Building on our experience of helping clients to acquire their new home post-separation, we developed and rolled out our Property Particulars Report this year. We had one purpose: to help busy family law firms by putting together a comprehensive case to deal with housing needs, based on real estate expertise and market access to back up their position. 

We were recently approached by a Tier 1 family law firm to produce a Property Particulars Report to support their case. The lawyers were representing the husband but mandated us to prepare the property particulars for the opposing party: the wife. The couple had two children together, of whom the wife would be the primary caregiver. She needed to be rehoused within a 20-minute walk of the children’s school. Together with our client’s legal team, we agreed on the main criteria for the wife’s new home, which became our search brief. 

With the brief in place, we conducted a complete market search amongst all agents within the search area to identify all properties available to purchase that matched the brief. We identified 24 suitable properties in total and shortlisted five for our 20-page Property Particulars Report.

The next step was to present our recommendations. This included a full overview of the neighbourhood, assessment of the family current home, rationale for the new home criteria (our search brief), proximity of the shortlisted properties to the school, description of the five properties shortlisted (specifications, photos, etc.) and finally a market price analysis.

An important aspect, as always, was to work closely with our client’s lawyers to develop a very strong rationale used for the criteria for the wife’s new home, reducing potential challenges from the other party, and increasing the relevance of our report. 

Using the 24 properties matching the detailed brief, we established the average market price-per-square-foot for such properties within the search area, and therefore the budget required to rehouse the wife. The price analysis was key to back up our recommendation as we used facts: actual market data (i.e. all current properties for sale) resulting from a complete market search. This ensured the average market price we used was meaningful and relevant, and eliminated all subjective debates surrounding our recommended budget for the new home. 

In this case, our budget recommendation was less than half the amount the wife’s lawyers were pitching for. 

This case highlights the flexibility of our Property Particulars Report. We can produce property particulars for your client, the opposition, or a joint report if suited. Not only this, but we can produce a report for any housing budget. If you have an active or upcoming housing needs case, do get in touch. We would be happy to help you and your client.