Thursday 26th February 2015, property media watch:
Today’s local stories in the property world:
Birmingham’s Christmas Market breaks visitor numbers record – The Business Desk
“NEW figures reveal record footfall in Birmingham of 5.5m during the Christmas Market period with a total spend of £397m. Footfall is up 1.2m from two years ago according to Visit Birmingham. This 28% increase in visitor numbers contributed to a consumer spend which is nearly double the £201m generated in 2012 when figures were last calculated. The city’s hotel trade also benefited, enjoying an average occupancy rate of 84% during the Christmas Markets programme, up from 79% in 2012.”
Redrow revises plans for controversial Harborne housing project – Birmingham Post
“Action group continues to battle plans to redevelop former Ravenhurst Playing Fields as new-look scheme is brought forward by housebuilding giant. Plans for a controversial housing scheme in an upmarket Birmingham suburb have been scaled down after council officers said the size of the development was not acceptable.”
High LTV mortgages see 29% rise – Property reporter
“According to new data from Genworth, the number of 95% loan-to-value (LTV) mortgages has risen by almost a third since October last year. Analysis by Genworth, a mortgage insurer, reveals the number of mortgages available to buyers with a 5% deposit has now increased by 57% year-on-year, having stood at 116 in January 2014 when lending first began through the government’s Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme (Help to Buy 2).”
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The stories above are from various media sources, they do not necessarily reflect the views of James Laurence Sales and Lettings.
We recently switched from another letting agency to James Laurence, as we found their team so warm and friendly and loved the local aspect of the agency. The team have absolutely exceeded our expectations, making the changeover feel so seamless and finding new tenants for our apartment at really short notice. Lotti could not have been more wonderful to work with, going completely above and beyond to ensure our tenants could move in just before Christmas. We felt an immediate affinity with her and have so appreciated her attention to detail, quick thinking and creativity. She has made us feel so at ease, supported and like our property is in the safest of hands. Charlotte and Melissa have also been so helpful and lovely to deal with during the process. Having worked with several other agencies in Birmingham, I cannot recommend James Laurence highly enough. Look no further, they are the best!
Julia Collins 28 December 2022
The team at James Laurence was very helpful when I tried to find an apartment in Birmingham. I was in contact with a different letting agency but things fell through and they couldn't help me. A colleague of mine recommended James Laurence Lettings so I emailed them immediately since I was was moving from Sweden and the move would take place in less than a week.
The team at James Laurence responded within 5 minutes and managed to offer me a few different apartment-options. Things proceeded quickly and smoothly and just a few days later I had they keys to the apartment. James Laurence helped me every step of the way and went above and beyond to accommodate my requests.
The only minor negative thing I can say is that the interntal communication could be improved a tiny bit. I received slightly different information depending on who I was speaking with at the time. When I said I received different information earlier the person I spoke to said she would talk to her colleagues and then get in contact with me later with the "correct" information which she did and the issue got solved very quick.
Elias 15 October 2022
Our experience with James Laurence Estate Agents was absolutely fantastic! Melissa Wilson made the application and referencing process smooth and easy with excellent communication. Everyone we spoke with from the office was kind, helpful, and welcoming. To top it all off, the loft we moved into was even better than the pictures! We are thrilled with our new home and we would absolutely recommend James Laurence to anyone looking for a place to live!
Dominic James 2 October 2022
I have been very impressed with James Laurence, who have recently sold my property. Having previously had a poor experience with Purple Bricks, I instructed James Laurence to help sell my property. I have worked with Henry throughout the whole process and have found him to be very professional and knowledgeable as well as being efficient. It can't be stressed enough how important this is to have an estate agent that responds quickly, negotiates well and truly understands the market (especially during uncertain times like recently with the cover pandemic). I have briefly worked with Caroline and some of the other team members who also seem to be very efficient and friendly. Thanks again to James Laurence who I would fully recommend to anyone looking to Buy/Sell in Birmingham.
David Jolly 16 June 2022
I recently sold my property with James Laurence, and the overall experience was great. They demonstrated a good knowledge of the Birmingham property market when discussing sales strategy, marketing and pricing (more than I was expecting) towards the beginning of my experience with them. This showed when we achieved 2 asking price offers within the first couple days of showings. Once an offer was accepted, their support did not stop there, Caroline (Sales Progression) did a fantastic job at liaising between myself and the buyers side, helping to progress items and remove any potential blockers. I would fully recommend James Laurence to anyone looking to Buy/Sell in Birmingham.