I have worked in the prime central London property market for 33 years and am now celebrating my 25th anniversary with Savills. During that time I have seen some truly spectacular homes and witnessed the extraordinary transformation of a metropolis from national capital to global superstar.

Back in the early Eighties, London was underperforming the rest of the South East in economic terms while urban living was relatively unfashionable compared with a life in the country. It was the deregulation of the financial sector – the so-called Big Bang of ’86 – that signalled a turning point.

The city’s emerging stellar status became a magnet for wealthy international buyers with an appetite and need for a central London address. Despite current Brexit uncertainty, long-term confidence remains steadfast.

Of course that’s not the only change I’ve experienced. I well remember the recession of the early Nineties which is when I learned most of what I know about selling houses. The market was absolutely dire; there was no point waiting for the phone to ring – we had to sit down and create a bespoke strategy in order to secure a sale. 

It was a very good lesson and one I’m constantly passing on to younger members of the team here. The ability to think laterally and work out how best to market a property according to the prevailing climate is essential. Agents have to know how to find a buyer, not rely on one falling into their laps.

The other key thing I’ve learned is that from the moment potential buyers arrive at a house to the moment they leave, you need to make sure everything is presented in the best possible way. As the saying goes, you never get a second chance at a first impression.

Voices of Experience

'Why lateral thinking is important to help seal a deal' is part of Voices of Experience, a series of blogs inspired by the new Savills marketing campaign. In this series some of our most experienced agents share what they’ve learned about the property market over the decades.