Luxury Central London Estate Agency Kay & Co to Join U.S.-Based Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

 
Respected agency known for client service and market expertise will operate as
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Kay & Co from November 2018

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices announced expansion of its franchise network into the London market by signing an agreement with luxury estate agency Kay & Co. Starting November 2018, the agency will operate as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Kay & Co.

The signing marks the second global franchisee of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices following Rubina Real Estate of Berlin in May. Kay & Co plans expansion in the prime central London market through acquisitions and joint ventures with best-in-class agencies, and the addition of up to 10 standalone offices over the next decade.

“London has been among our highest priorities as a key center for international business and an attractive market for global capital looking to invest in property,” said Gino Blefari, president and CEO of the network. “We are thrilled to enter the market with Kay & Co, a brokerage known for exceptional leadership, knowledgeable, tenured agents and relentless client service. As important, the company’s core values and growth aspirations match those of our own, steeped in trust, integrity, stability and longevity.”

Kay & Co, founded in 1982 by Chairman Samuel Bikhit, remains independently owned and operated. It serves London’s upscale Mayfair, Hyde Park, Marylebone, Regent’s Park, King’s Cross, Bayswater, Paddington and West End districts. The estate agency was recently named “Smaller Managing Agent of the Year” at the prestigious ARMA ACE Awards, which recognize the U.K.’s leading residential asset managers and suppliers. It is also a perennial honoree of the British Property Awards, a recognition program that ultimately helps consumers choose estate agencies.

“We are proud to bring the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand to London,” said Bikhit. “We believe Londoners and our many American clients in the city will embrace the brand and understand its marketing appeal.”

Martin Bikhit, Kay & Co’s managing director, added: “We are delighted to enter into this agreement with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. London is a global hub that attracts people from around the world and as specialists in the central London property market we are confident that London will remain a desirable choice for many.”

Timing for his agency’s brand transition is ideal as an influx of corporations to London will likely drive demand for luxury residential real estate, Martin Bikhit said. “We believe there will be a surge of home-buyer interest in areas across central London, driven by the arrival of global tech giants Apple in Battersea Power Station, Twitter in Soho, Instagram and Snap – the parent company of Snapchat – in Fitzrovia and Google and Facebook in King’s Cross,” he explained. “These companies and others have made informed decisions to establish hubs in London. Their employees will need homes in the months and years ahead, and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Kay & Co will be ready to help.”

With their network membership, Kay & Co gains access to the brand’s Global Network Platform, a powerful tool suite driving lead generation, marketing support, social media, video production/distribution and more. The brand also provides global listing syndication, relocation referrals, professional education and the exclusive Luxury Collection marketing program for high-end listings.

“Our longstanding clients are going to benefit from this international alliance, which will open up opportunities with fellow Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchisees,” Martin Bikhit said. “We are joining a network of top U.S. and German estate agencies and as such we’re very excited for the future.”

Samuel Bikhit reflected that his family-owned estate agency has matured nicely over the years. “Kay & Co steps forward to a whole new era with a wealth of experience serving the central London market our team dearly loves,” he said. “We’ve seen boom times and we’ve endured challenging times. The experience has given us a unique insight and understanding of the areas and clients we serve, and that knowledge is hard to beat.”

Kay and Co will commemorate its brand membership in November at a gala celebration in London attended by agents, guests and representatives from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

Elevate PR media launch for Vesta Interior Design

We are delighted to be working with up-and-coming interior design firm, Vesta Interior Design and in June, we launched the company to the media, showcasing its exceptional track record and it’s incredible growth achieved in its first year of business.

The results included coverage across a range of property, interior design and national titles. Our aim for this client is to position them amongst its peers and assist in the generation of new business for the company with both B2B and B2C customers. 

We we are working closely with the Managing Director, Chris Dale, to build and maintain an outreach via PR over the coming months and years.

Black Brick report trend of buyers seeking dilapidated properties

Buyers are seeking out dilapidated properties in London, according to award winning buying agency, Black Brick. The new trend comes as buyers look to find the best possible deal on their London home, enabling them to achieve better value for money and improved potential to achieve long term capital growth.

The buying agency has reported that wealthy individuals are currently reluctant to pay £4,000 – 5,000 per sq. ft. on a new luxurious property in prime central London and are instead purchasing distressed apartments and houses which can be renovated, minimising risk and increasing their value.

Camilla Dell, Managing Partner at Black Brickcommented: “We are seeing an increase in properties coming onto the market which are being sold because a family member has passed away or that have been in a family for 20-30 years and handed down to the next generation. Although it is a buyers’ market at present, these properties have still gone up in value considerably since they were purchased many years ago and therefore sellers are willing to take a deal or reduced rate on their home.

