Black Brick Property Solutions LLP

Managing Partners: Camilla Dell (Managing Partner) and Caspar Harvard-Walls (Partner)

Number of partners: 2 Partners, 2 buying consultants, 1 Property Manager, 1 Head of Sales (total 6 fee earners). All London based.

FIRM OVERVIEW:

Black Brick was founded in January 2007, by Managing Partner Camilla Dell who saw an opportunity to create a truly independent, market leading residential property buying agency. Initially the firm started as a property search and acquisition company but rapidly expanded and its services now include property buying, investing, managed sales, property management, rental search and a vacant property care service.

Since inception, the firm has grown from being a two-strong team, to one of the leading independent buying agencies in London and the Home Counties. Black Brick is based in Mayfair and has an eight-strong team of property consultant professionals, carefully handpicked from across the industry for their depth of experience, specialist insight, valuable network of contacts and proven negotiation skills.

Collectively, the firm has accumulated more than eighty years’ experience and sourced well in excess of £1 billion of property in the dynamic London and Home Counties property markets, encompassing a range of very different market conditions.

The firm has won many prestigious awards over the years including being ranked 4th in Prime Resi Britain’s top 50 residential buying agencies, ranked in E-private client top Residential Property Buyers 2021, Wealth Adviser Best Property Adviser Winner 2019 and Best Buying Agency of the Year at The Times and Sunday Times Estate Agency of the Year Awards for 3 years in a row.

In 2022, the firm started their own property podcast, “Finding Perfect Property – Diary of a Buying Agent”. Managing Partners Camilla Dell and Caspar Harvard-Walls host this monthly podcast interviewing guests from their little black book of contacts. Guests have included renowned property journalist Anne Ashworth, Coutts Private Bank, BDO, London and Capital, MTG LLP and property developer Jon O’Brien.

The firm also produces a regular monthly market update which is distributed each month to over 5000 subscribers.

MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE:

Property Search & Acquisition:

Whether clients are looking to purchase a home, second home or an investment property, Black Brick's property search service is the ideal solution, ensuring clients are well advised and end up securing the right property on the very best possible terms. Black Brick looks after clients with budgets starting from £1 million in Central London and £2 million in the Home Counties.

https://www.black-brick.com/services/buying

Managed Sale Service:

Black Brick assists clients that are looking to sell their property through the firm's dedicated sales service. The firm oversees the entire sales process, from initial market advice through to managing the move, in complete confidence if required.

https://www.black-brick.com/services/managed-sales

Rental Search:

Re-locating to London, in between selling and buying and looking for an interim solution – or visiting London for a short period of time – Black Brick can help find clients the ideal rental place for them to rest their head. Without the headaches.

https://www.black-brick.com/services/rental-search Property

Management:

Black Brick's highly-experienced Property Management Service is tailored to meet the needs of private landlords, corporate landlords and trustees. From finding high-quality tenants through to managing repairs and upkeep, Black Brick can help ensure client's property investment keeps performing.

https://www.black-brick.com/services/property-management

Vacant Care:

Leaving their property vacant for several weeks or months can be a worrying time for homeowners. Black Brick’s Vacant Care service can ease clients' minds by helping to ensure that their property stays safe and secure and is ready for them to move back into at any time. Black Brick's service will help maintain clients' properties, carry out regular inspections to ensure clients comply with their insurance company’s requirements, and make their house feel like a home ready for their return.

https://www.black-brick.com/services/vacant-care-service

Recent Acquisitions:

In 2022 Black Brick secured almost £100 million of property for its clients. 50% of properties sourced were off market and on average, the firm saved its clients almost 4% from the asking price.

Standout deals included: Country Estate - Surrey, GU8 - https://www.black-brick.com/expertise/case-studies/countrymansion/. Acquired for a high profile royal family, looking for a turnkey country estate within easy access to London and a wish list that included equestrian facilities and specific aesthetic requirements. This rare country estate was already under offer with another buyer, but we successfully managed to “gazump” the other buyer, exchanging contracts just a few weeks later at £29,500,000.

Super Prime deal - Carlos Place, W1 - https://www.black-brick.com/expertise/case-studies/carlos-place/. Acquired for our U.S clients looking for a second home in London. Within 3 days of meeting the clients for the first time we organised for them to inspect options across Mayfair, Belgravia and Chelsea in both new developments as well as the best mansion blocks. Carlos Place, which is widely regarded as the most prestigious mansion block in Mayfair, had not yet reached the open market and we exchanged contracts at £8,750,000 within 11 working days of an offer being accepted. We manage the clients home via our dedicated Vacant Care Service.

Family Home acquisition - Murray Road, SW19 - https://www.black-brick.com/expertise/case-studies/murray-road/. Acquired for our clients living in Surrey but their son’s school was in Wimbledon making the school run gruelling. They were also looking for a house in good condition that they could move straight into. We found them a perfectly located property and – after a six-month hiatus during which the owner decided they didn’t want to sell after all, then changed their minds – we were able to make a fast, asking price offer and secure the property before it went onto the open market. At £7,500,000 for 5,278 square feet – or £1,420 per square foot – the house represented good value given that it was in excellent condition.

New Build deal - Battersea Power Station, SW8 - https://www.black-brick.com/expertise/case-studies/battersea-power-station/. Acquired for our British client had been happily living in Nine Elms in a new

build apartment overlooking the River Thames but decided that she wanted to buy a house in Southwest London. Her budget was around £5,000,000 and she was happy to take on a project. We undertook a thorough search of Southwest London and highlighted a selection of the best houses available in Knightsbridge and Chelsea. The subsequent property tour made her reconsider her requirements completely and she concluded that she wanted to stay south of the river and in an apartment. She asked us to look in detail at Battersea Power Station and to identify the best units available within the scheme. In the residential part there are 253 units and through detailed work, we realised that there were only 6 units where every window looked over the River Thames. Of the 6 there were

only 2 still available and upon inspection, one of the units was vastly superior to the other: a stunning 3-bedroom duplex of 2390 square foot. We were able to agree terms at £5,550,000 or £2238 per square foot, a significant saving from the original asking price.

Contacts:

Camilla Dell, Managing Partner

E: [email protected]

T: +44 (0) 203 141 9860

Caspar Harvard-Walls, Partner

E: [email protected]

T: +44(0) 203 141 9864

OFFICES:

15 Bruton Place

London

W1J 6LU