For many, Spring often marks the start of new beginnings and I couldn’t agree more.
The property market has gone through a sea of change in the past decades and now we are at a time where we are having to rise to the challenge of competition from online agents moving in.
It is important to continue to have a strong foot holding on the ground, and by doing this you have to assess what is best for your clients, hence the decision to merge Lawsons Sales and Lettings with the Wolverhampton branch of national franchise Concentric Sales and Lettings.
As a result, I am really pleased to say that there are great things on the horizon for landlords and tenants.
How have we achieved this?
I will need to share some history with you. Having set up Lawsons in 1990, we have been able to provide top-end services to the landlord community in the West Midlands. We have helped investors buy over 450 properties, let over 6,000 homes, assisted landlords with the sale of their properties and have handled the refurbishment of over 250 properties.
Based on Lawsons’ successful business model and practices, Concentric was established in 2010, and a national franchise was set up that now operates across ten branches in the UK, including Wolverhampton.
For years, the two firms in this region have offered property management services to landlords and tenants, using the same senior management and client accounting teams. Naturally, over time it has made sense to combine the two under the Concentric name, which already has a base at 40 Chapel Ash High Street in Wolverhampton.
What does this mean for our landlords and tenants?
By combining the knowledge and expertise of our employees across the two branches, the creation of a super agency has surfaced. It means we are able to offer a wider range of additional services, giving landlords and tenants more convenience and support than ever before.
By leaving our existing premises at Lawsons, all of the employees have had the opportunity to move across to the newly formed Concentric branch, creating a larger team. Armed with greater knowledge and expertise under one roof, we are able to offer more property sales and specialist investment opportunities, including buy-to-let advisory workshops and evening seminars.
It’s a win-win situation for landlords as it enables us to help our clients stay on top of legislation, and property refurbishment.
Why is now the right time to do this?
There are many reasons, but the most striking observation is that we are seeing an increase in the number of landlords and tenants looking to buy/rent. Furthermore, changes in rules, regulations and understanding the law can be confusing to many, and this is reflected through the number of calls we are increasingly receiving.
Also, with online agents rapidly entering the market, we recognise that personal interaction is key to our landlords and tenants. Communicating face-to-face is essential in building a solid relationship based on trust. This is much harder for online agents, however beneficial to Concentric, when there is an extensive team available on the ground.
The future for Lawsons Sales and Lettings
Lawsons Sales and Lettings premises may have closed, but the knowledge and expertise of our employees have moved across to our Concentric franchise branch. We are confident that landlords and tenants of both firms will appreciate the enhanced services that we are able to offer. By combining the two companies, this will make us even stronger, allowing us to achieve so much more together.
And as for my role. I will continue to be at the forefront of the agency, as well as taking on the position of President of ARLA Propertymark (Association of Residential Letting Agents), where I will strive to improve standards in the industry and help agents across the country be the best they can.
2017 is by far, going to be very exciting!