FLEXIBLE PASTURES NEW
Sarah Brown and Will Collins are two of the Country Department’s newer recruits, joining in April 2021, having previously worked in Knight Frank’s London residential market. Here they discuss the current market trend of city dwellers escaping to the countryside, the advent of hybrid working and returning to their roots
What triggered your transition to the country? SB: After many happy years in the Knightsbridge office, my family and I wanted to move back home to the South West. My husband was permanently able to work remotely due to the pandemic, so we jumped a few counties beyond the commuter belt and ended up in the beautiful Blackdown Hills of Devon. The change meant that I considered taking some time away from real estate, but then the stars aligned, and a position became available within the Country Department, looking after the South West.
How does your working week go? SB: I split my time between being out and about with clients, and the regional offices I work alongside – Bath, Bristol, Exeter and Sherborne – as well as going to London for department meetings. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the regional teams, who have all been extremely supportive and welcoming. The wider business has also been really supportive of my move, and, with two young children, hybrid working has made everything more possible.
You’ve had a double move, in terms of both job and geography. how have you found they’ve complemented each other? SB: It’s been the most refreshing change – on all accounts. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of travelling involved in my new role and, if anything, I feel as though I work harder. But my work–life balance is so much better. From the change-in-market point of view, the same applies. I love working with so many wonderful country properties, as well as supporting clients through what we know can be a delicate and tricky time, particularly when many of these homes have often been in the same family for generations and have very rich histories. My move has also turned out to be one of my most useful assets, as so many people are looking to move to the country, and I’m a real-life case study for how it can work. With my recent experience, it’s great to be able to guide them and give them confidence.
I love working with so many wonderful country properties, as well as supporting clients through what we know can be a delicate and tricky time, particularly when many of these homes have often been in the same family for generations and have very rich histories.
From a personal point of view, what’s the best thing about moving to the countryside? SB: My life has been truly enhanced. When I finish work on a Friday, I actually feel like the weekend begins. We can head up to Dartmoor for a walk, or in half an hour we’re at the coast. There’s so much variety. We’ve also bought a property that needs a lot of work, so that’s a big project, and it’s exciting because it’s our forever home. And just seeing how my children (my son is tractor mad) respond to the space, freedom, fresh air, nature and wildlife now on our doorstep, at such a formative stage – it’s magical.
How are you finding the transition from city to country market? WC: My background is in the Aldgate office, which was a predominantly new-build and urban-orientated role, so the prime country market has been a big change of scenery. My patch now covers the Home Counties, including the M4 corridor and around the Chilterns and East Oxfordshire. This has always been a popular residential area, but in the past 18 months it has seen a new stream of country buyers, with the pandemic a main driver, of course, and a growing number of families and individuals looking to move just far enough out of the city to find their ideal work–life balance. The move between departments has given me the opportunity to appreciate the valuable network our partnership provides, allowing us to look after buyers across the whole country.
Are you enjoying your new role? WC: It’s brilliant to have the opportunity to work in the country business. Here, there is a focus towards creating longevity in our relationships, as we tend to work with people over long periods of time, so providing the best possible service to a variety of clients is important – building those relationships has been one of my favourite aspects of the role. I joined in April, a very interesting time to learn, off the back of such a lucrative year and continuing into what has still been a strong market.
What makes the home counties stand out? WC: The Home Counties area is unique in that it is large enough for a diverse character mix, and far enough from London for rural living, yet still commutable. We see lots of buyers who have moved out of the city but have retained a London-based pied-à-terre for work or rental purposes, and, of course, you can still have that arrangement when living in the Home Counties. The important distinction is that you don’t need it in order to have a balanced lifestyle. Although we were seeing fewer properties come to the market towards the end of 2021, it has clearly been an amazing opportunity for many vendors to achieve a premium in this part of the country.
Why did you choose to move to the country department? WC: Although I still live in London, I have recently moved from East to West. I grew up in Gloucestershire and have always had a passion for the countryside. My time at Knight Frank’s Aldgate office was fantastic, but I knew I always wanted to find a country-based role. Having studied architecture for a couple of years at university, I find the majority of our houses very interesting from a historical and design perspective, which further sparked my interest. It is also a hugely refreshing and diverse role in that I can spend the majority of my week in different parts of the countryside.