With the doors now open at Trinity Quarter, all eyes are now on therecently named First Direct Arena, which is set to open this summer as part of a hugely exciting year for Leeds.

The Arena is already a major landmark for the city and as you head towards it from any direction its multi-coloured skin of aluminium panels complete with hexagonal windows certainly make it stand out from the crowd.

When you see it at night, it’s a different story again.  Using a combination of illuminated tracery, throbbing back-lit mesh and spotlights shining through the windows, the building can change colour or pattern depending on the arena’s show or mood!

Such a mesmerising building is already driving other regeneration and investment projects in the area with the likes of Hilton Hotels recently announcing plans to build a £32m five star hotel nearby.

The Arena also benefits from an innovative design style that uses a staggered fan shape, rather than the conventional horse shoe seating arrangement that you find in most venues.  This means it offers perfect views from every one of its 12,500 seats and nobody will be more than 68 metres from the stage, which compares to about 100 metres in lots of other arenas.  This ‘super-theatre’ layout will be the blue-print for new arena around the world.

With these credentials it’s no surprise that American Billboard magazine says it’s the most exciting venue to open in the world this year and it will definitely be part of the reason why Bruce Springsteen made a ‘special request’ to try out the arena in a one-off show as part of his Wrecking Ball world tour.  This kind of publicity is great for Leeds and is raising the city’s profile internationally.

With the likes of Elton John and a whole host of other world class acts set to follow in The Bos’s footsteps, the hotels, restaurants and bars of Leeds could soon be rolling out the red carpets, which raises another question – where will ‘The Boss’ go for dinner and where will he stay?  With the new Hilton not opening until 2015, will he opt for the city’s bright lights or go for a haven or tranquillity in the Yorkshire countryside?

Whatever he decides at least Leeds will finally have a venue it has lacked since 1989 when the much loved Queen’s Hall was demolished.

Mark Prisk has said that the Government must step in as the housing market is dysfunctional; stating that there is a need for more large scale and experienced institutional investors to enter the rentals sector in order for the market to mature.

Morgans carried out the survey in association with LetMC software. It reached out to letting agents across the country and 98% of the respondents fell that the Government has not consulted effectively with them about proposed changes to the industry.

It’s ludicrous to suggest that the housing market is different from any other market – it comes down to supply and demand, so is the Government now going to intervene in every industry where there is a short term imbalance? Surely the issue of finance is the key to the housing industry and not looking to replace individual landlords with some sort of Government led institutionalised mass ‘build to rent’ investment scheme because, fundamentally people in the UK want to buy not rent long-term.

In his speech, Housing Minster Mark Prisk went on to say that in the US, Germany and Switzerland, institutional investment in the private rented sector is much stronger and more established than in the UK. However all the research and evidence points to the fact that UK renters still ultimately want to buy and so comparisons with Europe are facile. Swiss and Germans grow up expecting to rent as their parents did before them; with most lenders in those countries always having required around a 40% deposit, the option to buy has always been a distant dream for most. British people on the other hand have owned property for generations and it will take a lot more than institutional investment in build to rent to turn Britain into a nation of renters.

Prisk said: “Over the last decade, the rented sector has become increasingly important in addressing people’s housing needs. The sector now houses 3.8 million households. Mobile patterns of work and reduced mortgage availability have made renting a more realistic choice for many more people, and the effect has been a strong rise in demand over the last decade.”

We agree that the rented sector has become increasingly important over the last 10 years but the idea that the currently inflated demand for rental property is a permanent phenomenon is incorrect. Mortgage availability is improving and it will continue to do so, giving more renters the ability to buy their first home. The notion that people in the UK want to rent permanently is just wrong. We are already witnessing an increase in sales transactions with the total expected to rise back up to a million this year compared to 500,000 when the market was at its lowest; the market will adjust. This figure is expected to grow again next year so isn’t the more sensible option for the Government to intervene wholeheartedly in the supply of finance rather than the supply of rental properties?

It’s also likely that Mr Prisk’s proposal will face severe timescale issues.  How long will it take to mobilise a build to rent model outside the prime London market, even if City regions are the vehicle for such initiatives? The whole thing has not been thought through properly so hopefully the housing minister will consult further with our industry in order to gain a realistic perspective from the people dealing with renters on daily basis.

Crispin Lofts is one of the city centre’s biggest success stories because just a year after work restarted on a major refurbishment programme to create 82 stunning apartments for the rentals market, the building is now almost fully occupied with just one penthouse remaining.

