REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY AWARDS 2016
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Is there a Doctor in the House
Propertyworld is an award winning family estate agency covering Sydenham, Penge, Anerley, Crystal Palace, Forest Hill and Beckenham. We invited Co-Owner Richard Crowley (right) to talk us through the firm and how it has come to achieve its current success.
The go to Estate agent HoldenCopley is an Estate Agent based in Arnold with over 40 years combined experience in providing clients with honest, transparent advice with customer service. We spoke to Director Steven Holden to gain an insight into the firm and how it supports clients with a wide range of services.
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Welcome to the 2016 Real Estate Awards Now in its second year, the 2016 Real Estate and Property Awards celebrate the very best companies, and the talented individuals behind them, that have shaped the built environment globally over the past twelve months. This does not merely include those who physically work to create the buildings, such as architects and surveyors, but also those working behind the scenes to keep the market moving: the estate agents, property lawyers and financiers whose expertise ensures that the clients successfully climb the property ladder and find what they need at the top.
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The Winners Are...
4. HoldenCopley Best Independent Property Agent - Nottingham 6. Propertyworld Best Estate Agency - London 8. Brock Taylor Estate Agents Best Residential Estate Agency 2016 - West Sussex 9. Cadman Homes Most Innovative Real Estate Agency 2016 - Midlands 10. Jackson-Stops & Staff Best Residential Development Consultancy - UK 11. KA Homesales Estate Agency of the Year - Ayrshire 12. SmartVal Most Innovative Property Valuation Platform: SmartVal 13. MasonKnight Properties Best Residential Development Specialists - UK 14. Mortgage Lenders of America Best for Online Mortgage Lending - USA 15. Myletz.com Best Multi Lingual Estate Agency - London & Home Counties Award for Excellence in Customer Service - London & Home Counties 16. Northwood Most Dynamic Estate Agency - UK & Award for Excellence in Legal Services - UK 17. PlaceFirst Best Residential Lettings Developer - Lancashire 18. Platinum Property Agents Best Real Estate Agency - Worcestershire 19. Prime Estate Agents Best Independent Estate Agent - London 20. Salamanca Spanish Villas Ltd Best International Real Estate Agency 2016 - UK 21. Windsor & Rose Best Independent Estate Agency 2016 - Canterbury
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Company: HoldenCopley Name: Steven Holden Email: Steven@holdencopley.co.uk Address: 26 High Street, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 7DZ Phone: 01158969800 Website: http://www.holdencopley.co.uk
Best Independent Property Agent - Nottingham
HoldenCopley is an Estate Agent based in Arnold with over 100 years combined experience in providing clients with honest, transparent advice with customer service. We spoke to Director Steven Holden to gain an insight into the firm and how it supports clients with a wide range of services. stablished in 2014, HoldenCopley are an independent property agent based on Arnold High Street, dealing with property sales, rentals and property management, covering the whole of the Nottingham area. Steven, who founded the company alongside fellow Director Matt Copley, is eager to focus on the firm’s high quality services, which are the cornerstone of the firm’s approach to supporting clients.
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“Here at HoldenCopley our aim is to offer the highest level of professional service whilst offering the most competitive prices. We are proud to have a team of 15 property professionals who are always happy to go the extra mile. With a strong emphasis on customer relationships, our goal is to provide a personal, efficient and competitive service.” This approach draws on the over 30 years’ industry experience Founders Matt and Steven share, having worked for both independent and corporate agents. Steven explains how the firm came into being and why he and Matt are so passionate about providing the highest possible quality of service to their clients.
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“During our careers Matt and I both concluded we could offer our clients a better service and a more competitive price if we set up our own company. Within a very short period we have positioned ourselves as Nottingham go to Estate agent. We now sell more properties than any other single office estate agent in Nottingham. Our mission statement was simple, offer an exceptional service in all aspects of the business at a competitive price and exceed customers’ expectations.” Clients are enthusiastic in their praise for the firm and their approach to customer service, which revolves around working closely with the client throughout the process to ensure that they understand what is happening, ensuring that they feel supported and included. This is rare in the ever corporate world of estate agency, where firms are increasingly focused on profits over client satisfaction. Offering a client focused approach ensures that HoldenCopley differentiates itself from other firms and marks itself out as the best possible option for clients. Since inception HoldenCopley has gone from strength to strength, and this year the firm will help over 700 people move home. Drawing on its current success the firm is eager to build upon this and continue to thrive, whilst at the same time retaining its focus on providing the very best quality of service to every client.
