Whether you have or haven’t purchased property before, you’ll no doubt be aware of what an estate agent is, and the role they play in the sale.
The role of the estate agent covers a vast spectrum. If we were to look at the most well known of operators in that spectrum, we would look at the residential estate agency. The mandate for residential estate agents is a simple one – to work in the best interests of the vendor. Whilst they are naturally going to want, and indeed need to bring both buyer and seller together, their position on the negotiating table is clear – to achieve the highest possible sale value for that property. Many buyers fail to make this very clear distinction, feeling that as the agent has helped them find a property, that they will now do what they can to help them achieve the best – by which we mean lowest – price, and this simply isn’t the case.
However, at what some would argue is at the other end of the spectrum is the commercial property agent. Their end goals are miles apart from their residential counterparts. The residential estate agent seeks to unite people with their homes – granted there are people looking at buy to let investments too, but for the purposes of this article, we’ll put those to one side for now.
The commercial property agent is looking to help investors make a profit. They are essentially brokers – matching investment capital with the tangible asset that is commercial property.
And it’s a long term view as well. If, as a commercial property investment you see a handsome profit accompanied with an entirely stress-free transaction in terms of both the purchase and management of the asset, then you’re much more likely to reinvest your profits with that same commercial property agent.
It’s a win-win for every party concerned. But there is another group within this spectrum of which you might not be aware, and that is what defines as a London Property Consultant. Even if you are familiar with the term, you might not be familiar with how they differ from their traditional commercial property agent counterparts, and once you’ve established that difference, there’s really only one question left to ask – do you actually need one?
What Do Property Consultants Do?
It’s easy to be confused by the role of property consultants, as you may not have ever used or needed one. You may also think that London property consultants do the same as estate agents; however, despite some crossover in services, this is definitely not true.
The role of a property consultant will differ from company to company. However, what they all have in common is they’re in a position to offer much more specialised services than estate agents. Beyond the most basic service of acting on behalf of their clients to facilitate a sale, they’ll be expected to provide sound advice on the market. Ultimately they recognise that their clients are investors. They’re not so much interested in the property itself as they are in the performance of an asset.
It’s simply not enough to know that, for example, the high street store is a prominent location. It’s much more important they know the state of the retail industry in that street. Whether or not there are enough viable potential tenants to show projections in line with the investor’s financial plans – both short and long term.
And that knowledge needs to be put to good use in other areas such as sourcing and presenting investment opportunities, management of properties and even representing their clients at commercial property auctions. Consultants will commonly have a particular area of expertise, whether that be a region, or a type of client, property, or investment. Of course, the very best teams will ensure that their resident expert covers every single one of these angles.
Does your investment need one?
So, do you need a London Property Consultant? Well, we’d like to think that, even though this article is brief, that it would have lead you to the conclusion is yes, especially if you the investment process to be looked at holistically, and with a view to it causing you the very minimum of stress. For commercial property throughout the UK, a London Property Consultant can often be your secret weapon to investment success. Leveraging their expertise in the market and specialising in sourcing the best properties for clients’ needs, their services will save hours of your time, and provide the most profitable outcomes for you and your money.
But, of course, not all London property consultants were created equal. Which is why you need to look for a reputable, experienced company who specialises in the type of purchase that you’re looking to make. At the Prideview Group, we specialise in acquiring commercial property for private investors. In fact, we’ve been securing the most solid and profitable returns for our clients for over 30 years.
We offer a premium service which ensures only the highest quality investments are brought to our clients, who range from investment companies to private investors (with a vast range of budgets) both in the UK and abroad.
We not only source properties through auction or private sale, but we also liaise with auctioneers, perform due diligence, connect clients with solicitors, and attend the auctions and bid on our clients’ behalf. We can also secure off-market deals through our vast industry network.
However, our service goes well beyond this. We have years of experience in both commercial and residential disposals, and because we understand that private investors need more support, we also offer a large range of post-sale ancillary services including lettings, management, finance and insurance. This means, as one of our clients, you’re looked after from start to finish, and we ensure the transaction is smooth and as stress-free as possible. We are proud of our end-to-end service and have a reputation for always delivering the highest quality outcomes to our clients.
If you’re looking to invest, sell, or are wanting to add to your property portfolio across the UK, speak to the London Property Consultants with the experience and influence to secure you the returns: The Prideview Group. Contact us today or view our current commercial properties for sale and let us help you get the best investment deal.
