Tag: Financial Times

Buying in the Cotswolds? Call Harry Gladwin

Posted on by Jessica Jonzen

With series 2 of Rivals shining the spotlight on the Cotswolds once again, Lucy Clayton reports for the Financial Times on the region’s specialist agents to know when buying a home here. Our Partner and Head of the Cotswolds Harry Gladwin is one of them.

Cotswold cottage in the popular tourist destination of Bibury, Gloucestershire, England.

The Cotswolds remains one of England’s most coveted regions, drawing international buyers and fierce local competition in equal measure. As a result, Lucy Clayton writes in the Financial Times, buying here has become “a complex dance.”

With the most sought-after properties off-market and unsold for generations, the right buying agent isn’t a luxury – it’s essential. “Access is only guaranteed by an extraordinary reputation for trust and discretion – with or without an NDA,” says our Partner Harry Gladwin, as the FT collates the Who’s Who of the Cotswold’s finest specialist agents.

Read the article 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.

The Rise of the Bougie High Street

Posted on by Jessica Jonzen

From artisan bakeries and chichi cafés to independent boutiques and premium gyms, our high streets are becoming ever more curated according to a recent article in the Financial Times, featuring expert comment from our Partner Harry Gladwin.

Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

Talking to journalist Cathy Hawker, our Head of the Cotswolds region, Harry, told her that outside of London, the practical is blending with the premium. He cites Groves Yard in Milton-under-Wychwood in the Cotswolds as a place where shoopers can stock up on lightbulbs, order a set of curtains, enjoy lunch, buy a oaf of freshly-baked bread, have a manicure and even visit the dentist.

Read the article here.

The Growing ‘Try Before You Buy’ Trend

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

Mark Lawson spoke to Cathy Hawker at the Financial Times about the upsides and potential pitfalls of the growing super-prime property trend to ‘try before you buy’.

This means that some sellers are allowing potential buyers to temporarily move in before committing to buying and Mark comments that it is “an excellent idea for a prospective buyer but requires a leap of faith for vendors.”

He adds: “The buyer gets to live in the house, see how it works, listen to any noises and learn about the area and the neighbours. It gives them excellent insight — while they check out all the negatives. The only upside for the seller, however, is that if the buyer likes it, they tend to commit fully to the purchase.”

Read the article here.

The True Value of a Beautiful Country Garden

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

Our Partner Mark Lawson spoke to Daisy Dawnay for the Financial Times about the country house market and why a beautiful garden could potentially add up to 20% to the value of a home. He also talks about the growing trend in importing mature trees towering yew hedges, even fully formed parterre gardens. Read the article here.

Swimming pool, sun loungers and sun shade surrounded by flowers
Moor Hatches in Wiltshire, for sale through Blue Book

Why ‘Healing’ your House is now an Open Secret

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

Our Head of the Cotswolds region Harry Gladwin spoke to Rebecca Newman at the Financial Times about the rising trend in ‘energy cleansers’ in the housing market, particularly among clients in their thirties and forties buying older houses.

Cotswolds stone house with sage green front door and evergreen hedges
Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

Read the article here.

In the Press: The Buying Solution in the Financial Times

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

The lengths we go to in order to fully assess the potential for development close to a property has become increasingly complex, our Partner Mark Lawson explains to Lisa Freedman at the Financial Times.

We prepare a very detailed report for our clients that takes into account the area within a 15-mile radius of the property to ensure that their enjoyment of the property won’t be marred by future development. Mark talks in the feature about a recent instance involving a proposed wind farm and how we were able to produce computer-generated imagery to illustrate the impact of this on the property.

Unsplash

Read the article here.

In The Press: The Buying Solution in the Financial Times

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

Our Partner Jemma Scott spoke to Lucy Watson at the Financial Times House & Home section for this feature on how we will live in 2025, including where we will move, what we will plant and how we will build and style our homes. Jemma shared her insight into wellness tech and the rise of home saunas.

Read the article here.

In the Press: The Buying Solution in the Financial Times

Posted on by Rosalind Sack

Jemma Scott, The Buying Solution Partner and specialist agent in the Northern Home Counties, talks to Alexandra Goss of the Financial Times about ‘the downsizing shake-up’ and the biggest challenges for downsizers in the current market.

Sarah Frances Kelley for The Buying Solution

Read the article in the Financial Times here.

The Buying Solution in the Financial Times

Posted on by Jennifer Hudson

Harry Gladwin of The Buying Solution discusses with Cathy Hawker from the Financial Times the significance of engaging a buying agent in the search for your ideal home.

Read more here