete on a house only to discover six months later that it might have been secured for 10% less. Yet waiting doesn’t guarantee a better deal. After all, a positive political shift or a surge in the market could just as easily result in you paying 10% more – and finding the right property will often take longer than you think.

I always remind my clients that we want to buy from someone that genuinely wants – or needs – to sell. Much of the prime market is made up of discretionary sellers with inflated expectations. As a result, agreeing sensible terms can be protracted or even unworkable, or simply take longer than most of our clients’ search windows allow. This is particularly true at the higher price points in both the London and countryside markets.

There are also practical risks to weigh. You may buy an immaculate turnkey home to avoid the disruption of building work, only for a neighbour to start a major three-year renovation. In Central London, almost every street has at least one ongoing project, so the risk is real. Our role is to conduct thorough due diligence – not only on the property itself, but on the immediate surroundings, neighbouring ownership and any pending planning applications – so that disruption is assessed before contracts are exchanged, not afterwards.

Security is another consideration. Headlines can be alarmist, but London hasn’t emptied out; rather, security has become part of the brief. Beyond aesthetics, we assess infrastructure – plumbing, electrics, access points – and, where appropriate, bring in specialist advisers to evaluate risk properly. The aim is proportionate protection, giving you peace of mind without letting fear drive your choices.

In short, concerns about overpaying, noisy neighbours and security are justified, but none are deal-breakers if you are well informed. That’s what separates a cautious buyer from a confident one.

Integrity is the real measure of success

The first transaction I completed as a buying agent was in Marylebone – an area I didn’t know well at the time.

The client came to me through a professional contact. He was renting locally and wanted to buy a house nearby. I was candid: I had not yet bought in Marylebone, but I knew exactly what made an exceptional house and I promised him my full focus. That honesty mattered. He trusted me, and I secured him a remarkable house just off Marylebone High Street, complete with a rare roof terrace. He is still there today – and over the years, he has become a friend and introduced me to many of his contacts who have become clients over the years.

Honesty, integrity and truthfulness aren’t buzzwords; they have guided me from day one, and are central to everything I do. The emphasis is not on completing transactions for their own sake, but on protecting our clients’ interests – we take that responsibility very seriously and have little tolerance for market noise, poor instructions and chronic overpricing.

I represent my clients as I would family or close friends. Success, for me, is not about money, off-market deals, or outmanoeuvring another buyer, it is measured by finding the house they have been dreaming of at a price they are comfortable with and knowing that we made that possible for them.

Will Watson, Head of The Buying Solution

Will Watson is Head of The Buying Solution

For news, expert commentary and invaluable property insight, subscribe to The Insider, our quarterly newsletter, here.