MEET THE TEAM AT VESPER HOMES

Vesper Homes prides itself on offering an alternative to traditional estate agents in London, combining the low fees of online property services and the customer relationships of high street agencies. Meet the team who can help you buy and sell your London property

1 James Cameron, Director

James Cameron

What is your experience as an estate agent?
I have worked for top tier Residential Lettings firms and now focus on residential, commercial and short lets.

Which area in London do you focus on at Vesper Homes?
I started my career as a negotiator in Islington, so I know the surrounding areas quite well and even down into Shoreditch, which has grown so much over the past few years.

What is the biggest achievement in your career to date?
Letting a four-bedroom house on Canonbury Square, N1 for £1,100 per week to an executive from Eurostar for three years before it even hit the market.

What example of good customer service are you most proud of?
I pride myself on helping tenants find their perfect property, even if it means it’s not with our agency. I get great satisfaction when I manage to meet the tenant’s brief.

What do you think makes a good estate agent?
Patience, knowledge of both the property market and the local area and negotiation skills.

Why should someone buy in Islington?
You just have to walk along Upper Street on a sunny Saturday afternoon to see why everyone wants to live there. The atmosphere is truly unique, it’s vibrant yet relaxed. I cannot think of another street in London like it.

How would you suggest choosing an estate agent to work with?
Property photos tell a lot about an estate agent. My advice to anyone choosing estate agent is to look at the agents listings on the property portals, if the property photos are of poor quality and unprofessional you will most likely receive a similar service from that agent. It’s important to find an agent who uses a professional photographer as the photos are the main tool for marketing your property to the world.

What is the biggest misconception about estate agents?
I think the biggest misconception is scaling fees. At Vesper Homes we don’t charge a percentage of the property price for selling a property, however, we do have price bands. The amount we charge increases with the value of the property. The reasoning behind this is that the more expensive a property is the more the estate agent has to revamp their marketing strategy. A property that’s £300k will have 15 viewings in its first week, however, a property that’s in the £5-10 million range will need to have glossy brochure printed and this will need to circulated around the world to clients who don’t look online. We have to structure our costs with the costs associated with marketing a property.

If money was no object where and what would you buy in London?
A really funky penthouse apartment in Zone 1. Ideally it would spacious and bright with a view of the London skyline and would have access to a range of leisure facilities!

2 Bartek Hladun, Director

What is your past experience?
Over the years I have gained extensive experience in both the hospitality and management industries. This experience been built mainly through working for some of the industry leaders, such as Virgin Limited Edition and from running my own successful cleaning and property management company. Now my area of expertise is within property management.

Which area in London do you focus on at Vesper Homes?
I’ve lived in many parts of west London over the last nine years so have a great feel for what the area has to offer. I have also managed a large property developer’s portfolio in the west of London so have come to know the area like the back of my hand.

What is the biggest achievement in your career to date?
We let a two-bedroom flat in SW15 within 24 hours of placing an ad for it.

What example of good customer service are you most proud of?
After one of our clients lost their keys very late one evening I rushed back to the office and delivered them personally.

What do you think makes a good estate agent?
I think developing the ability to put myself in my client’s shoes to help them achieve their property goals.

Where should people buy in west London at the moment?
Chiswick’s wide range of family homes has led to it becoming one of the most popular areas in west London. The excellent transport links and fantastic local schools makes it a great place to base family life.

How would you suggest someone goes about choosing an estate agent to work with?
I would compare the services they offer against the commissions they charge. Quite often you can pay four times more for the same offering with different agents.

If money was no object where and what would you buy in London?
A three-bedroom family house in South Kensington.

3 David Munday, Sales Director

What is your experience in the property market?
Having worked in the property industry for over 30 years I have accumulated a wealth of experience in the London housing market. Now I cover residential and commercial sales at Vesper Homes.

Which area in London do you focus on at Vesper Homes?
I’ve spent a number of my years working around South Kensington/Gloucester Road.

What is the biggest achievement in your career to date?
It has to be redeveloping two beautiful townhouses next door to one another in Belgravia and then letting them out in a matter of weeks.

What example of good customer service are you most proud of?
In this business work never sleeps, I’m used to the late night viewings especially with particular clients after 10pm.

What do you think makes a good estate agent?
Attention to detail and understanding exactly what the client wants, it may take a little longer at the start but I find the end result does pay off.

Where should people look to buy at the moment?
With South Kensington boarding onto Kensington, Knightsbridge and Chelsea you can still get a very fancy flat for good price, it sounds odd but there are flats going that have exactly the same sq. ft. for £875k that 100 yards down the road are going for £1.1 million in Knightsbridge.

How would you suggest someone goes about choosing an estate agent to work with?
You need to have a good relationship with your agent, you need to know they will be available all the time and not just pass you on to the next guy. I have built my career in always being available for my clients no matter what day of the week or what time of the day.

What is the biggest misconception about estate agents?
That we overvalue a property to get an instruction. In fact we all look at comparable properties, it could be the flat next door or a flat within ¼ mile radius. The price per sq. ft. is a good guide but it’s not an exact science.

If money was no object where and what would you buy in London?
A four-bedroom townhouse in Belgravia.

4 Charlotte Pearson, Negotiator

What is your experience in the property market?

I have a BA (Hons) in International Management and Marketing Positions and now work on sales and lettings at Vesper Homes.

Which area in London do you focus on at Vesper Homes?
St. John’s Wood and Richmond. I grew up in Richmond so I have an excellent knowledge of the local area. I have worked with many landlords and vendors in St. John’s Wood, which has given me a great insight into all the area has to offer.

What is the biggest achievement in your career to date?
Quick sales are always very satisfying but I also think that matching people with their perfect property is the most rewarding feeling.

What example of good customer service are you most proud of?
I am always available for the landlord or seller. I always make myself available to my clients. I am very proactive so I have the answer for them before they even know the question!

What do you think makes a good estate agent?
Exceptional communication skills and having the ability to interpret clients’ needs based on their situation.

Where is a good area to buy in London at the moment?
Richmond and the surrounding areas have always been a fantastic place to buy. The transport links are great, yet you also have the village feeling. Richmond Park is stunning, and being able to see some of the great London landmarks while surrounded by deer and foliage encompasses all London has to offer. This is a perfect place for people to commute into London, with excellent schools and lifestyle for families.

How would you suggest someone goes about choosing an estate agent to work with?
Speak to them; don’t hesitate to ask them questions. If an agent is willing to take the time to answer them and help, then you know that they will spend their time working to make sure you achieve your property objective.

What is the biggest misconception about estate agents?
That we push properties onto anyone and everyone. It is important to me that I match the right buyer/tenant to a property.

If money was no object where and what would you buy in London?
I would most definitely buy one of the houses around Richmond Green, or one of the cottages leading down to the Thames. I have grown up waiting for the day I can buy one!