Claire who now lives in a small village just outside of Faversham with her husband Jonny and two girls was born in Northern Ireland, but her family relocated when she was young, a move instigated by her father, who is a bit of an inspiration for Claire. “My parents are amazing, they moved us so that we could have a better life and also enjoy more sailing in the sun,” she says. And it was Perth on the west coast of Australia where Claire’s interest in property first began, “My dad started a number of property companies there and my sister and I would tag along at the weekend for his site visits. I think from those early days I have property running through my veins.”

Growing up, Claire went on to study law at university before packing her bags for the UK and the bright lights of London. Once there, she quickly settled into her new life. Initially working in law before switching to the dynamic world of startups. “I was a barrister for a number of years but I joined a startup in the early 2000s which got me more interested in the business side of things.” Working for the startup was a great move for Claire and it became a stepping stone for starting a business of her own in 2011. “It was a short let business called Veeve. We thought people would rent their home out for a bit of extra money.” The business grew rapidly and opened offices in Paris as well as Los Angeles. But in 2018, Claire decided it was time to step down and she sold her stake in the company to start a new chapter and a family with husband Jonny.

A few years prior, during the market peak of 2014, Claire and Jonny had started looking for a place together in London. But the market was tough for buyers and forced them to take a different approach. “Prices in the London property market were so high at the time and the market was really competitive. We were gazumped twice in the space of a couple of months, so decided to see what we could find an hour further out,” she remembers. Their widened search soon opened their eyes to a different way of life. “We never actually planned on leaving London. But we just fell in love!”

The home they fell for was a 10 bedroom former country estate in a small village in Kent. They quickly had an offer accepted and were days away from completion when they got a call. “We were about to complete when we received a message saying the deal was off. We were so upset.” However, not wanting to walk away, Claire made a final attempt to secure the house. “I wrote a letter offering a higher price and, hey presto, we were back on! I still don’t know what happened.” The sale went through and, although joyful at getting their new home, they felt let down by the process. “It was incredibly stressful. We couldn’t speak to anyone and we didn’t know what was happening.”

During lockdown Claire and Jonny found out about buying agents and realised that they could help make the system fairer. “If you are selling your home, you have an estate agent on your side to help you achieve the highest price and get the deal over the line, but there is no one to represent the interests of the buyer. If we’d had an agent with a direct line to the other agent we would have saved so much time and money.”

Claire and Jonny’s situation was also compounded by post contract issues which, if they’d known about, may have stopped the purchase. “It was an absolute minefield. We’d taken on a period property, with all of the issues this typically comes with, including old wiring, a septic tank, a roof greatly in need of repair, as well as a large parcel of land (the property sits in almost 30 acres) and a sitting tenant. We probably shouldn’t have bought it, but we just didn’t know what we were letting ourselves in for.” With time they worked through the issues and formed a great relationship with the existing tenant, who lives with her family in a characterful flat above one of the stable blocks, and continues to run a successful livery there.

In 2023, the couple used their experience to create First in the Door, a property advisory platform aimed at helping other buyers, ensuring they don’t have the same negative experience as they did. Claire explains, “We connect homebuyers with buying agents who represent and assist them through the whole buying process, from providing access to private and off-market sales, to negotiating purchase terms, liaising with all third parties and helping manage the entire process through to completion. We have agents across the country including Kent, Sussex, London and the Cotswolds.”

Back to the house and when tackling the renovation their focus was on how to best do it justice. Claire remembers, “The previous owner had converted it into four flats, so we spent time bringing it back into a single home and generally updating it.” Another challenge was bringing the different ages of the home together. “It’s got origins in the 1500s but with Georgian and Victorian extensions. So it’s a real mix.”

Claire and Jonny renovated the house in stages across a seven year period, patiently modernising whilst bringing it back into a single home. “We’ve tried to keep it all connected to create some flow, so have opted for similar paint colours throughout. Our decorator Paul Evans has been amazing – he comes to stay with us for 2-4 weeks at a time and gets a lot done.” It was also important for them to respect the rich history of the house. “We’ve kept it in the country house style and tried to remain true to its origins.”

Arthur and Ivy both died around the same time a few years ago but Claire’s lasting feeling is one of privilege. “I was just so lucky to spend that time with them both,” she says.

Back in the present day and in the dining room Claire demonstrates the foot operated butler bell which still works today. Positioned under the dining table it shows just how much life has changed. The system is a source of much amusement for Claire’s two girls who enjoy playing in here. She jokes, “There’s a butler bell in all the rooms but sadly the butler never comes.” The room is also a great place to host guests. “It’s perfect for Christmas dinners as you can fit 16-17 people around the table.”

Entering the kitchen – which was completely renovated by Burnhill Kitchens – you can see further evidence of the house as it would have been, with the servants’ area still boxed out behind a curtain. This being one of the oldest (and coldest) rooms in the house, Claire and Jonny have tried to honour it by bringing in more light through glazed doors and have deliberately kept the fridges under counter to maintain the old fashioned look. “Naos Floors did a brilliant job of warming up this north-facing room with underfloor heating and big flagstone tiles,” she explains. In the corner of the room a beamed nook area has become the girls’ living room. “It was a big cupboard before which we opened out and fitted with a woodburner. They love it,”