What excites you most about your role as Associate Partner and Knight Frank?
What I love most about my role is knowing that I will speak to someone new each day. These include clients from all over the world, each with their own story and requirements, as well as colleagues from across our firm. I also have the privilege of visiting beautiful new developments all over London, and this helps to build my knowledge of local trends and markets for the area. 

My role is to look after our investment buyers from exchange to completion and beyond, tailoring our services to their needs. It is really rewarding to have conversations with my clients both secured and prospective, learning more about what they do and how we can help them! No two meetings are the same and it keeps things exciting. 

Knight Frank is an amazing place to work; the encouraging environment, forward-thinking mindset and customer-centric culture are a few of the reasons why I feel proud to work here and I look forward to progressing my career here.

How are new developments improving their community aesthetic?
There are a number of ways we are seeing developments improve their community aesthetic, these include beautiful interior design; a vast selection of amenities and areas to socialise; and well-planned floor plan layouts. These factors are helping developments to tap into this demand area from prospective tenants and are things we are seeing more and more of. 

An amazing example is One Bishopsgate Plaza by UOL, where Knight Frank Interiors did an outstanding job. Not only are the Sky Residences apartments finished to an incredible specification, but the communal areas are wonderful and create a fantastic community feel for residents. The shared amenities with the world-renowned Pan Pacific hotel create a vibrant and friendly feel. The luxurious lounge and library found on Level 20 and clubroom on Level 33, are all available exclusively to residents, offer a welcoming and peaceful retreat. 

There are so many new property developments emerging, how do you make sure your client’s properties stand out from the crowd in such a competitive environment?
The main piece of advice I give my clients is to furnish their property to a high standard and to make sure installation will take place as close to completion as possible to get ahead of the curve. A lot of value can be added by furnishing a property and the fact that 95% of new build properties let by Knight Frank are furnished means it will significantly minimise any void periods for these properties.  

With multiple properties available in any one development, it is important to stand out against the rest. The additional services that Knight Frank Interiors offers, such as kitchen and linen packs, soft furnishing and artwork should all be considered, as this can really enhance an apartment and differentiate it from the rest.  

What is your favourite part of the Christmas Holidays?
I love going home to Norfolk and spending quality time with my family and our dog. Cooking the Christmas lunch together, playing lots of games and packing for our New Year’s ski holiday with my extended family makes me very happy! 

Are there any property trends we should keep an eye out for in 2022?
In 2021 we saw more non-resident buyers purchasing properties for their own use due to political climates, uncertainty over COVID-19 and personal motivations. We expect to see this trend reverse in 2022 with buyers finding more confidence in the UK investment market as we move into a post- COVID -19 world. Mortgage interest repayments and property tax will also be key factors in shaping the market in the years ahead.

We are also seeing increased rates of overseas buyers registering with us thanks to reduced travel restrictions and more confidence in the UK residential market, we expect this to continue. The London Lettings market is booming with increased demand and a lack of stock making it a landlord’s market. With corporations such as Shell moving their HQ to London and the student market kicking in, in January, we foresee another surge in demand for rental properties in the New Year. It is shaping up to be another very good year in residential real estate.

Another growing trend is the Build-to-Rent sector, which is becoming increasingly popular with institutional investors. With more adults in their mid-30s and 40s looking to rent rather than buy, longer tenancies and lower voids are appealing, and investors can see that residential real estate continues to be resilient despite economic challenges over the past few years. 

Finally, there is growing interest in ESG-related property investments and ESG principles are already being applied to the industry with a growing number of sustainable building schemes. Engaging with the growing demand from buyers to have sustainability built into the very fabric of their homes or investments will be central to the market in the years ahead.