Our take on Daniel Daggers and Netflix’s ‘Buying London’

Everyone’s talking about Daniel Daggers. But most people are missing the point.

Buying London. The new Netflix show about super prime agency DDRE Global, described as ‘probably the most hateable TV show ever made’ by one British newspaper.

It seems like the entire property industry has an opinion about it.

But the vast majority of comments seem to focus purely on the UK perception and viewpoint.

This show is made primarily for an international audience, not a UK one. It’s focus is to appeal to people that are interested in the super prime London property market – in the same way that they did with Selling Sunset in LA (made by the same producers). It’s why every location is crudely signposted with street signs and maps to make it abundantly clear where it sits in relation to the centre of London.

And so it opens DDRE up to a huge new potential global client base.

Without spending vast sums on paid media and advertising.

Unlike the vast majority of the prime property industry, Danny understands the vital importance that a strong brand, astute marketing strategy and high quality social media content plays in building a business. In reaching the right people. In creating awareness. In selling the dream.

That’s why his team (that clearly love him) isn’t just made up of Advisors. There’s also a diverse group of Content Creators. Videographers. Broadcasters. Social Media & Marketing Managers. It’s a structure more akin to a luxury goods brand – and it stands apart from the traditional property agency approach. It’s why the new boutique advisory firms like Harwood and DDRE are stealing a march on the more established players.

Harwood Advisory have done our own international deals – particularly in the US, working alongside key local agents that we know and trust incredibly well. Building and nurturing those relationships takes time. I worked with Danny for over a decade at Knight Frank. We grew up in the industry together.

I have a huge amount of respect for him and all that he has built since then. I’m certain that he won’t care in the slightest about most of the people in the UK passing comment about his team. In fact, he’ll be revelling in it. The world has become smaller. Everyone is interconnected. And whether a reaction is positive or negative, all this publicity can only be a good thing. Hats off to Danny for doing something that’s never been done before. Pushing the envelope is sometimes uncomfortable, but necessary in order to move an industry on.

Onwards and upwards.