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Best Estate Agency - London
Propertyworld is an award winning family estate agency covering Sydenham, Penge, Anerley, Crystal Palace, Forest Hill and Beckenham. We invited Co-Owner Richard Crowley to talk us through the firm and how it has come to achieve its current success.
stablished in 1997, Propertyworld is a family run, independent sales and letting agency whose services include residential sales, letting and property management. Richard, who Co-Founded the firm with his brother Dan, discusses how the firm began and how they have expanded their knowledge and experience since inception.
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“When we started our business we wanted to offer something different. We had three aims in mind: to deliver exceptional results on behalf of our clients, be honest and trustworthy and to provide the best customer service we possibly could. “Almost 20 years on and we have learnt a huge amount about what our customers need and want from us, but our core values have not changed. We are proud that over 99% of our customers would recommend us and to have won a number of awards for our service. We believe it is because we put our customers at the heart of what we do. We go out of our way to make the process of buying or selling, renting or letting as painless and as smooth as possible. We really do care about what we do and the people we’re working with, and this really shows in the quality of our services.” Improving, innovating and supporting each other are central to the firm’s values, and this extends both to clients and staff, as Richard outlines. “At Propertyworld we like to keep things simple and ultimately we have two objectives for every client we work with: to deliver exceptional results on their behalf and give them exceptional service. Innovation is central to what we do and we are always challenging ourselves to see how we can improve. As part of this we always ask ourselves how would we like to be treated if we were the customer.
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“This approach helps us innovate and introduce new services that we feel give our clients a better experience. One example is our House Doctor Service. Before every property sale our house doctor will evaluate each and every aspect of a property and advise our client on how to showcase their property in its best light. We will then arrange for any works to carried out - whether its help with de-cluttering and storage, simple redecoration or more complex works - before our professional photographers step in and viewings commence. It has helped us achieve much higher sale prices and our clients love it. “On a smaller level my negotiators will often drop clients to their next viewing (with a competitor) if they are short of time. We believe it’s just the right thing to do but we also recognise that today’s buyers are tomorrow’s vendors. “Internally we have a close knit team, many of whom have worked for us for many years. It is a family atmosphere, and we treat each other just as we do our clients - with the utmost respect and consideration. Our brand values are lived and breathed by our team. We also work hard and play hard, because it is important to have some fun too.” Experts in their field, with nearly 40 combined years of expertise, Directors Dan and Richard oversee each client’s journey, from beginning to end, and are ultimately accountable for the service and results that their clients receive, as Richard concludes. “Fundamentally it is client satisfaction which is always our top priority, and therefore why we remain so committed to being different, supportive and innovative.”
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Company: Propertyworld Name: Richard Crowley Email: richard@propertyworlduk.net Web Address: www.propertyworlduk.net Telephone: 020 8488 0011
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Company: Brock Taylor Estate Agents Address: 2-6 East Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1HL Phone: 01403 272022 Fax: 01403 257711 Email: sales@brocktaylor.co.uk; lettings@brocktaylor.co.uk Website: http://www.brocktaylor.co.uk/
Best Residential Estate Agency 2016 - West Sussex
Brock Taylor is one of Horsham’s best known and most successful Independent Estate Agents. We profile the firm and explore how its dedication to excellence has driven it to the success it enjoys today.
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riginally founded in 1976, the office, located on the corner of East Street and Market Place was originally run by Bruce Trent before Chris Brock and Martin Taylor, took over and rebranded Brock Taylor in 1992.
The pair experienced considerable success and a reputation for good customer service, which has been continued by the current directors Peter Maskell and Matthew Searle, who have a combined industry experience in excess of 44 years. The office now is staffed by a team of property professionals who all live in Horsham and the surrounding villages, drawing on their high level of local knowledge and expertise to support their clients. Furthermore, as members of both the Ombudsman for estate agents (OEA) and National Association of estate agents (NAEA), Brock Taylor are committed to providing excellent customer service. All staff members have obtained professional qualifications through the NAEA technical award, to ensure that clients have total peace of mind about the quality of service that will be provided to them. With its ideal location nestled between the North and South Downs, Horsham is blessed with being surrounded by a host of picturesque hamlets and villages, that still retain excellent access to major roads and rail networks. It is within this picturesque setting that Brock Taylor is nestled, and the firm and its staff are passionate about showcasing the very best of the local area and offering their clients the solutions they need to make their dream of moving to this rural idyll a reality. Supporting clients across a wide range of services including sales, lettings and mortgages, the firm aims to offer both local knowledge and national reach through its service offering and as such high quality marketing is essential in achieving the right level of exposure to any property, especially in the current market. Therefore, Brock Taylor invest heavily in all forms of media exposure including: striking weekly advertising in the West Sussex County Times and a regular advert in Sussex Life.