“Many of these properties are distressed or in need of renovation, presenting an ideal opportunity for buyers to make money. We recently sourced a property in Marylebone for a client which was for sale at £1,200 per sq. ft., the buyer needed to spend £300 per sq. ft. renovating it, however, when it is complete it will be worth upwards of £1,800 per sq. ft., making it a great deal.”

Camilla added: “There are some excellent deals to be had at the moment, particularly from vendors who are highly motivated to sell. That’s why as buying agents, we always find out who the seller is, and what their reason for selling is. This enables us to negotiate far better discounts for our clients. We are also seeing some great discounts being applied to new build properties which are due to complete in the next 2 or 3 months and the seller is wishing to flip it before completion. Some are even willing to take a significant loss in order to not complete on the property and face having to pay stamp duty.

“We are advising buyers that if the right deal can be sourced, now is a great time to be buying, but realistically given the costs of acquisition,investors need to be looking at holding onto to the property for a minimum of 5 – 10 years before they see significant growth in its capital value.”

Successful launch at Hornsey Town Hall for Far East Consortium

We were proud to arrange the launch event for the London landmark, Hornsey Town Hall in Crouch End on behalf of our client, Far East Consortium. 

​It was a fantastic day, the sun was shining and we had arranged for the whole community to come along and enjoy themselves as well as have the opportunity to visit the new marketing suite and find out how the redevelopment of the Town Hall will transform it into a new destination.

Visitors enjoyed live music from an acoustic guitarist, while sitting in deckchairs enjoying the glorious weather. Complimentary proper tea and coffee was served from a pop up stall by Cafe Pronto, while nibbles were served throughout the day and a bubble man entertained the children. The event was so successful the first release of new homes sold out in the first day.

Built in 1935 to house Hornsey Borough Council, Hornsey Town Hall is one of the earliest examples of modernist architecture in Britain. In its new life Hornsey Town Hall will provide an extremely rare opportunity to live in a new development, steeped in history, with many of the original features remaining untouched.

The team at Elevate Public Relations attend the 2018 Property Press Awards

Yesterday evening, Tuesday 15th May, saw us attend the 2018 Property Press Awards and what a fantastic evening it was. 

Held at City Hall, the awards were attended by highly regarded journalists, Editors, industry professionals and PR specialists who were all excited to find out who the winners were this year.

We sipped bubbly and nibbled canapés whilst catching up with many of our colleagues, contacts and friends. 

Our client, Camilla Dell, Managing Partner at award winning buying agency Black Brick, was proud to judge an award at this years event.

We would like to congratulate all of the winners on their success!

Kay & Co hold glittering launch party to celebrate opening of their new office in Kings Cross

We had a fantastic evening at the launch of Kay & Co’s new boutique office in Kings Cross.  The event was attended by over 100 guests who included clients, industry professionals and the media.

The glittering launch party was held on 23rd April 2018 and marked the grand opening for the double fronted new office, which is situated on the ground floor of the Google building.

Guests enjoyed a tour of Kay & Co’s office followed by a reception next door where they enjoyed an array of food and drink throughout the evening and enjoyed entertainment by The Gents (of Arts Club fame), who perform soulful stripped back arrangements and Brendan Rodrigues, a close up Magician and member of the magic circle.

The new office operates across Kings Cross and Bloomsbury and will offer sales and lettings for those looking to purchase, rent or invest in this desirable up and coming urban oasis in the heart of London.

Martin Bikhit, Managing Director of Kay & Co commented: “We are delighted to open our third office in Kings Cross. This exciting new launch fits in with our plans to open new offices in under-serviced areas with excellent growth potential and marks an exciting time for Kay & Co as we undergo growth and expansion.

“The new office will enable us to service the pipeline of new build homes being developed by The Kings Cross Partnership and assist Google employees who are looking to rent in Kings Cross and further afield.”

Headed up by Charlotte Legge-Beale, and Jack Bateman, the pair bring a wealth of experience and expert knowledge of the local area.

The Kings Cross office is the third to be operated by the luxury estate agent, who currently has two offices, one in Bayswater and the other in Marylebone. The new offices are situated at Unit 4, 6 Pancras Square, N1C. www.kayandco.com

Industry Reactions from our clients on the 2018 Spring Statement

Our clients give their thoughts on Philip Hammonds 2018 Spring Statement, which was announced on Tuesday 13th March.

Martin Bikhit, Managing Director at Kay & Co commented:

“So, we spring into the house buying season with no significant setbacks from the government. This is positive news for both buyers, sellers and the industry as a whole.  Economic conditions are showing some improvement, and the sun usually brings the buyers out, so we are ready to greet the season with optimism.  Philip Hammond promised no red box, no official document, no spending increases, no tax changes. No other economy makes hundreds of tax changes twice a year, and neither should we, he said. For once, a politician is sticking to his word.”

