Russell White, Director of Winkworth Putney (Photograph by https://lrockmedia.com/)
Welcome to our exclusive interview with Russell White, the Director of Winkworth Estate Agents Putney, a distinguished figure in the residential property sales and purchases arena. Winkworth Putney, a cornerstone of South West London’s property market, boasts a legacy of excellence spanning over 180 years. Renowned for their unwavering dedication to quality and client satisfaction, Winkworth has cemented its place as a leader in the Putney property scene, earning widespread acclaim for its unparalleled expertise and bespoke service.
As a mortgage broker specialising in South West London property, collaborating with a renowned property agency like Winkworth Putney enables us to deliver optimal service to our clients. Russell kindly agreed to sit down with Content and Communications director at Oportfolio mortgages Louis Mason in their Putney office. In this insightful dialogue, Russell delves into his history as a property agent and the intricacies of navigating the residential property market in Putney and beyond.
The Interview With Winkworth Estate Agents
Louis: Russell, can you tell me about your experience in the property industry, particularly in Putney, and how it has shaped your approach as an estate agent?
Russell: I joined Winkworth in 1991 and I’ve been here since I was 17 or 18. So gosh, 33 years in the business! Basically my whole career has been with Winkworth. I know Putney like the back of my hand. I live here, my children have grown up here. I know a lot about the houses here, all the niches, and I have had a lot of repeat clients over the years purchasing and selling in Putney and the surrounding areas. Having all this knowledge and experience means that me and my team can really offer bespoke help and guidance to people buying and selling in Putney.
Louis: What sets Winkworth apart from other estate agencies operating in Putney, and how does your team ensure exceptional service for clients?
Russell: There are 28 estate agents in Putney alone, and most of them are big corporate agents who don’t live locally. Staff don’t typically stay very long with the companies before moving on this impacts repeat business for these agents. What is really nice about Winkworth is that we are not corporate. We are a big company with over 100 offices, but we are a franchise. We own and run our own business, and I know that we have more knowledge and experience than any other agents in the area. We’ve been in Putney nearly 50 years as a company and the staff stay with us for a long time. So I would say the knowledge, experience and the big Winkworth network behind us sets us apart from the others. We all live locally too, so that is a huge benefit for us and our clients.
Louis: Could you share a success story or example where Winkworth went above and beyond for a client in Putney?
Russell: As you can imagine there have been a lot! One that always stick in my head was a lovely guy in his 50s who had lived at home all his life. Sadly his mother died and left him no money. All the joint account was frozen and he literally had no cash. He sold the house and once the deal was done and we knew that he was going to exchange, we lent him £10,000 so that he could survive and live his life for the next couple of months until the sale completed. It’s just one example of how we are all about helping people, and we were very happy to help this client out. Lots of other estate agents in Putney wouldn’t even consider goes to these lengths. But we do.
Louis: What specific strategies does Winkworth employ to market properties in Putney effectively?
Russell: I think we have a combination really. We do quite a lot of listings off-market. We have quite a few clients who have been waiting for that ‘Right one’, so we can pick up the phone and say “Hi Mr Jones, we have that perfect property that you are looking for”, and we can offer that before it’s released on the open market. So again it’s that local knowledge that really sets us apart from other agents. When we are marketing, what is really is, is that we know that house, we know that area, we know the history, we might even know the neighbours. All of these things when dealing with a vendor are like gold dust. Social media is a big part of how we engage with people and the way we list and market properties with our photography is quite iconic and unique to Winkworth. We spend a lot of money on professional photography. We have a local photographer who goes above and beyond with his photographs and the detail and quality is just brilliant.
Louis Mason from Oportfolio Mortgages and Russell White from Winkworth met at the Winkworth Putney office. (Photograph by https://lrockmedia.com/)
Louis: In your opinion, what are the key attractions of living in Putney that make it a desirable location for prospective homebuyers?
