There is something fundamentally positive about the concept of an alternative. It suggests a fresh idea, something new, a different way of thinking. Ultimately it suggests another option. And everyone likes to have choices.
An alternative can be flamboyant, creative and unexpected. But it can also be solid, steady and reliable – especially when they come in the form of real estate assets.
They are not glitzy. There is no shimmer or sheen on the crematoria or care home sectors. But with a strong reliance on inevitable demographic trends, they are secure. And, even in a safe haven city like London, it is this security which is propelling a £15bn asset class from marginal to mainstream.
Then there is the other form of alternative. And it would be fair to say our cane-wielding, cape-wearing, diamond-encrusted shoe-donning cover star represents the zanier definition.
Branding guru Steve Edge – also known as (self-titled) Lord Shoreditch – might just be property’s most eccentric man.
Whether you love him, hate him or just don’t get him, you cannot fail to notice him. The east London boy, who once trained monkeys on the set of Indiana Jones, is now dedicated to shocking real estate into fresh thinking – one outrageous outfit and throwaway expletive at a time.
It is always good to get the alternative view.
