London Property finders - You Have One Goal As A Property Buyer:
“To acquire the finest property within your requirements on the best terms possible.”

The first point to make is that you may not need London property finders to achieve this.
If you have plenty of spare time to contact all the agents in your target area. If you have the time and energy to view all the potential properties that fit your requirements. If you have the expertise to be able to value a property and then negotiate successfully. Then you can probably acquire the best property your money can buy without any outside assistance.
Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it sounds as the London property market is rigged against buyers.

ESTATE AGENTS ARE EMPLOYED BY OWNERS to sell their property for the highest price possible, on the most favourable terms possible.

YOU ARE NOT THE PRIORITY - Each agent can have over one hundred buyers (applicants as you are known) registered with him/her. As friendly as the agents may be, they are not concerned who buys the property as long as a full price is achieved for their client, the seller.

THE FINEST RESIDENCES RARELY REACH THE OPEN MARKET– If you would like to acquire the finest residences in prime central London you will need to have access to "OFF-MARKET" properties.

ESTATE AGENTS CAN ONLY MARKET PROPERTIES ON THEIR OWN LISTS – Most buyers only see a small percentage of the homes in their criteria because they only register with ten or twelve agents. If you do this you will severely limit your chances of acquiring the finest property available. Unfortunately, there are over 100 estate agents in Kensington & Chelsea alone. (The agents do occasionally share properties, but these are invariably the ones that they are struggling to sell).

Consequently, if you do not have the time, knowledge or expertise to find the finest home in your criteria, value and negotiate the best terms possible, you will suffer the fate of the typical homebuyer – You will buy an average property at an average or inflated price instead of buying the best property in your search criteria.

The reality for the more discerning buyers in prime central London is that they do not want to deal with these issues. In fact we as London property finders surveyed our members to discover why they had asked us to represent them. These were the most popular answers:

1. Too busy to focus on finding a home.
2. Don’t have time to waste speaking to estate agents & viewing unsuitable properties.
3. Don’t have an in-depth knowledge of the prime central London market.
4. Want to avoid unnecessary stress and frustration.
5. Want first refusal on the best opportunities.
6. Want access to exclusive "off-market" properties.
7. Don't want to suffer the frustration of discovering homes have been sold before we have even been informed of their availability.
8. Need access to accurate information so can make an informed decision.
9. Feel uncomfortable negotiating/not an expert in property negotiation
10. Unhappy with the level of service provided by the estate agents as they represent the sellers and we are not their priority.
11. Require confidentiality or even anonymity.

If you agree with two or more of the above statements then you need to consider instructing London property finders (also known as property search agents, relocation agents and home finders). This is not to say that you will not be able to find a suitable home on your own. But would you really be happy with second best? And do you really want to deal with the stress and frustration endured by the average property buyer?

How Can London Property Finders Help You?

You will:

1. Be able to Relax And Focus On What Is Important To You  –  your London property finders will be your one point of contact for every property on the market. You will only be presented with the finest properties within your criteria as they will sift the diamonds from the dirt. Thus the buying process is transformed into an enjoyable experience while freeing you to pursue your goals and interests.

1. Have Exclusive Access To Exceptional Residences That The Average Buyer Will Never See – The most exclusive properties are rarely marketed openly. The good London property finders are frequently approached by owners who wish to sell their residences discreetly and they use their inside knowledge to source suitable “OFF-MARKET” properties too.

1. Be The First To Be Informed Of The Best Opportunities When They Arise – The good London property finders should see the finest properties before anyone else. Therefore you can have first refusal rather than suffering the frustration of discovering the perfect home has been sold before you were even made aware of its availability.

1. Never Waste Your Precious Time On Pointless Viewings – Your London property finders will preview every property and shortlist only the finest that meet your criteria. They should escort you to viewings to discuss the merits of each property and to ensure that you are never pressurised by salespeople.

1. Receive Vital Information Which Is Not Readily Available To The Public  London property finders should advise you on price, but they should also provide you with accurate comparable data, so that you can make an informed decision.

1. Benefit From Negotiating Expertise – They should have a proven track record of negotiating favourable prices. You should not be pressurised during the negotiations as your property finder will handle the negotiations.

1. Avoid The Stress Of The Legal Process & The Numerous Time-Consuming Telephone Calls Involved. 25% of purchases fail after the price has been agreed because this stage is not handled correctly. Your property finder will co-ordinate the relevant financiers, solicitors, surveyors, builders etc, to ensure the transaction progresses smoothly. If issues arise your property finder will know how to handle them professionally and efficiently to avoid unnecessary delays.

1. Access To A Preferred List Of Suppliers. A good property search agent will recommend specialists from a carefully selected panel of solicitors, surveyors, interior designers and other property related experts.

As with any profession there are the good, the bad and the average. You may or may not decide to apply for membership with us (we only act for a select list of members at any one time, so you may not be eligible anyway). However, it is vital that you ask a well established firm to act for you. Therefore you must ask the following questions to discover their professional competence:

Which areas do you specialise in? Beware of firms that seem to have a general rather than specific knowledge.

How many clients do you have & in what areas and price range are they looking? You must ensure that you are the only person with your criteria otherwise you may not be the first to see the best opportunities. You may also prefer to be looked after by a boutique firm. Alternatively you may prefer the reassurance of dealing with a firm, which is a subsidiary of a larger company.

Can I speak to past clients to receive a referral? A good firm should be able to provide numerous named testimonials and have one or two of their past clients speak to you (for many of our members (we act as a club) confidentiality is crucial so they will not give named testimonials or speak to potential members. However, some are happy to chat and have provided named testimonials. Therefore other firms should be able to do the same).
“Initially we had to wait six months before Mercury would represent us as they already had a client with similar criteria to ours, but it was worth the wait and it was reassuring to know that we would be their sole focus. Once they were able to act for us, what had previously been a painful six months looking for property was transformed into the easiest of tasks... When we found our ideal property Mercury advised us on the negotiation tactics and developed a strategy, which they then executed. Consequently we were not pressurised during the negotiations and thanks to Mercury’s negotiation skills we bought the house at a much lower price than we would have achieved. In fact we bought it for less than our initial bid would have been!”  Mr & Mrs Evans (Notting Hill)

What makes you stand out from the other firms?
What guarantees do you offer?
What insurance cover do you have?

If a firm can provide you with a guarantee and has a proven track record of satisfied customers then you are probably talking to a reputable firm.

If you would like to enquire about membership of Mercury Homesearch please  fill in this form:

All Members Are Covered by The Mercury Guarantee:
“If you are not entirely satisfied with your membership in the first month, we will refund you membership fee immediately (no small print or caveats)”.