Camilla Dell, Managing Partner at Black Brick commented:

“We have a more measured and sensible Chancellor who is withholding his big announcements for the Budget this autumn.  We see this in a positive light, as the London property market needs stability and to date there has been constant change and uncertainty.  The pledge of £1.7 billion investment to build 26,000 affordable houses in London by 2022 is good news, however, pumping money into the market alone will not solve the problem.  The Government needs to support Housebuilders and incentivise them to build the right type of accommodation Londoners need, in the right areas, at the correct price.   A healthy market isn’t just about supporting the bottom end of the market. The volume of transactions taking place across all price points is also important.  Stamp duty changes have crippled the London market, particularly in the prime and super-prime sectors, with volumes falling nearly 40% since stamp duty changes were introduced.  At Black Brick we have experienced transactions being choked by stamp duty and we are keen to see a review of the stamp duty hikes bought in by the previous Chancellor, which we believe will have a positive impact on the whole of the London property market.” 

David Ullathorne, CEO of Rectory Homes comments on the Spring Statement:

“The latest spring statement sets the tone for the budget this autumn, with housing firmly on the agenda. It is great news to hear the positive effects the recent stamp duty changes have had on first time buyers. At Rectory Homes we are launching a series of new developments over the coming months, which will offer a range of incentives including Help To Buy, to assist first time buyers in getting a foot on the ladder. We are looking forward to learning more about the Governments plans to work with 44 local authorities to deliver more affordable homes across the country.  

“With the Government’s announcement to double the Housing Growth Partnership fund to £220 billion, as a medium housebuilder we expect our business to benefit from this financial support.”

Matthew Siddell, CEO of Quorum Property Club commented: “Chancellor Philip Hammond delivered an upbeat Spring Statement today with an emphasis on building an economy for everyone, and new figures reflected this with growth coming in higher than predicted for 2017 at 1.7%. Good news, in the short term, however the challenges Britain faces are likely to be long-lasting.

For housing in London Hammond announced an additional £1.7bn to deliver 26,000 affordable homes including homes for social rent in London by 2022. More good news, however, what is not clear yet are the methods that will be put in place to ensure this is not another housing pledge which is not met.

So while the temperature is due to fall again this weekend, the economic picture has certainly started to brighten, and we should expect a sunnier outlook from now on.”

Angela Walsh, Sales and Marketing Director at Far East Consortium commented: “We welcome the plans to invest £1.67 billion to start building a further 26,000 affordable homes in London by the end of 2022, enabling more people to own their own home. Both the Stamp Duty reform and the fact the Government is working with 44 local authorities with their bids into the £4.1 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund to help build the homes that the country needs is very positive news.” 

New specialist Property Club, Quorum launches

A new exclusive community for property professionals has launched. Quorum invites those who want to focus on developments worth £1 million and upwards to join. The club is for individuals who want to form strong relationships with other people that are relevant to their goals and have lots of fun in the process.

Founded by Matthew Siddell, Quorum already has some some highly influential industry figures as it’s members and an advisory board which includes, Nicholas Cowell, Nicola Bremner and Piers Beckwith.

Elevate PR is proud to be appointed by Quroum to handle the PR for the club.

For further information please visit www.quorumclub.org 

Cushman & Wakefield sign us up!

We are very proud to have been appointed to handle the PR for Cushman & Wakefield. The global estate agency has asked Elevate PR to work closely with its new homes team to generate exposure and awareness for its array of new developments which are set to launch in the coming months. 

Chanel Bailey, Director of Elevate PR commented: “We are thrilled to be working with Cushman & Wakefield. Our aim is to create awareness, exposure and press coverage for its new developments, assisting the sales team with potential leads and sales.”

 “Elevate PR has grown considerably since its inception just over two years ago and we are proud to welcome Cushman & Wakefield to our expanding roster of clients.”

Please check back for news and updates as we will be working on three new London development launches in March and April.

Elevate PR welcomes Rectory Homes to its client base

We are delighted to welcome Rectory Homes to our client base. The Home Counties developer, which is renowned for its exceptional product and unrivalled reputation is expanding its operation with a pipeline of new developments and imminent launches. 

Chanel Bailey, Director at Elevate PR commented: “We are thrilled to be working with Rectory Homes. The company has an array of interesting new developments set to launch in the coming months which we are really looking forward to talking about and generating lots of press coverage!”

Elevate PR will be implementing both corporate and site specific PR strategies for the developer.

For further information about Elevate PR, please check out the ‘About Us’ and ‘Our services’ section of the website and check back on our ‘News’ page for updates.