Best on the Box: This brand-new series explores one of the world’s largest luxury estate agencies.
Channel 4 join the team at UK Sotheby’s International Realty and thus gives viewers a fascinating insight into the exclusive world of super-prime properties.
In a summer that saw demand for houses double and the international super-rich gradually return to the UK, the brokers are having to use every trick and contact in their little black books to succeed in the super-prime competitive market.
In this episode, brokers John and Mary head to Windsor to view a mega-mansion on behalf of Mary’s millionaire contact – a French Moroccan socialite who can’t travel due to Covid-19 restrictions. Set in 40 acres of prime polo territory, this £30 million property is a classic country house for the 21st century. Every aspect of the property has been painstakingly designed to appeal to a mega-rich buyer.
It comes with its own fitness centre, swimming pool and staff quarters. But can Mary get her buyer to the house before developer Richard takes another offer, or is she at risk of losing the commission?
In London, Shereen is mentoring junior broker Leena on a search for her buyer, Anastasia, who owns a clinic in Harley Street that specialises in dermal fillers and botox. After five years in the capital, Anastasia is planning to swap her property portfolio from her home in Russia to London. She’s looking for an iconic property near her work and has up to £5 million to spend. Leena and Shereen line up two stunning instagramable apartments, but there’s a new twist in this tale as they struggle to find Anastasia the perfect property.
Managing director of UK Sotheby’s Realty, Guy Bradshaw, takes a trip down memory lane, as he’s taken on one of his largest-ever listings on the Llyn Peninsula in north Wales, where a young Guy would spend his summer holidays. Plas Glynllifon is an exquisite neoclassical Grade I listed mansion and began being built in 1836 for Lord Newborough. It has a whopping 102 rooms and once hosted the official ball to celebrate the investiture of Prince Charles at nearby Caernarfon Castle. But now it’s in need of repair, requiring millions of pounds of investment.
There are few people in the world with the financial backing and vision to take this on and Guy needs to find them fast and convince them to view the mansion before it is lost forever. Can Kam Babee – a London-based property developer with a track record in restoring historical buildings into super-prime residences – restore Plas Glynllifon to her formal glory?
Britain’s Most Expensive Houses, Channel 4, 9 pm
All episodes of this series will be available to stream or download for free on All 4 on 29 December, following the transmission of this episode.
