Category: Blogs

Is the Cotswolds Property Boom Over?

Posted on by Jessica Jonzen

The post-Covid frenzy may be over, but reports of the Cotswolds property market cooling are greatly exaggerated, writes Harry Gladwin, our Partner and Head of the Cotswolds. For buyers, the challenge now is not demand but scarcity.

view of Cotswolds stone houses down the hill in Burford. Image: Getty

It is a particularly British trait – especially in the property press – to cast things as either fantastic or dreadful, with everything in between deemed of little interest. I suspect that polarised approach informed some of the reports over the summer suggesting that the so-called Cotswolds property boom was over.

Reports of falling farmhouse values across Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire were presented as evidence that the Cotswolds’ halcyon days had come to an end. But a correction is not the same thing as a collapse. The fundamental appeal of the Cotswolds has not changed; what has is the unrealistic levels of expectation that built up around its property market during the pandemic.

The post-Covid property boom was an anomaly

In the extraordinary period following the pandemic, demand for Cotswolds property surged to levels the market had never experienced. Buyers, especially those from London liberated from the office and newly focused on space, landscape and quality of life, competed for a finite supply of houses.

As a result, properties that might once have attracted modest interest were suddenly commanding substantial premiums. Asking prices became increasingly detached from precedent, and speed became a virtue in itself. Scarcity and urgency often blurred the distinction between a genuinely exceptional house and an ordinary one in a desirable location.

As time wore on, many sellers held on to unrealistic ideas of what their properties were worth. The softening of prices for property which had, in truth, been overpriced is not evidence that the Cotswolds itself has fallen out of favour. It hasn’t.

The post-Covid market was an anomaly, not a new benchmark. What we are seeing now is a return to a market that is more sophisticated and discerning. Buyers are looking much more carefully at quality, condition and whether the price is justified. For me, that represents a much healthier market.

Best-in-class houses are still selling extremely well and commanding a premium. There simply aren’t enough of them to satisfy demand. Properties with compromises are having to find a more realistic level, while those that are overpriced are increasingly being left behind. This is what a functioning market looks like.

The Cotswolds still has a supply problem

The Cotswolds remains one of the UK’s most supply-constrained prime residential markets and it’s tricky to find a good house now that is available to buy. Many of the people who own the most desirable houses in the area have little reason to sell. They like it here, and where else would they go?

That creates an apparent contradiction for buyers. The market may be more rational than it was three years ago, but it is not necessarily easier to enter. For a high-value buyer coming from London or overseas, particularly one comparing the Cotswolds with softer markets elsewhere in the UK, the lack of available stock can be difficult to reconcile with the prices being asked for what is available. It comes back to the issue of supply and demand.

The real Cotswolds property market is not always visible

This is where the distinction between the visible market and the real market becomes important. Property portals and magazines such as Rightmove and Country Life show what is openly being offered for sale but not what might be available through relationships, local knowledge or conversations with owners who have never formally instructed an agent.

For buyers operating at the upper end of the market, this is precisely where specialist advice becomes invaluable. My role is not simply to identify the best houses, but to understand and interpret the market they are being offered in. The differences between villages, knowing the owners who may genuinely consider selling, the opportunities unlikely to be widely marketed and, crucially, whether a property represents good value before emotion takes over. Judgement matters just as much as access.

International demand for Cotswolds property remains strong

The Cotswolds has always been an internationally recognised brand, attracting people from London and further afield. That is not new. What the pandemic did was amplify it.

The suggestion that interest in the Cotswolds is waning also underestimates the breadth of the market itself. The traditional family buyer remains a powerful force, drawn by schooling, accessibility from London and quality of life. Demand for leading schools in the region and surrounding areas remains an important part of the equation.

At the same time, the international market has deepened considerably. American buyers now account for 25–30 per cent of our Cotswolds client base, alongside buyers from the Middle East, Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe.