The pace that the homes have let is definitely a sign of the times in a market with little development activity and huge demand from tenants looking for high quality rental property.  When this is combined with a historic building in a great location and smart well-furnished interiors, developer Rushbond’s ‘build to let’ scheme ticks all the boxes.

Standing on the corner of North Street and New York Road, the building had previously sat in a partially developed state for more than 10 years but now work is finished it’s once again a proud landmark building for the city.

Morgans has acted as letting agents on the development and we were always confident that it would strike a chord with tenants looking for a special place to call home and we already have a waiting list from people wanting to move in as and when apartments come available.

The building is full of character and history after originally being built in 1915 as home to Henry Heaton’s Clothing Company and then occupied by HW Poole & Sons Boot and Shoe Manufacturers. Both were distinguished Leeds based businesses and major employers in the city – even today there’s still lots of people in Leeds who worked there.

Somewhat ironically, despite all its history, its traditional features, high ceilings, tall windows and exposed brickwork are ideally suited to modern apartment living.  These features have provided fantastic foundations and endless potential to create a unique selection of loft style apartments ranging from studios through to three bedroom triplexes.

Most of the apartments are split level, with mezzanine decks, high ceilings and huge windows which flood the space with light.  Nearly every apartment is different to its neighbour and each one is furnished to an exceptional standard to create some very distinctive homes.

To see people living in Crispin Lofts in such a short amount of time is absolutely fantastic, especially when you consider this time two years ago it was little more than a shell.  There’s a major shortage of rental properties available in Leeds city centre and hardly any brand new apartments that are finished to such a high standard.

The remaining penthouse is one of just three stunning triplex penthouse apartments and is a completely unique city centre home.  It’s furnished to an exceptional standard and offers well over a thousand square feet of prime living space, three double en-suite bedrooms and three roof terraces that all offer spectacular views over the city.  It’s generating plenty of interest and it’s undoubtedly one of the most desirable apartments in the North of England.

The development’s success is undoubtedly down to offering distinctive and markedly different homes in which to live; combined with a great location and a strong sense of local community, typified by the fantastic array of shops, bars, eating places and local businesses that support the city’s Northern Quarter.

Vision is a powerful and essential force in new markets and in spite of a massive downturn in the residential market, perhaps felt most sharply in the city centre market, where buy to let purchasers have tended to lead the way, there are now around 14,000 people living in ‘downtown’ Leeds; so successful is the market that around 99% of all apartments are currently occupied. City Living 1: Mayor 0.

The huge surge in residential demand which followed the tragic events of 2001 has been a major force in driving forward new supply and with little chance of a further boom on this scale, and a likely absence of speculators, it will fall much more to the craft and guile of a new breed of developers and place makers to inspire the next generation of city living.

Gone will be the huge, single phase schemes of faux terracotta and curtain walling, poorly conceived and ill-maintained ‘public spaces’ and hollow promises to distant investors. Along instead will come smaller schemes, well-conceived, designed from the inside in to provide homes which are truly liveable. Separate kitchens with utility areas, ample storage, slightly more generous floor to ceiling heights and plenty of glazing (more expensive than brick, we know, but infinitely more attractive).

Attention will turn to genuine sustainability- see what CITU are doing at Little Kelham in Sheffield and would love to do in Leeds- and accountants will be much more tuned in the downside than they were through the last boom, largely because there was no downside, right up until the very top of the boom curve.

Lenders will remain cautious and will be most generous in their lending on either those schemes which have best stood the test of time, or new schemes which clearly differentiate themselves from the market through design, specification, location and amenity- this is the trend which prevails in more mature city centres and this is what we expect to see in Leeds.

New buildings will be few and far between in the next few years but taking a medium term view and factoring in the lag in new house building in the context of an ageing population and increasing single person households, it seems inevitable that medium density urban housing will be a significant factor. In Leeds, this could mean high quality housing schemes in locations such as Wellington Place and on the edges of Clarence Dock, with perhaps more affordable housing springing up in places like the Kirkstall Road corridor and East Bank. In order to ensure that the city centre is able to attract and hold young occupies beyond the flush of early city living and perhaps into parenthood, then we will need to ensure that education and child care is well provided for and that there are plenty of green and /or open spaces where families can play and relax. City centre green space has been a talking point for years and there is a general acceptance that we need to do more to create either green or well landscaped areas in the heart of the city to afford both workers and residents a proper ‘breather’.

The blueprint for a successful and balanced city centre where living and working co-exist happily and healthily is much discussed and Leeds has a real opportunity to develop and grow in its own unique way- it is largely low rise, extensively pedestrianised, eminently walkable and rich in heritage-on its outer edges, swathes of khaki land sit unused and ready for men and women of vision to deliver for the next generation.

