Two Divisions, One Standard
Which Desk Is Yours — Buying Agent or Invest in London?
Two divisions serve private buyers, and both act only on the buyer's side. Buying Agent handles ready property — a standalone home, or a resale unit in a completed scheme — and negotiates the best terms available. Invest in London sources characterful and listed buildings and coordinates their refurbishment to the client's brief.
Division 02 -- Buying Agent
Ready Properties: The Right Home, the Right Price
If you are looking for a ready home or apartment in prime London — a standalone property or a resale unit in a completed scheme — we search, research and negotiate on your behalf. The first question is who is actually working for you.
“The selling agent is appointed and paid by the vendor to achieve the best price for the seller. A buying agent is appointed and paid by you, to find the right property and secure it on the best terms available.”
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criterion | Estate Agent | Buying Agent (Brick & Fortune) |
|---|---|---|
| Who do they represent? | The seller | You (the buyer) |
| Who pays their fee? | The seller | The buyer — agreed in writing before engagement |
| Whose interest? | The seller's — achieving the best price for the vendor | Yours — the right property on the best terms available |
| Market coverage | Mainly their own instructions | Across agencies, plus discreet and private sourcing |
| Negotiation | On behalf of the seller | On your behalf, based on comparable evidence |
| Due diligence | Not their role | Coordinated with your solicitor and surveyor |
| Legal process | Progresses the sale for the vendor | Step-by-step coordination with your solicitor |
| Tax and structure | Not their role | SDLT and structure questions raised early, with advice from specialist advisers |
| Mandate | From the seller | From the buyer |
Real-World Scenarios
Scenario 1: Buying through an estate agent
Illustrative: an overseas buyer visits a Knightsbridge agency and is shown a £2.3M apartment from the agency's own instructions. Assuming the price is fair, the buyer proceeds. Comparable flats in the same building had recently sold at £2.05–2.1M.
Illustrative outcome: price not tested against evidence; tax position reviewed late.
Scenario 2: Buying through Brick & Fortune
Illustrative: the same buyer appoints Brick & Fortune. Objectives, budget and timing are set; agency instructions and discreet sources are searched; three options are shortlisted and assessed against comparable sales; the price is negotiated on evidence; SDLT and ownership questions are settled early with the buyer's solicitor and tax adviser.
Illustrative outcome: price tested against evidence, process coordinated, tax position confirmed before exchange.
Division 01 -- Invest in London
Source & Rebuild
We source characterful and listed buildings in prime London, assess consent and change-of-use questions, and coordinate a refurbishment to a bespoke specification. Where the acquisition and execution go to plan, the result can compare favourably with a finished property of similar quality; outcomes depend on each project and are never assumed.
Value
Created through acquisition and execution
01
Discreet Sourcing
We combine open-market intelligence with introductions through solicitors, estate offices and private banks, including buildings not publicly marketed.
02
Consent & Use Analysis
We assess planning permission, listed building consent and any required change of use before you commit.
03
Bespoke Refurbishment
The interior is refurbished to a bespoke specification — historic fabric respected, modern comfort throughout.
04
Value Created Through Acquisition and Execution
The aim is a bespoke home whose total cost compares favourably with comparable finished property. This is a project objective, not a promised outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a buying agent cost?
Our Buying Agent fee is a percentage of the purchase price, paid by the buyer and agreed in writing before engagement; see our fees page for current terms. On a buyer-side mandate we take no commission from the seller.
Can't an estate agent be 'buyer-friendly'?
Selling agents must deal honestly and fairly with buyers, but their client is the seller: they are appointed and paid by the vendor to achieve the best price for the sale.
What is an off-market property?
A property offered for sale without public marketing on portals such as Rightmove or Zoopla, usually shared with a small number of qualified buyers and their agents. In prime London a meaningful part of the market trades this way, although the share varies and is not reliably measured.
Why is a buying agent especially important for international investors?
If you are buying remotely, are unfamiliar with the local market or are navigating the English legal process for the first time, a buying agent gives you representation on your side and coordinates the solicitors, surveyors and tax advisers involved.
What is a Grade II listed building?
A building officially protected in the UK for its architectural or historic significance. The exterior and certain interior features cannot be altered, but with the right consents the interior can be fully rebuilt and reconfigured for modern use.
How can a Source & Rebuild project create value?
Many buyers avoid buildings that need consent work and refurbishment. Careful sourcing, a clear consent strategy and disciplined refurbishment management can create value, but each project carries cost, planning and timing risk, and outcomes are not guaranteed.
Ready-Made or Reborn -- We're By Your Side
On both desks, Brick & Fortune acts only for the buyer. Whether you are searching for a ready property or considering a Source & Rebuild project, we coordinate the process end to end.