Diary of an estate agent: Knightsbridge

Monday
There’s plenty to talk about at our early team meeting in the Knightsbridge office. We’re busy on sales that we hope will exchange in the next few days, coming from some fantastic new listings and new homes launches.

Next, I’m off on a property tour with a long-standing applicant. We have viewed a range of homes and finally narrowed the search. Buying property is a mixture of heart and head.

My role is to do a lot of listening so I can show them the places that best match what they want, as well as what they need — while understanding that both of those things can change overnight.

We tour a beautiful first-floor apartment in a secure gated building just moments away from Sloane Street.

The apartment is crammed with good design including polished plasterwork, marble floors with underfloor heating and an extensive audio and visual system.

At the end of the tour, we walk back up to the main road past the green expanse of Hyde Park.

Tuesday
I catch up with the lead interior designer who has been working on a flat in Ennismore Gardens, one of the finest addresses in prime London. After months of planning and commissioning bespoke furniture, dressing the flat takes a couple of days with teams working around the clock.

The finished result looks exquisite. It’s not uncommon for people to buy prime London homes fully furnished, so having a good grasp of the design features is important. The client gives the go-ahead to launch the property, and I start lining up viewings.

Lunch is with a firm of solicitors we recently worked with on two very large sales. It’s a great way to celebrate the team effort that gets the deals across the line. Later I’m at Oceanic House on the north-west corner of Trafalgar Square.

This Grade II-listed landmark building, now transformed into six luxury residences and a duplex penthouse, is one of the most exciting London new homes launches this spring. The building is steeped in history — the ground floor was the ticket office for the White Star Line, which owned RMS Titanic.

Wednesday
One of our wealth advisers is in town and he has a number of clients who are keen to invest in prime central London. We view a fantastic newly built house in Mayfair.

There’s a touch of James Bond about this property, with its stylish interiors and cutting-edge technology. Smart home systems mean that everything from the lights and heating to the entertainment can be controlled from a single panel.

Thursday
I’m near another of London’s finest landmarks this morning, showing an apartment overlooking the Royal Albert Hall. I tell the applicant about the history of the building, in particular about the grand lobby, which was designed to take a horse and carriage.

We return later in the day with her husband, who is equally impressed.

Friday
There is a real buzz in the office today and the sun is out. We’re off to see the new Lanesborough Club & Spa — it’s good to keep up to speed on what is new in the area, as our clients expect us to have good local knowledge.

The afternoon is filled with viewings then it’s back to the office for an end-of-week debrief with the team. It has been a good week, and the exchanges we were hoping for come through in close succession. Time to celebrate.