Top end of the market agent with big dreams
Louise Lawrence is head of Manning Stainton’s luxury homes division, Fine & Country. www.manningstainton.co.uk
How would you describe your home and its style?
I live in a 1970s five-bedroom detached home and we have a downstairs extension, so it’s very spacious. We have a really modern kitchen and I would describe my home’s overall style as modern, cosy and welcoming. We are also lucky enough to have a generously sized private garden to the rear with a summerhouse in it, and we try to spend as much time as possible out there when the weather is nice.
Which household items could you not live without and why?
My summer house, which is the place I escape to when I need some me time. As mentioned previously, it’s in my garden, and when I need some calm, it’s where I head to.
What is on your interiors wish list?
I’d love a log burner. There is nothing cosier and it would be perfect for cold autumn and winter nights.
What is your favourite building?
The Eiffel Tower in Paris is absolutely stunning. I went there with my partner to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary and it blew me away. It is such a stunning structure in a very beautiful city.
How do you think the property market will fare in 2022?
I think the property market will continue to perform strongly. The year has got off to a great start and there are no signs at all of things slowing down. The luxury end of the market, which I deal with day-to-day in my job, has performed phenomenally well over the past two years, as people look and have continued to look at moving to larger houses with more outside space. On everyone’s must-have list now is a large garden, an office space and enough bedrooms for every member of the family. The pandemic has definitely made people re-evaluate their priorities and so would-be buyers are now willing to invest more to buy a home that suits their exact needs. We will see more people spending more than before the pandemic to get the home they want.
What and where would your ideal home be? I would love to live in a barn conversion and it would be set in a lovely little village, with lots of land around so I could get more dogs. I would also want a cosy village pub just over the road so that we could pop into for food and drinks. That would
be ideal.
What are you most proud of?
I have just celebrated my 30year work anniversary at Manning Stainton estate agents and I am really proud of that. I started my career at Manning Stainton back in 1992 and I have worked my way up to where I am now. I have learnt so much along the way and have worked with so many brilliant people. It has been a fantastic journey and one I hope will continue for many more years to come. I have also been married for 20 years and I have two great kids, so I am proud of what I’ve achieved in my personal life too.
Tell us about your job?
I have a wealth of regional property sales experience, having worked at Manning Stainton for a total of 30 years. I am based at the estate agency’s Moortown branch, which is on Moortown Corner in North
Leeds, and is where I have headed up the team for the past eight years.
Who would you most like to have a drink with?
My mum. She passed away when I was 40, so I would love the opportunity to go for a drink her to catch up properly, and to tell her about what I’ve been doing and what I’ve achieved.