Simon and Jan watched their close friends of thirty years, David and Michele, begin their August journey long before they joined themselves. It took three years, and seeing how smoothly the concept worked for others, before they felt ready to buy a share of their own. Today they belong to the Montfleury collection, and the friendship that first introduced them to August has only grown richer. They’ve shared stays with David and Michele, spending time together in their Valbonne villa, and swapping a Barcelona apartment for a Cotswolds home. Their story is an honest reflection of taking the time to find confidence in something new, the reassurance that comes from a trusted recommendation, and the added pleasure of discovering a new way of travelling alongside old friends.
How did you first hear about August, and what was your initial reaction when your friends introduced you to the model?
We have been friends with David and Michele for over 30 years, and Simon has spent his whole career working in commercial real estate, so when they were thinking about starting their August adventure, they asked us for our thoughts.
We love the concept of having five holiday homes in fantastic locations. We have been fortunate enough to have had the use of corporate holiday villas both in the UK and in Valbonne and Agay in the South of France, and we have returned to the South of France over many years.
When David and Michele mentioned that the collection they were looking at had already secured a villa in Valbonne, we were very excited for them. However, we had some concerns about the liquidity of the investment. It is not just a case of selling a property; you need to find someone who is prepared to buy your shares in a special purpose company. At that time, we decided it was probably not for us, based on the perceived liquidity issue.
Fast forward three years, and we found ourselves signing up to a Pied A Terre Collection. So what changed?
When David and Michele started their journey with August, it was with the Signature Collection, one of August’s first collections. The company was relatively new and there had been no private sales. Three years later, August had become well established and one of the market leaders, and importantly for us, they could demonstrate that private sales were very quick to find buyers, often within just a couple of weeks.
Having heard about August from someone you know, did that influence the way you viewed the opportunity or your decision to join August?
Yes, very much so. Having been able to see how well August worked for David and Michele gave us the confidence to buy ourselves.
When you were considering joining August, what aspects of the model appealed to you most?
The ease of ownership was a big factor; we own several properties in the UK and management is always time consuming. Having August look after everything makes ownership so easy.
Did you have the opportunity to experience an August home before deciding to join? If so, what was your impression, and did seeing the home in person change or reinforce your perception of August?
Yes, having decided on the Pied-à-Terre Collection, we were able to view one of the apartments from a previous collection in London and instantly fell in love with it.
