Sequre boss hails strong start as enquiries soar

A BUY-to-let property investment company is reporting strong progress since its launch in April, with enquiries rising to 1,500 per month and deal run-rate of around 40 acquisitions.

Hale-based Sequre Property Investment,  the brainchild of experienced investors Graham Davidson and Michael Sacks, works with developers, receivers and banks to sell properties in bulk to a growing bank of investors, some based as far away as China.

Mr Davidson, whose family home is in Northamptonshire, spotted the potential of the buy-to-let market in Manchester around four years ago, when he invested in a scheme in the Green Quarter, says the city’s strong student population and growing urban living market is proving popular with investors, many investing pension savings.

“Buy to let demand is phenomenal in Manchester – we are finding a trend of older, more affluent international students competing with young professionals, which is driving the market.

“We have good contacts in the city and are starting to work in Birmingham too, and Liverpool. We’ll go wherever the numbers add up, and where our investors will get the right yield. We can secure bulk buy properties. For example, we can negotiate with developers for 30 units and then offer investors a discounted rate for the units.

“We have seen an appetite from those who are current investors seeking out new opportunities and also first timers, who realise hopes of living off their pensions are diminishing with the low savings rates and rise in the cost of living, and who are also looking for new opportunities.”  

Mr Davidson said such was Sequre’s rapid progress that it is already looking for large offices in south Manchester.

He said the company’s transparent fee structure was giving investors comfort, at a time when the sector continues to be blighted by irresponsible operators.

“We never ask for fees up front, 70-75% of the property we deal with already exists and can be seen. There are a lot of horror stories out there, you hear of firms asking investors to give them cash upfront for properties they don’t even own.

“We don’t ask for fees until completion and we are transparent which is reassuring for investors.”

He said the average transaction for a two-bedroom city centre apartment is £125,000. Sequre, he says is able to negotiate discounted deals and offer yields of over 8%.