Plus almost half of you are using our sites on-the-go via tablets or smartphones and we’ve seen a three-fold increase in traffic to our website from mobile devices between December 2011 and December 2012.

As a result we’ve recently launched two new mobile compatible websites for www.cityliving.co.uk and www.northleedsrentals.co.uk, that automatically update to the best suitable layout for the device being used.  Since launching these new websites, we’ve already experienced a 30% increase in people looking for property to rent or buy online.

Apartments located in high quality schemes within the city centre core, and generally priced between £100,000 and £250,000, are proving especially popular.  All the signs suggest this trend will continue because Leeds remains a highly sought after place to live, which is evident from the 99.5 per cent occupancy rates that we’re currently enjoying across our rental portfolio.

One of the main reasons people are buying property again is down to the fact that, slowly but surely, mortgage finance is becoming easier to secure.  Although there’s still plenty of room for lenders to continue relaxing their criteria, lots of people who would have been turned down for a mortgage 12 months ago are now being accepted and can finally own their own homes.

The most recent figures from The Council of Mortgage Lenders show that last November the number of new loans to first-time buyers rose by 8% to 21,700, which was up nearly a quarter on the year before.  This put first-time loans at its highest level for nearly three years.

When it comes to securing a mortgage one thing is certain – the deposit is key and the bigger the deposit, the better the mortgage deal.  Ideally potential homebuyers should save as much as possible and for those fortunate enough to be able to scrape together 40 per cent there are some great deals to be had!

However for most people this is completely unrealistic but there are still mortgages available for those who can come up with five per cent of the purchase price, although they charge significantly more interest than mortgages that require a larger deposit.

People that have been with their current employer for a good length of time will also stand more chance of success than someone who has just started a new job.  As a general rule, at least 12 months with the same employer is required although it depends on an individual lender’s conditions.

It’s also becoming easier for the self-employed and those without regular payslips to borrow money.  Generally most lenders will consider self-employed applicants that can demonstrate regular proof or earnings over at least two years.

Another consideration for lenders is the amount of outstanding debt you have and they’ll look at things such as car loans and credit cards so reducing these debts will increase your chances of getting a mortgage.  Plus it’s a good idea to check your credit report is up to date and doesn’t include any inaccuracies before a lender begins scrutinising it.

Although there’s still a long way to go, it’s great to see the mortgage market finally making progress and this momentum should continue throughout 2013 with even more first-time buyers taking their first steps on the property ladder.

With the traditional ‘home-move season’ coinciding with the start of Spring, those considering a new home will soon be out in force but rather than pounding the streets to find their new abode, most will simply logon to the internet.

Despite those in the know often advising against solely relying on the internet to find your next home, it’s so convenient that it’s impossible to ignore.  In fact searching for property online has become a hugely popular pastime – even with people that don’t want to move!

Some astonishing figures from property portal Rightmove reveal that half of people look at property online even when they don’t want to move, either because they’re daydreaming, nosying at neighbours’ homes or just curious about what’s out there.

It seems many are firmly committed to their hobby as well, with the majority saying they spend between one and two hours searching for property every day while 5% claim to spend three hours plus on the pastime.

Google Analytics also reports that around 18,000 home-hunters celebrated the New Year by browsing rightmove.co.uk in the hour between midnight and 1am on 1^st January 2013.  However this was nothing compared to Christmas because the website had over 1.6m visitors between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day which was a 30% increase on last year.  Of these, approximately 160,000 were on the site between 8pm on Christmas Eve night and 8am on Christmas Day morning.

Our own figures also reflect these trends and we had over 80 people making enquiries via www.cityliving.co.uk and www.northleedsrentals.co.uk on Christmas Day.  For many people it could be the stress of family gatherings and they see an ‘online property search’ as their best escape route?!

To describe the one million square foot development, which international developer Land Securities has spent a cool £350m on, as a ‘shopping centre’ is almost an insult.  The development’s website describes it as ‘a retail soul that will continue to evolve and inspire, day and night, at the very heart of this world-leading city destination’ and even this doesn’t quite do it justice!

When it opens on 21^st March it will be the biggest shopping centre to open in Western Europe in 2013 and will offer around 100 sensational shops, stores, restaurants and cafes in stunning surroundings under a landmark curving glass roof.  It will be a true destination where people will meet, shop, drink, eat and socialise.  It will attract new visitors to Leeds and will increase the amount of time and money that people spend when they visit us.

Since work started in 2010 transforming the tired buildings and replacing the 60s rabbit warren of alleys that linked Briggate to Albion Street and Commercial Street, the development has been making headlines which have been gaining momentum in recent months with a string of leading names signing up to take space in the development.