Russell: You’ve got two spectrums in Putney really. You’ve got young professionals coming in who want to live here because of the buzz. And then you’ve got families. I think schools are a big draw. Putney is fantastic for schools. We’ve also got great transport links. We’ve got tube, train, busses and also the Thames Clipper boat. We actually get people coming to the office whose main requirement is that they want to be within a 10 minute walk of the Thame Clipper! The greenery in Putney is a big draw. If you look on Google Earth at Putney compared to the rest of London, we are so green! Wandsworth park, Putney heath, Wimbledon common on our doorstep. The great greenery and outside space available in Putney is really special. Particularly after COVID. We also have a lot of fantastic pubs, restaurants, shops, and walking spots.
Louis: How does Winkworth stay abreast of the latest trends and developments in the Putney property market, and how does this knowledge benefit your clients?
Russell: We are on the front foot. We live and breath Putney and property 24/7. Living locally makes us very aware of what’s happening in Putney, of course. We get updates from developers, planners, councils, and then obviously we feed that back to clients. Instagram reels have been a great tool for us to get these updates and trends out to our clients. The team here really enjoy engaging with social media and new technologies. It’s amazing to see the reaction that we can get from things like Instagram market updates or property advertisements.
Louis: Can you outline any unique features or characteristics of properties in Putney that distinguish them from those in other areas?
Russell: The River Thames is a great drawing point for property in Putney. You have a great viewing point of the Thames from a lot of properties in Putney. There is a lot of Victoria property stock, which is beautiful. But then we have a lot of modern developments now, particularly on the Upper Richmond road. It’s a diverse mix. We do have family houses for 6 or 7 million pounds, but then we also have 1 bedroom flats at £300,000. It does cover all spectrums. Again it’s a very green area, so there are lots of roads and avenues that are lined with trees and lots of properties with gardens.
The Winkworth Putney office. (Photograph by https://lrockmedia.com/)
Louis: What advice would you give to someone considering buying a property in Putney for the first time?
Russell: Being close to transport is a key factor, so you can make sure that you are within a 10 or 15 minute walk from some form of public transport when moving to Putney. Finding something that you like and something that you are going to be happy in is a major factor, and our job is to help you to achieve this. You need to look at 10 or 15 properties at the start of your search and make sure that you have looked around and done your research. Then you can home in on what you want. What I think is a big mistake is when someone comes in and says “I’m looking in Putney, Battersea, Clapham, Barnes…”. I say look, you need to narrow your search down and focus on finding the perfect property in that area. If you try and cover five or six areas, it’s just a minefield!
Louis: What long-term prospects or potential for growth do you see in the Putney property market, and how does Winkworth help clients capitalise on these opportunities?
Russell: As interest rates come down and the runway is set, we will find that prices will rise. I think that the next year, 18 months Putney will be a good area for that. We also found that there is a lot of pent up demand. There have been a lot of people sitting on their hands waiting, so I think we will see some real growth in the market next year. We need the Bank of England to reduce rates and that will feed the housing market. Because Putney is such a good and established area prices will increase and they have to increase in my opinion. Wandsworth council tax is incredibly good value for money, so again its an attraction for living in the area. Wandsworth is very well run and looked after. You will see growth, but we do need interest rates to come down a fair bit. When that happens, prices will rise.
Speak To A Local Property Expert In Putney
There we go! All the essentials about properties in Putney straight from a seasoned local expert estate agent in Putney. Whether you’re on the hunt for your dream home in Putney or eyeing investment opportunities in South West London, don’t hesitate to reach out to Winkworth Putney. And if securing the perfect mortgage in this vibrant London locale is on your agenda, look no further than Oportfolio Mortgages. Count on us to guide you through the process and secure optimal terms for residential or buy-to-let properties.
Content and Communications Director Louis has been working in the mortgage industry since 2016
Winkworth Estate Agents In Putney
Telephone: 02087889295
Email: [email protected]
Oportfolio Mortgages
Telephone: 02088771169
Email: [email protected]
LRock Media (Photographer)
Telephone: 07903765893
Email: [email protected]
