On September 20, a very new type of estate agency opened its 'virtual' doors for business. The Georgian House calls itself 'Britain's first charitable estate agency' because 40% of its fees will be paid to The Georgian Group a charity dedicated to preserving Georgian buildings and gardens. The idea for the venture came when a vendor in Stoke Newington with an interesting Georgian property contacted the group to ask for help. His problem was that he felt few looking around the house really understood what they were looking at, and thus the building's true interest and value. That, explained Robert Bargery, Secretary of The Georgian Group, got them thinking. The charity has a database of more than 3,000 members, all of whom were passionate about things Georgian. Its members would not only understand what they were looking at, but many aspired to live in properties like this. And so the idea of The Georgian House Estate Agency was born. The agency currently has seven properties on its books with a number to follow. All its properties were built between 1700 and 1837 although, says Mr Bargery, they will look outside these dates where houses contain enough Georgian features. Their aim is to bring these houses to the attention of those who will love and cherish them. Mr Bargery says that those who have signed up really warm to the fact that their treasured properties stand a better chance of being sold to another aficionado; the fact that part of the agency fees will be put back into The Georgian Group; and, a unique part of the service, the 'free appraisal' that will be carried out on the house by an expert. Recording the Georgian aspects of a property should be of interest to many, but it will certainly fascinate the members of The Georgian Group. www.thegeorgianhouse.net 08456 344069 This article first appeared in Country Life magazine on October 5, 2006
