Climbing the Property Career Ladder
Finding and following your passion is something all Old Bloxhamists aspire to. It was a chance meeting with Nick Rudge (Eg 81-84), Residential Director at Savills, who was speaking at a Careers Fair at Bloxham, that sparked Charlotte’s passion for property. After graduating from the Royal Agricultural University with a 2:1 in Real Estate, she joined Savills full-time and her enthusiasm, desire to succeed in everything, affection for the countryside and love of her job has shone. She has recently been promoted to Sales Associate.
It is unsurprising to hear that Charlotte’s enthusiastic nature was apparent from the moment she joined Bloxham in Third Form. Throughout her time in Raymond, she was involved in all House activities and events, and in her final year she was appointed as a Chapel Prefect. She was keen to participate in all sports. She was captain of the 2nd XI hockey team, captain of the 2nd tennis team, played netball and was part of the senior mixed tennis team. Riding played a big part of her sporting success before, during and after her time at Bloxham, competing in many eventer challengers and show jumping competitions. In her final year, this culminated in the NSEA Eventer Challenger Championships at Hickstead and being selected for the BE U18 Championships Midlands Team.
It was fantastic to hear from Charlotte about her time at Bloxham and her passion for her career.
What is your fondest memory of Bloxham?
The ‘family’ that Bloxham creates. Whether it was on the sports field playing hockey or tennis with different year groups, equestrian event days where we often achieved fantastic results and wiped the board clean, or in ‘House Shout’ – you were always surrounded by your friends and teachers who, for those boarding, like me, quite quickly became family.
What A levels did you do?
Geography, Business and IT.
Which teacher inspired you?
Mr Buckland joined in one of my final years and taught me Geography. He was always so friendly and chirpy, when you were missing home or had a bad day, he gave you something to get engaged in. I think that was paired with my interest for all things Geography-related but his attitude of ‘you can do anything you put your heart into’ really resonated with me, and I try to apply that same positive attitude to everything I do today.
What subject has been most useful in your career?
Business Studies enabled me to understand how companies run, what their objectives, strategies and tactics are, and how crucial it is to have profit margins at the forefront of minds, ensuring that all opportunities are maximised.
Tell us about your gap year?
I have always ridden horses and evented, and at the time I had a talented young horse. Before starting at the Royal Agricultural College, I wanted some time out of education, so I worked as a groom which gave me lots of time to pursue this passion.
I spent the year riding for professional event riders across the UK which was a wonderful experience. When an American event rider came over for a 5* here and suggested I went to ride for her in the US, it was an incredible opportunity and so I joined her for the end of the US season. I had to get up really early to avoid the heat and the lifestyle as a groom and the style of eventing was so different from here in the UK, but I had the best time.
What attracted you to the property sector?
While at Bloxham we were encouraged to conduct work experience. I met Nick Rudge from Savills one evening at the careers fair and that summer carried out some work experience with him. I also gained work experience in a more rural sector, and realised I loved the property sales side of things rather than the management service line. I was also attracted to the fact the job is so active, and no day is the same. It keeps the job exciting, never knowing what you might see each day or who you might meet.
It sounds like you had a secure career plan.
Yes. I decided that my career path was certainly in the property sector, specifically residential sales. I applied for the Royal Agricultural University to study Real Estate. I spent some additional weeks with the local Savills office in Stow on the Wold, generating further relationships within the business and finding that what I was shadowing during the day to day working role, complemented my academic studies at university.
After graduating, I started my property career in Northampton and then, because of the work experience placement I had taken the time to do while at university, I was called by Savills’s Stow on the Wold branch. I was offered a role covering for maternity leave and this turned into a full-time position as Sales Negotiator. My role expanded into selling country houses and prime properties across the sought after location of the Cotswolds. I was quickly given more responsibility using my agricultural and equestrian knowledge to win instructions, value properties for high-net-worth clients and was involved in all aspects of office life through to managing sales progression and handing keys over at completion. This is an experience I will truly never forget – meeting fantastic clients, viewing amazing homes and achieving great results. I was in that office for almost four years, and in October I relocated within Savills to Stamford to be closer to my family, ahead of my wedding in June 2025.
What is your greatest professional achievement?
Getting myself to where I am today. I joined the property sector when I was 20 and at the age of 21, I was working for Savills. When I was at Bloxham that’s all I could dream of, working for the happy yellow logo that is Savills. Now, I am living my dream, and I am only 26! I am proud to have recently been promoted to Associate level within the business.
On her success, Savills state: “Her years of residential knowledge and experience, enhance and complete our strong team. Charlotte has experience selling a range of property types from market towns and country homes to equestrian properties and unique, new build homes. Taking time to understand both buyer and seller needs, Charlotte enjoys matching buyers to their dream home with a great ‘can do’ attitude.”
What do you enjoy most about your particular property speciality?
I love the culture of the property world. It is such a ‘people’ industry and one of the main reasons I love my job so much, is the time I spend getting to know so many different clients who are selling such wonderfully different homes. My day can vary from meeting clients who are wanting to sell their family home, to visiting a development site to an equestrian property, then back to the office to negotiate on a centre of town property. I spend a lot of time out and about, which is one of the main attractions to the industry in the first place. No day is the same. It’s very exciting.
How did your time at Bloxham prepare you for what you are doing today?
I boarded from the age of 13, which was character building. Bloxham boosted my confidence, playing sports with people from different years and houses, being confident to chat and putting myself out there. This has helped me with networking; having the confidence to meet new people and work alongside different colleagues and teams. I do this within my role at Savills without even thinking!
Boarding also ensured that I was proactive in keeping busy. This is something that is often commented on, as I am always there to help the team or a colleague, or problem solving to keep a sale together or proactively trying to match buyers to properties.
I had to be strong-willed and driven to achieve results whether it was in the classroom or on the sports fields. This has translated into my work at Savills ensuring I am always aiming to do the best for my clients and achieve the best prices possible, by giving them the best advice.
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