Multi-award-winning buying agency Black Brick is expanding out of prime central London, the Home Counties, and the South East following its most successful start to any year to date. Following two new appointments in January, two further key team members have joined the prominent player in the property market in the newly founded Country & Coast Department, just as the spring market kicks into gear.
Anna Sharp will be representing Cornwall, and Rupert Stephenson will be heading up Devon, Dorset, and Somerset. Camilla Dell comments, “After an incredible start to the year, we are delighted to expand into the West Country with the addition of Anna and Rupert, who will be a tremendous asset to us. This is a pivotal moment for the firm as we expand outside of London and the South East for the first time.”
“I’ve chosen these areas first, in an operation to rollout into other parts of the UK over the next 12 months, as I believe they will have a revival of popularity. With the need for buying agents growing, particularly in popular rural and coastal areas where stock is limited, we are now expertly placed to assist buyers looking to relocate or buy a second home in some of the UK’s most. As the world continues to get hotter with global warming, summers in Europe are becoming unbearable for many, and we believe staycations will become more appealing for those wanting a holiday without the extreme heat. Cornwall and Devon are areas of outstanding natural beauty and offer buyers the perfect blend of stunning natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, an amazing food scene and a relaxed coastal lifestyle. Anna and Rupert are highly experienced and talented buying agents and I have no doubt will make a huge success of their roles as Regional Directors for Black Brick West Country.”
Both based out in the field, Anna brings with her over a decade of experience in the prime Cornwall market, having lived there all her life. She started her career at Savills before moving into the buying arena. She has an extensive professional network of contacts, and offers a dedicated personal service. She has been passionate about property from an early age, and she is currently working on her fourth renovation project in Falmouth.
Rupert has been in the property industry his entire career, starting in central London in the late 1990s. He expanded into Surrey, Sussex, and Hampshire and specialised in the prestigious market of St Georges Hill. After twenty years of running his own land and estate agency like Anna, Rupert started renovating properties and relocated to the Devon countryside, transforming a farm and outbuildings overlooking Dartmoor. Rupert’s also has first-hand knowledge of the market and an extensive network of contacts.
Since the end of 2022, post-boom, the south-west property market has moved into a more traditional market, with more properties being sold off-market due to a lack of demand. For new buyers in the area, it can be hard to navigate. Being focused on the south-west and with their agents locally based, the newly founded Black Brick Country Department will have first-hand knowledge of the market and their fingers firmly on the pulse.
Anna comments: “Now is a fantastic time to buy in the south west. With demand in the prime, particularly coastal areas being fairly low, coupled with interest rates at a more reasonable level, we have a high number of off-market properties up our sleeves to offer buyers. On average, last year, Rupert and I sold 60% of properties off-market for clients.”
Average house prices in the south-west have remained strong, with prices in Cornwall and Devon well above the national average. The average house price in Dorset: £408,498 Dorset Housing Market | Price trends and market breakdown (varbes.com), proving that the south-west market is a safe haven during difficult economic times. The average house price in Somerset: £336,795 Somerset Housing Market | Price trends and market breakdown (varbes.com). the average house price in Devon: £383,019, Devon Housing Market: Price trends and market breakdown (varbes.com), and the average house price in Cornwall: £319,235, Housing intelligence: Cornwall Council, this is compared to the national average of: £285,000 UK House Price Index: Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk).
Rupert adds: “The West Country has always attracted second homeowners and, despite recent adverse tax adjustments for holiday homeowners announced in the March budget, demand in the second home market remains strong with buyers still actively seeking holiday homes in the West Country this year. With the advent of working from home in recent years, this has offered much more freedom to buyers who, up until the pandemic, were mainly tied to their offices with the weekly commute into London and the big cities. We have acted for an array of clients recently who are looking for the perfect house. Interestingly these houses are often intended to be used initially as a second home, for family summer holidays and weekends away, and as ‘lock up and leave’ properties, but then with a view to moving full time to the West Country.”
This part of the UK offers much value for money compared to London and the Home Counties, a better lifestyle, and is a beautiful part of the world. With its great transport links, fabulous cities like Falmouth, Truro, Exeter, Bath, and Bristol, the National Parks of Exmoor and Dartmoor, endless beaches, sailing, and water sports, it has something for everyone. Cornwall has the longest coastline in the UK, followed by Devon in third place.
Established in 2007 by property expert Camilla Dell, Black Brick has consistently delivered an outstanding commitment to exceptional customer service and value to its clients. Flourishing from a two-person start-up to today, one of London’s premier full-service buying agencies.
The firm specialises in representing high-net-worth individuals, investors, and discerning clients seeking unparalleled expertise in purchasing property. The agency has earned a stellar reputation for its dedication to client satisfaction, market intelligence, and the ability to secure unique and high-value properties across prime London.
As one of London’s largest full-service independent buying agencies, which celebrated its 17th birthday last month, the firm boasts over 100 years’ collective experience in the London property market. Camilla and her team represent some of the most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders from around the world. Together, they have been responsible for sourcing and acquiring nearly £2b in residential property.
The agency has consistently embraced innovation in the property market, using data analytics and market insights to provide its clients with a competitive advantage in identifying and securing prime properties. As well as being multi-award-winning, Camilla hosts a monthly podcast, “Finding Perfect Property,” interviewing extensive contacts on all things luxury property. Each episode features on the firm’s Instagram (@blackbrick_property) and YouTube (@BlackBrickLondon) channels, as well as Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Each month, they produce Black Brick Insights with news on PCL.