Urban Outfitters, Victoria’s Secret, M&S, Primark, Cult, Hollister, Next, River Island, H&M, Topshop, Topman and  Mamas & Papas are just a few of the retailers that will call Trinity Leeds home.  Plus, although it hasn’t been officially confirmed, there’s a rumour out there that Apple is opening a flagship store in the development.

There’ll also be a host of new restaurants opening with the top of Trinity’s three floors dedicated to food and drink.  These include international restaurant group D&D London opening two venues in the development.  They will be the group’s first UK restaurants outside of London and will sit Leeds alongside the company’s establishments in cities such as Paris, New York, Copenhagen and Tokyo. The first, Crafthouse will showcase the very best British produce and will offer great views across the city.  The other, named Angelica, will have an outside terrace, ‘penthouse’ restaurant and stunning cocktail bar – both will be major attractions for Leeds as a whole.

The Trinity Kitchen will be the first of its kind- an interactive collection of innovative outlets and street food, which will see street food vendors’ vehicles winched in to the Kitchen which will be a welcome departure from the formulaic ‘food court’ which features in most centres.

Finally Boutique cinema chain, Everyman will open its first venue outside of London, providing Trinity Leeds with a film offering that sits independent cinema alongside screenings of the latest blockbuster movies.

Although a lot of press coverage about the high street might focus on the doom and gloom, with what seems like a continuous stream of well-known companies heading into difficulty, such as Comet, Jessops and HMV, Trinity Leeds is telling a very different story.  

The penthouses located at Crispin Lofts have two or three bedrooms and are amongst the final homes available in the scheme which has seen nearly 80 apartments let within months of them hitting the market.

Rushbond Group has transformed the landmark building which sat in a partly developed state, in the city’s Northern Quarter on the corner of North Street and New York Road, for more than a decade.  The three penthouses offer stunning accommodation spread across three floors.

Each apartment offers well over a thousand square feet of prime living space with spectacular views of the city. Each penthouse is different to its neighbour and has been furnished to an exceptional standard to create some of the most distinctive apartments in the North of England.

The grade 2 listed building was originally built in 1915 and was home to Henry Heaton’s Clothing Company and then HW Poole & Sons Boot and Shoe Manufacturers. Both were distinguished Leeds based businesses and major employers in the city.

The majority of the apartments were let as soon as they were released with young professionals desperate to rent somewhere so central and with real character and personality.

Prices for the penthouse apartments at Crispin Lofts, which also includes a resident’s gym and on-site concierge, start at £1400 pcm.  To arrange your viewing at Crispin Lofts, contact Morgans on 0113 398 0098.

Demand for city centre rental property reached an all time high in 2012 and we fully expect the same trend to continue as a lack of confidence and uncertainly in the national and world wide economy discourages people from making long term decisions and commitments.

Consequently more people are renting for longer and currently demand is totally outstripping supply. The best example of this can be found at Crispin Lofts – the first new city scheme to complete for some years – where demand is so high that over 70 apartments were rented almost as soon as they were released.

We have experienced such a high level of take up throughout this year that our portfolio of rented apartments – which is the largest in the city centre – is over 99.5% occupied, the highest it has ever been.

Unfortunately, we are unlikely to see any new developments this year which means that demand will continue to outstrip supply which will of course have an impact on rents which are likely to continue to creep up in 2013.

With both The Leeds Arena and Trinity Leeds – the only major shopping centre in Western Europe that will complete in 2013 – opening this year, we will see another surge of new brands, new jobs and new visitors coming to Leeds. These milestones will provide further tenant demand as well as adding to the appeal of the city centre as a place to make a home.

The late opening hours at Trinity will bring a European style atmosphere to Briggate, Commercial Street and Boar Lane and perhaps open up opportunities to create homes ‘above the shops’.

Sales have also been positive this year with a recent upturn during the second half of the year.  August was our best month for the number of sales agreed since the boom of August 2007 and whereas in recent years a strong month has often been followed by a big dip the following month, we have now seen four consecutive months of strong sales performance which is extremely encouraging.

The mortgage lenders continue to create barriers for borrowers but the hardy and the experienced persist and eventually find a way to proceed. We are positive about the sales market this year and hope to see our best performance for five years.

All the signs suggest the market has reached its lowest point and that the economy in Leeds is going to get a real boost this year. Ultimately the very English desire to own a home will start to force its way back as the driving force in the property market and we will see more and more people taking that first step onto the property ladder.  2013 is set to be an exciting year!