If you want to avoid winding up Jeremy Helsby, the Savills chief executive, then at all costs don’t suggest that it is an upmarket UK residential estate agent.
Savills is as big in cross-border commercial property consultancy as it is in driving posh London and country home sales.
Mr Helsby is very fond of reminding journalists (and the market) that half of Savills’ business is taken up with activities such as commercial property sales, planning and development advice, facilities management and wider investment consultancy across the UK, Europe, Asia and the US.
However, it is worth dwelling on Savills’ high street operation. Income from residential transaction fees grew by 10 per cent to £57.2 million in the six months to the end of June, even