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With the digitalisation of the market, a strong only presence is equally vital, and therefore the firm employ website prioritisation to ensure that Brock Taylor’s website is linked to the 1st page of Google. This includes a local area guide which offers potential buyers and tenants who are new to the region a handy guide to ensure they pick the right area. It is this commitment to going above and beyond the minimum requirements which highlights the firm’s dedication to client support that has made it such a trusted local estate agent. All properties are also marketed on a host of websites that include Rightmove, Prime Location, Property Finder, Zoopla, Globrix, Homes24, Property Index and Property Live, among others, ensuring strong exposure, both locally and nationally, for every property Brock Taylor represent. Overall, with passion, drive and expertise, Brock Taylor is able to provide the very highest standard of service to anyone looking to move into, sell or let a property in the Horsham area. Its commitment to supporting every client throughout the process is what sets it apart from other estate agency, and as an independent firm it is able to provide unbiased advice and support which exactly meets the needs of each individual client.
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Company: Cadman Homes Name: Adam J McHenry Email: adam@cadmanhomes.co.uk Web Address: www.cadmanhomes.co.uk Address: 1 Castle Street, Rugby, CV21 2TP Telephone: 01788 560 905
Most Innovative Real Estate Agency 2016 - Midlands
Cadman Homes family owned and run, residential estate and lettings agency covering the Rugby, Coventry, Leamington and Lutterworth areas. Adam McHenry.
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adman Homes is a full service estate agency providing lettings, sales and property management services.
The firm serves Rugby and Warwickshire, which is currently a very strong market, and the Rugby and Leamington areas in particular are thriving. Commuters moving out of London and the constant expansion of Landrover Jaguar are bolstering demand and supply is low. Even with the massive amount of residential and commercial expansion in the area, there is still a shortage of supply for good quality “resale” houses as well as new builds. Despite these challenges, Cadman Homes has thrived in the region thanks to its client focused approach, as Adam outlines.
“As such we offer a genuine 24/7 phone line and as a family owned and run company genuinely care about every client. Having worked within other agencies we wanted to not make the same mistakes. We are there when our clients want us and we have won awards for this ‘customer excellence’.” Moving forward, Cadman Homes aims to be “the go to agent” for busy people when they talk about selling character properties in and around Warwickshire, as Adam emphasises. “At Cadman Homes, we want to offer our concierge service to clients and their friends and families and there is a referral arrangement in place to actively reward those who promote our business to others. We will continue to expand and develop our marketing services and innovation in order to stay at the cutting edge of quality, gimmick free property marketing.”
“Here at Cadman Homes our approach revolves around putting ourselves in the customer’s shoes from the very start. Too often in this industry people start projects out of vanity and forget the real reason we do anything- to add value to house sellers and buyers experience.
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Company: Jackson-Stops & Staff Name: Ben Babington Email: benbabington@jackson-stops.com Web Address: www.jackson-stops.co.uk/newhomes Address: 17c Curzon Street, Mayfair, London W1J 5HU Telephone: 020 7664 6649
Best Residential Development Consultancy - UK
Jackson-Stops & Staff is a specialist in prime residential property, operating across the UK in various sectors. We explore the firm’s award winning Residential Development department and the innovative services it provides.
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he mantra of the Jackson-Stops & Staff Residential Development team is simple; to offer an irreplaceable service in an increasingly digital world.
The team have long recognised that their ability to source land opportunities is the foundation of their residential development service offering and the high calibre of their team reflects the importance they place upon it. Highly regarded figures including Andrew Simpson, Peter Braithwaite, Hugo Stuttaford and Adrian Mason consistently prove their ability to source a broad range of development opportunities to suit the full spectrum of the industry’s land requirements. Their experienced development consultancy and new homes sales team is led by Ben Babington and harnesses the might of their extensive office network in London and the Southeast, as well as promotes their clients’ schemes via a global network of 5,000 agents on www.Newhomes.London. Having launched over 50 developments last year, it is hardly surprising that their team is in high demand to offer detailed development consultancy advice to a range of housebuilders, boutique developers, family trusts and global funds. Ultimately, whilst people and the provision of a highly personal service is central to their offering, Jackson-Stops & Staff also pride themselves in remaining at the forefront of new media and technology to promote and sell their clients’ developments. They were the first agents in the UK to offer piloted video-tours, whereby negotiators can conduct a ‘virtual viewing’ with anyone with an internet connection. They were also early adopters of utilising social media to reach highly targeted demographics. Individual development websites, promotional videos, and EDMs are produced inhouse, blurring the lines between a traditional new homes estate agent and a creative marketing agency.
