Insight in partnership with Colombo Hirst
Buying a property in London is very different to other global cities. Quite simply, a buying agent will represent only the buyers interests – not the sellers. Estate agents represent the seller, not the buyer. It is essential to have your own professional representation – a buying agent – ahead of what may be one of the largest financial transactions of your life.
In addition to a buying agent you will need a number of professionals to be involved in the process – a solicitor, a mortgage broker, a tax adviser, a surveyor, an architect, to name just a few. Buying agent will introduce you to and coordinate all of these specialists and ensure that you are very well looked after by a network of individually selected trusted advisors.
Finding the right property takes an enormous amount of time especially when you are based abroad or unfamiliar with an area of London. Even with all the time in the world a buyer without professional representation will struggle to be confident that they have bought the right property and not missed out on another better opportunity.
A buying agent will charge an initial retainer and a final payable on success.
The property market in London is unsettled by political and economic uncertainty causing pricing to be confusing and volatile. A buying agent can access relative value, providing relevant comparable. It is essential to have access to this due diligence when buying a property in London. They will use this information in their negotiations with the selling agent, understanding motivations and finding solutions. A buyer represented by a reputable buying agent will be taken much more seriously by the seller and his agent that a buyer without one.
Why use Colombo Hirst?
Colombo Hirst is an award winning, independent, property buying agency in London, run by Delphine Colombo and Lucie Hurst. With over twenty five years of prime London residential property experience between them at leading agencies including Savills, Knight Frank and Hamptons, they offer a combination of detailed local property insight, enhanced access and a tailored approach to property buying. Property purchasing in London has become more competitive and Colombo Hirst offer their clients the advantage they need to be able to successfully acquire their dream properties.
Our fee covers the work we carry out and we expect this to be recouped within the quality of property purchase and price we are able to negotiate for the buyer.
Source: Saviils – Prime London Forecast
How can Colombo Hirst help you?
We make sure that we are aware of what is on the open market at all times but these days the best in class properties and the ones that our clients tend to want to buy rarely get as far as reaching the open market.
When embarking on a client’s property search we explore lots of different avenues. We speak to all the agents directly, many of whom these days don’t work for the big corporate agencies anymore, having branched out and now operate typically as individual brokers. We explore the archives to see if any unsold properties might be suitable and we investigate the rental market for potential opportunities to buy. We speak directly to individuals and contacts we have made over the last 20 years. These could be developers, ex-colleagues, old clients or even friends to ensure that nostone if left unturned.
Clients come to us not only to find them their perfect property, which is rarely on the market anyway, but to also conduct the appropriate due diligence on the property. We then go on to negotiate teh best possible price for the property on their behalf and ensure that the transaction, once agreed, results in a timely and successful exchange and completion.
