New estate agency markets only refurbished homes, with warranty

A start-up estate agency in London says it’s going to market only refurbished homes that will then be given a warranty from the company for a year.

The agency - called Cuvelo, and operating through its website rather than a High Street office - says each home it sells “is typically fully furnished and styled, so the buyer can move in right away.”

The agency’s co-founders are Patrick Dougherty and Costanza Ranieri, who also run an interior design and refurbishment studio called Ivar London.

“Many buyers love the idea of buying a period home. Yet the interiors of these homes are often tired, dull or both, so moving into one means taking on a project” explains Dougherty. 

He says one alternative is to purchase a new-build, but he feels these often require a buyer to compromise on character, space and location. 

“The solution, therefore, is buying a period home that has been beautifully refurbished. However, it’s time-consuming to find exceptional examples and buyers don’t always trust the quality of the work. They have heard too many horror stories about cowboy builders and cynical refurbishment developers.”

The company says it offers the highest level of after-care, taking responsibility for every home it sells and backing this up with a one-year warranty “up to a capped amount.”

Ranieri adds: “Too often a beautiful refurbishment simply gets lost among the mass of homes available on the market. Cuvelo understands quality and great design – as well as the costs and hard work that go into it – and knows how to communicate it effectively.” 

The agency also offers a staging service.

You can see the new agency website here.