Diary of an estate agent: north London

The London estate agents helps families relocate to the city and a fun business lunch leads to food for thought...
24 August 2016

Monday
Walking to work on this beautiful morning, I’m checking my emails for new enquiries as I go along.

At the office, a team catch-up identifies our hot leads for the week — a senior executive and his family relocating to north London from the US, and a single sports professional looking for a Shad Thames apartment.

One of the things I love about my role is the variety. Our applicants come from a range of industries and each has very different criteria.

I send out today’s searches to the relevant offices; our network across London and the South means we can almost always help applicants find a home.

By midday, I’ve worked up an appetite and luckily we’re off to lunch to welcome our two new starters. We’ve had a successful year and the team has nearly doubled in size.

Later, I work on finalising a new business pitch for tomorrow. We’re meeting a human resources manager from an international law firm and it’s a gig we are really hoping to secure.

Tuesday
The pitch is in Canary Wharf. It’s an area I know really well through work, having placed many people here, and we all have high hopes that this meeting will lead to more of the same.

We’re asked about our complementary home search for the 100 employees who are relocating, and the law firm’s HR manager is impressed with the office network and the dedicated point of contact.

Post-pitch, I jump on the Tube back to our head office. On gets a familiar face, a contact who I helped to find a home last year.

He and his wife are now settled in south London and the schools advice I gave him at the time will come in handy — he tells me they’re expecting a baby.

Wednesday
Hobbies and interests are first on the agenda as I meet an applicant who’s in London for a few days, seeking advice ahead of an autumn move. Discovering what he likes to do in his spare time is important when it comes to making my area and property recommendations.

He enjoys the outdoors but has a demanding City job so he needs a straightforward commute. I suggest Hampstead Heath or Clapham Common — I know he’d be happy in either. Back at the office, I contact the local branches to organise a property tour.

At 5pm I’m off to Vantage Point in Archway, a tower built entirely for renters, where our build-to-rent team has a launch event. I enjoy a glass of champagne on arrival at the communal roof terrace, before being whisked round one of the apartments.

I also get a chance to peep into one of the split-level residents’ lounges. A wonderful place for tenants to relax, it offers fantastic London views.

Given the development’s proximity to the Tube station, a contact of mine immediately springs to mind, a European couple working at an investment bank in the Square Mile.

I’m sure they will love the on-site 24-hour residents’ team who will make life easier for tenants by dropping off dry cleaning and organising food deliveries.

Thursday
Thankfully there were just a few bubbles involved last night, so I feel fresh.

I’m finalising details for an event next week for the Young Diplomats in London, whose members are invited to join us at a new property on the market with Hamptons in Hampstead Village. It’s a great chance to check in with existing and new embassy contacts.

We’ve had a good response rate so far, so I brief the caterers to have plenty of canapés and a well-stocked bar. The afternoon is spent supporting a relocation agent facing difficult deal negotiations.

I liaise with the Windsor branch and the agent to try to get the deal tied up for next week. The applicants are a family who need to be in before the new school term starts.

Friday
I’m up early and off the dry cleaners to pick up a dress for a special lunch today. Once in the office, I wrap up the week.

My applicant from Wednesday has made an offer on a property which I pass on to the Clapham branch to propose to the landlord. I can see the area being a perfect fit for him.

Late morning, the team and I head to Hakkasan restaurant where we’re hosting a private lunch for the relocation contacts we’ve worked with this year. The afternoon also provides an opportunity to introduce our new starters.

I’m sure they’ll foster great relationships with contacts around the table.

The lunch goes down extremely well, leaving everyone with plenty of food for thought as we embark on the weekend. It’s the perfect end to a great week.

  • Olivia Charsley is a senior associate in corporate & relocation services at Hamptons International (020 7758 8499).