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About Chelsea

Estate agents in Chelsea: Buying property

Internationally renowned for its designer shopping, Michelin-starred restaurants and fashionable nightlife in Sloane Street, King’s Road, Knightsbridge and Belgravia, Chelsea is particularly favoured by super-wealthy overseas buyers. And, if you consult a Douglas & Gordon estate agent in Chelsea, you’ll find that there’s no shortage of spacious houses and exquisite apartments to buy.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has always been a magnet for the rich and royal, and was once described as ‘a village of palaces’; the King’s Road was even named after Charles II. To offer the best services to such discerning clientele as these, any estate agent in Chelsea has to have intimate knowledge of the area and be well attuned to the feelings and sensibilities of all those who call the area home. Douglas & Gordon’s letting agents have built strong relationships within the Chelsea community and are ideally positioned to offer the best advice and premium service to those looking to move into the SW3 postal district.

Chelsea also has a strong military past, as it is home to the Chelsea Royal Hospital for invalid soldiers, Chelsea Barracks and, until recently, housed the Duke of York’s barracks. During the 19th century, the Cheyne Walk area was an artists’ colony for painters such as Rossetti, Whistler, Turner and Holman Hunt. This bohemian ambience was rekindled in the 1960s; Chelsea defined the ‘Swinging Sixties’, with the Beatles and Rolling Stones making the borough their home.

While it’s true that over half of London’s most expensive streets can be found in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, our top estate agent in Chelsea and the branch office’s sales director, Ed Mead, has been working this patch for 30 years and is at pains to point out that his office covers a broad range of property in Chelsea – from studio flats valued at £200,000 up to multi-million-pound houses. Nothing is too grand or too small and there is always someone waiting to buy.

So, who is buying these premium properties in this perennially popular area? “I’d say that 70% of our clients are foreign – which is why it’s useful that we speak five languages in our office!” – Ed Mead. Indeed, there hasn’t been a better time to buy in Dollars or Euros for over 10 years. With prices falling, the question is 'how low will prices go' but the historical mistake people make is to wait too long, so if you see something you like, try a bid!

Property to let in Chelsea

Given that Chelsea has so much cachet as an area in which to live, it’s hardly surprising that demand far outstrips supply when it comes to renting a flat or apartment, which is why it makes sense to consult an experienced letting agent in the Chelsea area. Nicky Chambers, Douglas & Gordon’s chief letting agent in Chelsea, also serves as the office lettings manager. Her primary concern is the lack of property available for her clients, many of whom are relocating from overseas. Nicky says, “We have a shortage of both apartments and houses – especially two-bedroom properties between £700 and £900 per week – partly because landlords have been selling to take advantage of the very strong sales market. During 2006 and 2007 we saw a huge increase in rental values, although it varies from property to property.”

Chelsea letting agents are fortunate because the SW3 postal district generally offers a diverse range of conversion flats, mansion flats and houses to let, from one-bedroom flats (£375-600 per week) and two-bedroom flats (£500-1500 per week) up to three-bedroom properties (£900-2500 per week) and houses and flats with four bedrooms (£1500-£5000 per week). The more expensive properties tend to be around Sloane Square and Belgravia, or in the borough’s many garden squares.

So, what is it about this up-market area that appeals to those looking for a stylish flat, apartment or house to rent? “Chelsea is as good as it gets: it’s central and is still the place to live. Proximity to good transport links into and out of London is still very important. Chelsea is popular with everyone, from young single people through to families who are attracted by the good schools here. They all love the shopping and nightlife, plus the fact that it’s safe.”

Contact a Douglas & Gordon estate and letting agent in Chelsea to find out more about any of our available properties or to find out more about Chelsea’s diverse and accommodating lifestyle.

“I would like to commend your company; no doubt it is the best in London. I wish all estate agencies were as knowledgeable, helpful and professional as yours.”… read our testimonials