The Wild Rabbit, Kingham, in the Cotswolds ©Sarah Frances Kelley
Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

Why the Cotswolds’ popularity is not a bad thing

I also think there is a tendency to confuse increased visibility with overexposure. Certain parts of the Cotswolds have undoubtedly become more prominent, particularly in the five-mile radius around Daylesford and Kingham and places such as Estelle Manor and Soho Farmhouse, which have created their own micro-climates of hospitality, food and leisure. But the Cotswolds is a huge area from a UK point of view, and typically our buyers would look to avoid or be outside the obvious touristy areas that are  getting most of the publicity.

I don’t see increased popularity that as a dilution of the Cotswolds’ appeal. If anything, it has made the region more diverse. The Cotswolds is large enough to offer very different versions of country life. For some, proximity to good restaurants, hotels and social life is part of the attraction; for others, the appeal lies in being well away from it. People can choose the version that suits them.

More broadly, I see the investment that has accompanied the Cotswolds’ growing profile as overwhelmingly positive. Businesses such as Daylesford Organic and the individuals behind them have invested heavily in the region, creating jobs and opportunities for local people, as well as places for them to visit, eat at and enjoy. It is shortsighted to see increased popularity as inherently negative.

Cotswolds buyers are becoming more selective

The fundamentals underpinning demand have therefore remained remarkably consistent. The schools are still pulling families here. London remains accessible. The landscape has lost none of its appeal. And the lifestyle is probably as good as it gets outside London.

What has changed more noticeably is what buyers are prepared to take on once they have found a house. The appetite for major refurbishment has cooled considerably. Materials are more expensive, skilled labour is harder to find, Planning is challenging and so projects take longer.

The romantic proposition of buying an unloved country house and transforming it looks rather different once the first contractor’s estimate arrives. Except where they represent a genuinely rare opportunity, projects are becoming harder to sell.

There is also a significant disconnect between what some sellers believe refurbishment should cost and what it actually costs today. For an owner who has not undertaken a major project for 20 or 30 years, it is easy to underestimate how dramatically the economics have changed. Once buyers understand the true cost of renovation, many simply cannot justify taking it on.

That is increasingly being reflected in value. A house requiring substantial investment cannot be assessed simply on its underlying charm or potential. The cost, duration and complexity of a renovation in the Cotswolds needs to be understood and reflected in the price.

Why local knowledge matters when buying in the Cotswolds

The challenge for a buyer is no longer simply to find a property. It is to understand what is genuinely rare, what is fairly priced and what only appears attractive because the supply of alternatives is limited.

Scarcity can be a powerful psychological force. After searching for months, perhaps years, it is easy to convince yourself that a house is worth buying because it is the first vaguely suitable one to appear.

But a lack of alternatives should not, in itself, justify compromising on quality or paying an unjustified premium. An experienced buying agent should provide the perspective that is hardest to maintain when you are emotionally invested.

Is this genuinely rare, or merely rare at this price? Is the location exceptional? Are the compromises manageable? What will the house actually cost to own and improve? And, if you decide not to buy it, what is likely to come next?

In a market where the best houses are scarce, knowing what not to buy in the Cotswolds is just as valuable as knowing what to buy.

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.

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.

Where to Buy in London for Outdoor Space

Posted on by Jessica Jonzen

From private garden squares and central London terraces to larger family gardens in south-west London, our Partner Philip Eastwood shares his insights into where to look and what to prioritise when buying for outdoor space in the capital

View through Georgian sash windows onto a summer garden in London with wisteria

One of the biggest mistakes buyers can make in London is focusing too much on the things that can be measured. Square footage, bedroom numbers and price per square foot all matter, but they don’t tell the whole story. Some of the qualities that make a property exceptional are much harder to quantify: the aspect of a garden, the outlook from a terrace, if the rooms actually feel usable and whether the outside space enhances the way you live. Those are the things that often separate a good property from a great one.

Outdoor space has always been desirable in London, but it has become an increasingly important part of the buying conversation – particularly since the pandemic. A garden, terrace or balcony is no longer simply an added extra; for many buyers, it has become a key part of the brief. The important thing, though, is that outdoor space must be practical to use and easy to access.

