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testimonials
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The Property
A split-level maisonette in fantastic condition, close to Norwood Park and Crystal Palace.
Area:
Gipsy Hill, South East London
Date:
June 2021
Price:
£445,000
The Brief
A two bedroom flat
Second room must be large enough to rent out to a friend
Space for a dining table
Space to work from home
Ideally a Georgian/Victorian/Edwardian building
Close to a park
Budget of £450,000 – £500,000
The Story
Our client was very familiar with established areas in South London such as Brixton, Peckham and East Dulwich, where she couldn’t get a huge flat for within budget. With a desire to be shown new areas of South London, we categorised the viewings into:
1. Two-bedroom properties in well-established areas
2. Spacious two-bedroom properties with enough room for a dining table and an office, in less-established areas
Our client was surprised how much more space they gained in the less-established locations. We encouraged her to spend some time in these areas to see if she could imagine living there. She decided the improved quality of life from having a larger flat outweighed living more centrally. It was the beginning of summer and the end of Lockdown 1, and everyone was looking for properties with outside space. We found a beautiful flat in Gipsy Hill, without outside space, that was struggling to sell – it had come down in price from £495,000 to £450,000. We knew that in a normal market it would sell easily (an identical flat sold only a few months before for £490,000). The client loved it and we managed to agree a further reduction of £5,000.
During the conveyancing process we experienced huge delays because of issues with our client’s mortgage. Time and again the seller threatened to withdraw from the sale and re-market, but we used all our experience and know-how to make sure it never happened.
What the client said
“As a first time buyer, negotiating the housing market was a real unknown for me, and having Lewis and Jamie’s advice was brilliant. They were patient and helpful at every stage, even when the goalposts of our search changed, and when the conveyancing process became particularly stressful (through circumstances outside anyone’s control) having them calmly negotiate between parties was beyond invaluable, and potentially saved the purchase (as well as my sanity!). I felt confident in my decision making knowing that I had a team so highly knowledgeable about the market on my side – I’d recommend them in a heartbeat.”