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Company: KA Homesales Phone: 01294 552200 Email: kevin@kahomesales.com Website: http://www.kahomesales.com
Estate Agency of the Year - Ayrshire
KA Homesales KA Homesales are an independent Estate Agency based in Ayrshire who are committed to promoting the local area. We profile the firm and examine how its passion for this beautiful landscape has helped to drive it to success.
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A Homesales supports clients with purchasing and renting property across Ayrshire, drawing on the vast expertise of its dedicated workforce to ensure that clients receive the very highest standard of service.
In order to adapt around the ever digitalised real estate market the firm offers, in addition to traditional marketing services, YouTube property videos, online page turning schedules, as well as 3D and interactive floorplans. This range of solutions ensures that their clients’ properties reach the viewers that will get them sold/ let.
Alongside this the firm offers a regularly updated website which is easy and quick to use, allowing viewers to review properties and make decisions about viewings quickly and simply. Overall it is the firm’s passion for the region in which they operate and commitment to quality client service that drives it to the success it now enjoys, and moving forward maintaining and building upon this success will be KA Homesales’s ongoing focus.
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Company: SmartVal Email: info@smartval.co.uk Web Address: www.smartval.co.uk Telephone: 01184 67 67 40
Most Innovative Property Valuation Platform: SmartVal
SmartVal is an innovative solution that helps estate agents increase customer leads through instant valuations. We explore how this unique solution is enabling lead generation in the digital age.
he residential property industry is as competitive as ever with new entrants, including the current wave of ‘online agents’, continuing to enter the market. This makes it vital for property agents to stay ahead of the game and find new ways to remain agile and meet consumers’ growing requirements.
“On top of this, the service stores every lead making it easy for each branch to allocate. We also take comfort in knowing that the valuation data is derived from some of the most reliable sources out there, so the data will ultimately provide property owners with a very clear indication of their property’s current resale value.”
As such, agents need to be geared up to provide the right information, at the right time, so to provide a positive user experience. SmartVal, which uses Landmark Information Group’s extensive property data, presents consumers with the opportunity to receive an immediate property valuation estimate from within the agent’s website.
Ultimately, this revolutionary solution promises to change the way estate agents do business and usher in a new, smart era for the real estate market.
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By using SmartVal, consumers simply enter their property details, along with their contact information and an instant valuation is delivered via the agent’s website. The lead details are then sent to the agent so direct contact can be made regarding organising a market appraisal. Danielle le Cornu, Operations Manager at Landmark Information Group commented on the product: “SmartVal turns an agency’s web traffic in to real leads. For anyone wondering ‘how much is my property worth?’, they can simply visit an agent’s site and click a button to obtain a free instant property valuation. SmartVal captures these leads so the agent can follow up regarding a more comprehensive market appraisal. It is a great way of getting consumers interacting directly with an agent’s website, while also providing a smart lead generation tool.” As an example of how useful the solution is from the user’s perspective, Kevin Robinson from Lancastrian Estates, an agency which has adopted SmartVal, said: “By launching SmartVal on our website, it creates a great new way to generate additional leads for our branches, by providing owners with the opportunity to receive an instant property valuation via our site. This means we have the ability to get in contact with vendors and landlords at a much easier stage in their decision-making process, which will be hugely advantageous.
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Company: MasonKnight Properties Name: Dr Adrian Mason/ Mrs Louise Mason Email: adrian@masonknightproperties.com louise@masonknightproperties.com Web Address: www.masonknightproperties.com Address: 201b Tiverton Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 6DB
Best Residential Development Specialists - UK
MASONKNIGHT specialise in providing letting, property management and redevelopment service’s for prime residential developments in Birmingham, Nationally and throughout Europe. We spoke to Adrian Mason to find out more.
asonKnight Properties is a property management company that, primarily, specialises in the growth of their investor’s property portfolios. The firm provides advice to clients from initial acquisition and purchase, micro-managing all projects and refurbishments to create desirable properties, whether they be residential, student or holiday lets. Adrian talks us through how the firm serves its wide range of clients and how its customer focused approach helps it to achieve its overall mission.
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“At MasonKnight, we actively encourage our investor to engage with each other, share ideas and in some instances join forces on more challenging projects. Our broad range of clients come from a variety of backgrounds in IT, finance, surveying, architecture, building, engineering, legal and accountancy. Essentially we are a letting agent, but instead of working with landlords we work with investors, acquiring properties which are either high quality refurbishment projects or new builds.