A large garden that is overlooked, poorly positioned or receives no evening sunlight may be less valuable than a smaller space with a south-west facing garden and an attractive outlook. Similarly, a roof terrace might sound desirable, but if it is remotely taxing to reach, it’s likely to go unused – despite the inevitable premium that was paid for it.

What to prioritise when looking for outside space in London

Before the pandemic, outdoor space was often something buyers wanted but would compromise on if everything else about the property was right. Location, period features, ceiling heights and the overall feel of a home would usually come first.

Covid shifted how much value people place on having somewhere to step outside for their wellbeing. If you were living in a one or two-bedroom apartment without a balcony, terrace or garden during lockdown, you suddenly understood the benefit of having even a small amount of outdoor space. I don’t think it completely changed the way people buy property; it simply added a greater premium to good outdoor space because buyers became more aware of its quality – and scarcity.

Buying in London has always been about compromise. If you wrote out a typical wish list for a London apartment, it might include two or three bedrooms, a good location, high ceilings, period features, excellent light, a newly refurbished interior and a roof terrace. The reality is that very few properties offer everything. Budget, location and the architecture of London itself all start taking things off the list.

That is where the hierarchy of needs comes in. Is location more important than a roof terrace? Is a larger garden worth moving further out for? Does a private balcony compensate for being on a busy road? Every buyer will answer those questions differently. The role of a buying agent is understanding which compromises are acceptable and which ones will ultimately affect how much someone enjoys living in the property.

Why usability of outside space matters more than size

I always tell clients that having outdoor space and having good outdoor space are two very different things. Take roof terraces. Many buyers want one, but genuinely good examples are relatively rare in London. Much of the city’s housing stock is Georgian or Victorian when roofs were for chimney pots, not terraces, so creating one is often complicated.

I have a simple test: can you easily carry a bottle of rosé and a glass onto it? If you have to climb three flights of stairs, negotiate a very steep spiral staircase or effectively become a mountain goat to reach it, you probably won’t use it as much as you imagine. If you can open French doors, step outside and sit down with a drink, then you will use it constantly.

The other consideration is safety, particularly for families. A roof terrace might look impressive on a floorplan, but if access is difficult or you are constantly worrying about the children, it becomes less appealing.

Gardens are no different. Buyers naturally focus on size, but aspect and outlook are often just as important. A south-west-facing garden which receives afternoon and evening sun overlooking mature trees or backing on to another garden will almost always be more valuable than a larger garden that is north-facing, overlooked and enclosed by neighbouring walls.

You can have two houses that are almost identical in size, but one has a better garden, better light and a better outlook. Which one is going to command the higher price? The one with the better aspect. I often think of it as the difference between a good painting and a great painting. The fundamentals might be the same, but there is something that elevates one above the other. With property, those less measurable details are often the deciding factor.

Chelsea Square off Chelsea Park Gardens

Where to find properties with outdoor space in central London

If a client tells me they want to remain in central London and have a large garden, the first thing I do is manage expectations. Chelsea, Kensington and Marylebone are not known for substantial private gardens. Marylebone is a good example of how London’s architecture shapes what is possible. These townhouses were built at a time when wealthy families often had vast country estates, so having a large garden (or indeed, any garden) in London was not a priority.

There are, however, areas where prime central London offers something very special. Notting Hill is probably the best example. The attraction is not simply the houses themselves, but the relationship between their private gardens and the neighbourhood’s communal gardens.

Streets such as Elgin Crescent, Lansdowne Crescent and Ladbroke Square offer something quite unusual: a private garden leading directly onto a larger garden shared with your neighbours. It is almost like joining a country club.

For families, that sense of community is incredibly valuable. Children can go through the back gate and play with friends, neighbours naturally get to know each other, and the garden becomes a meaningful extension of family life. That sense of community is one of the reasons Notting Hill consistently performs so strongly.

Not every garden square works in the same way, though. Some are beautiful but quite formal, with lists of rules and regulations. If children cannot ride a bike or kick a football in them, then they become spaces to admire rather than spaces to enjoy.

