Worth the Works? Why unmod homes can still make sense for HNW buyers
New-build turn-key stock has its merits, but there are some wonderful unmodernised properties that are not being snapped up as few buyers have the appetite or vision to take them on, says Lucy Worcester.
Lucy Worcester (née Yorke-Long) is a Director at property buying agency Prime Purchase.
What to read next
The developer’s view: Why delivering super-prime homes in London is getting tougher
Andri Chanturia examines the challenges facing the capital’s top-end projects - from planning bottlenecks to rising build costs and global supply chain delays - and how delivery strategies are adapting…
Top-end buyers hit pause as Budget fears stall £5mn+ deals
Transactions at the upper end of the Prime London market were down by over 40% last month, reports LonRes, as the start of the autumn selling season falls flat.
Homes of the Rich & Famous: Celebrity-owned properties sell twice as fast as ‘normal’ listings
An A-list occupant can generate a huge buzz for a new instruction, reports Beauchamp Estates, but the effect on the property's value is less obvious.
By PrimeResi
Companies in this article
Prime PurchaseMost read
Former CBRE director launches independent advisory
Rian Strauss says international clients often have plenty of advisers, but still lack someone 'who can look across the whole situation'.
From Reel to Deal: Instagram lead ends with £16.5mn Chelsea sale
Luxury agency says social media is increasingly acting as a 'sophisticated catalyst' for big-ticket property deals.
In Pictures: Inside a £22mn Chelsea villa with one of RBKC’s last big basement builds
PCL agency lands one of the season's standout instructions in the Boltons Conservation Area.
Savills completes $1.1bn real estate investment bank acquisition
The big deal 'accelerates Savills strategy to scale in North America while strengthening its leadership position in both EMEA and Asia Pacific.'
By PrimeResi
China launches retroactive tax crackdown on wealthy citizens’ offshore assets
Beijing is said to be pursuing HNWIs for unpaid tax on overseas assets going back decades.
By PrimeResi
RBKC agency Russell Simpson expands with new SW London office
The former Head of Sales at John D Wood in Parsons Green will be leading the new operation.
Revealed: Rightmove’s ten most viewed property listings of 2026 so far
It's an eclectic bunch, ranging from a £250k cliff-edge cottage to a £20mn Gothic mansion, via a mediaeval Scottish castle and a Victorian Manchester villa.
By PrimeResi
Hamptons & John D Wood owner cites ‘very challenging’ market as H1 profits tumble 92%
The UK's biggest estate agency group said lettings and surveying again helped offset the slowdown in sales activity.
Residence One tops out 29-home St John’s Wood scheme
Luxury apartment project reaches full height as developer targets May 2027 completion.
Family offices & bulk investors turn out for Saudi property showcase in Mayfair
Chancery Rosewood hosts second UK-Saudi exhibition as organisers claim £65.7mn of opening-day sales and reservations.
LATEST ARTICLES
‘A home is the centre of family life, not an untapped tax stream’: Wealthy London boroughs unite against ‘mansion tax’
RBKC, Westminster, Richmond & Wandsworth say residents could end up paying more than half of the proposed national levy.
UK Sotheby’s recruits former Anderson Rose director
Scott Joseph will cover Prime Central and North West London from the brokerage's St John's Wood office.
Climate risk is now ‘core due diligence’ – but still being spotted too late
81% of property professionals agree climate risk should rank alongside mainstream searches as 'core due diligence' for buyers.
By PrimeResi
Ranked: Top 10 overseas property search locations for UK buyers in 2026
Portugal's Algarve region retains its top spot for British folk looking for a home abroad.
By PrimeResi
Dubai logs record-breaking half for super-prime sales
296 homes sold for more than US$10mn in the first six months of this year, reports Knight Frank - but ongoing uncertainties may quell activity in the coming months.
By PrimeResi