“We’re going to need a bigger boat”

Everybody in the property market is saying this is the toughest market they’ve ever worked in. And within such a challenging environment, the game has changed.

Up until quite recently, the big corporate firms dominated the prime and super-prime market (£5 Million+). Nowadays, the landscape has shifted — the waters are shared between agile independents, small boutiques, and one-man bands working alongside the big firms whose market share has been diluted.

For those who don’t work in property, it’s worth noting just how sharp the shift has been. Prime and super-prime sales are down by around 40% year-on-year — not far off the 45% drop during the 2008 credit crunch. It’s clear the tide has turned, and those who can adapt are the ones staying afloat.

When I left my old firm over five years ago and said a few final farewell words to the team in the Kensington office, a part of me was sad and I wished them well, as many of them were (and still are) good friends. One of the new equity partners joked that I wanted them to sink — which couldn’t be further from the truth.

The reality is that we’re all fishing in the same pond. The market might feel unpredictable — with the occasional shark circling — but the best agents know that by working together, we can navigate it and deliver for our clients.

Good agents are still thriving — because they’re agile, collaborative, and focused. They take control of their deals, adapt fast, and keep clients at the heart of everything they do.

Here at Harwood, we’re agile — able to move with the market, collaborate where it counts, and focus entirely on our clients. Since our inception, we’ve completed over £400m in deals, going from strength to strength and continuing to perform — even in choppy waters.

And as the waters get busier, we’re looking to expand our crew.