Chelsea, while never known for large gardens, has seen a resurgence in popularity in pockets  close to Chelsea Square, which is huge and quite wild. A number of the area’s practical 1930s houses on Chelsea Park Gardens have been refurbished to a very high standard, offering generous proportions, better layouts and more family-friendly living than some of the older period properties. Combined with access to garden squares, local amenities and the wider appeal of Chelsea itself, these homes have become increasingly attractive to buyers who want central London without necessarily compromising on practicality.

Best areas in south-west London for family gardens

If buyers want larger gardens, then south-west London naturally becomes more attractive. Areas such as Wandsworth, Fulham, Clapham, Richmond and Wimbledon offer more generous gardens combined with good transport links, excellent schools and strong local amenities.

Wandsworth and Clapham are great examples of how London has changed. Thirty or 40 years ago, many buyers who could afford Chelsea would not necessarily have considered living south of the river. Now Wandsworth and Clapham are some of the most desirable family locations in London.

There, you can have a proper garden, access to Wandsworth and Clapham Commons, and a neighbourhood where you have everything you need. You have cafés, restaurants, independent shops, Waitrose, Gail’s – all the things that create a sense of a village within south-west London.

Buying near London’s parks

For many buyers, being close to a park is just as important as having their own outdoor space. Hyde Park, Holland Park, Regent’s Park and Battersea Park are all popular with clients who want access to green space, whether that is for running, walking or escaping the pace of the city. For apartment buyers especially, living close to a great park can often tick the outdoor space box.

Ultimately, buying in London will always involve compromise. The key is understanding what matters most to you. The best properties are the ones where the fine details work seamlessly – where the outdoor space is genuinely usable, the aspect is right, and it fits the way you want to live. Those are the things that create lasting value, and which we can help you to find.

Philip Eastwood, The Buying Solution, Partner, London

Philip Eastwood is our specialist Partner in Prime Central London

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.

Why are English Villages So Appealing?

Posted on by Jessica Jonzen

English villages come into their own in summer, but the desire to live there has year-round draw. Our Partner Katherine Watters explores why the appeal of a village is not simply about nostalgia, but a sense of community, continuity and belonging.

There is an image of England that never quite loses its hold on the imagination, especially during the summer months. Cricket on the green on a balmy afternoon. A fête in full swing complete with tug of war, a dog show and a cake stall stacked with Victoria sponges baked by the locals. Cottages with roses around the door. An ancient church that has been central to the community for generations.

The English village is, on one level, a romantic ideal. And yet it is also a very real and vital part of modern life – not simply as an archetypal symbol of Englishness, but as a place people of all ages and backgrounds continue actively to choose to live.

As a buying agent working across Surrey, Sussex and the wider Home Counties, I spend much of my time driving clients through villages they have never visited before, watching for that almost imperceptible shift in mood when they arrive somewhere that feels right. It is rarely about the house alone. The decisive moment often comes when they spot the cricket green, the pub terrace filling up on a Friday evening, or a queue forming outside the village shop.

“On the edge of a village” is one of the most common requests I hear. Clients generally do not want total isolation in a remote farmhouse at the end of a muddy track. The fantasy – and increasingly, the practical ambition – is a house close enough to walk to the pub, the shop, the church and the community.

After many years acting for buyers, I have come to recognise that when clients say they want village life, they are rarely talking purely about scenery or commute times. What they are searching for is something more consequential: connection, familiarity and being part of a community.

The post-pandemic search for connection

The appetite for village life has only strengthened since the pandemic. According to the Government’s latest Statistical Digest of Rural England, net internal migration continues to favour rural areas, with more people moving from towns and cities into the countryside than the other way around. Meanwhile, according to Nationwide Building Society, house prices in predominantly rural areas rose by 23 per cent between 2019 and 2024, compared with 18 per cent in predominantly urban areas. (nationwide.co.uk) What began as the “race for space” has matured into something more lasting: a search for connection.

Clients rarely describe it in those terms initially. They talk about wanting their children outdoors more, or about needing more space or a better view. Yet those requests often carry an unspoken concern about modern life: the sense that people can feel profoundly lonely while surrounded by millions of others.

