Episode 3: While the industry was already transitioning to more virtual operations, the Covid-19 pandemic caused auction houses to fast-track the move to online auctions. But we’re now left to wonder – is this a permanent shift? Does the industry require a similar mindset to hybrid working across the country and, in the future, can online and ballrooms work cohesively and learn from each other to deliver better experiences both in-house and online?
Episode 4: With much of the industry switching to online last year, property actions enjoyed a strong 2020: showing impressive growth against previous years. But while auctions may offer a quick route to sale – and the potential to grab a bargain – what do buyers need to know before they head to market? Why do properties end up at auction? How should would-be buyers go about their due diligence and research – particularly when dealing with markets outside of the major cities? What is the process for obtaining financing? And how can you spot the best bargains?
Speakers
Richard Adamson, partner, Allsop
Adamson joined Allsop and the residential auction team in January 2001 as an intern and subsequently joined the graduate scheme that September. He then returned to the residential auction team in 2004 as a surveyor. In 2006, he entered the RICS national auction competition, coming runner-up in the final. Later that year, Adamson took to the rostrum professionally for Allsop and has been an auctioneer ever since. He has been a partner of the firm since 2012. Adamson has spent a large portion of his time selling assets on behalf of banks, receivers, administrators, liquidators and mortgagees. More recently, clients have included developers, traders and property companies overseeing the sale of a wide range of asset types across the residential sector.
Jesal Patel, principal, Prideview
Patel honed his property skills at Harman Healy and CBGA Property Agents before joining Prideview in 2004. He bids on hundreds of millions of pounds of property on behalf of his broad client base. He is also responsible for sourcing and managing development, value-add and asset-management opportunities and has a wealth of experience in planning and development.
Chair, Piers Wehner, senior writer, EG
Wehner has been writing about real estate for the best part of 20 years. He is fascinated by the ways in which the industry has changed, and some of the ways it hasn’t. His writing and podcasts display a real interest in the people behind the business decisions, and a passion for conveying their personalities to readers and listeners. Behind an often informal style Wehner is a shrewd questioner with an eye for interesting detail and an uncanny ability to make connections. He is a relaxed and enthusiastic chair who is able to bring the best out of each panellist and really get to the heart of a subject.
Max Mason, head of sales, 574
| Mason heads up 574, Lambert Smith Hampton’s new online sales platform. It is pioneering a new route to market for commercial property that offers the finality and transparency of an auction sale alongside the flexibility of private treaty. |
Vijay Parikh, managing partner, Harold Benjamin
| Parikh has been a partner with Harold Benjamin since 2010 and took over as the firm’s managing partner in 2019. Alongside the day-to-day management of running the firm, he still maintains his busy client portfolio, specialising in property acquisitions, disposals, funding arrangements and auctions for a range of small to mid-range builders and property developers. He also assists on high-value residential and mixed-use schemes, including the redevelopment and regeneration of brown and greenfield sites. Parikh has been the lead on several hotel deals, including the acquisition of boutique hotels and mainstream hotel brands for private investors and companies across London and the UK. The firm has been engaged in deals with hotel brands including Hilton, Marriott and Accor. |
Samantha McClary, editor, EG
| McClary has almost 20 years’ experience in real estate and business journalism, covering a wide range of topics. Alongside making sure EG delivers the best, most helpful, most accurate and, of course, most interesting content to EG’s readership across all platforms – print, online and audio – she also plays a leading role in enabling and delivering a more diverse environment for the real estate community through EG’s REWIRE and tech initiatives. A keen chair and regular wearer of too bright trousers, McClary seeks to help keep panel discussions and events lively with audience participation and insightful questioning. |
