Steven Schiller

I joined the Hamptons team in 2014 in their Preston Bennett branch in Stanmore to break into the prime market and become the leading agent in the area, and over the past 10 years I’ve handled the sales of some of the most expensive houses in that area. Following the exciting takeover and acquisition of Preston Bennett by Hamptons in 2014, I saw my office grow from strength to strength. Hamptons massively invested in technology, their people, and the brand refresh a couple of years ago, which helped to elevate our local offices and compete with some of the larger agents in the area.

I now find myself taking on a new challenge at Hamptons as I head up offices on Heath Street in Hampstead and Haverstock Hill in Belsize Park. I’m heading back to an area that I’ve lived and worked in for many years; an area that I love and am passionate about. These two offices are set within one of the most salubrious, architecturally beautiful, and wealthy areas of London – we cover from Camden Town and St. John’s Wood in the south to Highgate and Hampstead Garden Suburb in the north. I have an incredible team working for me, with years of experience and extensive knowledge of the local area and the market. Every member of the team brings great skill and empathy to the job allowing me to be part of a very well-oiled machine!

Being part of the Hamptons team is incredibly important to me, not least because the company is heavily involved in numerous projects that allow experts within the business to reach out to people considering their next property move. We have just launched our first-ever podcast series, hosted by radio and TV presenter Anita Rani, and we returned to the Chelsea Flower Show last month with our Hamptons Mediterranean Garden, following last year’s gold win. The company’s impressive ongoing support to raise money and awareness for its charity partner Mind, and its continued commitment to work towards becoming a more sustainable company and protect the planet we call home make me proud to call myself a member of the Hamptons family.

Over the years, I’ve seen numerous cycles and changing trends in the property market, but I don’t think there’s ever been a decade like the past 10 years. If you take into account Brexit, stamp duty hikes, heavy taxation on overseas buyers, the pandemic and numerous lockdowns, it has been quite the rollercoaster. For the London market, the last quarter of 2022 was challenging, but the first quarter of this year has seen a slight upward curve. The market in north west London specifically has seen a continued shortage of stock but demand has remained consistent. It’s a very price sensitive market and sellers are keen to hold off until the price is right. The prime market in London is less impacted by current economic uncertainties – higher value properties seem to be outperforming as they tend to be purchased by cash buyers who are not impacted by increasing interest rates.