Leeds & Wakefield - Property Magnet for the World?

Someone from Kazakhstan is looking to rent a property in Leeds – via Manning Stainton’s new website – leading Suzie Stefaniuk of the company’s Lettings department to wonder whether Borat, aka the Oscar-nominated actor Sacha Baron Cohen, might soon be moving to a property in Leeds in the near future.

Perhaps not, but there’s an underlying trend to this story which should have every citizen of Leeds puffing out their chest with pride. The enquiry from Kazakhstan on www.manningstainton.co.uk joins an impressive and increasing list of no fewer than 61 countries represented by people looking for property to rent or for sale in the Leeds, Wakefield and Wetherby areas…

These include Burkina Faso, Japan, Trinidad & Tobago, Russia, Tanzania, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and many more.

Most of the interest, says Suzie, is from people coming to work in Leeds through relocation programmes.

Manning Stainton Lettings is currently receiving over 500 registrations from people looking to rent in Leeds every month and this – coupled with ongoing demand for property purchasing – means Leeds is benefiting from a welcome influx of talent and investment.

Says Suzie: -

“Gone are the days when a rental client from France or even the USA caused something of a talking point. Our website is proving the point that Leeds appears to be the place where the world wants to settle!”

Full particulars of each property to rent are posted on the company’s website and prospective tenants will often take time out to fly in and view the available properties personally – recently including a couple from New Zealand. Or, says Suzie, they will ask friends or relatives over here to do that for them.

“It’s a busy and exciting time right now,” she comments, “A little like being in the centre of a worldwide whirlwind.”

When asked whether all this has caused any language difficulties or cultural issues Suzie says not: -

“Though an American gentleman – having rented a property with Manning Stainton – called after a couple of weeks and asked when the cleaning lady was coming round to tidy up and do the washing. When we explained that Leeds wasn’t really a serviced-apartment culture he saw the funny side of his request!"