One of London's most famous districts, known for giving the world its Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time, this is a place that appeals to a wide variety of buyers. It’s a tourist mecca, with the Royal Observatory, the Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark – and not to mention glorious parks – and is a lively place, full of visitors and with great cafes, bars and restaurants. But it is also a leafy and comfortable place of families, with plentiful Georgian and Victorian family homes. In addition, it has been a place to settle for City workers as it faces Canary Wharf and is packed with shiny new blocks of apartments, although agents say that the boom time for this particular sector of the market looks to be over.

Your mystery shopper decided, on this occasion, that a substantial inheritance had led to the idea that, with interest rates at an all time low, it might be a great time to see a much better return from a canny buy-to-let purchase. My fictional purchaser has decided the time is right to raise from £200,000 to £300,000 – a nice wide sum – and try to find the best value and best return on my money. And the nearer the Thames, the better, but central Greenwich was the place I wanted my investment to be.

Ashdale
Estate Agents
125 Greenwich South Street,
London, SE10 8NX

Tel: 020 8691 3770

First Impressions
Unprepossessing shop on an awkward corner. Hilariously, had to knock on the locked door to be let in – turned out that it had to be kept shut to stop it blowing open in the driving wind and rain. Greeted by sweet girl who only looked after rentals, who soon passed my on to her chatty male colleague for information on suitable places to buy.

Follow-up
Gave me what they had, which on the sales side was quite limited because they mainly specialised in rentals. Decided not to hold my breath for further details after he explained that they tended mainly to sell ex-rental properties for the landlords on their books.

Market Knowledge
Beyond extensive. He could talk the hind leg off a donkey, but it was all good stuff, all what was going up, what was coming down, who bought what and when the world economy was going to right itself and he could afford to repaint the office walls. If I’d needed a recipe for muffins, I expect he could have supplied that too.

Information Provided
As they deal mostly with rentals, they had few examples to illustrate the boss’s expansive local knowledge. But he clearly knew the score on every type of flat and had very straightforward advice on a beautiful period flat a way over budget – forget it as they won’t want to know. Good, old-fashioned, giving it to you straight stuff.

Guidance Given
Expansive explanation of what, when, how and what to buy, although they were a bit stumped on any precise details, given the scope of the properties on their books. Helped to pleasantly kill a rainy half hour, though.

Website
Compact, simple but comprehensive site. It’s plain but very easy to navigate and tells you everything you need to know.

Overall Score
17/30

Felicity J Lord
27 Greenwich South Street,
Greenwich, London SE10

Tel: 020 8293 8555

First Impressions
Clean, smart office with lots of glass and brown leather. Very warm greeting by sole agent in the office, a woman who swiftly informed me that the boys were at lunch but she could help. You could tell instantly she was really on the ball.

Follow-up
Took down all my details before going into the specifics and made sure she had all the best places to contact me. Gave the card of the manager who would be following up, presumably after that lunch.

Market Knowledge
In these tricky times, she had knowledge that was second to none, not just on property but, perhaps more importantly, how to finance the purchase of your choice. But she was also great on how prices were affected and where to buy well.

Information Provided
Big pile of details, with a couple singled out for special emphasis on a couple that did fit the bill. Excellent knowledge of the area – really felt that she would be a safe pair of hands in a world where current values are the size of a proverbial piece of string.

Guidance Given
Lots of general info on the market, but was guided by what my fictional investor was after and didn't stray too far from the brief. Also separated out which areas would be best for profit and which best for long term stays. Definitely had a firm grasp of her subject.

Website
Horrible orange website with tiny type – and it’s one of those sites that grips your browser, however many times you hit the back button, and won’t let you go. Very annoying. Easy to use though, if a wee bit broad in terms of area scope for the average punter.

Overall Score
21/30

Feliks Augustine
5 Greenwich South Street
London SE10 8NW

Tel: 020 8858 7111

First Impressions
Slightly musky-smelling offices, with shabby carpets and old paint on the walls. Definitely this place is waiting for better times. Greeted by polite but slightly gloomy girl with a gravelly voice, left to meet the punters while the back office staff, clearly visible, didn’t lift their heads as my mystery potential buyer made her inquiries. A little bizarre.

Follow-up
Attentive but quite aggressively full on about making appointments on the spot, without the benefit of reading any of the details in full. She gave me the relevant card of fellow agent to call, but it was clear it was down to me to make my own follow-up.

Market Knowledge
Strong on local detail but it was all a bit of a hard sell, which may have worked in the boom times but not when we all know how the city land lies these days. She told me if I didn’t view a particular property that day, I’d have left it too late. If only.

Information Provided
Didn’t take my full details, although she did at least have my email address, my preferred method of communication (though she didn’t ask). Reasonable list of properties to look at though.

Guidance Given
She definitely knew her market but rattled through it all at such breakneck speed it was a bit hard to take it all in. rather intense and certainly tiring.

Website
Straightforward and easy and quick to use. No frills but it does exactly what it says on the tin - which is actually all most people ever need if they’re looking for flats and houses.

Overall Score
16/30

Conran Estates
221 Greenwich High Road
London SE10

Tel: 020 8312 8312

First Impressions
Lovely smell of leather greeted me as I came through the door out of the rain, very swish offices with a huge screen displaying in widescreen the company’s property offerings. All looked to be aimed at the city clientele across the river.

Follow-up
A lovely girl waved me through the details scrolling on screen, reminding me a little of a breakfast TV weather girl, only rather better informed on the local residential market. Could have taken a few more details, though.

Market Knowledge
Concentrated more on the properties than on the wider market, although did make mention of potential tenants, achievable rental values and prospective yield in a way that others did not. Good stuff.

Information Provided
Went away clutching a business card and a record of the properties I had singled out, but little more. She did offer to print off details, but we agreed it would be altogether easier for me to log on and check them out myself.

Guidance Given
Was strong on the sort of flats make a good investment, although only Mystic Meg could probably give an accurate indicated of where the future market, and future profit, is heading. But could be hamstrung by the lack of homes coming onto their books on the sales side.

Website
Unusually cosmopolitan, with negotiators apparently available in French, Armenian, Urdu and Turkish. Closer inspection reveals little updating on the news side in the last two years, but property list is hopefully more current (but it might make you wonder).

Overall Score
19/30

King Sturge
22, College Approach Greenwich,
SE10 9HY

Tel: 020 8858 9986

First Impressions
Lovely office right in the heart of Greenwich and beside the river and the Cutty Sark – and right by at least one of their flats on offer. Cool and calm welcome by a rather gothic girl who appeared to be manning the place all on her own.

Follow-up
No likelihood that I’d hear more, given that she didn’t ask for any details and I didn’t offer them. Went away clutching a very good and strong selection, but no mention of booking viewing or, indeed, the future, doom-laden or not.

Market Knowledge
Seemed to know the heart of Greenwich, although all delivered with a slight air of detachment and with at least one eye on the door. Perhaps she was expecting someone – a vendor, perhaps. Oh yes, that would be me...

Information Provided
Given a selection of possible than were, in fact, very suitable, although that was clearly all I was getting unless I wanted to make the running. Do find it strange in these hard-pressed times that sometimes relatively little interest is aroused by potential buyers.

Guidance Given
Gave a brief run-down of appropriate flats, including one stunning property with a river view, the Holy Grail of all potential purchases in a riverside town. Limited information, however, on the local area and I could have done with a bit more attention on that front.

Website
Smart and comprehensive website, giving the (accurate) impression that these agents are big cheeses in all sorts of property fields. Did think the search field for property could be narrowed, given that it currently throws up half of southeast London when you look for Greenwich.

Overall Score
19/30