Technology-driven Lancashire estate agent announces expansion plans

Lancashire estate agent Petty has announced an expansion this week, while confirming its confidence and commitment to Burnley.

Petty is planning to relocate its head office to the Old Red Lion pub on Manchester Road, making it a technological hub for its expanding estate agency business.

The firm is also rebranding from Petty to Petty Real.

Commercial director Brent Forbes, whose father worked for Petty’s before him and whose son is also now in the business, said: “We wanted to bring the brand up to date to reflect our expansion plans and the changes we see in our industry, especially around technology, whilst making sure we maintain our great customer service ethos which has served us well for the past 90 years.”

Having recently acquired Cheshire based Wright Marshall and more recently Burnley-based Beehive, Petty Real felt it important to maintain its core business and head office where it all started, in Burnley.

“Burnley is a great place to do business and it was important to us that we stayed here. It has everything we need.” said Brent.

“We’re working closely with the council to ensure our plans come to fruition, breathing life into an old building and increasing employment in the town.

“The council are forward thinking, enterprising and passionate about Burnley and keen to encourage investment in the area.”

He added: “Burnley has been awarded the accolade of most enterprising town in the UK as well as being identified as one of the UK’s top towns for the growth in the digital technology sector by the Financial Times and we want to play our part in that.”

He said the firm’s recent acquisitions have increased its footprint and portfolio.

“It means we now manage over 1,700 properties and employ 110 people.

“We want to create a customer service oriented brand, developed around the most forward thinking property technology that is being developed in the industry at the moment, and we’re excited to be doing it here in Burnley.”