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If you want to sell your flat you have to put in the legwork
Paul Teed22 Jul 2010
Two Australians have taken to the streets wearing sandwich boards to sell their £600,000 Kensington flat.
Nathan Baws, 36, and Thor Portus, 33, decided to cut out the mortgage brokers and advisers and offer a straight deal to buyers.
They want a £50,000 deposit to secure the flat, with the remainder to be cleared by £950 weekly instalments, and hope their novel approach will attract more attention than an estate agent could at a time when the housing market is struggling.
They are following the example set last year by unemployed graduate David Rowe, who used a sandwich board to advertise himself for work.
The 24-year-old was hired by outdoor advertising firm JCDecaux after managing director Spence Berwin saw him in Fleet Street wearing his "job wanted" sign.
Mr Baws said: "I think you've got to do stuff like that just to get yourself out there. English people are normally fairly conservative compared with Australians. We do whatever it takes, even if it means humiliating ourselves."
The flat, in DeVere Gardens, opposite Kensington Gardens, is in a mansion block with a porter. It has two large double bedrooms and a new kitchen and bathroom.
Mr Baws said: "We figured if we came up with a payment structure, it would make it easier for someone to buy without needing a mortgage. The phone hasn't stopped ringing. We haven't sold it yet but hopefully we will soon."
The friends, who both work in the health industry, checked their instalment contract was legally sound with a solicitor before hitting the streets this week. Paul Levy, of Miramar Legal, said: "It is an innovative way of marketing the product."
Mr Baws said they had already had potential buyers come to view the flat. He added: "I guess our ugly signs are really working. This system is quite big in Australia so we can't take all the credit.
"I think it might catch on over here because England is in an even worse state than our economy. It might be something people start doing on a regular basis."
Reader views (3)
Getting a home loan from a bank is almost impossible these days, even if you have saved a 20% deposit, so good on these guys for taking things into their own hands, rather than just sitting back to moan and whinge about why they can't sell their property. These two guys m*r*ns and tit-heads, as suggested by the previous comments? I think not. More like innovative and original go-getters who are prepared to do what it takes to get a result. If only more Brits had the same attitude, then perhaps this country wouldn't be in such a sorry state.
- Bel, London, 23/07/2010 11:31
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Sounds a risky and ill-thought out strategy that is likely to attract people who can't afford the property by conventional means. If the property isn't selling then it's overpriced. It's quite easy to sell properties online that are published on all the major property websites directly, without the need for an estate agent or any bizarre financing schemes. No need to humiliate themselves with sandwich boards either. Total tit-heads.
- Jowo, London, 23/07/2010 04:21
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Our economy can't be in that bad a state if these 2 ozzies m*or*ns are in jobs and are mug enough to buy a flat for £600,000!
- Nicky, Surrey, 22/07/2010 17:13
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