Mike Watson

Mike joined Vail Williams in 2024 from Cluttons where he spent over 19 years and ultimately led their commercial operations in Oxford.  Prior to this, he was a Surveyor with Savills.

Hailing from Newcastle, Mike relocated to Oxford in 1998, and is widely regarded as an expert in the commercial property market in the Oxfordshire area.

Best known for his commercial transaction work, Mike has gained in-depth multi-disciplinary property expertise throughout his many years in property.

The most active agent in Oxford City Centre, he found a niche in advising a significant number of Oxford Colleges in respect of their portfolio strategy, leasing and acquisition requirements.

Beyond this, he also acts for various private individuals and offers advice to property companies and funds.

Clients value Mike’s straight talking advice, as well as his understanding and stewardship of the portfolios of the institutions with which he has worked – some of which have a pedigree dating back some 800 years.

Career highlights have included, but are not limited to:

• The multi-million-pound sale of a college’s city centre campus for £12.4m.
• The sale of a former Masonic Lodge and acquisition of replacement premises to secure future operations.
• The acquisition of a significant strategic College site off-market, safeguarding the future expansion of a world-leading university

In his spare time, Mike loves all things automotive. As a fourth generation of the motor trade, he has, amongst other projects, recently completed a comprehensive restoration of an extremely rare BMW Z3 Coupe – a car that he has been chasing since 1998!

He and his wife love Basset Hounds and enjoy walking with their present, less enthusiastic, basset hound ‘Bumble’ who is generally very clear about her dislike of walking.