“Our overall mission is to grow our investors’ portfolios, bringing to the market properties that represent the very best in thoughtful design, that embrace the latest of technology and innovation, ultimately producing properties that are both desirable and affordable to a broad spectrum of society. We draw on the knowledge and expertise of our dedicated project management team and design team. Everyone at MasonKnight actively contributes to the overall design concepts of our builds.” Looking ahead, Adrian and his Team are optimistic for the future as the firm looks to grow in order to provide their high quality services to more clients. “MasonKnight are in a period of rapid growth and as such are currently expanding both our team and our premises. We are uniquely dedicated to growing our client base organically. Our priority is in the delivery of a completely inclusive and personal service to our clients. Our client base is growing rapidly as a result our clients recommending others to us. This year we have £2,650,000 of ongoing project work along with numerous acquisitions in the pipeline and we look forward to the challenge and opportunities this will bring.”
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Company: Mortgage Lenders of America, LLC NMLS ID#10287 Name: Maya Vance, Marketing Manager Email: mvance@mloausa.com Web Address: www.mloausa.com Address: 10975 El Monte St.
Best for Online Mortgage Lending - USA
Mortgage Lenders of America is an online, residential mortgage lender offering home loan services in 34 states across the U.S. We invited President Philip Kneibert to tell us more about the firm.
stablished in 2000, Mortgage Lenders of America has since funded over 30,000 loans and offers a wide variety of loan options including FHA, VA, USDA and conventional. The firm consistently achieves customer satisfaction ratings above 93%, based on loan survey data, which Kneibert believes is due to the firm’s unique ability to deliver a high touch customer experience across online and offline interactions.
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“At Mortgage Lenders of America, we know what home means. That’s why we provide an uncommon degree of attention and expertise to every prospective borrower. And why we offer an array of loan products, plus resources like custom mortgage calculators that help customers at each step along the way in the home buying process.” Kneibert emphasises that whilst the vast majority of lenders in the US are heavily focused on refinancing, Mortgage Lenders of America has differentiated itself by helping buyers with home purchases, and especially first-time buyers through the process, which can seem overwhelming. “Residential mortgage lending has been limited by the highly regulated environment. This makes it harder than ever to provide innovative and meaningful enhancements to the home buying process. It takes a special kind of company - one that is agile enough to respond to a rapidly changing environment, yet large enough to invest in forward-thinking strategies - to make a positive difference for borrowers.” “Mortgage Lenders of America aims to deliver the highest quality experiences for our customers and has demonstrated a more efficient/quicker journey from loan application to final approval as compared to industry norms. We are also not a traditional bank – we have focused on providing online lending solutions with the right mix of personal assistance from the onset. Our lending professionals are available evenings and weekends to answer questions for prospective buyers during the most convenient shopping times for the individual rather than the firm.”
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Ultimately, Kneibert is proud of the firm’s success and that the firm will continue to build upon this going forward. “We will continue to develop new and innovative solutions in residential mortgage lending, seeking ways to make the overall buying process simpler for the borrower. Our laser sharp focus on helping our borrowers buy homes, our attention to providing top level customer service, and our commitment to transformation through technology will provide us with opportunities to expand our share of this important market.”
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Company: Myletz.com Name: Richard Gedall Email: info@myletz.com Web Address: www.myletz.com Address: 68 Wellington Street Luton LU1 5AA Telephone: 01582380330
Best Multi Lingual Estate Agency - London & Home Counties Award for Excellence in Customer Service - London & Home Counties
myletz.com is a Luton based Estate Agency covering London and the Home Counties which supports clients in letting, selling and managing their property. We invited Richard Gedall, Senior Manager, to tell us more.
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yletz is a formidable up and coming realtor, and has over the past four years continued to grow and develop, acquiring more land to sell, bigger projects to complete, and larger blocks to manage.
With clients ranging from buy to let landlords to buyers of large commercial land, projects, and conversions, the firm has to work hard to ensure that it provides the right support to each client. This forms the cornerstone of Richard’s mission, as he explains how he aims to change clients’ perceptions on smaller estate agents. “Here at Myletz my mission is to change people’s perception of smaller agents showing that you do not have to be a major brand to provide 100% customer service. In fact, with a smaller agency like Myletz, clients get to speak to the right person dealing with your instruction straight away. Using my hotel background, I have incorporated those skills into achieving this. In addition, we aim to help our clients feel in safe hands and intend to show that you can get a great service from businesses like ours and get more value for your money, as opposed to the cold reception you might get from a bigger brand. “In order to achieve this, our approach focuses around the client. When investors instruct me with a project we have to put in the hours, effort, resources and sometimes a little ingenuity. We take a project, look at the application and determine the best and most cost effective way to deliver. Depending on the size of the project, we could calculate the net present value of investments or the opportunity cost. We take a very hands-on approach and like to be involved from start to finish if a client is building flats, so we can advise them on their best returns.” The firm also offers a free landlord service to rent properties out for all brand new customers, to show them just how hard they will work to get that repeat business. Money is not the focus; instead Myletz aims to ensure that clients receive the most dedicated service possible, as emphasises through its work with one of its largest single clients, as Richard outlines.
