My Life in Property
We talk to Hannah Baker BSc MARLA MRICS, Head of Residential Sales at Legat Owen
What inspired you to get into the property industry?
Theres so much to love about this industry. My Dad is an estate agent, so the property world has been familiar to me from a young age, and I’ve always had a great interest- it’s in my blood you could say. After graduating from the University of Reading and completing a year on a ski season in Switzerland, I returned to Cheshire and landed a month’s work experience at a residential letting agent in Chester dealing with high end residential lettings. I ended up staying for 7 years! And worked my way up. I love dealing with and meeting different people every day. I joined Legat Owen 4 years ago and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor working as a commercial agent and property and asset manager and I now head up the recently established Legat Owen residential sales division.
What makes Legat Owen’s new residential division different to other agents?
At Legat Owen we are all chartered surveyors therefore our work is regulated by RICS, ensuring we adhere to the highest ethical and professional global standards in the selling and buying of residential. Our residential team are part of the firm’s well-established and thriving commercial entity and so we can offer specialist advise in all areas, including building surveying and residential development land.
We pride ourselves on delivering optimum results, taking care to understand our client’s individual needs and providing tailored advice and insight based on our in-depth knowledge of the local, regional, and national residential markets
We provide a single point of contact for the duration of the sales process to enhance efficiency and it enables us to provide a truly personal service and establish strong and lasting relationships with our clients.
What is the most enjoyable part of your job?
No two days are ever the same, the job is so varied and each day I meet new people and visit new properties that makes the job constantly exciting. I’m very lucky to work in Cheshire, exploring the beautiful villages and countryside and having the honour of marketing someone’s home and helping them through an important event of their lives. Theres also no comparable feeling than helping buyers find their dream home!
I’m the vice chair of The Chester Association of Property Professionals, which is the oldest collaborative association if its kind. It promotes the interest of the profession and encourages unity and harmony amongst property professionals in Chester.
Buying and selling a home carries a reputation for being stressful. So I always take pleasure in ensuring that the process is as pressure free as possible.
What do you love most about the properties Cheshire and what do you feel makes the area so popular?
I’m Cheshire born and bred so I may be slightly biased, however Cheshire is a wonderful county, and we are so lucky to benefit from the vast green and open spaces that make the area so appealing. The region is also steeped in history and homes in Chester are reflective of that. Our current listings include older properties with lots of character- a 4 bedroom family home in Mold dating back to 1670- right through to new build homes. For the later we are proud to work with property developers including Blue Oak Estates and Archway Homes, each of whom have consciously embraced the aesthetic and heritage of a local area whilst bringing a contemporary offering.
Ultimately, Cheshire is awe-inspiring joie de vivre entices new residents, while piquing the interest of those already living there offering a great mix of beautiful countryside, heritage and great amenities and transport links.
Could you offer some insight into up and coming areas in Cheshire?
Cheshire’s a big place so there are plenty of areas I could answer with here! Crewe is an interesting town and something of a magnet for first time buyers due to fair prices and decent rail links. There are also many new regeneration schemes and HS2 projects in the pipeline.
And of course, Chester itself. It’s our home turf and a city I know extremely well. Its of course a well-established place but its interesting to see developers moving into the area and creating new communities that open Chester up to a new generation of buyers.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing estate and letting agents at the moment?
We are always conscious of the economy and the impact that has, house prices are a much-used barometer when it comes to measuring the health of our nation.
That said, I would encourage anyone looking to sell their home to look past the news and talk directly to an agent like Legat Owen to gauge the market. The headlines of course focus on mortgage rates and availability, but we are still in an active market, with demand and properties selling. There are micro markets across Cheshire that don’t register on national news.
While we are aware of challenges, we can’t use a broad brush when responding; we prefer to speak to each client directly and help them in their own situation.
Could you offer some insight into the property market currently? What should buyers or sellers be conscious of?
I think it’s important to have close conversations with agents and independent mortgage brokers to help look beyond the mortgage headlines to make informed decisions.
For sellers, there are other things to consider – notably the environment. Buyers are increasingly conscious of the energy efficiency of a home and it’s important that ahead of selling, you look at the sustainable features of your property and how you can improve the energy efficiency performance rating.
What makes the perfect home for you?
‘The perfect home’ is different for everybody, it reflects your personal style. For me it would be characterful, substantial garden/ outside entertaining area, breathtaking countryside views…and within walking distance to a pub! A tennis court and swimming pool would also be rather nice.
After a long working week, can you describe your average weekend?
I like to keep busy, so most weekends are very sociable catching up with friends and family. Winter weekends I enjoy country walks with the dogs and Sunday roasts, I also love skiing so enjoy a few long weekends in the Alps! I’m a keen tennis player so Summer weekends will usually involve tennis, being outdoors, BBQ’s (when the weather’s fit!) and spending time in Abersoch in North Wales and a Summer holiday in Greece.
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