Prime Perspectives
St John's Wood
Where LonRes data meets the lived experience of London’s top agents.
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Michael Diacos
With its leafy avenues, elegant villas, and distinctive white stucco-fronted homes, St John’s Wood has long held a unique position in prime London property market. Offering a blend of tranquillity and prestige just moments from the bustle of central London, it attracts domestic and international buyers alike — many of whom are drawn to what Ian Green of Ian Green Residential calls “the perfect London Victorian house.”
But even picture-perfect neighbourhoods aren’t immune to the pressures facing the wider market. As part of our Prime Perspectives series, we’ve combined LonRes market data with on-the-ground insight from leading local agents to explore what’s really happening in St John’s Wood — and where buyers and sellers might find their next opportunity.
For this edition, we were joined by:
Ian Green, Owner and Principal at Ian Green Residential
Benji Weinberger, Advisor at DDRE Global
Joshua Marks, Founder at Park Lord
Jason Goldstone, Director at Hanover Residential
Alicia Lindsay, Director at Savills
Rosy Khalastchy, Consultant at Beauchamp Estates
So, what are agents seeing in the St John’s Wood market?
Market Conditions: Caution, Change and Adjustment
Sales activity across the prime London property market has slowed in recent months. According to LonRes’ May Monthly Briefing, transaction volumes were 26.2% lower in April than the same month last year, and 22.9% below the April average between 2017 and 2019. Agents in St John’s Wood echoed this sentiment, with Ian Green noting that the “volume of sales is probably totally down 50–60%” on the year.
There are multiple factors at play, from rising interest rates to stock levels and significant tax changes impacting non-domiciled individuals. According to Green, “It’s a combined effect from the government stance on non-dom, higher interest rates… Prices are being adjusted, and when that happens, there’s opportunities to do deals.”
Benji Weinberger of DDRE Global also commented on the policy changes, saying: “The market is interesting at the moment… The change in the non-dom status — prices have definitely been impacted.” He adds that some clients have chosen to relocate abroad rather than buy in the current climate.
London Property Market: Non-Dom Status, Stock Levels and Nervous Landlords
So, what’s contributing to the challenging market conditions, as seen both in our data and echoed by the agents we spoke to?
The aforementioned changes to non-dom status (what is non-dom status? Find out more here) were brought up by every agent we interviewed, though the impact varied. Several noted a rise in interest from American buyers, a trend also reflected in the findings of our most recent agent survey, conducted as part of our Prime London Market Update Spring. Over 60% of agents reported that demand from US buyers had either remained steady or increased. In fact, the USA was the only geographic region where a majority of respondents felt demand had grown.
Agents explained that uncertainty around the revised non-dom rules is causing prospective buyers to exercise caution, with many opting to rent or seek alternatives abroad due to concerns about double taxation.
Another factor impacting market sentiment is the Renters Reform Bill. According to Jason Goldstone of Hanover, “landlords are a bit nervous… A lot are selling,” a shift that is feeding into the increase in available stock. The rising stock levels were evident in the data in our May Monthly Briefing that shows that “at the end of April, stock levels were 11.2% higher than a year earlier and 45% up compared to April 2020” (Source: LonRes).
Finding Opportunity in Uncertainty
It was clear from every conversation: there is still activity in the London property market, and the most motivated buyers and sellers are making moves — provided expectations are aligned.
“The market is moving. There are buyers out there — serious ones, the ones who need to move,” said Jason Goldstone, Director at Hanover Residential.
According to Rosy Khalastchy, Consultant at Beauchamp Estates, this moment of adjustment presents an opportunity for serious buyers: “It’s a difficult market, but the domestic market is making decisions.”
That pragmatism is echoed by Joshua Marks, Founder of Park Lord, who observed: “The word I’ve been using a lot lately is green shoots. Then all of a sudden, a property that’s been on the market for a year goes under offer. You never see it coming — you’ve just got to have your options open and be creative.”
"There are buyers out there - serious ones, the ones who need to move” - Jason Goldstone, Director at Hanover Residential.
Looking Ahead
While market conditions remain complex, the insights shared by agents across St John’s Wood reveal a clear through line: deals are still happening — but realism, timing and flexibility are key. Buyers and sellers who stay informed and work with experienced professionals are still finding opportunities, even amid wider uncertainty.
This edition of Prime Perspectives has shone a light on St John’s Wood — a neighbourhood where heritage, tranquillity and prestige meet. But it’s just one piece of the puzzle.
In our next edition, we’ll turn our attention to another key prime London location. Expect fresh insight, up-to-date data and expert commentary to help you navigate whatever comes next in this ever-evolving market.
Stay tuned for the next Prime Perspectives.
Data and lived experience
At LonRes, we believe in data-led insight — but we also know that markets are lived, not just measured. The agents we speak to in Prime Perspectives help add richness and depth to the picture our data paints, offering real-world context that deepens our understanding.
We’re grateful to Ian Green, Benji Weinberger, Joshua Marks, Jason Goldstone, Alicia Lindsay and Rosy Khalastchy for bringing their local expertise to this edition – and for sharing their perspectives on what’s shaping the market today.
This is just the beginning
Prime Perspectives is our new series spotlighting London’s most sought-after neighbourhoods – blending decades of LonRes data with local insight from agents in the know. Stay tuned as we continue our journey through Prime Central London, one postcode at a time.
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