It’s been the go-to phrase in the estate agency world for years - ‘your local experts’. The idea that the best agent to let your home is the one who lives down the road, your kids go to the same school, and knows the history of every flat on your street.
But over the last few years, we’ve started to rethink it. Because while we might love a strong postcode identity - renters don’t always feel the same.
What renters actually care about.
The rental market has shifted. The pace has been relentless - and while it’s calmed slightly, many renters are still carrying habits that market created: urgency, flexibility and a widened search criteria.
We’re still in a market where homes can go under offer in 7 days or less. Renters need to move fast, they are compromising more and prioritising what works for their current lifestyle over what’s familiar.
From our own resident feedback this year:
- 51% prioritised connectivity and transport
- 38% prioritised space and size
- 28% valued outdoor space, whether private or communal
These top 3 factors are not tied to a postcode. It’s about logistics, space and what works for their current lifestyle.
So, why limit ourselves?
We’ve long worked with portfolio owners whose properties span the capital. Managing rental properties across postcodes isn’t new for us but what has changed is our marketing approach.
When in-person viewings became impossible in 2020, we adapted quickly, introducing virtual video tours.
Renters could:
- View a home in a few taps
- Rule a property in or out on their lunch break
- Make an offer from abroad and move on the day they land
This worked so well, we never stopped.
What makes our strategy so effective today
We treat video tours as first viewings - filmed by our consultants, room by room, and designed to answer questions before they’re even asked.
By the time we host in-person viewings (whether in Shoreditch, Bushey or Kingston), we’re showing 3 or 4 highly qualified applicants — not 10 maybes.
This efficiency benefits everyone: fewer wasted viewings, more motivated renters, and offers made quicker.
Strategy > geography
The truth is: our landlords aren’t worried about the ‘how’— they care about the results.
And from Watford to Whitechapel, our strategy gets them.
This year alone, we’ve let brilliant homes far beyond our northwest London core, with no leaflets, no “for rent” boards, just smart, people-first marketing.
A borough map showing all our lets this year (rather than pinpointing every property) is more than enough to prove the point.
What renters want, our marketing delivers
We don’t just list a home and cross our fingers. We shape our marketing around what renters actually need to make confident, informed decisions:
Video tours
Highly detailed and presenter-led, our tours feel like a first viewing — helping renters make quick, confident decisions before they’ve even stepped through the door.
Lifestyle-first listings
Whether it’s NW2 or KT2, it’s less about the postcode and more about how life feels there. From coffee spots to green space to easy commutes, we market the lifestyle renters are searching for, wherever that may be.
Resident reviews
We know we won’t always have the same knowledge as someone who lives next door - so we ask the people who do. Our resident reviews give future renters insight on everything from average bills to hidden local gems, written by the people who actually live there.
So, are we still “local experts”?
Yes - NW6 will always be our home.
But as the market has evolved, so have we. We’re no longer just local experts - we’re marketing experts. Because in a fast-paced market, smart marketing wins over postcode familiarity everytime.
If you have a rental property in NW6, we can deliver the results you need.
Have three more across London? We can still deliver the results you need.,
Renting your home in West Hampstead or beyond? Contact our lettings team to discover how marketing with Paramount can help you achieve the results you need.
