0:00:02 > 0:00:05You're dealing with the most expensive thing people ever buy.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08There are more of them than ever before.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11A square foot can be worth £3,000.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Many of us say they are our least favourite professionals.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17The customer's always right, aren't they? No!
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Yet we turn to them at some of life's most stressful moments.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22I can't control it, you can't control it.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25- Yes, we're off! - SHE LAUGHS
0:00:25 > 0:00:26They are the estate agents.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29You'd get a better response if you say you're a mass murderer.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32What inane comments do you want to make now, Alan?
0:00:32 > 0:00:34HE LAUGHS
0:00:34 > 0:00:38This series goes behind closed doors across the UK with the agents...
0:00:38 > 0:00:41It needs everything doing to it.
0:00:41 > 0:00:42..and their clients.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44We're moving!
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Gary takes us to the streets of London's super-rich.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52My firm has recently sold four houses of, let's say,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54£40 to £60 million.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57It's knock-down prices with Lynne in County Durham.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00It went to auction with a starting bid of a pound.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03There's straight-talking Dave in Birmingham.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05So when I tell you you're not getting it,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08don't come crying back to me saying "I'd have gone another 500 quid."
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Rookie Lewis in Devon.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13These surveyors are dangerous, dangerous people.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15And in London's cheapest borough, Dagenham...
0:01:15 > 0:01:17Please stop shouting.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19..Caroline, Andy and Darren.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21They'd had a bonfire in the front room here.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23This is ridiculous.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27With unique access we'll learn the tricks of the trade...
0:01:27 > 0:01:30As an estate agent I could class it as a wet room.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33..and find out what's really going on
0:01:33 > 0:01:36in the UK's crazy property market.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38I'm rather hoping that bankers might have
0:01:38 > 0:01:41taken our place at the bottom of the pile by now.
0:01:41 > 0:01:42Welcome to estate agency.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44HE HOWLS
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Estate agent Ed Mead works in one of the most expensive parts of
0:01:56 > 0:01:59the most expensive city in the UK.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05If I tell you there's an indemnity
0:02:05 > 0:02:08are you going to be happy to go to HSBC and sign that off?
0:02:08 > 0:02:10That's it. That's all you need to check.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14- I think to be very successful as a salesman you need 5%- BLEEP.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17If you don't have that 5% you'll never make a good salesperson.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19I've been dealing with this for over 30 years
0:02:19 > 0:02:21and these indemnities have always proved adequate.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24You have to have that ability to close and often that means saying,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26"Are you going to sign on the dotted line or not, mate?"
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Jolly good. Bye.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34For the last 20 years, Ed's been the director of Chelsea branch of D&G,
0:02:34 > 0:02:38an independent agency with offices in the poshest parts of London.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Central London agents have a reputation perhaps
0:02:43 > 0:02:45for being a bit Hooray Henry.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50You know, they all talk like I do, and they all went to public school.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52If I tried to ply my trade in somewhere like Wigan
0:02:52 > 0:02:54I'd be considered to be a toff.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57At the top end of the market, Ed deals with properties
0:02:57 > 0:02:59ranging from £2-£15 million.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01It's a little bit different
0:03:01 > 0:03:03from what you'd get in a Scottish sporting estate.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06If you were in Scotland spending five million quid you'd probably get
0:03:06 > 0:03:08200-300 acres and possibly a bit of shooting and a river.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Here you get about 20 square feet, which is that.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13For those with smaller budgets,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16cheaper properties are also available.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17An enormous door...
0:03:19 > 0:03:21..for a relatively small flat.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25So it's a studio flat,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28a sort of pied-a-terre for someone or maybe to be bought as a rental.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30What might surprise you is that
0:03:30 > 0:03:33it's selling for the thick end of a million pounds.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Over the last 50 years, average house prices in Chelsea
0:03:40 > 0:03:46have rocketed to around 1½ million, one of the highest in the capital.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Seen as hip and cutting-edge, over the years, the area's now popular
0:03:49 > 0:03:54with rich foreign buyers looking for a safe haven for their cash.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I'm so sorry that this has left a bad taste in your mouth.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Obviously from our point of view we feel very guilty about it.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02But now, high prices are causing problems.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05The wealthy buyers in his patch aren't buying.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08I don't think UK PLC is fixed yet,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11and I think UK property PLC has a long way to go.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13The problem is things are very, very slow,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17so not an awful lot's being agreed. Not an awful lot's being taken on.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19I mean, this is July, so we would normally expect to be
0:04:19 > 0:04:22taking on an average of 20 to 25 properties.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24We've taken on... There are two or three
0:04:24 > 0:04:26that are not on the open market,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30probably ten, so that's, you know, 60% down on where we'd expect to be.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Ed suspects that prices may have risen unrealistically high.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36His vendors' expectations are out of sync
0:04:36 > 0:04:38with what his buyers are prepared to pay.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41The result? A slowdown.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43They're not stupid, rich people.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47You know, they can see value, they understand what the right price is,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50so our biggest issue at the moment in the market
0:04:50 > 0:04:51is that prices have...
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Asking prices have overshot the market, I think, by about 10%.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57One of our managers, Chalkie, over here in Battersea, described it
0:04:57 > 0:05:00as moments of madness followed by tumbleweed rolling through,
0:05:00 > 0:05:05and I think that describes this market extremely well at the moment.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Luckily for Ed, one of his top agents is on the case.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Eileen Neville.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Eileen's arranged some viewings with a wealthy foreign client
0:05:13 > 0:05:16in the exclusive Lennox Gardens.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18About to see two properties in Lennox Gardens.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21The first flat is a two-bedroom at 1.45,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25and the second property's a flat, a two-bedroom flat at 870.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Eileen has worked in Chelsea for the last six years,
0:05:28 > 0:05:33although she doesn't quite fit the Hooray Henry public schoolboy mould.
0:05:33 > 0:05:34If there was probably...
0:05:34 > 0:05:37A typical agent would be normally kind of posh and blonde,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41and I'm obviously Irish and a redhead.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44I went to a Convent school run by the nuns who were seriously strict.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46You did not mess with Sister Elbie.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Even now I'm still scared of her.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Nowadays it's traffic wardens, not nuns,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56that Eileen's often in trouble with.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Coming!
0:05:59 > 0:06:01We're not given a business permit,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04so we just have to leg it everywhere we go,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07and so I have had a huge amount of parking tickets.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12I don't even know how much, a couple of thousand, maybe more.
0:06:12 > 0:06:13Probably more.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17With the machine having swallowed her change,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Eileen's chancing her arm without a ticket.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24Right, hello again.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28- So you're seeing two in Lennox? - Two, yes. Perfect.- Brilliant.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31- So this is the first one, which is the slightly larger one.- OK.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35Her client is Venezuelan property hunter Anne Plissonneau,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39who's got just one month to find the perfect pied-a-terre for her uncle.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41'While I was on holiday,'
0:06:41 > 0:06:44my uncle mentioned that he wanted a property, so I thought,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48"Do you want me to have a browse around and let you know?"
0:06:48 > 0:06:50So this is quite a bit bigger than
0:06:50 > 0:06:52- the other one we're going to go see.- OK.
0:06:52 > 0:06:57My uncle's budget is 1.2 for a one-bed
0:06:57 > 0:07:00and around 1.4 for a two-bed.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07The first flat Anne's seeing has two bedrooms, one bathroom,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10a designer kitchen, and even some outside space.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13It's on the market for 1.45 million.
