Voices in Property - Simon Deen

Welcome to our quick-fire spotlight on industry leaders and entrepreneurs in Property.

In this edition, Simon Deen Founder of Simon Deen Real Estate shares personal insights and experiences with anyone who may be currently working in or aspiring to join the London property industry.

What are you most proud of in your career?

I started my career in 2004. The first four years were glorious. Since 2008 we’ve had a financial crisis, Brexit, Covid, eight Prime Ministers, lots of Russians, no Russians and seventeen changes to Stamp Duty.

Each of these events individually changed the dynamics of the market, and required an adjustment in the advice I’ve given to clients.

The market is unrecognisable from when I started, and yet here I am. I think anyone who’s worked through the same period of almost ceaseless turmoil can be proud of that achievement.

What was your first property job and how did you get it?

My first girlfriend's parents ran an estate agency in West Hampstead. They gave me a job manning the office on a Saturday morning. I think they wanted to get the measure of me. The Portuguese café next door sold pastéis de nata and great coffee. I spent most of my time there.

What motivates you?

Inflation. And my kids, obviously.

What’s your best advice for preparing for an interview?

Don’t try to hide your idiosyncrasies. We all have them, it’s what makes us unique, and they’ll come out eventually anyway. There’s way too much conformity in the world. I walked into my first interview with a copy of the FT and without a tie. I got complimented on the first, and told off for the second.

What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

Know your worth. At the end of that interview I was offered a job working for commission only. I declined.

Which leader, entrepreneur, founder, or CEO inspires you?

Charlie Munger. When he died in 2023, five weeks short of his hundredth birthday, he was worth $2.5 billion. His business partner, Warren Buffett, was worth $120 billion. Most people couldn’t live with that gap. But Charlie realised that there wasn’t much $2.5 billion couldn’t buy him. He wasn’t concerned about looking good, just achieving his goals.

Your best deal?

I sold two off-plan penthouses for a FTSE-listed company - and combining them was part of the deal. The seller wanted to say no to everything, and the buyer was an internet entrepreneur who was more interested in heli-skiing than legal points. It took about 12 months to get from agreement to exchange.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

I don’t have a favourite, but it’s hard to beat Sunday dim sum at Royal China in the depths of winter. My kids call the post-lunch happiness “the Chinese feeling”. 

Apple or Android?

Apple. But I’ll take a Nokia too. The complaint I hear most often about estate agents is that we are bad at communicating. The best bit of tech any agent has is their phone.

Find out more about Simon Deen Reel Estate here and connect with Simon Deen here.

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