Diary of an estate agent: Chelsea

Properties in Chelsea achieve record prices and an automatic wine-pouring machine causes a stir... 
26 October 2016

Monday
At 8.30 sharp it’s time for our usual start-of-the-week team meeting where we run through activity from over the weekend, the number of viewings that took place and any offers that have come in.

Soon afterwards, a gentleman walks into the office asking for me by name. Much to my surprise, I instantly recognise him and remember that we met through a motorbike accident some weeks ago.

Now he would like us to come in and value the 5,000sq ft Chelsea townhouse he owns nearby — what a marvellous stroke of luck from a chance encounter that seemed far from lucky at the time.

Tuesday
An experienced developer client invites me to see how he has transformed a house into three homes — a studio, a two-bedroom garden flat and a three-bedroom upper maisonette.

He has completely renovated the place and this is a very well-executed conversion. I really hope we win the instruction.

My destination tonight is Christie’s in South Kensington for Christie’s Lates, an event sponsored by Strutt & Parker.

It involves the world’s busiest auction saleroom opening its doors late so that guests can hear experts talk about art, interior design and collecting.

It’s a great opportunity for us to entertain clients and I have a fascinating time marvelling over an automatic wine-pouring machine which is the size of a small elephant.

Wednesday
A highly motivated European lady is my companion for the morning — she wants to look around a total of eight properties, all at various price points and different styles.

One of her favourites is a stunning flat with 20ft ceiling heights which we are marketing at £1.95 million in Bina Gardens in South Kensington. This afternoon we exchange on a two-bedroom flat with a west-facing roof terrace in Edith Grove.

It achieves a record price for the road at £1,267 per square foot. It’s a result I’m really pleased with in the current market.

Thursday
I’ve been instructed on a beautiful flat with a huge roof terrace overlooking one of the largest private gardens in London. It’s situated in Old Church Street just two doors down from the glamorous Manolo Blahnik designer shoe store.

We will be launching this property next week and I can’t wait to start showing the place.

Friday
A “third time lucky” deal is secured this morning, and it certainly hasn’t been easy. I’ve managed to negotiate the sale of a three-bedroom flat that has been under offer twice before with the same US dollar-based buyer since July — somewhat surprisingly at the same price which was initially offered.

The post-Brexit market has seen lots of fluctuations over the summer and into this autumn, and educating our sellers and buyers has been very important in terms of managing expectations.

Keeping the seller committed and the buyer interested has really tested my negotiation skills but I’m really pleased to say that the price achieved is a record for the street at £1,678 per square foot.

  • Sean Stewart is an associate in Strutt & Parker’s Chelsea office in SW10 (020 7373 1010).