0:07:14 > 0:07:19- So this outside space here, it's, erm, demised to you.- OK.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22- They have right of way cos it's a fire escape.- OK.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25You could quite easily and quite comfortably
0:07:25 > 0:07:28- put a nice little table and chairs here.- Yeah.- Fantastic, good.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Anne's aunt's in town. She's also popped along to have a look.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33- Where are you from?- Venezuela.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Amazing. My brother's just come back from there, he was in Caracas.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39- Oh, really? Caracas. Why would he go there?- He's a priest.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43- Oh, he's a priest. Oh, yeah. - He's trying to fix things.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46He tries to fix the world. It gets kind of boring.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Good luck with him for that.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Next on the list is another two-bed flat, also in Lennox Gardens.
0:07:54 > 0:07:59In need of a touch-up, this one's a steal at £870,000
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- So this is obviously completely different.- Yeah.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08- I mean, this flat at below a million is incredible.- Yeah.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10But, obviously, if your budget's higher,
0:08:10 > 0:08:14- it's maybe going to be more suitable to a slightly larger property.- Yeah.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17The price may be right but Anne and her aunt are underwhelmed.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Though this kitchen does have to be redone.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Completely redone, yeah.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26The bathroom needs a lot of work as well.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Really lovely to see you.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Thanks very much, thanks for your patience. OK.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36The Venezuelans haven't leapt in with an offer,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39but Eileen's already planning her next move.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42There's another property which is just off the Fulham Road.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44The location mightn't be as good,
0:08:44 > 0:08:47but the property itself is ideal for them so we'll take them to that
0:08:47 > 0:08:50and we'll see what else we have around.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Just 16 miles east of Chelsea is Dagenham.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08This is one of the cheapest places in London to buy,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12with an average property price of £185,000.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14I'm fairly good at photography,
0:09:14 > 0:09:16with making properties look better than they are,
0:09:16 > 0:09:20but I'd have to be David Bailey to get this place looking presentable.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Working this patch of the capital is estate agent Darren Griffiths.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31All right, let's look at what pleasures are upstairs.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34As an estate agent, I could class that as a wet room.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Yeah, I don't think estate agents have got
0:09:37 > 0:09:40the greatest of reputations in the world.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Probably second just to a taxman.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46I've been at parties before with people I've never met, and,
0:09:46 > 0:09:47"Oh, what do you do for a living?"
0:09:47 > 0:09:51And you, like, take a breath before you tell them, you think, "Oh..."
0:09:51 > 0:09:54You'd get a better response if you say you're a mass murderer.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59There we go.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01That looks like a palace, that's fine.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Nearly all of the properties Darren deals with are ex-council.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13In the 1920s and '30s, 27,000 houses were built here
0:10:13 > 0:10:15to form the biggest estate in the world.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20The original residents were First World War veterans
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and the poor from London's East End slums.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Today, low prices plus direct Tube links to Central London
0:10:27 > 0:10:29mean demand for these houses is on the up.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33There is a real mix of the people that will buy around here.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36First-time buyers, buy-to-let, people moving out of London,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39second-time buyers that have got a bit more to spend.
0:10:39 > 0:10:40It is a good mix, yeah.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Please stop shouting, please stop shouting.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50No, no, no, you've had your say, I'm going to say mine now...
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Darren set up his own agency in Dagenham five years ago
0:10:54 > 0:10:55with his mate Andy.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Bear with me one second, let me just put you on hold.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03We met, me and Andy met in '93 as delivery job drivers,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06and then we sort of got mates from there,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08then just ended up working lots of different places.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12Bailiff, doorman, bus driver.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17- Delivery driver.- Delivery driver. Erm, anything else, Andy?
0:11:17 > 0:11:21We were chippies in Croydon for a while. Don't ask me how we managed to do that.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Didn't have a clue what we were doing.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Yeah, if anybody bought a flat above Brannigan's in Croydon,
0:11:27 > 0:11:31- I apologise if your windows fall out. - Or the doors fall off.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Or the doors fall off and they don't shut properly,
0:11:34 > 0:11:36cos that is down to us. I do apologise for that.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39'Do you need qualifications to be an estate agent?'
0:11:39 > 0:11:43No, not really. It's probably why there are so many shady characters
0:11:43 > 0:11:47and why estate agents get such a bad name in this country,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50cos if you want to be an estate agent you just open a shop.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54But Darren and Andy aren't the only ones who have set up shop in town.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Lining the high street are seven other agencies
0:12:01 > 0:12:04ready to do battle over Dagenham's houses.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07With demand for homes currently outstripping supply,
0:12:07 > 0:12:11competition is fierce, and several of the big guns are currently
0:12:11 > 0:12:14winning the bulk of the business.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Here's an e-mail yesterday. Rightmove, clicked on,
0:12:16 > 0:12:1915 new properties for sale in Dagenham.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23It's like, why, none of them, did we get asked out for an evaluation?
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Why didn't they think of calling us as well?
0:12:25 > 0:12:28What goes through their thought process to why they didn't?
0:12:28 > 0:12:30If we could work that one out...
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- We'd be millionaires.- "This time next year we'll be millionaires."
0:12:33 > 0:12:39I'll be driving round Dagenham in me Bentley doing the company viewings.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46But if the customer won't come to them, they'll go to the customer.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49I'm just from an estate agent, can I give you my business card?
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Darren's only employee, Caroline,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56regularly goes on the hunt for properties to sell.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58Sold. Sold.
0:12:58 > 0:12:59SHE KNOCKS ON DOOR
0:12:59 > 0:13:01And she's not put off if they're
0:13:01 > 0:13:04already on the market with someone else.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07I've noticed your "for sale" board outside the property.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09How long have you been on the market for?
0:13:09 > 0:13:11- Six months.- Six months, really?
0:13:13 > 0:13:16It is devious, it is sneaky, you know,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18I'm going behind other agents' backs,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21but it is dog eat dog, we all do it to each other.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23We all want to be the best.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27We all want as many instructions as possible
0:13:27 > 0:13:32so that we can all earn as much money as possible.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36But Caroline's also driven by a stronger incentive.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38I'm a single parent.
0:13:38 > 0:13:43I have a four-year-old daughter and I work five days a week,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46sometimes six days a week if one of the guys is on holiday,
0:13:46 > 0:13:48trying to earn as much as I possibly can.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54If the market crashes, my baby's getting no Christmas presents.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56SHE LAUGHS
0:13:58 > 0:14:01House sales in London and the South East
0:14:01 > 0:14:06account for a staggering 75% of turnover in the UK property market.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08The spectrum is vast,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12from modest one-bed flats to five-storey mega-buck mansions.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18And that's the world of Gary Hersham,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22estate agent of choice to the super-rich.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- David, you cannot take back... - Gary, when we get schedules...
0:14:25 > 0:14:29David, you cannot take that figure back from that letter
0:14:29 > 0:14:31once you put it in there.
0:14:31 > 0:14:32Nicola, one second please.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37You cannot take that... David. David.
0:14:37 > 0:14:43David, circa 40,000 square feet, OK? Circa 40,000 square feet.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45I think I'm a rather positive person.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48No, don't say Gary has asked me to write to him, why Gary?