“One of our largest client’s, Heritage Homes, has been kind enough to bring the majority of its business over to Myletz, handling such a large account with so many buildings and properties to arrange rent and manage has been quite a task. It comprises land, commercial, and residential units. One of the key challenges was legally acquiring and transferring the properties from other previous managing agents and consolidating them all onto our books. We had to make sure we had all relevant paperwork, and check that all the laws for each building is up to regulation standards and complied with. I am particularly proud at how well my team is taking on these larger projects and incorporating all our unique linguistic abilities, which include Hebrew, Romanian, Polish, Bengali, Urdu, Chichewa, British Sign Language and Filipino, to make sure tenants are aware of the changes and what they mean for them.” Growth is the firm’s key focus looking to the future, as the firm looks to build upon its current success. “Going forward we are keen to continue to build and grow, as we open up more Myletz branches with the plan to start franchising out the brand. Myletz will adapt to a Luton that is becoming more and more interactive with the airport and London with investors closely linking Luton to London. However, being a realist, we also expect uncertain times ahead given the Brexit decision, and will be flexible enough to adjust prices and decisions, according to market reactions. “Personally I am really excited that we have the opportunity to work with bigger developers and that will also hopefully lead to referrals and greater opportunities. Whilst expanding, we still want to keep grounded and help local communities. We recently helped to open a care home to help provide housing for autistic children, and also raised money to help build housing and schools in remote areas of Sierra Leone (where one of our clients runs a charity), and last year we were on Sky News appealing nationwide to Landlords to offer their properties to house Syrian refugees. Overall the future looks bright for Myletz and we look forward to taking advantage of the opportunities and continuing to make a difference.”
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Company: Northwood Phone: 01329 820420 Website: http://www.northwooduk.com/pages/northwood-legal-services
Most Dynamic Estate Agency - UK & Award for Excellence in Legal Services - UK
Northwood Legal provide residential landlord and tenant legal support to private landlords and managing agents. We invited Mandy Chandler to tell us more.
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espite having been in business for less than a year, Northwood Legal has already created an enviable reputation for excellence thanks to its professional staff and cost effective service offering. Mandy explains.
“Here at Northwood Legal our team are highly specialised experts in Landlord and Tenant Law and between them have in excess of 40 years’ experience of working solely in this area. Our services range from issuing letters before action to court proceedings to recovering possession of properties. “What truly differentiates our firm is that we listen to our clients, and then pursue the best cause of action for their specific situation.. We understand the stress and financial burden that our clients encounter during the eviction process. Combined with our intimate knowledge of the county court procedures we can ensure a successful outcome is achieved in the shortest and most cost effective manner.” One of the key challenges for anyone operating in the lettings sector is staying abreast of the constant changes in legislation. With over 145 regulations relating the letting out a property in the UK remaining compliant is a constant challenge. In order to further expedite the time taken to gain possession of a property and guaranteeing that the exact process is adhered to the firm has recently installed a new legal case management system to Which will provide a much needed tool to enable us to undertake a bigger case load as we continue to grow. In the short term the business is looking to consolidate and build on its current success. To date we are proud that our exponential growth has been achieved largely through referrals so the next step is to further increase awareness of the business within the industry, as Mandy concludes. “The future is bright for Northwood Legal as we continue to build our reputation for excellence and serve our clients to the highest possible standard. We look forward to the new opportunities ahead of us.”
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Company: PlaceFirst Email: enquiries@placefirst.co.uk Web Address: www.placefirst.co.uk Address: Eastgate, 2 Castle Street, Manchester, M3 4LZ Telephone: 0161 434 4720
Best Residential Lettings Developer - Lancashire
placefirst PlaceFirst are a build-to-rent property developer based in Manchester and active across the North of England. We caught up with Martin Ellerby to learn more about the firm and its service offering.
laceFirst design, build and manage a growing portfolio of aspirational family homes aimed at working households who are finding home ownership increasingly difficult to access. Martin discusses this innovative approach in more detail, outlining how the firm works to offer high quality homes which are accessible to clients who are finding access to home ownership increasingly difficult.
