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by Simon Barnes

London property – Should I sell or buy now?

Simon Barnes owner of H. Barnes & Co
Simon Barnes
London property expert Simon Barnes, owner of H.Barnes & Co, looks at the prime central London property market and asks if October and November is a good time to buy or sell your London property; what issues will affect your decision to act now and whether or not you are best to wait until next year.

“In Prime Central London, October and November is a good time to sell London property because, after this, stock becomes limited.  Sellers who have not sold by mid-November will inevitably sit tight until the spring.  Current market conditions mean that price is key for buyers looking in London.

London property in Montpelier Walk, Knightsbridge
H. Barnes & Co is joint selling agent with Knight Frank’s Knightsbridge office for this £22.5m penthouse in Montpelier Walk, Knightsbridge, London SW7

If a London property which came on the market in September has still not sold, it’s more than likely to be too expensive and this creates a degree of ‘wiggle room’ for determined buyers.

Serious buyers are educated buyers and will have a keen eye for which properties are overpriced and which are priced to sell.  They will have a good grasp of their market place.  However, the flip side of waiting too long for prices to come down is that anything could happen by the end of the year and that may work against them as well as for them.

London Property in January

Come January, new properties will make their way onto the market and those which were available before Christmas but did not sell, will be jostling with competition from fresh stock and more likely to increase their asking prices to reflect the prices of new to market instructions.  So a word of caution is that by leaving it until 2019 buyers may risk losing their window of negotiation with a seller who is desperate to agree a sale before this year ends.

Savvy buying agents know that estate agents have the ability to dig deep and reach for a second file at this time of year.  In real terms, serious buyers having looked and rejected everything on the market now will be a reason for agents to pick up the phone, delve into their property bank and potentially uncover a few ‘not officially on the market’ properties.

We are always busy from now until Christmas trying to negotiate property deals before the New Year for clients who want to enjoy Christmas knowing that they have their new home all wrapped up.  Like a lot of business in London, it comes down to who you know as much as what you know and on that note, I’d say that if you are determined to buy before Christmas there’s no time like the present.”


London Property: H. Barnes & Co is joint selling agent with Knight Frank’s Knightsbridge office for this £22.5m penthouse in Montpelier Walk, Knightsbridge, London SW7

 

Filed Under: Advice, Property Tagged With: buying London property, Knight Frank, Knightsbridge, London, London property, Montpelier Walk, Prime Central London, property intelligence, Why London

by Simon Barnes

Knightsbridge penthouse perfect for star gazers and summer parties

Cheval House, Montpelier Walk, London SW7

Exquisite penthouse apartment on the market with H. Barnes & Co and Knight Frank, Knightsbridge. Guide Price £24,500,000 – subject to contract 

Cheval Place
Cheval Place views across to Brompton Oratory
Cheval Place – Montpelier Walk
Cheval Place – Reception
Cheval Place – Reception with Views
Cheval Place – bedroom
Cheval Place – Bathroom

A truly glamorous penthouse comprising 5,417 sq.ft of accommodation and entertaining space with a further 1,600 sq.ft of roof terraces, which command panoramic views towards Brompton Oratory and some of London’s most iconic sights.  The penthouse is positioned in a quiet enclave of Knightsbridge, yet central for all the amenities on its doorstep.  The property also has direct lift access, state of the art gym and private parking for two cars.

Simon Barnes, H.Barnes & Co says that this is “a genuine penthouse apartment, rarely found in Central London. Occupying the top floors of a discreet building, the open reception areas, large bedroom suites and extensive terraces give the occupants true penthouse living in the heart of Knightsbridge.”


FULL DETAILS (pdf)


CONTACT SIMON BARNES

  • telephone: 07831 465414 or 020 7499 3434
  • email: simon@hbarnes.london

 

Filed Under: Prime Areas, Properties Tagged With: Brompton Oratory, Cheval House, Knightsbridge, London, Montpelier Walk, panoramic views, penthouse, Simon Barnes, SW7

by Simon Barnes

The importance of the London postcode

A third of my clients in recent years have been looking to acquire property in London for investment purposes, and as such, knowledge of the intricacies involved in finding the right property, in the right location, at the right price, has never been more important.

Traditionally in a buoyant market, investors have taken all kinds of risks, buying unseen property in secondary locations and previously untested markets. Since the beginning of the recession, the London market has become incredibly challenging, and it is now crucial that investors ‘buy right’ and resist the temptation to take risks.

St Pauls2

Central London postcode areas

The choice of the London postcode is arguably the single most important consideration in the buying process. If budget allows, the appeal of fringe areas pegged as ‘up and coming’ should be resisted in favour of the more established addresses such as Mayfair, Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill and Kensington. Although it is true that these prime locations come with a higher price tag than their lesser-known neighbours, it will always be money well spent.

In a strong market, properties in fringe locations will sell, but may take longer to do so than their counterparts in established addresses. However, in a weaker market these kinds of property will quickly become less appealing as serious buyers are inclined to wait for something with a stronger investment guarantee. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Advice Tagged With: Belgravia, Investing in Property, Kensington, Knightsbridge, London postcode, Mayfair, Notting Hill, Property investment

by Simon Barnes

Property Consultancy

Simon Barnes property consultancy will help find the easiest way to buy or sell your home in prime London areas such as Mayfair, Belgravia, Notting Hill, Knightsbridge and Kensington & Chelsea.

Filed Under: Slider Tagged With: Belgravia, Kensington & Chelse, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Notting Hill, property consultancy, Simon Barnes, Simon Barnes Property, slider

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