SITE VISIT REPORT
RPA GROUP ON THE GROUND
Business Development Manager’s Journey Through Top UK Developments
December 13, 2024 • Author: Simon Barthorpe
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Business Development Manager
SIMON BARTHORPE
Meet Simon Barthorpe, our dedicated Business Development Manager. With a passion for real estate and a commitment to understanding every detail, Simon recently visited top developments across the UK. His firsthand experience offers unique insights into the properties and their potential. Let’s dive into his journey and hear what he discovered.
Last week I had the amazing opportunity of going to the UK and visit the sites that we are selling here at The RPA Group. It gave me a chance to be on the ground and gain a better perspective on locations of the projects; how accessible they are, what they look like. This, in turn, will allow me to talk about them in more detail when speaking to prospective clients.
It was just a few days, but in this short time, it has broadened my knowledge and given me an invaluable insight into the excellent product we have and will have going forward, allowing me to sell it more effectively.
day 1: manchester
Let’s start with Manchester. The amount of development going on there is astonishing, nearly every corner you turn there’s a new project underway and you can clearly see that the economy there is growing exponentially. Its public transport links are excellent, but to be honest we walked almost everywhere. It’s a very walkable city and if you can walk then, it makes the experience nicer in my opinion. So, people looking to buy there shouldn’t worry about being slightly “out of the centre”, as it takes maybe 10 minutes to walk to the FEC site that we visited and what a site it is.
It’s staggering, words just don’t do it justice. It almost needs to be seen with your own eyes to truly grasp it’s potential. When I would talk to clients about it, I was telling its story with excitement, having studied the literature, but now I feel that I can now talk about this easier, having seen it for myself. Manchester is a fantastic city and the FEC site (the largest urban regeneration I believe the UK has ever seen), is going to change the landscape of the city, bring significant investment in and propel Manchester forward and mirror what London has done in the property investment scene over the years, by growing very well and offering a buyer a great passive income and overall investment. However, it can do that at a lower price without cutting back on the quality.
Members of the RPA Group team at the FEC marketing suite discussing what is an extraordinary vision.
day 2: birmingham
Next, we visited Birmingham, a city literally in the middle of the UK and its access into London is already good but will only be improved and become more popular for people wanting to live in the midlands but work in the capital, when the HS2 is completed. This will be a game changer indeed! Like Manchester, Birmingham is a relatively small city, even though its population is much larger, and you can easily walk around in no time at all. I visited our site in the Jewellery Quarter and to walk into the city it took maybe 5 minutes, maybe 10 minutes to some parts which for someone wanting to live and work there, you can get around very easily, especially if you don’t have a car.
It’s not a necessity at all, with the fact it’s so walkable and the transport links are also very good. The Jewellery Quarter is a beautiful part of Birmingham, the low rise, red brick buildings are so picturesque and it’s one reason why my wife and I bought our first investment property in this location. So, when I say it’s a great investment, I’m talking from experience. Birmingham offers an investor a great opportunity to buy a property at a very reasonable price in today’s market, lower service charges, but excellent product which will appreciate very well.
day 3: london
Lastly, I went to London. You can’t go to the UK to see property and not visit the capital where the property investment scene has been strong for a long time and will always be a lot of people’s go to place for strong returns and potential for a high passive income. I visited FEC’s site in Canary Wharf, called Aspen. This is the embodiment of luxury with its sleek exterior, high quality finishing and the fact it will be connected to a 5-star Dorsett branded hotel where owners/tenants will have access to top of the range amenities. This is a strong selling point of this project as well as the fact it is in a safe and easily accessible area, which leads me on to the location.
As most people know, getting around London is so easy with all its transport links and much more enjoyable if you don’t have to drive. It took me less than 10 minutes to walk to Aspen from the tube station and it’s a very pleasant walk through the financial district of Canary Wharf over the bridge to where the site is, and you can see it from a fair distance away and its visually striking. Having seen some of the units with my own eyes, I can safely say FEC lives up to its name of building quality product with excellent finishing and anyone buying in here is adding a top-quality addition to their portfolio.
The RPA View
Experiencing these developments firsthand has been invaluable in deepening our understanding of the opportunities they offer. At The RPA Group, we’re excited to share these insights with our clients, ensuring they have the information they need to make confident investment decisions. The UK property market continues to grow, and we’re here to help you be part of its success.
Contact us today to learn more about these exceptional opportunities and how we can help you achieve your investment goals.
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About the author
Business Development Manager
SIMON BARTHORPE
Simon has over a decade of experience in property investment, starting in the UAE and now specializing in the UK market. He helps investors explore stable, high-growth opportunities in key UK cities, offering tailored advice to achieve financial goals.
Known for his expertise and personalized support, Simon is a trusted partner for clients seeking to diversify their portfolios with UK real estate.