I see this particularly among buyers seeking to move out of London. While they may have lived in the capital for years, they feel the transitional nature of city living prevents them from putting down roots properly. Increasingly, they are looking for what villages still offer remarkably well: interdependence.

One family I am advising is moving with an elderly mother who has lived an extremely social life in London and is understandably anxious about leaving it behind. Their brief is not simply about square footage or proximity to a station. They want a village where she can integrate quickly; somewhere with a church community, local groups and enough activity to make day-to-day life feel engaging and interesting. 

This desire for both connection and ‘buzz’ spans generations. Young families are drawn by toddler groups, village schools and the chance for their children to grow up as part of a small community. Downsizers increasingly see villages as a form of future-proofing: places where they can walk to amenities, remain socially active and rely on local support networks if driving eventually becomes difficult.

The infrastructure of belonging

The best villages function almost like miniature ecosystems. The village shop is no longer merely somewhere to buy milk. Increasingly, it has become a deli, café and informal social club rolled into one.

Having been used to the convenience of the city, clients moving from London often fear a sense of being “cut off” when they move to the country. They yearn for a focal point. During a client orientation tour, I always make a point to take them to a village coffee shop to assuage these fears and more often than not, I see a smile of relief cross their faces as they recognise the sense of a like-minded community. One client laughed in delight when she discovered her former favourite barista from London now co-owned the local village café we stopped at. Suffice to say, they went on to buy in that village.

On another client tour, we stopped at a village shop in Dunsfold, south-west Surrey. Behind the till was an old school friend of mine who volunteers there now her children have grown up. “I wanted to give something back to the community,” she told me. That spirit of participation rather than passive consumption is exactly what many buyers are searching for.

The village pub occupies a similar emotional territory. The best rural pubs understand they cannot survive purely as polished gastronomic destinations. They still want muddy dogs under tables, farmers nursing pints at the bar and regulars dropping in for a pie and a catch-up with friends over a glass of wine.

UK, Hertfordshire, Perry Green, close up of Bunting hanging in front of outdoor celebrations in a field

The perennial charm of the village fête

There is a nostalgic element to all this. Villages embody a version of England many people fear is disappearing, yet the local fête remains one of the clearest expressions of communal life in modern Britain.

I often encourage nervous London buyers to visit a village during its fête weekend if they want to understand what life there could actually feel like. You see everything in a single afternoon: the volunteers, the children tearing across the green, the retirees pouring tea and the committee members trying to organise the raffle.

Not only are fêtes charming, they are also remarkably democratic occasions. One of the things clients often find most refreshing is the levelling effect of village life. At a fête, a highly successful businessman may be hammering tent pegs into the ground alongside a local builder or teacher. Everyone contributes, which is key.

Villages do not simply “happen”. Their appeal relies on people willing to organise, volunteer and participate. In fact, many long-standing residents welcome newcomers precisely because they bring fresh energy. The stereotype of rural suspicion towards outsiders is often overstated. In reality, villages benefit enormously from people willing to coach football teams, listen to local school children read, run plant stalls or join parish committees.

Why village schools are becoming more attractive

Schools remain another powerful draw. Many buyers moving from London initially assume they will continue down the private-school route, but that is beginning to shift. The combination of rising fees and VAT changes has prompted many families to reconsider local state education.

Some village schools that once operated mixed-age classes now run full single-year intakes because demand has grown so dramatically. Parents value the intimacy of smaller schools and the way they embed families into local life almost immediately.

Community as a modern luxury

The appeal of village living also reflects wider social anxieties. Britain has become more digitally connected yet, in many ways, less communal. Hybrid working means many professionals spend long stretches of time alone at home.

Villages, by contrast, still create natural points of contact. There are opportunities to bump into a neighbour while out dog walking. There are WhatsApp groups organising lifts to hospital appointments for elderly residents. Volunteer drivers take neighbours to GP surgeries. Rambling clubs gather at cafés after walks. Church halls host everything from yoga classes to children’s parties. These details may sound quaint, but they are increasingly valuable in a fragmented society.

