Thoughts, news and insights | London Property Consultants

Mayfair Property – under the radar?

It may seem a strange thing to say but many people looking to buy property in prime central London do not consider Mayfair among their preferred buying locations. Of course, everyone knows Mayfair, or at least have heard of it; if only because it is the most expensive ‘property’ in the UK version of the Monopoly game.

It actually takes some persuading to convince buyers that Mayfair property is worthy of their consideration. Why is this?

Maybe because

It is a small area with a relatively small number of properties, at least compared to other central London prime areas
It is perceived as an area full if expensive shops and trendy boutiques rather than a residential area
It is not ‘Belgravia’ – the favoured location for many UK and overseas buyers
It has lots of offices and lacks ‘atmosphere’ or community life, particularly in the evenings
There cannot be any variety in such a small area with so many other functions

In fact, in recent years buyers have returned to Mayfair, many considering numbers 1-4 on this list as positive benefits rather than negative factors; and when they do look at Mayfair, they find that it offers a much wider variety of properties than, for example the popular garden squares of Belgravia.

Why buyers are beginning to choose Mayfair Property

For those in the know, Mayfair property offers many benefits with buyers liking that it is quiet (especially in the evenings and weekends), it is compact and residents can walk everywhere, and it has the best restaurants and is close to London’s best theatres.

Most important, what suits some buyers is that it has a lower profile, is more discreet and, despite what many believe, is still (relatively speaking) ‘under the radar’.

by Simon Barnes

Daily Telegraph (Feb 2015): Chester Square

Daily Telegraph: Compass Points – Chester Square (Feb 2015)

Here’s a well-heeled square that has been home to olagarchs, prime ministers and Nigella Lawson. This to-die-for 4925 sq ft property comes with five bedrooms, a media room, steam room with plunge pool and staff suite.

If the thought of those mortgage payments brings you out in a hot sweat, simply turn on the air-conditioning.

by Simon Barnes

Asian Property Report (Feb 2015): 2015 Predictions

Simon Barnes: predictions for the UK market in 2015

I am often surprised at just how little attention vendors pay to the advice of their agent. Their expert advice is particularly important at this time of year: if a house is unsold by Christmas, it is unlikely that it will sell by March.

In central London I have not seen any significant change in the market since the summer. Prices at the top end may have reduced slightly, but this is largely because many properties were overvalued earlier in the year. There is still a lot of activity at the top end in the London property market with people still buying. Those people who are citing the uncertainty of next year’s general election and possible mansion tax as reasons not to buy would, in all likelihood, will not be buying at the present time anyway.

To read the full article please click here

by Simon Barnes

A Screening Room – Entertaining the Dream?

A few prime properties have a proper screening room – by which I mean a cinema-style room with ten or more luxury chairs where movies are projected onto a screen. I saw one a few months ago in a very large country house just outside London where the children (and adults) had access to this full movie experience which included a popcorn machine and an authentic vintage Wurlitzer jukebox. I was surprised that there was not a lady selling ice cream or an organist playing incidental music to the family and their friends before the main feature began.

While most prime properties do not now have a dedicated screening room (in the old sense) most do now either contain a room dedicated to TV, movies and other entertainment; most with large-screen TVs similar to a dedicated movie screening room. The way in which property is used and rooms allocated has changed significantly over the last 20 years. Where once a television used to be the focal point of a reception room, many luxury flats and houses in prime property areas now use the reception room space as a quieter area: a place to read, talk and to entertain friends and entertainment is hived off from this space.

With a changing lifestyle and the greater interaction between families, the kitchen has now become the focal point of many luxury houses. Where there are children, there is now a requirement for an area near to the kitchen where parents can be near enough to supervise, that provides the children with somewhere they can watch television or use a computer to play games, or provides a place for them to do their homework. This importance of the kitchen as the hub of the home has created a trend for dedicated entertainment rooms, including screening rooms to be housed in location such as basements, converted bedrooms and other areas away from the kitchen and main reception room.

Once having a dedicated screening room was on many buyers’ wish list, but I would say it is not as important as it was; having a suitable space in a good location that allows the owners to create or modify for their own entertainment hub is much more important.

Simon Barnes

Click on any photograph to view gallery

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by Simon Barnes

Chester Square: Beautifully Presented Town House

Chester Square is a small residential garden square located in London’s Belgravia district. Along with its sister squares Belgrave Square and Eaton Square, it is one of the three garden squares built by the Grosvenor family when they developed the main part of Belgravia in the 19th century. Chester Square is named after the city of Chester, near to which Eaton Hall – the ancestral home of the Grosvenor family – is situated.

While information and photographs of the property are included here, please contact me for full details.

The Property

A beautifully presented, stucco fronted town house overlooking this prestigious garden square. The house has undergone a complete programme of restoration and has been completely redesigned to suit modern living, finished and decorated to the highest specifications, whilst retaining the period charm and many of the original features.

[Read more…]

Why buyers are beginning to choose Mayfair Property

Simon Barnes: predictions for the UK market in 2015

The Property

Contact H. Barnes & Co – Tel: 020 7499 3434