Chris, James and Jeremy
‘The team’s local knowledge and their network of buyers and sellers is unrivalled, and the valuation was spot-on!’ – Jason Rowlands
‘We have noticed a significant trend this year: selling a property off-market is becoming a more popular option,’ says Chris Chalmers, Director at Whitman & Co. ‘We have completed on 86 sales in 2026; 25 of those were off-market, and hence achieved solely by making maximum use of our client database. It’s clearly a model that works well in an area with many high-value homes like Chiswick.’
Vendors usually choose to follow an off market strategy in order not to advertise a possible sale. That could be for reasons of personal privacy or to test the response to an agent’s valuation, in particular during traditionally quiet holiday periods or in an uncertain market.
Of course, if there is no interest via the off market route then the property can be listed widely – perhaps at a more competitive price – without the potentially negative impact of a reduction. For their part, buyers are attracted by the opportunity to view and make an offer on a property before it reaches the public arena.
Barrowgate Road
Rusthall Avenue
‘Off-market means that discretion is required,‘ explains Chris. ‘So, there’s no Whitman’s board outside the property, no details are posted in our office window, no digital footprint on any of the major portals and no Social Media blitz. Rather, we simply approach buyers on our extensive database: then we market for a set period and the whole process is conducted completely under the radar.
‘Recently we had the opportunity to compare and measure the performance of the Whitman database against that of a well-known online platform that specialises in off market listings. We generated 20 viewings within 10 days and a guide price offer; the other company’s social media/client database campaign generated no response at all.
‘Most importantly, a successful off market sale doesn’t mean having to accept a reduced offer. On the contrary, it can add serious value by attracting offers over the asking price.
Dukes Avenue
Fairfax Road
‘Two of our sales in Dukes Avenue are the perfect example: both homes went under offer in a matter of days, both went to best and final bids and the exchange was quick. There’s no doubt that the off market approach will continue to grow as word of mouth spreads.’
Whitman & Co’s database has been developed over 30 years, and it is founded on the company’s history of specialising in the Chiswick market and exceptional track record as the number one local agent for sales and lettings.
‘We have a 20% market share – that figure hasn’t changed in a decade – and we outperform both the large corporate and small boutique agencies,’ says Chris. ‘So far this year we have completed on sales of over £130 million and have a very healthy pipeline, and even in the current tricky environment our fall-through rate on transactions is under 6%. Moreover, one third of our sales have gone to best and final bids.
‘We work hard to maintain and build our database with a strategy that remains the same and gets results. Our close-knit team knows the area street-by-street, we give informed, realistic valuations and we like to build long-term relationships that see clients returning to use our service time and again. Also, we don’t have minimum-term contracts or notice periods.
‘If you need any advice or information about buying, selling or letting a property in Chiswick, do get in touch. We don’t make promises that we can’t keep and we back our experience and local expertise to pay dividends for you.’
Whitman & Co
5-7 Turnham Green Terrace
Chiswick W4 1RG
020 8747 8800
sales@whitmanandco.com
lettings@whitmanandco.com
https://www.whitmanandco.com/
https://www.whitmancommercial.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/whitmanandco
https://www.instagram.com/whitmancommercial
Main photo by Annabel Moeller:
https://www.instagram.com/annabelmoellerphotography