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“At PlaceFirst, all of our homes to date have been delivered through innovative remodelling of Victorian terraces, creating distinctive homes that blend the best of old and new. We work at scale, typically delivering 50-150 homes per project and, because of the scale we work at, our interventions have a regenerative impact on the wider communities we work in. “Overall, we envision a new type of tenure born of progressive thinking and a community centred living model, driven by a genuine desire to surpass the conventional offers of volume housebuilders.” In keeping with this vision, the firm’s mission articulates a wider reaching and more integral proposition, one that looks beyond just the provision of good quality rental homes, to creating community centred neighbourhoods where all residents can live, thrive and aspire, and communities can flourish and prevail.
To achieve this, the market requires a business with a powerful visionary goal, inspiring core purpose aligned to the genuine needs of the market and society, and the conviction and determination to deliver on its promises. Martin is keen to emphasise the firm’s commitment to meeting this goal and providing the highest possible quality homes. “As a long-term neighbourhood investor, we see genuine value in distinctive place making. To date all of our projects include significant areas of public amenity, all of which are privately managed by PlaceFirst for the benefit of the wider community. At Accrington we have delivered a new park and a new village square; at Morecambe we have delivered a new landscaped courtyard which the new homes overlook; and at Hartlepool we are building a new garden square in the heart of the development. All of these spaces are accessible to the public but managed by PlaceFirst. “Ultimately, PlaceFirst want to be recognised as a leader in the provision of great, family homes where families can put down roots and genuinely call a rented house a home. We are targeting 1000 homes by 2020 and are well on course to meet this target.”
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Company: Platinum Property Agents Name: Rob Price Email: rob.price@platinum-property.co.uk Web Address: www.platinum-property.co.uk Address: 15-17 St Johns Worcester WR2 5AE Telephone: 01905 426000 or 01684 898800
Best Real Estate Agency - Worcestershire
Platinum Property Agents are a Worcester & Malvern based estate agency providing sales, letting and property management services to clients across the region. We invited Rob Price to talk us through the firm’s client centred approach and how this has helped it to achieve its current success.
stablished in 2005, Platinum Property Agents draws on the experience and expertise it has gained over this time to provide clients with a personalised, quality service which meets their needs and reduces the stress and upheaval of moving home, whether they are renting or buying. Rob outlines how the firm aims to achieve this through its service offering and dedication to client support.
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“Most clients are excited about their new home and have limited experience of the financial and legal side of the transaction. The management of the frustrations and expectations is where our team here at Platinum Property Agents excel. “In order to instil our clients with confidence and make the process more manageable we offer a simple fee structure and contract terms, providing a completely transparent service from the start. We avoid the trend we are often seeing throughout the industry to use technology to automate or offer a ‘self-service’ approach. We aim to use the latest technology to improve our productivity and free up time to provide a personal service.” The firm’s Worcester office has a strong rentals base and is close to Worcester University, and as such the team have become experts in House of Multiple Occupancy rules (HMO) for student accommodation. Matt Raaff provides us with an overview of the market for HMOs in the region currently. “In Worcester the HMO market for students is very popular because rental yields are high. Locally we have article 4 planning restrictions for HMOs, which means that you cannot create a student let without permission, and therefore existing HMOs sell for a premium price, making them highly coveted. Due to our in-house mortgage company, Platinum Property Finance, and our experience managing student properties, we have become experts in advising investors on this area of the market.”
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Overall, Rob was keen to conclude that the future looks bright for the company as it seeks to build upon its current success and growth. “Moving forward, we have ambitious plans to expand our business in the current locations and across the region. Our technology has been purposely selected to be cloud based to allow it to be operated from home or a new office location, ensuring that we can easily implement our systems into a new office and be very effective from the outset. We look forward to taking advantage of the opportunities and enhanced capabilities this expansion will provide us.”
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Company: Prime Estate Agents Name: Kazi Arif - MARLA, MNAEA Property Manager Email: admin@primeestateagents.co.uk Web address: www.primeestateaddress.co.uk Address: 102 Brick Lane, Aldgate East, London, E1 6RL Telephone: 02073751188
Best Independent Estate Agent - London
Prime Estate Agents Prime Estate Agents is an independent Estate Agent based in the heart of East London, with their Brick lane office providing the perfect location from which to sell and let properties in East London and London wide. We profile the firm and examine the techniques they employ to ensure that it offers the very highest possible level of success.
rime Estate Agents are accredited, professional and reputable agents whose highest priority is satisfied clients. Their hard work and motivation has already enabled them to relocate offices to cater for its growing clientele, and the company’s ongoing goal is to strive to continue to excel in their outstanding customer service and care.
