The New Recruit.
Meet our new sales and lettings advisor, Sara Ekholm.
With a background that includes running a photoshoot locations agency and years working at Elle Decoration, Sara Ekholm’s CV is as perfect a match up for Story of Home as is her personality. Sara loves property and has long harboured ambitions for the professional move into estate agency she has now made. But first and foremost, she is a people person, and that’s what makes her ideal as the newest addition to our team.
London, via everywhere.
I have lived in London now for 23 years. As a child, I moved around a lot. I was born in Spain, then lived in Sweden, Malaysia, and Switzerland. It was an exciting upbringing that instilled in me a curiosity and sense for adventure.
It’s a testament to London that I’m here. Despite the wanderlust in me I have stayed because this city excites me, and I love it being my home.
A sense of belonging.
Wherever I’ve been in the world and in London, I have felt the need to create a secure, calm, homely environment to live in. Whether I was going to be in a place for months or years, I needed to have a sense of belonging in the space I’m calling home. The knock-on effect of all my travels is that, even when my surroundings are new, I know how to create a space that feels familiar and secure to come home to.
One abode, no fixed style.
I have been in my current home for fifteen years. It was a big project. Going through the stages of a renovation and really getting to know the bones of a property can be an emotional ride, but you come out the other side loving the place more.
I have always had a love for interior design, and my first foray in the field was my summer internship at sixteen years old at Pentagram design. It gave me an amazing insight into the working of commercial interior design, and I think that experience has stayed with me over the years.
My home has always been a place that I’ve experimented in, and through many years of renovation and paint colors have forged a style that I love. My interior style is ever evolving, but also not trend driven. There are certain pieces of furniture that have sentimental value and I love having an eclectic mix of styles around me. I suppose it’s a reflection of my personality and of a life well-travelled and live. I think that’s the charm about a home, and I feel it should encapsulates a person through the pieces and object we choose to fill it with.
Home has never been more important.
If you’re selling a property, it’s important to understand that home life has never been more important. Since lockdown, people feel more strongly about how their home makes them feel. Many of us found our relationship with our domestic space change during the pandemic, and our feelings for it deepen.
Presume that anybody viewing your house will be looking at what and where their dedicated work area might be. Maybe you are happy to work from the dining table, but having the ability for spaces and rooms to be multifunctional is important, as is keeping these spaces light and airy. People spending more time at home raises other questions. Do you really want an open-plan kitchen-living area or is it nicer to have a wall to delineate the spaces?
Sell by suggestion.
Over the past few years, I have worked on styling for high-end properties for the marketing and the promotion of them and this taught me how important it is to be able to suggest the possibilities of a space. Clutter is the worst thing you can have if you’re trying to sell a property and show it in its best light. Rooms don’t have to be minimal but keep them clear and emphasise the space and light. A small desk in a guest room opens possibilities in people’s minds.
I can’t emphasise storage enough. Right now, when I show a property where there are good, thought-out storage solutions, it has a very positive impact on the viewing.
Here is my list of tips for making your home ready to sell.
- De-clutter – keep surfaces clear of small objects and papers.
- Bring planting into the space – greenery brings the outdoors in.
- Clean your windows – clean windows let in more light and make the space feel brighter. It’s never nice looking out through dirty windows.
- Tidy up the garden – put toys and tools away and cut the grass and trim back any overgrown plants – you want to show off the outside to its maximum potential.
- Clean – make sure the bathroom and kitchen are sparkling.
- Give your front door a coat of paint – it’s the first impression potential buyers get when coming to your home – so make sure it’s a good one.
- Suggest uses for spaces in the home – under stairs storage or a large landing could work with a small desk space for working from home.
- Make sure it smells nice, it’s worth investing in a nice home scent. I always find a home appealing if it smells good.
Brimming with possibilities.
I’ve been in Hackney for over twenty years now. Over those years I have built up a wonderful community around me. London, as everyone knows, is a city made up of villages. Walking around and seeing people you know, be it friends or locals, or even the postman creates a sense of belonging.
When I first moved here, as art student, it was a great area for all not only because it offered cheaper rents but because that also afforded people to be more creative. I felt I was really in the heart of the art scene here with new galleries, and fun places to go out. It felt like things were brimming with possibilities and although many parts have gone through gentrification there is still a sense of new ideas and an ever-evolving creative urge.
All roads led to Story of Home.
Although the summer job at Pentagram sowed the seeds of my interest in interiors, my degree was in Fine Art Photography at Camberwell College of Arts. Being at art college instils a sense of curiosity in you to explore.
I worked as a photographer, but my love of interiors and property was always in me, eventually led me to work at Elle Decoration as a features assistant. Penny Tattersall approached me and asked me to run the locations side her business as a photographer’s agent. I was all about spaces and homes and interiors, and I instantly clicked with Penny, so I went for it. We were a very lovely, small team, not dissimilar to Story of Home, and over time I thought more and more about moving into property.
The reason I’m working at Story of Home and not somewhere else is because, for all my background in visuals and interiors, it is people and their stories that I care about., The human side of property, what you want your daily life to be about. I love being at a new agency that is one hundred percent there for their clients, buying or selling or renting. We truly understand them and are there for them every step of the way. Moving is a major decision and people do it for many different reasons. Not all of them good, so having an understanding agent who can help you is a key part to managing a smooth sale.
I’m definitely a social person, I love meeting new people and getting out and about. I want to be where things are happening. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of that.
The story of people.
To be able to relate to and understand somebody’s situation in life is at the heart of selling and renting homes. Something has changed financially, or you’re separating, divorcing. To be able to relate on a personal level to people is what I pride myself on, because the human aspect to this job is everything. I think people forget that about buying and selling houses. Yes, there is a transaction and it’s about an investment as well, but the clue is in our name. There is always a human story behind a property move, often more than one. You just have to be sensitive towards it.
If you are thinking about moving, and would like some friendly advice get in touch with Sara today on 0207 867 3999 or sara@storyofhome.co.uk
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