Garrington

Garrington is one of the longest established and highest-profile independent buying agent firms in the UK. 

The business was originally founded and run by TV celebrity Phil Spencer, until CEO Jonathan Hopper led a management-buyout in 2008. Since this time, the business has grown significantly from its London roots and now offers property search and acquisition services across the UK, from Scotland to Cornwall. 

With more than 30 team members, the firm has some of the best known and well-established buying agents in the property industry covering a broad range of client requirements including prime central London purchases, country house searches, investment acquisitions and holiday homes. 

Each of the firm’s buying experts lives in the area they operate in and has forensic knowledge of their local markets. They all have extensive industry contacts and established track records of success. The ethos of the company is driven by delivering quality services and exceptional results, whilst offering impartial advice to the sophisticated buyer. 

In a rapidly changing property market such as the one we have experienced over the past 12 months, Garrington offers unparalleled expertise and market insight for clients wanting to make clear and confident purchasing decisions. Garrington is innovative and class leading in both how it provides client services and sets professional standards. The CEO was the first UK buying agent to be asked to join The Property Ombudsman board of directors and was heavily involved in the creation of an industry code of conduct for residential buying agents. 

During the pandemic, Garrington launched a proprietary video viewing platform for their clients, providing objective and bespoke video tours shared on a dedicated client website with personalised ‘playlists’ of suitable properties for a client to review. Not only does this save considerable time and allow overseas clients further insight, but it safeguards clients’ welfare by reducing the need for physical property visits.

In addition to gaining access to exclusive opportunities through long-established professional networks, Garrington can identify potential off-market opportunities using specialist industry software that can filter all properties not currently on the open market but that might be available for sale privately. Where this is not possible, and a scenario arises, Garrington is often victorious not always by being the highest bidder, but through tactical negotiation. 

Prior to purchasing a property and incurring transaction costs, Garrington undertakes extensive due diligence on every transaction and provides each client with a comprehensive property report, highlighting all the key issues which might affect a decision to purchase a property and, indeed, the onward enjoyment of a home. 

Garrington’s client concierge team provides solutions to all the challenges associated with purchasing a property and turning a house into a home to be cherished. They support clients finding suitable suppliers and professionals including household staff, security experts, removal firms and interior designers, to name but a few. For clients wishing to acquire and hold residential property as an investment, Garrington offers an Asset Management service, which handles all aspects of day-to-day property management overlaid with proactive advice on enhancing returns and capital appreciation as part of a client’s portfolio review service. 

With a brand heritage and track record of success spanning 26 years, the team at Garrington is dedicated to making a client’s decision to acquire a property an enjoyable and well-informed one. In a sector which is historically transaction focused, Garrington breaks industry norms by successfully fulfilling the role of trusted property advisor for their discerning clients.