A young family were ready to leave London during the highly competitive post‑Covid Surrey market. They wanted to settle before the new school year, but their move depended on selling their London home, adding pressure to an already tight timeline.

To be in the strongest buying position, clients ideally need to be chain‑free. With school deadlines approaching and no suitable property secured, they faced a difficult decision: sell first and rent, or risk missing out on both a home and a school place. They had fallen in love with a particular village and with a house we had found for them but the seller withdrew at the last moment.

We ran a dual search, continuing to look for a home to buy while simultaneously sourcing a rental in their preferred village. This allowed the children to start at the local school and placed the family in a strong, chain‑free position should the right house come up. It also gave them time to settle into the community and refine their sense of what they wanted.

Six months later, we received a call from the agent of the house they had originally hoped to buy. The seller was ready and wanted to reopen the conversation privately to secure a discrete and hassle-free sale. They secured the home they had always wanted, without competition.