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Just say you're writing to him.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55I'm very fussy when it comes to certain types of order.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59I would say circa between 40 and 42,000 square feet.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01I'm particularly pedantic.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05No, we will not, not we cannot, we WILL not.
0:15:05 > 0:15:06'But at the end of the day'
0:15:06 > 0:15:09I have great focus,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12and I don't give up on any task, whatever that might be.
0:15:12 > 0:15:13Can I have a light, please?
0:15:13 > 0:15:16- No.- Give me your lighter, I'll give you your lighter back later.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19- No, not until you've heard this. - Oh, quickly then, David.- Shut up!
0:15:19 > 0:15:22'You two are like a married couple.'
0:15:22 > 0:15:24We're both quite strong characters.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28I don't give way if I think something,
0:15:28 > 0:15:30and he certainly doesn't give way.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Gary's been the director of Beecham Estates in the heart of Mayfair
0:15:37 > 0:15:39for over 30 years.
0:15:39 > 0:15:46The properties he deals with range in price from £2-£120 million.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50I'm very used to selling expensive properties,
0:15:50 > 0:15:54dealing with very wealthy people and understanding their lifestyle.
0:15:54 > 0:15:59And I think I fit in very well to that milieu, to that society.
0:15:59 > 0:16:04Working alongside Gary in this "milieu" is his Russian wife, Olga.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06She runs the firm's private office,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10which caters for their clients' every whim.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12If our client wants to not only to buy a house,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15but to have...
0:16:15 > 0:16:19the best decoration of the house, to buy the best art,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22to participate in any events in London,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25to have advice on education,
0:16:25 > 0:16:31to everything that clients may want, may desire,
0:16:31 > 0:16:33and doesn't know where to go,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35they will come to us and ask,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38"Where do I go, what should I do?" And we tell him.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Olga met Gary at a dinner party in Belgrade.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45After seven years of marriage she's got used to his eccentric ways.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50At 10.20 we're going to see a house in Mayfair.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53It will probably come onto the market at £100 million.
0:16:53 > 0:16:59Tremendous energy. Very difficult to keep up.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03I then have a meeting at the offices of Chelsea Football Club.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05He sleeps four hours a night.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09I've got another meeting at three. I've double-booked.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13Then I have to show a house to an extremely wealthy man at 4.30.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18Some people does require only four hours sleep.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20'Like Margaret Thatcher.'
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Like Margaret Thatcher or Napoleon.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Or Stalin! It's also...! Maybe you take it out!
0:17:27 > 0:17:28SHE LAUGHS
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Followed by another meeting at a £105 million house.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Et cetera, et cetera.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36- 'Busy day?'- No, not really.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49In Dagenham, Caroline's attempts to drum up business
0:17:49 > 0:17:52have so far drawn a blank.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55But there's good news for Darren.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58A potential sale has just walked through the door.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04Local landlord Mr Overall wants Darren to value one of his houses.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08I had tenants in there, see? And I'm just fed up with them now.
0:18:08 > 0:18:14But he's also been speaking to one of Darren's arch-rivals.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18- I've got...this other mob came up to me this morning. Hart, is it?- Hart.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22- OK. That's fine.- He wouldn't give me a price there and then.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25I said I need to know. He said, "Let me look." I said, "All right.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29- "Come round at 11 and have a look." - Right. 12 o'clock, pop round.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32- Are they still there or are they gone?- Everybody's gone. It's only me.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34- There's my card. All right.- Lovely.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38See you round there at 12 and give you a more accurate figure on price.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40All right. No worries. See you at 12.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44That other agent is going to be going in there with a view
0:18:44 > 0:18:47that I need to get this property on and I'm exactly the same.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50We need the properties.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Properties are scarce at the moment, so, yeah, it's a competition.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55You're up against a competitor.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58The best way to do it's, don't think about the competitors,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01just think about doing your job.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05See you later. Bye-bye.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Darren is on his way to value Mr Overall's property,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14which is a three-bed, end-of-terrace house on Parsloes Avenue.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17It's a vital bit of business Darren needs to win.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20But with rival agents sniffing around too,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22Darren's got to act fast.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24So we're just coming up to the house now, over the road here.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28The other guy's finished. There was an estate agent here before me, so...
0:19:29 > 0:19:32The good thing is around here, property like this is selling.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35There's not much on the market
0:19:35 > 0:19:38and the similar property is selling quickly.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40When this came on it was a guide price of 210 and above.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42I thought that was a lot of money cos it was non-extended.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45I would've thought they'd struggle to get above 200 on it.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Two questions I've got is your fee...
0:19:47 > 0:19:501% for sole agency.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53..and how long are we tied in with you?
0:19:53 > 0:19:57We normally do ten-week contracts but I would happily say, look, six weeks.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00If we haven't sold it and got it virtually to the point of exchange
0:20:00 > 0:20:02in six weeks, I would happily say you can go with another agent,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05because I'm that confident the property would sell.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08- All right?- All right. Excellent.- Lovely to see you.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12Darren suggested an asking price of offers over 195.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14It's not Mayfair megabucks,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17but he still stands to make nearly £2,000 commission.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19You could tell they don't want any mucking around
0:20:19 > 0:20:23and jargon and loads of rubbish. Tell me the price, what's it worth,
0:20:23 > 0:20:25can you sell it, what deal can you do me?
0:20:25 > 0:20:27So fingers crossed, fingers crossed.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Scotland traditionally lags a year behind the rest of the UK
0:20:41 > 0:20:44in terms of property prices,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46the most remote regions being the cheapest.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50But there is one city that behaves exceptionally.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54Aberdeen, the land of black gold.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58The oil capital of the UK.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01The international industry has brought high employment
0:21:01 > 0:21:03and foreign investment to the area.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06These are all fairly new buildings.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09These are probably within the last five years.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12So there's a big population influx,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15because all these oil companies are recruiting workers.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19So, that can only be good news for me as an estate agent,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22because all these people who are coming to the city
0:21:22 > 0:21:24need somewhere to live.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Cashing in is estate agent Julia Willett,
0:21:31 > 0:21:33who was born and brought up in the area.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39I feel quite fortunate in the end of the market that I work in.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41You know, it's obviously an aspirational,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44desirable end of the market.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48And lots of people, particularly who, you know,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51who think about what I do, they say, "Oh, my God!
0:21:51 > 0:21:54"You've got such a nice job and you must meet really interesting
0:21:54 > 0:21:57"people and see really interesting houses." Which is true.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00- Hi, Joyce. I'm Julia, how do you do? - Nice to meet you. Hi.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02- Nice to meet you too.- Come on in.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04I like all these welly boots lined up.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07- Every picture tells a story.- Yes.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Julia mainly sells traditional granite properties
0:22:11 > 0:22:13just outside the city.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17The average five-bed costs between 500,000 to 600,000 -
0:22:17 > 0:22:19cheap by central London standards,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22but a lot higher than much of Scotland.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27But it is a sort of window into someone else's world
0:22:27 > 0:22:32and often that world is pretty charming and pretty lovely.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Pretty aspirational, I suppose, as well.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38It sounds delightful, you describe it...
0:22:38 > 0:22:41It is! It is delightful!
0:22:42 > 0:22:45It's a nice job. I feel pretty lucky.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55And in your list of contents, do they include any paintings or not?
