The Brief
Having decided that they wanted to move outside of Canterbury itself to a property with more space and privacy James Clague, now director of Discovered By Ltd, was asked to assist the family with finding a suitable property and with the disposal of their current one. This was testament to the strong relationship formed between James and the client.
Utilising our network of contacts and without openly marketing the property we secured a buyer within a matter of weeks, and for a record-breaking price for Canterbury at the time. We negotiated terms that allowed flexibility in the completion date giving time to find and secure a new property.
Finding “The One”
A short-list of suitable properties was presented to the client that included a report that evaluated each properties suitability. We arranged viewings of our client’s favourites and accompanied them on the visits. One of these was Oxney Court, a very private small estate of exquisite quality, offered by Strutt and Parker, Canterbury. It offered the accommodation the family needed and, with our vision, the potential for adding the additional facilities they desired. We were able to negotiate the purchase £400,000 under the asking price.
This was a substantial property that the family required assistance to manage and that would require staff to care for. There was also a continuing need for assistance with their household affairs and family office. We agreed a contract to provide these services that, we are pleased to say, is still in operation today.
The Transformation
Having efficiently completed the purchase Discovered By Ltd, in association with James Clague Associates Ltd., were instructed to manage a number of building projects that would call on our architectural experience working with high-end properties and listed buildings. These included an extension forming a new bedroom suite, a new kitchen, a cinema and home entertainment system, an outdoor entertainment area, an adventure playground, the replacement of the heating/hot water system, a new CCTV system, conversion of a barn into a gym, redecoration of areas and a number of garden improvements.
As well as work at Oxney Court we were also called upon to search for and manage the negotiation and purchase of investment properties in London and Cyprus. We provided design and project management services required to refurbish these properties and continued to manage them and their tenancy agreements.
Client Relationship
Building a strong relationship with our clients is of paramount importance to us. We are successful in doing this because we care deeply about their happiness and their home is central to that. A first class service married with expert knowledge is a winning formula.
Discovered By is founded on our architectural and project management training, our knowledge of the property market and our extensive network and knowledge of the areas we operate in, but above all our passion for finding and delivering the perfect home for a family.
For more information and images of the work carried out at Oxney Court, click here.