Coutts Woman

Garringtons

The strangest request that Phil Spencer, chief executive of Garrington Home Finder and co-presenter of Channel 4’s Location, Location, Location, ever had was to locate a family flat on or above the fourth floor in a building without a lift.

He recalls: ‘It emerged the buyer didn’t want his mother-in-law to visit, and she wouldn’t climb stairs.’

Most of the time, however, Spencer is asked to find properties with large rooms. ‘Clients tend to worry about the size of rooms rather than the number of rooms. They are looking at total square footage. It is increasingly important for clients that move out of London. They are usually moving to get more space, privacy and peace.’

He adds: ‘Light matters to everybody. But clients also like traditional features, such as fireplaces and cornices, and you can still find properties where they remain.’

Nothing daunts Spencer. He has found classic properties with a Victorian façade and a New York apartment block style interior. He has uncovered properties with a wealth of outbuildings. ‘There are lots of unique properties out there,’ he explains. ‘But one person might find uniqueness in a traditional run-of-the mill property.’

As viewers of Location, Location, Location will have seen, road noise can be a big ‘no no’ for potential property owners. ‘Clients can be quite precious about it,’ admits Spencer, ‘and even about general urban noise. They sometimes find it hard to understand that wind and the weather will affect the noise. They just can’t switch off to it.’ Other deterrents are poor natural light and views. ‘You can’t do anything about them,’ admits Spencer. ‘Size and room shapes can be altered.’

Occasionally though, the longed for rural retreat does not live up to expectations. ‘Sometimes when we show clients the rural property they have described they become fidgety. They are actually scared of the solitude. There is a great difference between what they aspired to and the reality of living up a farm track.’

Spencer, and his team at Chelsea-based Garrington (named after his family’s farm in Kent), take time to understand the needs and requirements of each client. He estimates that they look at 40 properties per search, and present the client with perhaps a dozen potential opportunities. ‘The length of time depends on how focussed the client is on his requirements and the conditions of the market,’ explains Spencer. ‘But I estimate a search takes about eight weeks.

‘If I am really on my game, I can sense as soon as I walk into a property that it will suit a client’s lifestyle and requirements. We place ourselves in the eye of the client.’

But despite the wide choice of properties Spencer sees, he is never personally tempted to put in an offer. ‘I hate moving and when I have moved, I have been very mindful of my requirements,’ he says. Spencer actually narrowed his search down to two streets, and then only looked at one house. ‘I put a lot of time into analysing the market,’ he smiles. Spencer is practising what he preaches.