What do Buyers Look For in Central London Apartments?

What Buyers Look For in Central London Apartments

Property prices across the prime central London (PCL) market dipped by some 5% in 2025, the sharpest yearly drop for five years. And while the market is stabilising, values remain more than a fifth (22%) below their 2015 peak.

So if you’re looking for a new home in this sector, either to live in yourself or as an investment, buying here could be far more accessible than you realised. And, of course, being in central London gives you access to a lifestyle few cities across the world can match.

But if you’re starting your property search in the UK’s capital, it can be hard to know even where to begin. There are, after all, literally thousands from which to take your pick.

Here are a few pointers to help:

• Location, location, location

Location is always important, but it becomes even more of a consideration in London, where you’ll probably be commuting to work and will need to think about how long it will take you to get there by Tube, bus or bike. Equally, each part of the city has its own distinct character, so look into different neighbourhoods and what they’re like. If you need good local schools, clearly this will form part of your research, too.

• Choose your property type

As you’d expect, there are myriad different property types in London, and if you decide which one best suits your needs before booking any viewings, you could really narrow down your search for the perfect home. Period conversions, for example, can have plenty of personality while ground-floor apartments frequently come with a garden.

Maisonettes have their own front door, can be on one floor or two, and are generally period properties with original features such as high ceilings or fireplaces. There isn’t usually a communal hallway and, again, on the ground floor you’ll often have a private garden.

Mansion blocks were originally built in central London for wealthy Victorians and are found across districts such as South Kensington. Think impressive entrance lobbies and generously proportioned apartments. As with maisonettes, there are often period elements.

Finally, new builds and modern developments are increasingly sophisticated yet practical. You’ll face minimal maintenance issues, while buying off-plan frequently means you can choose final details from floor to kitchen colours. Some come with their own gyms, shops, bars, pools and so on.

• Leasehold or freehold?

Understand the difference between freehold (i.e. ownership of both a property and the land on which it stands) and leasehold, in which the freeholder is still the owner of the building and land. Leases allow the leaseholder to live in the place for a set number of years, initially anywhere between 99 and 999 years.

Most properties in London are leasehold. Ask about this and how long remains on the lease and about service charge and ground rent and whether these both apply and how much they are. Check the lease still has at least 80 years on it.

• Access to outdoor space

Ask about what outside space the place you are viewing has. Under the London Plan policy, while balconies on new flats aren’t a strict legal requirement, this is effectively mandatory for the majority of new developments.

If a property doesn’t have a balcony, roof terrace, garden or similar, work out where the nearest local park or other green area is. If you’re buying, closeness to outdoor space is likely to be a key factor in its resale value.

Talk to McGlashans Property Services

At McGlashans Property Services, the leading estate agents, we’re very much family run and have decades of experience in the prime central London market. From the moment of first contact through to moving day and beyond, we’ll be with you every step of the way providing a bespoke, seamless and stress-free service. What’s more, we understand the particular challenges of this market better than anyone. And we’re perfectly placed to cover it from our Marylebone offices.

View our elegant properties for sale – plus we’re equally experienced in lettings. Browse our website and get in touch – we’ll take it from there.