Welcome to the Team Jennifer Purchase
Meet Jennifer Purchase: People First, Property Second
For Jennifer Purchase, a career in property was probably always on the cards. Her whole family works in property in one way or another, across completely different sectors, so perhaps it was only a matter of time before she found her way into the industry too.
The route there was not exactly straightforward, though.
Jennifer always thought she would study maths at university. Instead, she ended up studying Multimedia Textiles, following her creative side and taking a rather different path from the one she had originally imagined.
A couple of years into working, her dad gave her some advice that would change everything: “If you like fashion, you’d better get a job where you can afford it!”
One phone call with a contact in property later, Jennifer made the move. Twelve years on, she has built a career in residential sales, spent nearly eight years in Prime Central London and now finds herself starting a new chapter with DDRE Global.
It might sound like a long way from textiles to property, but Jennifer sees more of a connection than you might expect.
A mathematical brain and an arty one
“I think the creative side comes through massively in how I market property,” Jennifer says.
She is always thinking about how a property looks, how it is presented and, perhaps most importantly, what story is being told around it. In an increasingly visual industry, she believes good marketing is about much more than taking nice photographs.
Her degree also taught her to approach things differently and come up with what she describes as slightly “weird and wonderful” ideas. That creativity has proved surprisingly useful when it comes to solving problems during a transaction.
“I’ve always had a mathematical brain and an arty one, and property is probably one of the few careers where I get to use both.”
It is a combination that makes a lot of sense. Property requires the numbers, the structure and the attention to detail, but it also requires instinct, imagination and an understanding of how to make a home stand out.
Finding her way into Prime Central London
Her move into Prime Central London was, according to Jennifer, mostly down to luck.
“Probably the only time I’ve ever believed in luck!”
An opportunity came up, Jennifer said yes almost immediately and then stayed for nearly eight years.
It was a huge learning curve. She learnt about deal structures, leases, cultural differences and just how quickly things can move in the Prime Central London market.
But one of the biggest lessons was not about property at all. It was about the people working within it.
“Other agents are your allies, not your enemies. Some of my best deals have happened through working together.”
It is an approach that has stayed with her. After all, property is a relatively small world, and collaboration can often be the difference between a difficult transaction and a successful one.
Her time in Prime Central London also reinforced something else she strongly believes in. Whether someone is buying a £1 million flat or a £10 million home, the fundamentals are much the same.
“People want someone they trust, someone who communicates with them and someone who will give them good advice, even when it isn’t necessarily what they want to hear.”
For Jennifer, that is what good agency is really about.
People first, property second
There is a reason Jennifer describes her approach as “people first, property second”.
She has always been drawn to the personal side of property. As a big sister and a mum, she says looking out for people and wanting to help is probably just part of who she is.
Over twelve years in the industry, there have been plenty of moments that have stayed with her.
One couple she worked with were buying what was going to be the husband’s wife’s forever home. He had cancer, and what mattered most to him was knowing that she would have somewhere she loved and felt safe.
Jennifer went back to visit after he had passed away and the renovation was finished.
“Seeing the home they had planned together all complete was incredibly bittersweet.”
Then there was a woman whose home Jennifer sold after she had lived there for more than 30 years. The stairs were becoming difficult for her, but leaving a home she had known for so long was a huge decision.
They are still friends today.
And then there are the happier full-circle moments. Couples Jennifer has helped find a home who later have children, followed by the slightly surreal experience of meeting those children years later.
One even sang “Jenny from the Block” to her when they met. Conveniently, it is also the song Jennifer walked down the aisle to.
These are the moments that have shaped the way she sees her job.
“You might be selling a property, but there’s nearly always a much bigger story behind why someone is moving.”
Why DDRE, and why now?
After twelve years in property, Jennifer knew she wanted to work for herself. But she also knew she did not want to work by herself.
That was a big part of the appeal of DDRE.
“DDRE made me nervous, which I always think is a good thing!”
She had not really worked on personal branding or social media before, and there was a lot of the technology side of the industry that was new to her too.
That was exactly the point.
Jennifer wanted to learn something new. After twelve years in property, she still enjoys being challenged and believes that is one of the best things about the industry.
“I also knew I wanted to work for myself, but I didn’t want to work by myself. I wanted a team around me, people to bounce ideas off and learn from, and DDRE gives me that perfect mix.”
Becoming a mum also changed the way Jennifer thought about work.
Like many working parents, she has experienced the guilt that comes with nursery drop-offs and pick-ups, sports days and parents’ evenings. Building a career while also wanting to be present for those moments is something she understands personally.
Working for herself has given her the freedom to be there for those things without feeling like she has to compromise on ambition.
“Now I don’t have to miss those things, but I can still work just as hard and be just as ambitious.”
For Jennifer, that was a huge part of making the move.
And finally, something you definitely would not find on a property listing...
Jennifer has two slightly unexpected facts about herself.
The first is that she is in the Guinness Book of Records. Not for property, unsurprisingly, but for being part of the record for the most people playing the same song at the same time on the recorder.
The second is perhaps even more surprising.
Despite selling homes for a living, Jennifer is definitely not a traditional homemaker.
“I cannot cook to save my life. My husband and Deliveroo do a lot of the heavy lifting!”
It is a fittingly honest end to a career story that has never really followed a conventional route.
From Multimedia Textiles to Prime Central London, from residential sales to building her own business, Jennifer has managed to bring together two sides of herself that do not always naturally sit together: the mathematical and the creative, the ambitious and the personal.
And perhaps that is exactly what makes her approach to property work.
Because for Jennifer Purchase, it has never simply been about selling a house.
It is about understanding the person, understanding the reason behind the move and making the whole process feel a little easier along the way.
People first. Property second.
Welcome to Team DDRE Global, Jennifer Purchase.
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