Behind the Scenes: Camilla Hovey

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up? Whereabouts do you live now?

I grew up in a little village called Plumpton, in Sussex, and now live next to Battersea Park. 

How long have you been an estate agent for?

I’ve been an estate agent for 7 years now. I started working for a small agent in Chelsea and couldn’t bring myself to leave the area. 

How long have you worked for D&G? What’s the greatest thing about working for them?

I’ve been with Douglas & Gordon for 2 years. I love the team I work with, our office nights out and especially the bikes (which keep the parking tickets down!).

What’s the funniest story you have from your time at Douglas & Gordon?

Probably when I found a pair of boxers on my windscreen outside the office – I tried to use the windscreen wipers to get them off, but ended up driving down the road with them flapping in the wind.

When you’re not in the office or showing people around, what do you do in your spare time? Any interesting hobbies we should know about?

Before becoming an estate agent I worked as a chalet girl for 4 years, so I ski as much as possible. During the summer I try to get down to Cornwall when I can, for pub lunches by the sea and afternoons spent capsizing small boats. I am also a massive F1 nerd, and have a huge soft spot for Lewis Hamilton!

What questions do you most commonly get asked by clients/customers?

How long does it take to get to the tube from here?

What advice do you have for people looking to rent in Chelsea?

You can’t have everything for a rental, so choose what is most important to you and go from there.

What do you love about Chelsea? What are your favourite hangouts? Where do you grab your coffee in the morning, or take a business lunch?

Everything! The busy Kings Road, to the quieter Chelsea Green which has a great village feel to it. On Saturdays there is a yummy food market in Duke of York Square and on Sundays a brilliant auction on Lots Road. The Good Life next to our office is the best for a healthy option, with the added bonus of the occasional celeb spotting!

What would you say to anyone looking to move into the area?

Do it! It’s an amazing area to live in. There is a wide variety of people living here and there are always events going on. And if moving from overseas, you might as well live in the prettiest part of London!

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the property market, what would it be?

For there to be no keys ever - too often they go missing or don’t work!