Tuesday 9th November 2021

JLL Blog Victoria Ogilvie - Hodge


Victoria Ogilvie Hodge looks back at her career and speaks about the diversity that London Housing offers the community.

JLL Blog

By Victoria Ogilvie Hodge 

 

At the age of five, I wrote ‘I want to build the tallest tower in the world’ on an A5 piece of paper; now tatty, that is still exhibited on my mother’s notice board. My father is a civil engineer and I had been to his office that day for a children’s party, which had obviously left me inspired! The interest in engineering was passing, quickly taken over by my dreams of being a ballet dancer and/or a television presenter. Although neither materialised, I enjoyed studying humanities at school and modern languages; the latter I studied for my undergraduate degree at the University of Bath.

Aside from watching ‘Location, location, location’ my interest in property was not piqued until I undertook some work experience in the summer between my third and fourth year of university. I worked in commercial development and loved seeing how London was going to transform. As I emerged from university, I headed back to London, where I have lived for most of my life and pursued my goal of working in real estate.

I was lured into my first job as a lettings negotiator by the lack of jobs for graduates in 2012 and the appeal of keys to a shiny, new car. During this time, I enjoyed working in some of west London’s most beautiful neighbourhoods including Holland Park, Chelsea and Notting Hill but I felt something was always missing. I changed employment, though continued to work in the Prime Central London market; this time selling property in Mayfair and Belgravia. This is where I met my first mentor who worked at the same company, for the land and new homes side of the business. She encouraged my interest in residential development and I moved to the City office of that same firm where I was able to get involved in selling a variety of new developments emerging on the City fringe, in addition to the re-sale stock at the Barbican Estate, in which my firm were involved. The Barbican Estate is one of my favourite places in London, aside from the stunning, albeit controversial, architecture; the Estate was designed with such a social vision in mind and I was intrigued to learn about the history and ideas behind this historic, regeneration project.

In 2015, I accepted my first job at JLL. I worked in a marketing suite for one of our clients, selling off-plan apartments in a 38-storey building by Old Street roundabout. In this role, I was able to grow my understanding of residential developments; the mechanisms of funding, planning, marketing and construction. It was here that I started the long journey into obtaining my RICS chartership; transferring to JLL’s head office in Warwick Street to facilitate this ambition. My final sales related job was in the Residential Development Sales team where we sold off-plan, new homes in developments across London, in Zones 1-5. This knowledge of the London development pipeline has served me well, as in my role today, we often value the Section 106 element of various developments with which I have had involvement in the past.

I started on the JLL Graduate Scheme at nearly 30 years old and found it both a humbling and rewarding experience. It was on this programme, whilst studying for a Master’s in Real Estate, that I rotated into the Affordable Housing department and always joke that I have never rotated out – nor do I plan on doing so now that I am qualified! I have been in the Affordable Development Valuations team since September 2019 and truly relish what I do; I finally feel settled in a corner of the real estate world that just feels right for me.

I delight in working in a team dominated by women, in a department which has a large number of female Associates and Directors, alike. Not only that, but the housing sector is also playing a critical part in changing London and the surrounding areas for the better. There is, I feel, such a richness to London neighbourhoods; where some of the richest and poorest people live and work in such close proximity; and where we continue to create more mixed communities. This is a really unique quality which London has managed to grasp. My current job still allows me to be involved in the development of London as a city and see the sites which I may have valued as a development opportunity, come to fruition and add to the London skyline; whilst knowing that much-needed affordable homes are being created to house people in need and contribute to the housing target.

 

Get in touch!

Victoria Ogilvie Hodge, Surveyor - Affordable Housing

T +44 (0)207 852 4342

M +44 (0)7734 784871

[email protected]

jll.co.uk/residential


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