0:22:57 > 0:23:01For the last ten years, Julia has worked at Strutt & Parker,
0:23:01 > 0:23:05a national agency 18 miles outside Aberdeen.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07We've had a good run recently.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11In the last sort of six days we've sold five properties.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Lots of happy clients, which is great.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16We've sold this one. It sold within ten days.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21This one here, it sold to a family who were relocating from Norway.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23They'll be involved in the oil industry
0:23:23 > 0:23:25and they're coming back to Aberdeen for work.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30Today, Julia is on her way to check the spec of an unusual property
0:23:30 > 0:23:33which should be popular with her oil-rich clients.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38This house that we're going to is one of the nicest houses I've ever,
0:23:38 > 0:23:42ever been in, in my ten years of doing this job.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44So I'm really excited to be selling it.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Stracathro House is a Palladian-style mansion
0:23:52 > 0:23:56with nine bedrooms, four reception rooms and 17 acres of land.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03All this costs just over £1.4 million.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Expensive for Scotland but a snip by London standards.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12The mansion's owner is artist Frank Convery.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16Frank bought it ten years ago as a home for his family
0:24:16 > 0:24:18and his 150 canvases.
0:24:19 > 0:24:24When you've been painting for 30 years you accumulate a lot of work.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28So these proportions are terrific - the height and the air in them.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32And it's no surprise that many of the galleries have got these
0:24:32 > 0:24:36kind of neo-classical proportions, because they've been hard to beat.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41You do get complacent, what a privilege it is to have,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43you know, these spaces.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Most of us dream of having more space,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49but Frank has decided the mansion is too big for him.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53He only uses a few rooms for day-to-day living.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58I think it's a downsize, as you can imagine, from this.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03And I'm happy with that reduction in responsibility.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07I'm kind of looking forward to less, as it were.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13It's just so ornate...
0:25:13 > 0:25:16and grand and elegant.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20There's just... Everywhere you look there's something beautiful
0:25:20 > 0:25:22and interesting to look at.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29The price for the home is going to be around offers over 1.4 million.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32It's amazing just the difference, the contrast.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35You can get all this space and these magnificent rooms
0:25:35 > 0:25:38and the history and all the space around about it
0:25:38 > 0:25:40and the peace and quiet
0:25:40 > 0:25:43for a fraction of the price of a flat in the centre of London.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Indeed, the flat in Chelsea's Lennox Gardens is on at the same price
0:25:55 > 0:25:58of 1.4 million, and it still hasn't sold.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01The Venezuelan property finder hasn't placed an offer
0:26:01 > 0:26:04on either of the flats she saw.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06So just say no, we've spoken to the owner, that's fine.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08We're coming to pick up the keys please.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10- So don't take any- BLEEP.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Ed's in a bad mood.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16Newspapers are reporting a property boom and he's not happy.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19The press would have you believe that everything's fantastic
0:26:19 > 0:26:21and all-singing, all-dancing and, unfortunately,
0:26:21 > 0:26:24they're talking absolute crap, as usual.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26Rightmove have just published some statistics which show
0:26:26 > 0:26:29that asking prices - asking prices -
0:26:29 > 0:26:31which have nothing to do with real prices or sold prices,
0:26:31 > 0:26:36have gone up by 10% apparently in this area in the last month.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39So I had an e-mail this morning from Australia from a client saying,
0:26:39 > 0:26:41"Oh, we read that prices have gone up 10% in a month.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43"Shall we put the price of my house up?"
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Their house has been on the market for four months,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49had no offers, and they think it should be going up 10%.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58In order to boost business, Ed needs to rally his troops.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Right, well, listen. We haven't met for about three weeks so, actually,
0:27:02 > 0:27:06this is quite an important meeting.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08I'm certainly getting to the stage where some clients
0:27:08 > 0:27:11are beginning to ring up and say, "What's going on?"
0:27:11 > 0:27:14You know, and that's where the newspaper stuff comes in,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16cos they're all reading that the market's booming.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18We know it's not booming and, of course,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20their expectations are too high.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Agents from several other branches have been called in
0:27:23 > 0:27:26to go through all of their properties in detail.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30OK, Glebe Mansions is down to 1.4 now,
0:27:30 > 0:27:32so it's creeping down to the level it should be.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Bristol House, nothing to say. Rosary Gardens?
0:27:34 > 0:27:37It's actually a really good-level flat for 1.3,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40so if you've got people at that level it's definitely worth showing.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42OK, Emperor's Gate?
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Really doesn't want to come far down off his asking price.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49Elizabeth Court, we're up to where in the bid?
0:27:49 > 0:27:53- 765.- 765 on a 775 asking price.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56- And I think they're balking, aren't they?- Yeah.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58And everyone seems to be bidding about 10% less, don't they?
0:27:58 > 0:28:02And that's exactly...exactly what we were talking about at the start.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06Houses not selling and battling for buyers in the macho Chelsea world -
0:28:06 > 0:28:10no problem for competitive Eileen.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12At first it was really hard,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14because it is a bit of a man's world in Chelsea.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16The other day I had a guy walk in and said,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19"I want to speak to Patrick and Nick about a property.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21I said, "They're not here but I can help you."
0:28:21 > 0:28:24And he was like, "No, get one of them to call me." I was like...
0:28:24 > 0:28:26And they just won't deal with you just cos you're a woman.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28I don't know why that is.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31It's just this real old-school kind of boys' club,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33and that was incredibly frustrating.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35But I just worked through it
0:28:35 > 0:28:38and eventually I built up my own contacts, just persevering.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42And now it's fine. But the first two years was really hard.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Of course they'd say they don't like the price.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Of course they'd say they don't like the price.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53Everybody says they don't like the price.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56Gary Hersham may work in the same part of town as Eileen,
0:28:56 > 0:28:59but he moves in very different circles.
0:28:59 > 0:29:01People don't make prices on properties
0:29:01 > 0:29:04without understanding the property market.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07It's a very reasonable price, trust me.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12Being a millionaire in SW3 doesn't mean you're immune
0:29:12 > 0:29:14to market pressures, but add a few zeros
0:29:14 > 0:29:18and over-hyped property headlines rarely cause trouble.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22Today, Gary's doing a price review of this extraordinary
0:29:22 > 0:29:26Georgian town house for London socialite Amanda Eliasch.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30I'm an art collector and I've also made a film.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34And I'm a photographer.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37And I like mirror or white or dark floors,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40because otherwise art doesn't look good.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42My style is sort of quirky.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46I mean, definitely I like things that are really unusual,
0:29:46 > 0:29:48and if I can see an unusual chair I'll buy it.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50If I see an unusual painting I'll buy it.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52If I see a white elephant I'll buy it.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54I like very different things from everybody else,
0:29:54 > 0:29:57almost in a contrary way.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02I have terrific neighbours. Between pop stars and films stars.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04(Adele.)
0:30:04 > 0:30:08If you are rich and you want to have a good life there are only about
0:30:08 > 0:30:12six streets that you could possibly even think of living in,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15which are Cheyne Walk, Cadogan Square, Chester Square,
0:30:15 > 0:30:20Pelham Crescent, Edgerton Street just off Egerton Terrace
0:30:20 > 0:30:22and Egerton Crescent.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25You should stick to the good streets.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32Hello.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38Where are you? Christ, you get sexier by the year!
0:30:38 > 0:30:41SHE LAUGHS Oh, I'm not sure about that.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44I am. Oh, you have a tattoo, Amanda.
