Jonathan Harington, of property buying agency Haringtons, recounts an extreme example It is absolutely vital that there is a good relationship between the purchasers and the vendors. It makes the negotiations that much easier if the owners actually like the buyers, (hopefully more than other … [Read more...]
Is the role of the property buying agent the same in 2015 as it was in 1985?
Jonathan Harington charts the rise of the property buying agent People think the buying agent role is a relatively modern, new phenomena. But this really isn’t the case at all. It all started in the mid-1980s with houses, but it had been going on for many years before with farms and … [Read more...]
What’s the difference between a Buying Agent and a Search Agent?
Where a property buying agent really adds value comes after the search, explains Jonathan Harington Is it just terminology? Is it just about the name? Yes, some call themselves search agents – and as you can see I call myself a “buying” agent. But the searching in my view is a very small part of … [Read more...]
How much luck is involved in buying a house privately or “off market”?
Jonathan Harington reveals the tricks of the trade: buying a house privately I always say that, for us, finding the house is the easy part. And do you know, the majority of the houses and estates we buy – and I've bought 193 at last count – are what’s known as sold ‘off market’? That means, buying … [Read more...]
The Law of unintended consequences
Once again it's election season and - contrary to what we read in the papers - I genuinely think that most people are fundamentally good by nature; at home, they love their families and when they go to work, they try to do the best they can and, whether it be sweeping the streets, teaching a new … [Read more...]
Mind the Gap
Prime Country Property Market Review. In our Spring Market Review we commented that the country had experienced one of the wettest winters on record, and as the seasons change once again, following the driest September since 1910, it seems a good time to reflect on the Prime Country Property … [Read more...]