The Brief

Our clients were living in London and renting a weekend/holiday home in Surrey while considering a permanent move to the country. They wanted a home they could both feel comfortable with, but leaving somewhere they had lived for so long required more than finding the right number of bedrooms.

Their ideal setting was on the edge of a village, with privacy and a sense of connection to local life, while retaining access to London. The house needed four bedrooms, generous storage for their hobby, a large kitchen and a family room. It also needed to work equally well for parties and visiting friends as for quieter days, with spaces that could be opened up or closed off.

Security mattered, as did the pace of the search. Both clients needed time to feel confident about the move.

The Challenge

The challenge was to find a house that satisfied both the practical requirements and the feelings behind them. The search needed to make meaningful progress without making either client feel rushed.

Once the right property emerged, buying off market brought its own negotiation challenges. We needed to establish a well researched view of value and reach terms that worked for both sides.

Timing also required careful handling. The sellers wanted to move quickly, while our clients wanted a breathing space before making such a substantial change.

How Rowallan Helped

We previewed a number of homes and explored different locations to understand how the clients’ initial brief translated into their reactions to real properties. Discussing the advantages and compromises of each helped establish what they could comfortably accept and what mattered too much to compromise.

Those conversations were central to the search. They allowed us to build a clearer picture of a home that would work for both clients, while giving them confidence that their concerns were being heard.

Through existing relationships with agents in the search area, Rowallan was introduced to an off market property that brought those requirements together.

We then carried out detailed due diligence to inform our assessment of the house, its value and its suitability for the clients. That work supported negotiations on both price and timing, including the additional breathing space they wanted before moving.

Further issues emerged between the sale being agreed and exchange. Detailed research by Rowallan and our incredibly knowledgeable clients helped establish a clear understanding of the risks and resolve the outstanding concerns.

The Outcome

The clients secured an off market home in Sussex that they both felt comfortable choosing, with agreed terms and a moving timetable that accommodated their needs.

They had expected the search to take several years. Instead, the right property came together much sooner than they had imagined, without losing the careful consideration they needed.

Their own description of the result says the most: a house they believe will be their forever home.