0:30:44 > 0:30:49Yes, I did. I decided to have a tattoo at the age of 50.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Well, I'm 60, my dear.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Well, I know, I can't believe you're 60 but, anyway, time goes fast.
0:30:54 > 0:30:58We've got three Eliaschs in here. This is not you, is it, Amanda?
0:30:58 > 0:31:01- Yes, but in 1986. - Quite cool in those days.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06You're obviously being looked after well, aren't you?
0:31:06 > 0:31:09- I've got a lovely Russian wife. - Oh, that's fabulous.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Isn't that what men want nowadays? I hope she behaves.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15I think what men want nowadays - and I can talk for myself...
0:31:15 > 0:31:18- Easy.- ..is a woman who is both your lover and your friend.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22Yes. My friend said to me I can't have a better bedroom.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25I see that Mark Brazier-Jones still features in your life.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29- Yes, I love Mark.- You'll have seen exactly the same in my flat.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32You'll have seen this in my flat over here. Those are candleholders.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35- We're all in love with him. - Those are candleholders.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40- Well, we've put the house on the market at £8,200,000.- Yes.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43It's a very reasonably priced house.
0:31:43 > 0:31:48At £8.2 million, Gary will pocket over 200 grand for this sale alone.
0:31:48 > 0:31:53And I think this house is so eclectic and so charming
0:31:53 > 0:31:56and so different from everything else that we sell
0:31:56 > 0:32:01that I'm sure we're going to find one of those youngish, funky people
0:32:01 > 0:32:04who's going to just fall in love with everything that you've done.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Look at that chair, I mean it's not a chair, it's a throne.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Is that a problem to sell a house? You know, if it's so different?
0:32:10 > 0:32:12- Look, it's very simple.- Yes.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14People won't like it and people will like it.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17And you only can sell it once, and you don't care about the people
0:32:17 > 0:32:20who don't like it because they won't give you what you want for it.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23You only care for people who do like it. It's that simple.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25And I think one's got to go out there
0:32:25 > 0:32:29- and find the type of person who has a similar lifestyle to yours.- Yes.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32What you're going to do is sell something that you've created
0:32:32 > 0:32:35for somebody else to live in and it's going to become their creation.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37- Yes.- And I think it's going to be...
0:32:37 > 0:32:39I don't think it's going to be terribly difficult,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42- I promise you, Amanda. - Oh, great. Thank you.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49While Gary seems relaxed about sales,
0:32:49 > 0:32:52in Dagenham, Darren's desperate for the instruction
0:32:52 > 0:32:56on Parsloes Avenue, which he's valued at offers over £195,000.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00Luckily, Darren and his team don't solely rely
0:33:00 > 0:33:02on making money from sales.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06With more people renting since the recession,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09Darren's core business is lettings.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13- Sorry?- Rent.- Rent? - Rent. Has it been paid?
0:33:13 > 0:33:16Although lettings bring in a steady income,
0:33:16 > 0:33:19it's small change for an awful lot of hassle.
0:33:19 > 0:33:25Lettings probably is 65/70% of every day what we deal with.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27- All right then.- See you.- OK. Bye.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32It's constant, "My light bulb's gone or my boiler's broken down
0:33:32 > 0:33:34"or I've got leak from my bathroom."
0:33:34 > 0:33:36I mean, that takes so much of your time up
0:33:36 > 0:33:38and you don't earn anything from it.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41And ideally you'd want to just concentrate on selling,
0:33:41 > 0:33:43cos that's where the money is.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Today, Caroline has to inspect one of their rental
0:33:48 > 0:33:51properties for the landlord.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Repairs need to be carried out,
0:33:54 > 0:33:58but they can't happen until the tenant has tidied up.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00KNOCK ON DOOR
0:34:07 > 0:34:09Hiya, I've come to have a look.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18The tenant has been living on her own in the flat for five years.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24Although Caroline's visited several times,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27the flat's far from ready for the workmen to come in.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29This is appalling.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31What am I supposed to say to the landlord?
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Yeah, and I've taken photos.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42OK. All right. Bye.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51Caroline's concerned the tenant's now in danger of being evicted.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55I just thought she'd try. She promised she would.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59I kept saying to her that I couldn't defend her any longer
0:34:59 > 0:35:04and that the landlord was going to start, you know, taking action.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08Said, "OK, OK. I promise I'll sort it."
0:35:08 > 0:35:11She knew we were coming. It's not like we sprung it on her.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14She was given plenty of written notice.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18SHE SIGHS
0:35:18 > 0:35:20I tried to help her.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22I didn't tell the landlord straightaway,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25even though I should have done when I inspected it and it was a mess,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27I gave her a chance.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30I said, "You've got however many weeks to sort this
0:35:30 > 0:35:32"and I'll be back to inspect it."
0:35:34 > 0:35:36I gave her a chance, I went to inspect it
0:35:36 > 0:35:38and she'd done bugger all.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47- What's going to be next for her then? - It's all down to the landlord.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50I don't decide. I'll do whatever the landlord tells me to do.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57But I did try and help her.
0:35:58 > 0:36:03- Why?- Why? I felt sorry for her. She lives there on her own.
0:36:15 > 0:36:20In Chelsea, it's all about sales for Eileen.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24All the agents have been instructed by Ed to ramp up the viewings.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Follow me, come in. Let's go in to the reception first.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33Take your time, have a good look around.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36The pressure's on and Eileen loves it.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40You have a caretaker which lives in one of the blocks just down below.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43I quite enjoyed today, I like being under pressure.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47Furniture not included although you can potentially buy if you wanted.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50In the summer when we're quiet I absolutely hate it, cos it's boring.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53It's only 800 square feet, but this still feels comfortable.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55I much prefer it when you're out doing viewings,
0:36:55 > 0:36:57you're getting offers and trying to get exchanges through.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00I like working in that kind of a stressful environment.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04You couldn't work here if you didn't. You'd hate it.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08More viewings also mean more of a work-out. Forget the gym.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11With agents we're all constantly kind of running around.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13You know, we're not sat at a desk.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16And inevitably, like today, a lot of my clients were late
0:37:16 > 0:37:19so then I was just pegging it up and down the streets in high heels.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22I hate the gym. I hate anything energetic or exercise,
0:37:22 > 0:37:24I absolutely can't stand it.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27I don't even own a pair of runners. I refuse to.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30I did get a ticket! Urgh!
0:37:30 > 0:37:32Despite racking up the parking tickets,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35all the viewings are starting to pay off.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39The cheaper two-bed flat in Lennox Gardens has had some interest,
0:37:39 > 0:37:42although it's not from the Venezuelan buyers.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46Two buyers have expressed an interest
0:37:46 > 0:37:50and both come in at the asking price, so both have offered 875.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52In that situation when that happens, what we do is we go to
0:37:52 > 0:37:54what's called the best and final bid,
0:37:54 > 0:37:56cos you've got two people who are interested,
0:37:56 > 0:37:58and the last thing you want is them going up and up and up
0:37:58 > 0:38:00and everyone getting a little bit annoyed.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03So we do what's called the best and final offer,
0:38:03 > 0:38:07where they submit bids to us, their best bid, by 5:00pm today,
0:38:07 > 0:38:09and that's what's happening today at 5:00pm.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15One of the buyers is a client of Eileen's,
0:38:15 > 0:38:19the other has come in through her colleague and rival, Patrick.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22'As a sales person, that's probably what I most enjoy,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25'is going to a sealed bid against my colleagues.'
