Smolka Strachan

Smolka Strachan LLP is a distinguished firm of Chartered Surveyors offering a comprehensive and bespoke advisory service to investors in commercial property and development in Scotland and throughout the United Kingdom. Since our inception in 2008, we have amassed over 50 years of experience in the UK real estate capital markets, enabling us to provide unparalleled expertise and knowledge to our diverse and valued clientele.

Our headquarters are located at 10 Rutland Square, Edinburgh, EH1 2AS, from where we conduct our business with the highest levels of professionalism and integrity. Our contact information is as follows: Guy Smolka (guy@smolkastrachan.com, tel: 0131 226 7555) and Peter Strachan (peter@smolkastrachan.com, tel: 0131 225 8855).

At Smolka Strachan LLP, we adhere strictly to the privacy policy set out in our Privacy Policy document.

Background

Smolka Strachan LLP is composed of a team of highly skilled and experienced individuals who have dedicated their careers to the commercial property sector. Peter Smolka joined the Sterling Interbank, Foreign Exchange and Financial Futures markets in the City of London and worked with British Linen Bank in Edinburgh before taking on the responsibility for Hillier Parker's investment business in Scotland from 1989 to 2003. He subsequently established his commercial property investment practice and went on to establish Smolka Strachan LLP with Guy Strachan in 2008.

Guy Strachan is a Chartered Surveyor who has practiced both as a principal and an advisor for the past 35 years. He has worked with Standard Life, Gooch & Wagstaff, Colliers International, Reith Lambert, and GVA (now Avison Young) before forming a partnership with Peter.

Services

At Smolka Strachan LLP, we provide a personal and collaborative service advising on the acquisition and disposal of income-producing investments and funding for the development of commercial property. Our clients range from institutional, overseas, and private investors, family trusts, and property companies and include those interested in the office, retail, and industrial sectors. We also specialise in alternative sectors such as student housing, hotels and leisure, and have a proven track record in development funding.

In addition, we help our clients create and implement management strategies for new acquisitions and existing properties, ensuring that they reap the maximum benefits from their investments.

Transactions

Amongst our notable transactions, we have provided site acquisition and investment consultancy advice to a leading UK developer client for a PBSA complex of 145 student bedrooms with a projected investment value of c. 40 million on development completion in Summer 2026. We have also sold 2 ground floor retail investments and 4 residential flats on the upper floors, retail leased to Timpson until 2029 with the flats on annual leases to students at St Andrews' University. This sale was made for Family PropCo clients to a Scottish private investor in September 2023 at a sale price of 2.35 million reflecting a blended initial yield of 5.0% net.

Furthermore, we have sold a former Shell branded filling station of 0.33 acres at West Marketgait in Dundee city centre with full planning consent for redevelopment into purpose-built student accommodation comprising 184 studios and ancillary space. We sold this property in August 2023 to UK PBSA (Marketgait Dundee) Ltd, a consortium of overseas investors led by Maven Capital Partners, for 2.25M.

On behalf of Millard Estates in October 2019, we successfully executed the sale of 2 adjacent multi-let office buildings to a joint venture led by Rennick Property comprising Mactaggart Family Partners, Mactaggart & Mickel and Millard Estates for 10.174M reflecting 254 per sq ft capital value and yielding 4.5% net on the combined total annual income of 520,000.

These transactions demonstrate our expertise in managing the acquisition and disposal of properties across various sectors, ensuring that our clients receive the highest level of service and returns on investment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Smolka Strachan LLP is a forward-thinking and innovative firm of Chartered Surveyors with an exceptional track record in commercial property investment. With our unrivalled experience, knowledge, and expertise in the UK real estate capital markets, we are the go-to choice for investors seeking a comprehensive and professional service.