House Hunter: 'I want space for my art collection'

Matt Cooper is an American moving from the US to London with a budget of up to £3.75m. He wants a home in a peaceful neighbourhood, but close to amenities such as restaurants, and with lots of space for his art collection

"Moving from the US to London is a difficult process. Even though I'd lived in a company flat in Covent Garden before, which was fun, I want to buy in an area that is more residential and peaceful, yet which is also near to restaurants, bars, a dry cleaners and my gym.

"But how do you start when you don't know the area that well? In two years' time I could do this myself, but now I need help. I've had many colleagues and friends who have bought through estate agents but have decided not to do this myself. I've heard a lot about them guiding clients towards properties which they particularly want to sell and, unlike the US where all agents have a full multi-listing of properties, they only have a certain number on their books, Also, agents are not paid to know the whole of the city; they only know one area

"This is why I prefer to go through a relocation agent who has no vested interest in any one property and who has a much better knowledge of the whole of London rather than one particular area.

"In terms of requirements for property, I am really interested in an older house, a period property which either has been or could be done in a contemporary style, but I don't want to have to do too much renovation, as I've done that before. Although I'm open to suggestions.

"Regarding specifics – I need at least three bedrooms and plenty of storage space. I've got about 25 boxes of childhood mementos, letters, and papers which have made it this far, so I do not want to throw them out now. I'm also on the board of Britart and need plenty of wall space to display my collections."

PAULENE'S ADVICE

"In some ways this has been a typical search but, as everyone is an individual, not a sausage to be churned out – in other ways it hasn't! Matt's budget is high, but the minimum price of a property we'd search for is around £280,000.

"Central London is a typical area for us, although our company has consultants all over the UK. Matt, like many other extremely busy single people, has required a lot of personal attention, which we're only too willing to give. He has expected and appreciated everything we've now done for him, from contacting surveyors to hiring architects, as he didn't have the time or the knowledge to do it himself.

Matt wanted a dream home and definitely knows what he likes, but he was very open to suggestions and considered both modern and period properties. He liked the penthouse and wanted to completely redo it to his own taste, but the survey highlighted potential problems so we withdrew. After this disappointment Matt then went for a period property, which was totally different, but he fell in love with it – although initially it was hard to decide after seeing the super-duper glass penthouse. Homes either work or don't and this one definitely did. The property had been painstakingly refurbished by the then vendor but Matt has since bought it and made it totally his.

"As a relocation agent you can be asked to do all sorts of things! In Matt's case we arranged for all removals and hired a housekeeper for him. We even arranged for his beloved grandfather clock to be shipped over and got a clock specialist to get it working again. Watching Matt come home to see his clock ticking in the hallway of his beautiful house overlooking a London garden square was a wonderful moment, like watching a dream unfold. That's what our job is all about!"

Paulene Grant is MD of UK Relocation Services Ltd: 020-8442 0044; www.ukrelocation.com

THREE PROPERTIES FOR MATT TO VIEW

Property one: South Terrace, London SW7

Price: £2.5m

Agent: Chesterfields 020-7581 5234

Agent's details: Built circa 1830, this charming freehold family house is of a kind that comes onto the market very rarely. It's situated in the Knightsbridge area in a one-way street of partly stucco-fronted houses which runs from the open grounds of Thurloe Square to Brompton Road. The property has five bedrooms, three bathrooms (two ensuite) and a first-floor, L-shaped drawing room. There is a separate study area, dining room and kitchen, a breakfast room with utility room, plus a wine cellar. There's a lovely mature paved garden, and access to Thurloe Square Gardens can be arranged.

Property two: Point West Penthouse, Cromwell Road, London SW7.

Price: £2.35m

Agent: Chesterton 020-7235 8090

Agent's details: This newly constructed property will eventually have three bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with a fitted Poggenpohl kitchen. American Walnut and Verona stone and glass combine to provide a modern theme. There is a climate-control system, a terrace to enjoy the views over London and beyond, plus underground parking and the services of a 24-hour concierge.

Property three: Hereford Square, London SW7

Price: £3m

Agent: Chesterfields 020- 7581 5234

Agent's details: Built circa 1864, this Grade II-listed "key" house (it has access to the square gardens) has been painstakingly refurbished, with stunning results. The house overlooks the charming square gardens to the front, as well as having its own paved garden to the rear. Hereford Square is located to the north of Brompton Road and the property has a master bedroom with ensuite and five further bedrooms, a first-floor drawing room, summer house and wine cellar. The property features solid oak doors and limestone floors.

MATT'S VERDICT

"I looked at many properties and every one, apart from number three, which I've now bought, failed on some counts. I'm absolutely delighted with my house, which is in a beautiful garden square, and the service I got from UKRS was particularly useful. They gave me a substantial amount of information on the neighbourhood and I'd recommend them, and using relocation agents in general, to everyone."

If you would like House Hunter's help, write to House Hunter, The Independent, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS, or e-mail househunter@independent.co.uk