0:38:25 > 0:38:27We have pooled office commission,
0:38:27 > 0:38:30but we all have individual targets, so...
0:38:30 > 0:38:33The more properties the agents sell, the more likely they are
0:38:33 > 0:38:36to hit their targets and get their bonuses.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38I wouldn't be a sales person
0:38:38 > 0:38:42if I didn't like going up against my colleagues in sealed bids.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45More often than not, I do well at them
0:38:45 > 0:38:47but, you know, you win some, you lose some.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51He does do very well and it annoys the hell out of me.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55Agents like sealed bids because it can bump the price up,
0:38:55 > 0:38:57but it also heightens office rivalry.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59We can't know each other's bids,
0:38:59 > 0:39:03so we're constantly trying to get the better bid from our buyers.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05So we can't be seen...
0:39:05 > 0:39:07I can't hear Patrick talking about his bid
0:39:07 > 0:39:10and he can't hear me talking about mine.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13- Why can't you know? - Because if we did...
0:39:13 > 0:39:16If I knew Patrick's bid then I would just go back to my buyer and go,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19"Just bid 1,000 over that," which is completely unfair and pointless.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22- Do you enjoy these? - Sometimes they're really stressful.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25We went through a flurry of them about a year ago,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27there was just sealed bids every five minutes.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29I kept losing, which is why I was like, "Urgh!"
0:39:29 > 0:39:32- So are you going to win? - I hope so. I don't know.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34My buyer's in a much better position...
0:39:37 > 0:39:40..but he may not bid high enough. Got to wait until 5:00pm.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50How does it go? Does it tilt? Oh, yeah.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56For sale, on the market. Roll up, roll up.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01In Aberdeen, the nine-bed mansion, Stracathro House,
0:40:01 > 0:40:05is now officially on sale, and the global marketing drive has begun.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08Stracathro we put live on the internet last night,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11and I believe that there's been some enquiries come in overnight,
0:40:11 > 0:40:13which is great.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Somebody from Cape Town has already shown an interest in this property.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19One of the largest oil industry players,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Aberdeen is attracting buyers from all across the globe.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26We're speaking to people from Africa, the Far East,
0:40:26 > 0:40:31the Middle East, America, Australia, literally all corners of the world.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33People are contacting us about properties
0:40:33 > 0:40:35in the north-east of Scotland.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37And more often than not, nine times out of ten,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39that's about the oil industry.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41We're really pleased with the photographs
0:40:41 > 0:40:44that we've got on this one.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48I think it gives a good sort of idea of what the place is all about
0:40:48 > 0:40:51and how lovely it is.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54"Opulence and grandeur." That's my caption, yeah.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56I made that up.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00And I think it just does what it says on the tin.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Meanwhile in Dagenham, Darren's also honing
0:41:11 > 0:41:13his creative writing skills.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15Just the basic details.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19You can extend it, it's close to the station, it's newly decorated.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21Yeah. Keep it short and sweet really.
0:41:21 > 0:41:26He's beaten his rivals and won the instruction on Parsloes Avenue.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29Now he needs it to go live on the internet ASAP.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33Interesting, when we press the "go" button on the internet
0:41:33 > 0:41:36so it's on, you should see how quickly calls start coming in
0:41:36 > 0:41:39about it, because it is pretty much instant it will appear.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43See, I think the record I've got is about 40 seconds.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46With the property websites like Zoopla, Prime Location
0:41:46 > 0:41:48and Rightmove flourishing,
0:41:48 > 0:41:52estate agents can now reach thousands of punters in a click.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56But will Darren beat his record of a response within 40 seconds?
0:41:56 > 0:41:59OK, the time - synchronise watches - it is...
0:42:01 > 0:42:03..2:09pm.
0:42:05 > 0:42:11And it is now, bomp, live on a well-known property portal.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14Excellent.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18I'll just sit here tapping my fingers and wait for the phone to go.
0:42:19 > 0:42:2130 seconds left. Come on, ring!
0:42:27 > 0:42:29PHONE RINGS
0:42:29 > 0:42:32Oh, go on, be for that properly. Go on.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Good afternoon, Stoneshaw Estates.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48What is it you're looking for?
0:42:48 > 0:42:51Two-bedrooms I've got nothing at all. I think three-beds I'm out.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54I've got a three-bed flat on Millard Terrace for rental,
0:42:54 > 0:42:57that's the only thing I have.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Almost, almost.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04It's a rental property so, no. No world record, unfortunately.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07But it's not world record conditions. It's a head wind.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12Slippery track and we didn't...
0:43:12 > 0:43:16Oh, I might as well just take the corned beef out of this bread.
0:43:16 > 0:43:21Oh, it's so dry and mingy. Ergh.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30Back in Chelsea, Eileen is up against her nemesis,
0:43:30 > 0:43:32Patrick, in a sealed bid showdown.
0:43:33 > 0:43:37They've asked their buyers to e-mail their best and final offers
0:43:37 > 0:43:39on the two-bed flat in Lennox Gardens.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41Deadline - 5:00pm.
0:43:42 > 0:43:44It's 4:50pm.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47I actually haven't got a bid yet, which is a bit worrying,
0:43:47 > 0:43:49so I've actually e-mailed the buyer saying...
0:43:49 > 0:43:53because he e-mailed me saying, "You'll get a bid before 5:00pm."
0:43:53 > 0:43:55It's now 4:50pm, there's no bid.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00I can't believe it. It's just come through, literally just now.
0:44:01 > 0:44:06OK, good. It's a good bid. I'm happy with that.
0:44:06 > 0:44:08It's all very stressful.
0:44:08 > 0:44:10I'll just wait patiently for my bid at the moment.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13In the meantime I will work on something else.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15We all want to get, personally, a lot of money.
0:44:15 > 0:44:17No, but...this is true.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20You're going to make money if you do the deal yourself, really.
0:44:20 > 0:44:22Yeah. So it all goes in to your pot.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24And also, you just want to beat them, you know what I mean?
0:44:24 > 0:44:28You do though. We all want to win, that's why we're in sales.
0:44:28 > 0:44:32- I've got my bid. - Oh! Right, OK.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34- Whoo! My God! - Well, I've got my bid.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37You've got one and Patrick's got one?
0:44:37 > 0:44:39- Yeah.- Yeah.- Oh, OK.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41- Oh, wow.- Yeah.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43What's he doing? Oh, is he trying to nick my bid?
0:44:43 > 0:44:47No, you can't read it, because it's quite light. You cheeky sod!
0:44:47 > 0:44:49Both bids are in.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52It's now up to Ed to make the final decision about the winner.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55There was at just below 900 and one at over 920,
0:44:55 > 0:44:57both of which are well over the asking price.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00So what we've done is we've now recommended the higher figure,
0:45:00 > 0:45:02because they've given us proof of funds,
0:45:02 > 0:45:04they've given us a letter from their mortgage broker saying
0:45:04 > 0:45:07they're good for the mortgage, so they're ready to go.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10- From a bids point of view, mine won? - Yes. Yeah.- Knew it!
0:45:10 > 0:45:15Eileen has defeated rival Patrick and won the sealed bid.
0:45:15 > 0:45:20The flat has sold for £50,000 over the asking price.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23Sealed bids often have this inflationary effect on the market.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Obviously, from the smile on my face you can see I have the higher bid.
0:45:26 > 0:45:30The numbers - well, Patrick's was 896...