Seeing village life at its most authentic

As buying agents, our role extends well beyond property. A beautiful house in the wrong village will rarely make a client happy long-term. Understanding whether a community is sociable and intergenerational matters just as much as understanding square footage and commute times.

In an age when so much of modern life can feel transient and anonymous, the English village still offers the reassuring possibility that people might genuinely know – and look after – one another.

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

Katherine Watters is our specialist Partner in the Southern Home Counties

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.

The New Priorities Driving Relocating Families to the Home Counties

Posted on by Jessica Jonzen

For internationally mobile families, education and lifestyle are driving relocation decisions more than ever. Demand for top-tier schools, combined with privacy, space and security, is putting the Home Counties firmly in focus.

Recent global events have brought a new seriousness to the relocation conversation. What were once lifestyle-led considerations – schooling, security and space – are now sitting firmly at the top of the priority list, and everything else is being filtered through them.

Decisions are no longer being made lightly, or purely aspirationally, but with a far greater emphasis on what day-to-day life will actually look like once the move is made. One of our Partners recently visited a house whose owners had everything in motion to relocate to Dubai, before global tensions prompted them to abruptly pull on the brakes. That crystallised the shift. When you are talking about moving children internationally, even to places that might once have felt like an obvious upgrade, the fundamentals come into very sharp relief.

Security, schooling, health and stability are now the most pressing questions, not the afterthoughts. We are often asked what we are seeing in the market for relocating families, and because we are constantly speaking to agents, applicants and buyers across the sector, you develop a very clear read on sentiment rather than simply tracking numbers.

Right now, that sentiment is measured. There is no frenzy, no pandemic-style urgency, but there is steady, considered movement. Our client base often includes families moving out of London and those returning or relocating from overseas, often prompted by a reassessment of priorities in uncertain times. It is not a boom market, but it is an active one, and it carries a very particular tone.

In that mindset, even the most traditional of settings – a vicarage in a pretty English village, a house set within an established market town – can suddenly feel newly relevant and reassuring.

Security: reassurance in different forms

Security comes up in almost every conversation, but rarely in the same way twice. There are clients for whom it is entirely practical and visible. They want cameras, alarm systems, secure perimeters all in place from day one. For them, security is paramount and provides the peace of mind they crave.

Then there is another group, often relocating from places such as the US or South Africa, who are moving away from environments where security is highly visible. For them, the appeal of the Home Counties is almost the opposite: it feels calm, established and understated. A prime residential road in a buzzy market town or a well-established village community are often seen as inherently reassuring, without needing to be fortified.

Against a backdrop of broader uncertainty elsewhere – whether environmental, political or insurance-related – the UK begins to feel comparatively stable and attractive.

Schooling: the anchor decision

If security sets the tone, schooling sets the geography. For many families, it is the starting point of the entire search.

The briefs are often highly specific. Some want walkability; with a station, café and school all within reach. Others are comfortable with a 15–20 minute drive to secure space and countryside. Others still prioritise privacy above all else, letting the school determine the radius of their search.

International schools remain important for globally mobile families seeking continuity and institutions such as ACS International Schools continue to play a key role in that space. But what has changed is permanence. More families are no longer here for a short posting; they are settling.

As a result, engagement with the UK independent sector is shifting, with schools such as Eton College, Bradfield College, St Andrew’s and Lambrook in Berkshire; Charterhouse in Surrey, Shiplake College in Oxfordshire, and Godstowe and Wycombe Abbey in Buckinghamshire increasingly forming part of a longer-term life plan, rather than a transitional arrangement.  Even international schools are now focusing on local, long-term students, as that transitional world has changed.

The home, school and office triangle

At the centre of almost every relocation is the triangulation of home, school and office. Each carries equal weight. One pays the bills; one educates the children, and one is where family life comes together. The challenge is that they rarely align neatly.

A beautiful house in a rural setting may stretch the school run. A perfect school catchment may complicate access to London. A fast commute may come at the expense of space and lifestyle.

