Harriet George is our second inspirational entrepreneur to grace our featured blog. She set up Harriet George Properties, based in Salcombe, only a few years ago and is now the estate agency to watch. Harriet not only exudes confidence and exceptional taste she is someone who lives for matching the right buyer with the right home. She goes the extra mile and knows the area like the back of her hand. Harriet has kindly given her time to answer a few questions about her passion for the area and her knowledge of properties in The South Hams.
What made you think… I am going to create my own Property Business?
I was ready for a challenge and having worked incredibly hard building a successful office for someone else I wanted to be in charge of my own destiny. Like my own estate agents! I am not a manager and I didn’t enjoy that aspect of my job so it was time to make a change! I love selling houses and dealing with people and that’s what I wanted to focus on.
My goal when establishing Harriet George Properties was to provide a more personable approach to buying or selling a home. I provide a bespoke service and personally handle all aspects of the transactions from start to finish which I believe achieves the best results for the seller.
What are your favourite places to visit in the area?
I was born in Totnes and love the laid-back eccentricity of the town. There are so many fabulous independent shops and we pop over regularly, normally stopping off at the fabulous Bull Inn for lunch or a drink!
Where would you like to travel to?
We absolutely love South Africa and before the pandemic we did three big trips over consecutive winters. It’s a shame that many people are too nervous to visit as it’s an incredible country with breathtaking beaches, superb food and wine and amazing people. We can’t wait to go back!
The French Alps are another favourite. About 10 years ago my son and I discovered a picturesque village that links into the Grand Massif, just an hour from Geneva, which makes it do-able for a long weekend.
What local business’s would you recommend?
There are so many fabulous independents in the South Hams. Here’s a few of our favourites in Kingsbrisdge- FIKA for coffee and the most delicious cake made by Georgina-High Tide Tea. The General Store for gifts and apothecary. The Old Bakery for casual dining and delicious tapas. Hannah at the Dog House grooms our cockapoo, Willis, and she has some wonderful luxury dog products and a good selection of raw dog food.
What do you love most about your job?
I absolutely love matching people with property. Identifying a home that’s the perfect fit for someone is incredibly rewarding. I also love finding solutions to problems and inevitably with selling properties there are are numerous challenges along the way!
Where do you see the local area heading in terms of house sales? Do you have an idea of the next top spot to buy a property and any personal tips?
Prior the Covid, The South Hams just wasn’t a viable option for many younger buyers and families looking to relocate as they needed easy access to cities for work. With a shift towards working from home it’s now become a real possibility for many to consider further afield than traditional commuter belt territory. If demand continues to outstrip supply I believe that prices in the area will hold up pretty well.
Who is Harriet?
Harriet was born in Totnes. She completely fell into estate agency. Having come back from traveling she temped at one of the worlds leading independent real estate companies. After floating around a number of their offices she ended up in Hampstead where she was offered a full time job in a newly established lettings department. She worked with an amazing lady who was an incredible mentor and between them they built a really successful office. When she retired Harriet took over running the department. She knew the lettings market in Devon would be very different so when she secured a job selling houses in Salcombe, a town she knew well from holidays there as a child, she was thrilled!
Thank you to Harriet for an insight into her world.If you are interested in owning your own piece of heaven in Devon, Harriet will be happy to assist you in your search.
Harriet George https://www.harrietgeorge.co.uk/properties/
