NovaLoca Blog

We are often asked by commercial property agents whether NovaLoca is an appropriate tool for marketing their commercial property. The answer is simple: Yes! NovaLoca lists any type of commercial property whether it is an industrial unit or office space, or even a petrol station, laboratory or a hotel. However, these queries lead us to dig a bit deeper. We have analysed property enquiries made via NovaLoca over recent months and discovered some interesting trends relating to enquiries about properties of different sizes and locations.

Larger buildings often get better representation in online and printed commercial property marketing thanks to their larger advertising budgets. 35% of leads generated via NovaLoca for clients have been for commercial buildings of over 4,000 sq ft suggesting NovaLoca is good place to market larger properties. However, NovaLoca is also proving very beneficial for smaller units where marketing budgets may be much less. Properties with a floor space of less than 4000 sq ft currently account for the remaining 65% of enquiries made via NovaLoca. At just £50 per listing for six months marketing commercial property on NovaLoca offers great value especially for these smaller properties.

NovaLoca’s nationwide coverage is also proving attractive to agents across the UK with commercial property to market. Since January this year, 46% of enquiries through NovaLoca have been for properties in the North, with 54% relating to those in the South. As northern cities such as Manchester and Birmingham become increasing recognised as centres of business it may be expected that the gap between the north and south commercial property market will close further.

Miranda Munn, Managing Director of NovaLoca, also noticed “a 27% month-on-month fall in enquiries via NovaLoca in October as the industry appeared to hold its breath with front-page news of the financial markets going into free-fall. However, now half way through November the number of enquiries is already increasing again to near-normal levels”. She went on to note that while agents are likely to have searched for property for their clients with some urgency during October as the economic downturn hit the headlines, that the majority of enquiries on NovaLoca come direct from commercial occupiers rather than property agents. Therefore, the website’s statistics are likely to represent a true picture of the overall mood of occupiers across the UK.

Smaller units and those in the North have become more popular in recent weeks, but only time will tell if these movements are the beginning of a longer-term trend.

For further information, please visit www.novaloca.com or call 0845 094 7902.

Commonly regarded as the centre of trade and commerce for the North West of England, Manchester has been placed among the top 20 “best cities to locate a business today” by European Cities Monitor. Additional research by Cushman and Wakefield found that Manchester has retained its position from 2007 as the UK’s second most business friendly city (after London) in the 2008 UK’s Cities Monitor.

Manchester was found to perform particularly well in being an ideal location for company headquarters as well as back office functions, whilst the research also went on to conclude that Manchester can expect the second largest (again after London) influx of companies locating there over the next five years meaning that the need for new commercial property is set to increase.

With predictions like this it is no wonder that companies such as the Co-op bank are investing in Manchester’s commercial property market.

So commercial property in Manchester is looking good and set to rise. But what does it actually look like? Well with  Birds’ Eye imagery of the Greater Manchester region available on NovaLoca’s property maps you can now find out as you view Manchester commercial property from the north, south, east and west at a 45° angle; clearly view what the location is like as well as the building itself.

Aerial and road view imagery which is also available on NovaLoca’s maps allows the user to discover the wider area. With all the properties shown on one map with a summary of their details, properties can be easily compared. Other map features include local area information which will allow you to discover the location of the nearest primary and secondary schools and day care nurseries, and an in map search tool so you can alter your search criteria without leaving the map. The result: you can discover exactly what commercial property in Manchester looks like.

Contact us to find out more about finding your new property in Manchester with NovaLoca.com.

Whether you are starting a new business or relocating an established one, choosing the right commercial property is important but just as important is where the property is located.

Have you considered all the factors to making the right choice? The European Cities Monitor by Cushman and Wakefield highlights the following as being key factors when choosing where to locate your business. The two most important were concluded as being:

· The availability of a qualified workforce – are the right people with the right skills living in the area your company will be based?

· Quality telecommunications – does the area have sufficient internet bandwidth and speed and good mobile phone coverage?

Other factors worthy of consideration include:

· Access to markets, customers and clients – is your market located nearby or can they reach you easily?

· Access to national and international transport links – if you have goods to transport, do you have access to reliable transport links whether road, rail, air or ferry?

Factors given lesser importance overall by the survey, but which may be worth considering include:

· Value for money of the commercial property

· The climate local government creates for business, e.g. tax, financial incentives etc.

· Availability of office space

· Cost of staff

· Quality of life and freedom from pollution

Although the importance you place on each of these factors will depend on the type of business you have as well as its size, they are all worth considering as getting it wrong will be expensive both financially and in terms of time.

NovaLoca’s ‘Browse by Region’ function gives a brief overview of the counties in the UK covering some of the points listed above and providing a starting place for your research. To get an understanding of the commercial property on offer in a given region or to find a property in your preferred location use NovaLoca’s easy search and discover a comprehensive list of industrial units, offices, retail spaces or land available in that region. By viewing the property on an interactive map, which include local area information and road, aerial and bird’s eye view imagery you can get a full visual experience of the property – a great tool if you are not currently located near to where you are looking for property.

To find out more about finding your next commercial property with NovaLoca.com then visit the site or contact us.