People often underestimate how these elements interact in real life. Door-to-desk commuting, school runs, train timetables, return journeys all compounds for better or worse. Much of our role in the Home Counties is helping clients to see not just the property, but what their life there would really look and feel like.

Space, nature and what “enough” looks like

There is also an emotional layer that runs through almost every search. Clients often talk about wanting their children to be “in nature”. Though slightly intangible, it is a very real driver. Green space, gardens and countryside access are consistently part of the brief.

The Home Counties offer this in abundance, but it is important to understand what that lifestyle actually means day to day. More rural living often means more driving. School friends live in different directions and daily logistics become more complex. Larger homes, pools, tennis courts, annexes and staff can all add lifestyle value but also cost and maintenance.

A large part of the process is helping clients separate what feels aspirational from what will genuinely improve everyday life.

Renting, buying and the shift towards commitment

Traditionally, renting has been the first step for many relocating families. In theory, it allows people to explore and experience areas before committing. In practice, outside London, the reality is very different.

The rental pool in the Home Counties is limited at the best of times. Once you factor in school catchments and specific location requirements, it becomes even narrower.

What often happens is compromise: families take what is available, rather than what is right. They then build a life with schools, routines and networks only to realise they would prefer a different base when they come to buy.

As a result, more clients are choosing to purchase earlier and get it right first time. It is more decisive, but often more aligned with long-term happiness.

Ultimately, the most successful relocations are those where clients acknowledge early on what they are leaving behind and are then far better placed to recognise what they stand to gain. When that balance is right, the move stops being purely practical and becomes something more positive and joyful.

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

Security and the New London Property Brief

Posted on by Jessica Jonzen

As crime headlines reshape perceptions of life in the capital, security has become an integral part of the property brief for buyers in prime central London. Yet the most effective safeguard is not technology or patrols, but discretion – both online and at home, writes our Partner and London specialist Philip Eastwood.

Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

For much of the past two decades, the brief given to a prime central London buying agent has been reassuringly familiar: lateral space, period architecture, a garden square address, perhaps proximity to the best schools. Security, when mentioned at all, tended to mean little more than a functioning alarm system and a sturdy front door.

Today, that brief has evolved. Increasingly, security – and perhaps, more accurately, the perception of security – forms part of the conversation when clients consider purchasing property in the capital.

The reality, however, is more nuanced than the headlines might suggest. According to new analysis from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), many forms of crime in London are falling. In the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, residential burglary fell by 10 per cent compared with the same period the previous year, while theft from the person and personal robbery both declined by 13 per cent. These reductions follow increased investment in visible neighbourhood policing, including a significant uplift in officers on the beat in the West End and new town centre teams focused on tackling phone theft, shoplifting and antisocial behaviour.

Yet statistics rarely shape perceptions as powerfully as stories do. In an age of constant news alerts and social media feeds, a single incident can travel quickly through friendship circles and WhatsApp groups. Before long, everyone seems to know someone – or knows someone who knows someone – who has had a phone snatched or a watch stolen. The result is that security has begun to feature more prominently in property discussions, even as the broader data paints a more reassuring picture.

The Rise of the Discreet Street Patrol

One of the more visible developments can be seen in parts of Kensington and Chelsea, where residents of certain streets have collectively arranged private security. Typically, a security guard sits in a marked car overnight, occasionally walking residents from a taxi to their front door, keeping an eye on the street and acting as a visible presence and possible deterrent. Some patrols circulate periodically, sometimes with dogs, providing reassurance and peace of mind rather than enforcement. The effect is closer to the traditional “bobby on the beat” than to anything resembling private policing.

Fifteen years ago, such arrangements were uncommon. Today, they are increasingly familiar in prime neighbourhoods and in some cases, they are linked to large estates. Addresses on the Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair and Belgravia, for instance, benefit from long-established porterage and security systems – part of the discreet infrastructure that has historically made certain London squares particularly desirable.

Portable Wealth in a Digital Age

Part of the shift in how people think about security reflects something fundamental about how we now live. Twenty years ago, most people moved through London carrying relatively little of obvious value. A watch was simply a watch; a handbag was simply a handbag. Even if something was stolen, it was not always easy to sell on, nor was its value necessarily understood by the thief.

