I’ve had an interest in houses for as long as I can remember, but career-wise, my property story began in 2005 when I studied law at the University of Sheffield, property law being one of the compulsory subjects. It wasn’t the most popular topic, but it certainly wasn’t the worst! Some years later I started working in private practice and specialised solely in property law from 2014 onwards.
Working in this role taught me so much about business, property transactions, and the importance of providing a great client service. Nonetheless, it is detail heavy, with lots of legal drafting and little opportunity to get out and about. Over the last couple of years, it’s hit me that I’m more interested in property itself than the minutia of being a lawyer. It’s never too late to have a career change, and even the most vocational career paths aren’t linear.
It’s hard to explain my interest in property. I believe that you never fully own a home in its entirety, and instead, you ‘borrow’ it while you live there before it moves on to the next chapter of the story. I am fascinated by the architectural history, the potential for home improvement and the opportunity for personal expression and I am deeply interested in how people live their lives and the impact that a home can have on this.
So…after almost 11 years working in law, I decided that spending an unhealthy amount of time poring over Rightmove just didn’t go far enough in satisfying my interest in property. I worked with Fiona Flemington, owner of The Insightful Coach Consultancy, who helped me see that my legal background offers a unique selling point within the residential estate agency market and my skills and experience could help homeowners navigate the often unpredictable and confusing sales process. Fast forward to 2021 when I handed my notice in on International Women’s Day and began building Baden Properties.
Setting up my own estate agency was of course a huge decision to make, but the right one. I’m so excited to finally be launching Baden Properties, and I can’t wait to see how it evolves!