Why Choose Us

Being based overseas can present certain challenges when buying property in the London, namely a lack of local market knowledge, lack of time to view potential properties and out of date price statistics. Smuts & Taylor Ltd provides an end to end service that our clients trust to help them secure the perfect property for their individual requirements. Whether clients are looking for a pied-a-terre or an investment, our comprehensive portfolio of services ensure the process of buying property in London is smooth and hassle free. We can offer you:

Independent Advice From Local Property Experts

Choosing to buy a London property is likely to be one the biggest financial and emotional decisions you will make in your lifetime, yet all the help is on the other side of the deal.

Estate agents in the UK act exclusively on behalf of the seller, not the buyer so without impartial advice, you have little way of knowing whether you are making a sound investment.

Furthermore, the UK property market is one of the most biased in the world, because it is based on the legal principle of caveat emptor. This simply means that the onus is on you as the buyer to assess the quality and condition of a property before you proceed with its purchase. It seems absurd that you would venture into one of the biggest deals of your life with the odds stacked against you? Having a local expert in your corner, who can give independent advice and guide you through the entire process of investing offshore, is priceless.

Access To Exclusive Investment Opportunities

Many sales in central London occur without ever reaching the open market. If you want to find the really exciting investment opportunities, you need to go beyond estate agents’ books and the Internet.

Through working in the London property market for more than a decade we have built up an enormous database of property contacts, including property developers; private individuals who wish to sell privately and not through estate agents; solicitors dealing with probate sales, distressed sales and fund disposals; bankers who deal with their clients’ property dealings; and even concierges in prestigious blocks who know of an occupier’s wish to sell before the occupier contacts agents.

So, working with the right sourcing agent will provide you with a crucial competitive advantage in your search for your London investment property.

Saving You Time And Money

Having a team of accomplished property investors doing your bidding for you, means you benefit from years of experience in successful property negotiations, allowing you to secure the right property, well below the asking price.

All property transactions are unique but on average Smuts & Taylor Ltd are able to secure properties for our clients at between 2.5% and 10% under asking price.

As most purchases fees are calculated as a percentage of the value of a property, even a 2% discount can equate to a much larger saving when your total capital outlay is calculated. 

The process of making an offer to purchase in the UK also differs greatly from that in South Africa and often clients are unaware of issues such as gazumping, sealed bids, paying non-refundable reservation fees to developers or even the expensive implications of buying a property with a short lease. As a result many who venture into the London market unaided end up losing substantial amounts of money.

With Smuts & Taylor Ltd taking care of all the technicalities, you can rest assure that you are receiving the best possible advice when putting forward an offer to purchase.

Proven Track Record

Building successful London property portfolios since 2008, the Smuts & Taylor team collectively boasts over 40 years’ experience in the London property market. Our passion for property, total dedication to our clients’ needs and reputation for discretion and integrity has won Smuts & Taylor huge loyalty and trust amongst our clients, who include some of South Africa’s most successful business executives and entrepreneurs. 

In 2011 Smuts & Taylor was also named as one of the finalist in the “Best Property Finder London” category of the exclusive International Property Awards in association with BLOOMBERG TELEVISION and GOOGLE.

Judging a select group of residential and commercial property professionals from around the globe, the International Property Awards celebrate the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in all sectors of the property and real estate industry.