Behind the Scenes: Sophie Hayward

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

I grew up in the countryside in Wiltshire, but since moving to London 10 years ago I have always been based in West London. I recently moved to Shepherd’s Bush.

How long have you been an estate agent for?

Forever! I started out working part time for an estate agency in Berkshire while still at university and then moved to London in 2004 and have worked in Central London for the last 10 years. 

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

I joined D&G in April 2012. The main appeal for me was that it is a large enough company that there is every resource available with all the different departments and offices, but ultimately it is still a small enough company that everyone knows everyone else.

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?

I like to get away as much as possible. I either escape London to the country or have trips abroad fairly frequently - I am not very good at staying in one place!

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

Almost on a daily basis we get asked what is going on with the market- the million dollar question!

What advice do you have for people looking to buy or rent around Kensington Gate?

If someone is looking for a property to buy as a home, I am always amazed at the number of people who have spent a couple of years looking to then worry about a small difference in price when the market has risen substantially more than that. If you see the right property that meets your requirements then don’t delay buying!

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

We are very lucky on Gloucester Road with so much choice. Jakob’s is next door, Da Lisa is a few doors away for our morning coffee fix and then there is Coco Momo which is great any time of the day.

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

This particular area is very convenient for access in all different directions whether walking, using public transport or driving out of London. It also has the benefit of a village atmosphere towards the top end of Gloucester Road with a lot of friendly faces.

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

Offers, once accepted, should be binding for both the buyer and seller.