Today, however, we move through the city carrying what might reasonably be described as ‘portable assets’ as a matter of course: smartphones worth more than a month’s rent, watches whose resale values can exceed those of a car, handbags that prestigious auction houses now treat as investment categories.

The secondary market has expanded dramatically. Where once stolen goods required a discreet “fence” to sell them on, today a host of online platforms provide an immediate and global marketplace for resale. The economics of crime have changed.

At the same time, our digital habits have created an entirely new layer of exposure. Social media has normalised the public display of wardrobes, jewellery collections and travel plans to a global audience. From a security perspective, it is rather remarkable.

Announcing a two-week holiday on Instagram is, in effect, the modern equivalent of placing an advertisement that reads: Our house will be empty until the 14th. Posting photographs of newly acquired luxury items performs a similar function. With modest effort, someone inclined to do so can identify where photographs were taken, determine neighbourhoods and piece together patterns of movement.

For high-net-worth individuals in particular, managing one’s digital footprint has therefore become an increasingly important element of personal security. In many cases, it matters more than cameras or alarm systems. Discretion, therefore, remains the most effective safeguard of all.

Technology is No Silver Bullet

Clients may ask whether technology can offer a definitive answer. Smart doorbells, integrated alarm systems, remote monitoring, camera networks – the modern home can certainly be equipped with formidable security infrastructure. Many properties in prime London now include these features as standard.

Yet there is no technological silver bullet. Cameras may deter some criminals but are likely to just send determined ones next door. Alarm systems can reduce risk, but they do not eliminate it. Even the most sophisticated digital systems carry their own vulnerabilities. What’s to say they won’t be hacked? Security, ultimately, needs a layered approach, rather than a single solution.

Discreet Measures

The most effective measures tend to be the least visible. A well-positioned safe. A cautious approach to exterior lighting to prevent advertising the superior finish or interior of the house. Careful vetting of contractors and staff, and sensible habits around the display – both real and digital – of valuables.

Sometimes it is as simple as having two safes rather than one, a precaution adopted in certain households in case of forced entry. More extreme measures do exist, of course. Panic rooms, private bodyguards and other forms of high-end protection are certainly present in London. But they remain the exception rather than the rule, and when they are used, they are handled with the utmost discretion. Indeed, the defining characteristic of those who invest seriously in security is that they rarely talk about it.

A City That Remains Remarkably Liveable

None of this should be mistaken for alarmism. London today is, in many respects, far safer than it was in previous decades. Areas once considered marginal or even dangerous have become some of the city’s most desirable addresses – Notting Hill is a case in point. Neighbourhoods that would once have raised eyebrows now command extraordinary property prices.

Crime has always existed in large cities. What has changed is the way it is reported, discussed and perceived. We now live in an era of continuous information. Every incident, however small, can appear instantly on a news feed. The effect is cumulative: a sense that problems are everywhere, even when the broader picture is more reassuring.

A salient lesson for how quickly perceptions of safety can shift can be learned from Dubai. For years the emirate was held up by many international buyers as the ultimate safe haven: low crime, strong policing and a lifestyle where valuables could be worn or left in plain sight without concern. Some London residents even relocated there in search of precisely that sense of security.

Yet recent geopolitical tensions in the wider region have served as a terrible reminder that no global city exists entirely in isolation from risk. For internationally mobile families, it has reinforced a broader truth: safety is rarely absolute. Rather, it is a question of perception, context and prudent personal judgement – whether in London, Dubai or anywhere else.

The First Rule of Security

For property buyers navigating this environment, the advice is surprisingly simple. Choose a well-run building or a well-organised street. Invest in sensible security measures. Be thoughtful and careful about digital exposure. Above all, practise discretion.

The most effective form of security is rarely the most visible. It is the firm decision not to advertise what one owns, where one lives or when one is away. In prime London property, that principle has become part of the modern brief. And, in truth, it always was.

Philip Eastwood, The Buying Solution, Partner, London

Philip Eastwood is our Partner in London

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

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