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One of the ways the agency achieves this is through its dedication to ensure satisfaction. The team at Prime Estate Agents are work flexible, operating around the needs of clients, offering weekend and out-of-hours viewings when necessary to ensure that both tenants, landlords, buyers and sellers all receive the very highest level of service which exactly meets their needs. The dedicated team of specialists understand that renting can be complicated, and acknowledge the importance of renting through an agency that communicates well with its tenants, is honest, and on the whole cares about you and your property. Therefore, they offer Client Money Protection, to inspire further trust and confidence in everyone they work with.
As members of The Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA), The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) and The Property Ombudsman, clients can be assured that they act honestly and professionally at all times. As Prime Estate Agents are members of all leading governing bodies in the industry clients can have confidence that moving home through the firm will go as smoothly as possible. Ultimately Prime Estate Agents are proud to be independent and free from the restraints of many corporate agents which limit flexibility. It is this independence that gives the firm its great strength and flexibility in its approach to working with landlords. With over 13 years’ experience, Prime Estate Agents have a unique insight into the property business. The company knows that their clients expect a high level of service and as such their ongoing goal is always to meet and exceed these expectations.
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Company: Salamanca Spanish Villas Ltd Name: Alan Dennett Email: alan@salamancaspanishvillas.co.uk Web Address: www.salamancaspanishvillas.co.uk Address: UK Head Office - Edinburgh Telephone: 0845 838 7477
Best International Real Estate Agency 2016 - UK
Salamanca Spanish Villas Ltd are a UK based Spanish Real Estate Agency working in partnership with in country accredited Spanish Real Estate Agents & Developers. We profile the firm and explore the secrets behind its success. alamanca Spanish Villas provide clients with a comprehensive property search and buying service, drawing on over 10 years of knowledge and experience of both property sourcing and the satisfactory completion of the clients Spanish property purchase. This includes location and property research, Spanish Legal & Fiscal Services, Spanish Banking and Mortgages, Foreign Currency Exchange Services, Property & Health Insurance, International Removals, Shipping & Storage Services all of which ensures the client receives a complete service to meet their needs and minimise any risks involved when buying an overseas property.
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Currently the firm lists over 10,000 luxury properties for sale across the Spanish Costas, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. Operating independently of developers and agents, Salamanca’s advice and recommendations are impartial and based solely on the firm’s experience and understanding of the client’s location and property requirements. The company operates in collaboration with accredited local agents and established developers who are legally authorised & qualified and who provide bank guarantees.
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Use of technology forms a key part of the firm’s product and service offering, and as such Salamanca offers a very effective online presence via www. salamancaspanishvillas.co.uk along with connected social media channels such as Facebook & Twitter enabling the company to showcase the latest developments in the Spanish Real Estate market as well as news relating to Spanish Lifestyle, Travel & Culture. As an accredited member of the AIPP, the International Estate Agents Professional Governing Body, the company is able to offer clients added protection and assurance when buying Overseas Property, ultimately providing them with peace of mind and a measure of recourse in the event of any dissatisfaction. Looking to the future, Salamanca’s focus is firstly to ensure customer satisfaction which will in turn enable continued growth. By offering the customer a wider choice of locations and properties with easy access to both its UK based and Spanish in-country professional partner expertise, this will enable the firm to continue delivering a seamless and value added client engagement experience. Salamanca Spanish Villas will continue to develop and strengthen its accredited Spanish Agent/Partner Network to offer the most comprehensive choice of products and services covering the Spanish Costas, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.
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Company: Windsor & Rose Website: http://www.windsorandrose.co.uk/
Best Independent Estate Agency 2016 - Canterbury
Windsor & Rose is an independent Estate Agent based in Canterbury which offers complete accountability and a stress free selling and buying experience. We profile the firm to find out more.
indsor & Rose have a team of qualified professionals, with decades of experience in the property industry. Drawing on this vast experience and the firm’s extensive network and innovative marketing technologies, Windsor & Rose are able to bring sellers and landlords together with buyers and tenants respectively.
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The company recognises that Estate Agency has become woefully outdated; inefficient use of the internet and other marketing technologies, coupled with poor levels of service has left the industry unable to provide the high standards that people expect and demand today.
In order to combat this Windsor & Rose employ the most up to the minute technologies, combined with expertise and commitment to client service which ensures that everyone they work with has a satisfactory experience. Ultimately Windsor & Rose’s name and reputation is only as good as their people, who are central to their service offering. It is the firm’s ability to listen to people’s needs that enables them to provide the right answers. By building a relationship with each and every customer, Windsor & Rose develop a clear understanding of their requirements and maintain a position of trust, essential when entering into a sale or rental agreement.
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