0:45:32 > 0:45:35..and my one was 920,999.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47In Dagenham, the three-bed house in Parsloes Avenue has only been
0:45:47 > 0:45:51live for a few days, but it's already had heaps of interest.
0:45:51 > 0:45:55Having all new carpets. Keep that in mind.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59- It's being decorated. - It's a nice size.
0:45:59 > 0:46:04Bulgarian builder, Nevlin Nachev and his family are first to view.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07We want to move closer to London, actually in London,
0:46:07 > 0:46:09within the outskirts of London.
0:46:09 > 0:46:12And then because I work in London,
0:46:12 > 0:46:15the travelling is going to be much easier for me.
0:46:19 > 0:46:23It's not perfect, but nothing's perfect in this world, isn't it?
0:46:23 > 0:46:25In the last six months,
0:46:25 > 0:46:30houses like this in Dagenham have shot up by around 30 grand.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33The following morning Nevlin is straight in with an offer.
0:46:34 > 0:46:38He called at about 9:02am, so he's made an offer.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41It's over the asking price, but it was offers in excess anyway.
0:46:41 > 0:46:46Nevlin has offered 197 - £2,000 over the asking price.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49Six months ago the amount he's offered on that house,
0:46:49 > 0:46:53I would have probably have had to have seen if he was compos mentis
0:46:53 > 0:46:56and got a doctor to swear he wasn't going a bit senile,
0:46:56 > 0:46:58cos it's a lot of money.
0:46:58 > 0:47:03But the prices have gone so high recently that it's an OK offer.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05It's not... The vendor's not going to look at it and think,
0:47:05 > 0:47:08"Wow, I've got to bite their hand off before they run away
0:47:08 > 0:47:10"because it's a ridiculous offer."
0:47:10 > 0:47:12It's probably what the house is worth.
0:47:12 > 0:47:16OK. I'll book you in and I'll text you shortly with the full address.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20Despite receiving an offer, Caroline's also arranged
0:47:20 > 0:47:23a block viewing - common practice in the estate agent game.
0:47:23 > 0:47:27Until the cash comes in, it's a chance to pack in the punters.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30Because of the way the market is and how difficult it is
0:47:30 > 0:47:33for people to get mortgages we need a back-up.
0:47:33 > 0:47:38So I've now got a block viewing of about 12 people.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41I'm trying to look organised!
0:47:42 > 0:47:46- You can hear the slight panic in my voice.- Why?
0:47:46 > 0:47:49Well, it's just so many people to deal with in one go.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54So what is it exactly you're looking for, then?
0:47:54 > 0:47:56It could be better...
0:47:56 > 0:47:59It could be slightly bigger but this one is fine.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01This is a good size for Dagenham.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04There are quite a few smaller gardens or even angled gardens,
0:48:04 > 0:48:07- so...- Can I go downstairs? - Yeah, help yourself.
0:48:07 > 0:48:11Of course. I've got somebody waiting downstairs, so...
0:48:12 > 0:48:15I've got a big list today, I'm afraid.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19With nine years in the business, Caroline's wise to all the tactics
0:48:19 > 0:48:22that buyers use to try and cut the best deal.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25- A leak?- I don't know.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28She was quite open in telling me what she likes
0:48:28 > 0:48:30and what she doesn't like.
0:48:30 > 0:48:32He had the poker face.
0:48:34 > 0:48:38She's enthusiastic. (He wants to keep the price down.)
0:48:38 > 0:48:41Quite a decent size garden here, plenty of room for extensions.
0:48:41 > 0:48:44- You see next door's extended. - I'm going to buy cash, remember.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47Some people will think that because they're cash
0:48:47 > 0:48:49it gives them an advantage.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51In some cases it will and in some cases it won't.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54It will all depend on the seller and their position.
0:48:54 > 0:48:57Remember, I'm buying cash. My money's ready.
0:48:57 > 0:49:00- Yeah, I remember. - My money's ready.- Yeah.
0:49:00 > 0:49:03But despite knowing the ropes inside out,
0:49:03 > 0:49:06Caroline doesn't yet own a property herself.
0:49:06 > 0:49:09With 100% mortgages nearly a thing of the past,
0:49:09 > 0:49:11she has no choice but to rent.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14I can't afford to get the deposit together to buy.
0:49:15 > 0:49:17It kind of sucks, doesn't it?
0:49:17 > 0:49:20I will get my son to see it on Monday.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23Especially when I've got all these first-time buyers going,
0:49:23 > 0:49:27"Oh, yeah, I've got 30,000, 40,000, 50,000."
0:49:27 > 0:49:30Cash buyers coming in, "Oh, yeah, I've got 200 grand to spend."
0:49:30 > 0:49:32I think, "I hate you!"
0:49:32 > 0:49:35- I like this anyway.- All right. - And I'm paying cash so...
0:49:35 > 0:49:37SHE LAUGHS
0:49:37 > 0:49:40She's paying cash, just in case you didn't get that.
0:49:40 > 0:49:42Lend us 10,000!
0:49:54 > 0:49:57The block viewing's gone well,
0:49:57 > 0:49:59but there's some sad news for the Dagenham agency.
0:50:05 > 0:50:09The tenant who lived in the cluttered flat has suddenly died.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14As you go straight in you can see rubbish in the bathroom,
0:50:14 > 0:50:16like bags of clothing.
0:50:16 > 0:50:21- I'm waiting for the smell.- No, I don't think there will be, Dar.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23- I think... - I think you'll find there will be.
0:50:24 > 0:50:26Oh, my God!
0:50:34 > 0:50:38Been dead for a few days but, yeah,
0:50:38 > 0:50:41that's all I know about this person.
0:50:49 > 0:50:53Despite the tragic situation, cleaners have been called in
0:50:53 > 0:50:56by the landlord to get it back on the market as soon as possible.
0:50:57 > 0:51:02I'd rather not be here, but it's a job. Someone's got to do it, so...
0:51:02 > 0:51:06A bad way to live, and I don't think she had a phone either,
0:51:06 > 0:51:10so she wasn't even able to call anyone in a moment of crisis.
0:51:13 > 0:51:15I was going to ring her this week,
0:51:15 > 0:51:19because I was expecting a call from her this week to arrange to go back.
0:51:21 > 0:51:24I didn't think I'd be going back because she'd died.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30That's not nice, is it?
0:51:35 > 0:51:37I mean, how do you deal with it?
0:51:37 > 0:51:40How best do you approach somebody and say,
0:51:40 > 0:51:43"I'm really sorry that your relative, ex-wife, mum died,
0:51:43 > 0:51:45"but you need to sort out the flat."
0:51:49 > 0:51:52That's the thing when you rent, because you don't own it...
0:51:57 > 0:52:01..you don't...you've got to sort it out straightaway,
0:52:01 > 0:52:04which isn't very nice for the family.
0:52:17 > 0:52:22In Aberdeen, Julia manages to sell Stracathro House for 1.48 million,
0:52:22 > 0:52:2730,000 over the asking price, otherwise known as a premium pay.
0:52:29 > 0:52:32So the property's sold practically before it hit the market.
0:52:32 > 0:52:34We've marked the property under offer.
