Diary of an estate agent: Mayfair

The top topic of conversation is President Trump and the potential closure of a £16 million deal causes the jitters... 
22 February 2017

Monday
At 5am I am up, leaving Lincolnshire for London 45 minutes later and by the time I am passing Knebworth House on the A1M my mobile rings.

It’s Beauchamp Estates founder Gary Hersham, about the weekend business. I’ve had a call from a Middle Eastern gent looking for a family home in central London, while Gary has a potential offer on a property, and is enthusing about media coverage for the Florence and Mykonos offices.

My buyer is looking for properties to consider by lunchtime, and is due in London in two weeks. Gary and I discuss options and agree a list.

A vendor calls soon after to check on viewings. Then it’s a quick update with our marketing manager, Simon, on planned advertising.

At the office by 9.30, I grab a strong coffee, wade through emails, update clients, respond to weekend enquiries and type up the list of “possibles” for the Middle Eastern buyer.

I check my diary for the week and see our US associates from Leslie J Garfield in New York are in town for three days, and I’m to attend media briefings with them. One is at Sexy Fish, the Asian restaurant in Berkeley Square — a big improvement on my usual sandwich “aldesko”.

Later I meet up with a developer about a small scheme coming to market in Victoria, then the afternoon is booked out for viewings with a buyer who has asked to see houses in prime central London. The buyer’s flexible on location.

Cadogan Place, Queen Anne’s Gate and Avenue Road are on the list but none hits the mark. They are looking for a large, modern house and in their target area it’s not impossible, but rare. We agree to keep in touch.

Tuesday
A site meeting at Islington Square goes well, with enquiries, viewings and deals. I keep it short as a press briefing starts at 12.30.

The top topic is our US associates’ new President, Donald Trump, followed by a debate on central London neighbourhoods and their New York counterparts.

It’s clear that both cities feature urban villages, with their residents sharing many similarities.

Lunch over, I get a call that Beauchamp Estates is likely to be instructed on the Victoria scheme. I leave for One Hyde Park for a viewing, feeling pleased.

It goes well and is easier for the owners not being home. Viewings can be a challenge if a vendor is in — they tend to have strong ideas about who should, or should not, buy their home.

Wednesday
A German applicant calls to make an offer on a flat in Oceanic House near Trafalgar Square. I relay details to the developer on my way to the agent’s launch at Beaufort Gardens in SW3, a great location with perfect pads.

It’s a chance to network and having worked at Beauchamp Estates since 1987, with a short break in the late Nineties, there are many faces I know well.

Talk moves from current market activity to some of the characters in the industry: the combination of ego and eccentricity produces truly memorable people.

Thursday
In Kensington for an early morning valuation to start the day, followed by a meeting on the way back to the office with a potential client looking to buy a central London flat. Then I am at my desk making calls and dealing with emails.

I’m a bit on edge as I am expecting to close on the sale of a £16 million property in Chesham Place, Belgravia. The call comes and things aren’t quite there, due to a few technical hitches.

I’m scheduled to meet with the account director from our PR agency late in the afternoon. He has a list of topics and is pushing to make progress.

Another 45 minutes and the Chesham Place sale goes through — followed by a celebratory end-of-day G&T.

Friday
It’s been a good week — and a busy one. I deal with more emails and think about the week to come — possibly arranging the launch of the Victoria scheme, dealing with a new enquiry from a Turkish buyer, while an English buyer living abroad has called saying he’s returning to London and needs my help.

But first there’s the three-hour drive home to the family and the Lincolnshire countryside to recharge my batteries.

Then I think again about the fact that I have two daughters, aged 18 and 20. Perhaps it won’t be a full recharge…

  • Paul Finch is sales and new homes manager at Beauchamp Estates in Mayfair (020 7499 7722).