Day in the Life of a Relocation Agent
Typically seen as the busiest time of the year for the housing market, spring has certainly kept Chiltern Relocation on its toes! We love to share what we have been up to so here is our Day in the Life.
9am: We attend the ‘Bucks Connect and Grow’ networking breakfast in Amersham hosted by Blaser Mills Law firm. Held at the lovely Eleven café in the new town, it was a fantastic opportunity to meet with other professionals in the property market – notably estate agents, solicitors, architects and surveyors. A local agent shared the details of a rental property coming to the market in Gerrards Cross and I was offered the chance to view it prior to it coming to the market.
10am: Chiltern Relocation has been asked to quote for a potential corporate client based in Oxfordshire. The company are looking for help to relocate their team members from across Europe and we are delighted to have the opportunity to respond to the RFQ (Request for Quotation). We work on the appendices for our response which includes some of our corporate case studies, our testimonials and school search information.
12pm: Visit a house in Marlow Bottom for clients who will be relocating to the area from Scotland. Nestled just a few minutes from the popular riverside town of Marlow, the village is a sought-after hamlet with stunning views across the Chiltern Hills. This particular property is a little bit quirky as the living area is upstairs and the bedrooms are downstairs, in order to maximise on the fabulous views from the large decked balcony. We take some video clips for our clients and spend some time assessing whether the house fully fits their brief.
2pm: Chiltern Relocation specialises in finding houses in Bucks, Berks, Herts and Oxfordshire but our services also extend across the UK, with expert consultants across the country. Today we are working on a rental relocation for a corporate client who needs to move to Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds. The brief is straight forward apart from the need to find a property that will accept the client’s cat. Pets are often deal breakers when it comes to tenancy agreements so we need to be careful with the options we select and to be sure that we insist upon a pet clause for the peace of mind of both the renter and the landlord.
4pm: Visit the rental property in Gerrards Cross that was mentioned at the networking breakfast. We have clients arriving from Tokyo in the summer and they have entrusted us with all viewings and will rely heavily on our opinion regarding the various properties that we put forward. When the client is unable to view the properties, and time difference does not allow for live video call viewings, we are glad that we have plenty of information regarding the client’s wishes. When taking on a new client, Chiltern Relocation sends a detailed questionnaire so as to fully understand the clients’ needs and drivers for the move. This is then followed up by a video call whereby we can meet online and discuss the questionnaire and get a real feel for the clients likes and dislikes. We are grateful to have a ‘first look’ at this rental but unfortunately the size of the bedrooms is not quite right for the client and we feel that for their budget there will be better options.
6.30pm: Attend the Savills ’Home Truths’ evening in Beaconsfield. Savills have recently moved into new offices on the High Street and are hosting a local event in collaboration with Clarendon Art at their premises next door. It is a great opportunity to catch up with the team members at Savills and meet some of their clients and property experts. During the evening Savills shared their recent market data which is always interesting to hear. Beaconsfield and the surrounding area have a wide range of property values but Savills commented that: ‘Whilst there is growing demand in the market up to £2 million, where available stock remains constrained, the market above this level remains challenging.’ In terms of market outlook Savills shared that: ‘Looking forward, we expect market sentiment to fluctuate over the short to medium term. The prospect of future base rate cuts has increased the likelihood of a more competitive mortgage market, that will benefit more committed buyers and is expected to drive demand in areas with more debt-dependent buyers. Additionally, the application of VAT on school fees may put additional pressure on some household budgets. Indeed, some locations with a strong mix of high-performing state and independent schools may see increased demand.’
Interestingly, we also discovered that in the area surrounding Beaconsfield, the village of Coleshill commanded the highest price tag with an average house price of £1,941,000. Situated approximately 3 miles east of Amersham and 5 miles west of Beaconsfield, the village is known for its picturesque countryside, historic buildings and tranquil atmosphere. Coleshill is surrounded by beautiful rolling hills and lush green fields, making it an ideal location for those who enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling and horse riding. We have relocated clients to this beautiful village in the past and know that it is a real hidden gem.
