Oliver Custance Baker

Spear’s Review

Senior director Oliver Custance Baker heads Strutt & Parker’s country house department from the firm’s Chelsea office. He joined after leaving university over a decade ago – taking a work experience placement at the firm before promptly being offered a full-time job – and he has stayed ever since. ‘It’s a great firm to be involved with,’ he tells Spear’s.

The firm lists ‘the best country houses – £2 million up’, he explains, adding that property transactions can stretch into the tens of millions; often, the largest homes are purchased by international buyers. Strutt & Parker has a national reach, with transactions taking place from the southern home counties up to the prime and super-prime properties in Scotland and the northern counties. ‘We’ve seen a lot of activity in Wiltshire recently’, where ‘good family homes sell because it’s relatively easy for people to get there’, Custance Baker reports.

What’s his best piece of advice for buyers? ‘Every house is slightly different. And it’s the case of seeing it, and falling in love with the home.’