0:52:34 > 0:52:38For Julia, the dark days of the financial crash appear to be over.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41We've never sold so many million-pound houses
0:52:41 > 0:52:43in a short space of time.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45We've returned to good times now.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52The mansion has been bought by Yvonne Corbett
0:52:52 > 0:52:54and her husband, who works in the oil industry.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57They've been living abroad for years,
0:52:57 > 0:52:59but Yvonne is originally from Aberdeen.
0:52:59 > 0:53:03It's a stunning property, we're very, very lucky.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05We've been looking for over a year
0:53:05 > 0:53:10and seen many fabulous properties, but just never been the right one.
0:53:10 > 0:53:15And this one, I think... As they say, it had me at hello.
0:53:15 > 0:53:20Initially, I'd like to open it for events, for conferencing,
0:53:20 > 0:53:22for people to just enjoy,
0:53:22 > 0:53:25because it's too stunning to keep to yourself.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32In Chelsea, Eileen is about to find out
0:53:32 > 0:53:36if she's hit her performance targets and brought in the readies.
0:53:37 > 0:53:39Today, I've got my review.
0:53:39 > 0:53:42So every six months we have a review,
0:53:42 > 0:53:45and that's with my manager and the director of sales.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48It's kind of seeing how you got on the last six months,
0:53:48 > 0:53:50and how your figures are.
0:53:50 > 0:53:54- Hello, gorgeous.- Hi. How are you? - I'm all right. How are you?
0:53:54 > 0:53:56Right, well, let's talk about work.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58So how much property do you think you've sold
0:53:58 > 0:54:01since you've worked in Chelsea - as in value?
0:54:01 > 0:54:04- Um...- Have a guess.- Have a guess.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08I couldn't even fathom. I haven't a clue. Tell me.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11- £132 million worth of property. - Have I?
0:54:11 > 0:54:13- It's quite a lot, isn't it? - It's huge, isn't it?
0:54:13 > 0:54:17- It's a great stat, isn't it? - That is pretty good. - Amazing six months, as always.- Good.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20- You're an absolute trooper, regular performer.- Thank you very much.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22- Your stat rate is 89%.- OK, that's good.- Which is really good.
0:54:22 > 0:54:25- Phenomenal, actually. - I was wondering what that would be.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28Nine out of ten of all your deals that you agree are going through to exchange.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31- That's really good. - Phenomenal.- Thanks. Cool.
0:54:35 > 0:54:39Guess how much property I've sold since I've been in Chelsea?
0:54:39 > 0:54:43- £132 million. Can you believe it? - £132 million?- Yeah.
0:54:43 > 0:54:44BLEEP
0:54:44 > 0:54:45I know.
0:54:53 > 0:54:57Despite the open house, the owners of Parsloes Avenue
0:54:57 > 0:54:59have opted for Bulgarian buyer Nevlin,
0:54:59 > 0:55:04but they want him to up his offer from £197,000 to £200,000
0:55:04 > 0:55:07£5,000 above the original asking price.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11- Hi, Nevlin.- Hi, Darren.- Hello, mate. Did you get the message?
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Yes, I got the message.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16- Then they accept £200,000. - They have, yes, indeed.
0:55:16 > 0:55:18Oh. I'm so glad.
0:55:19 > 0:55:21In just one week, Darren's nailed it,
0:55:21 > 0:55:25earning himself a tidy two grand commission in the process.
0:55:25 > 0:55:29- OK, brilliant.- Cheers. I'll speak to you soon. Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33Sold subject to contract.
0:55:33 > 0:55:36So it's now "Show me the colour of your money".
0:55:36 > 0:55:39It's not over till the fat lady sings, as they say.
0:55:39 > 0:55:41In the rental property,
0:55:41 > 0:55:44workmen are carrying out a complete make-over.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02Completely different, isn't it?
0:56:03 > 0:56:06Caroline's arranged a viewing with a potential new tenant.
0:56:06 > 0:56:07Here she is.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13Mum-to-be Leigh has come along with her mother and brother.
0:56:13 > 0:56:15That's true, yeah.
0:56:17 > 0:56:19This will get replaced with a UPVC double-glazed one,
0:56:19 > 0:56:21and then all this is...
0:56:21 > 0:56:22Brilliant. All this will be...
0:56:22 > 0:56:25Yeah, yeah, all this will be redone.
0:56:25 > 0:56:27It's all electric heating.
0:56:27 > 0:56:31- Yeah, it is...yeah, it's really nice.- I like it.
0:56:31 > 0:56:35There was somebody living here up until last month, I think it was.
0:56:39 > 0:56:42Leigh and her mum seem keen on the flat.
0:56:42 > 0:56:45But Caroline's in a dilemma.
0:56:45 > 0:56:46I just tried then.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49I was like, "Yeah, somebody lived here up until last month."
0:56:52 > 0:56:54But then the rest wouldn't come out.
0:56:55 > 0:56:56I can't not tell her.
0:56:56 > 0:56:59It wouldn't be fair.
0:56:59 > 0:57:00There's one there.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02And one there.
0:57:04 > 0:57:05I'm going to do it.
0:57:11 > 0:57:12Just so you know,
0:57:12 > 0:57:15you know I said somebody lived here up until last month?
0:57:15 > 0:57:16- Yeah.- They did pass away.
0:57:16 > 0:57:18Oh.
0:57:19 > 0:57:24- In the flat?- Yeah.- Were they old?
0:57:24 > 0:57:28- She had a heart attack. - How old was she?- Yeah, how old?
0:57:28 > 0:57:32- 50.- That's me!
0:57:32 > 0:57:34Yeah, but she wasn't very well.
0:57:34 > 0:57:36- Oh, oh, that makes it better. - She wasn't very well at all.
0:57:36 > 0:57:38No, if it was someone young
0:57:38 > 0:57:41and they were like...they killed their self or something like that...
0:57:41 > 0:57:42No, nothing like that.
0:57:42 > 0:57:44She was a lady that lived here on her own,
0:57:44 > 0:57:46she wasn't very well and she unfortunately...
0:57:46 > 0:57:49- In what room?- Do you want to know?
0:57:49 > 0:57:50This room?
0:57:50 > 0:57:52- It was in bed, wasn't it?- No.
0:57:52 > 0:57:53- In the bath?- No.
0:57:53 > 0:57:55- Oh the sofa?- Yes.
0:57:55 > 0:57:58- That's all right, then. - That's all right. That's fine.
0:58:00 > 0:58:01Yeah, a good viewing.
0:58:01 > 0:58:07It's nice that someone will hopefully be happy here.
0:58:09 > 0:58:13Yeah, nice for something good to happen here.
0:58:13 > 0:58:15A new baby here - that'll be nice.
0:58:26 > 0:58:27Next time...
0:58:27 > 0:58:30- Somewhere to hide from the wife - always a good thing, I think.- Yeah.
0:58:30 > 0:58:32..moving house doesn't get any easier.
0:58:32 > 0:58:35You're always afraid of estate agents not being honest.
0:58:35 > 0:58:38She's not going to make her money back because she's overspent.
0:58:38 > 0:58:39The builders are in town.
0:58:39 > 0:58:43Probably more building work going on here than in Dubai right now.
0:58:43 > 0:58:45And Gary is on the hunt...
0:58:45 > 0:58:47That's what I'd like to have in my house.
0:58:47 > 0:58:48No skimping here.
0:58:48 > 0:58:50..for the ultimate super-rich palace.
0:58:50 > 0:58:53I can just imagine going round the lake in a gondola,
0:58:53 > 0:58:54which I think would be quite fun.