Experts join forces to launch real estate firm
Sector expertise – DGRE’s non-executive director Gary Lumby (left), with co-founders Niall Deas and Paul Griffiths (right), and trainee surveyor Georgia Atkinson. Picture: Chris Booth
According to Niall Deas, Teesside is riding on the crest of a wave following the recent developments around the freeport, with government departments making the move up north to Darlington and the promise of significant regeneration projects across many of our town centres.
With so many exciting developments taking shape across the Tees Valley’s five boroughs – not to mention across the wider North-East and Cumbria region where they’ll be operating – he and Paul Griffiths decided 2023 was the year to stop talking about launching their own high-quality real estate service for the North.
“We co-founded DGRE in April this year and it had been something that we had spoken about in the past but never done,” admits Niall.
“This year, it very much felt like everything was in the right place. It was the right time and we thought ‘Why not?’
“Teesside has got a lot of good things happening at this moment in time and we feel we have got a valuable service to offer which fits in with that.”
Niall and Paul bring a wealth of experience to DGRE, a growing practice offering property valuation, estate agency, rent review and lease renewal services.
Importantly, having worked in their markets for many years and experiencing a range of approaches from large surveyors and valuation companies through to independents, they are keen to provide a high-quality service that ensures their clients are treated the way they would expect from fellow professionals.
Paul is also the managing director of Marlin Corporate Finance and as a banker and finance broker, has been a frequent user of surveying and valuation companies, which has given him a valuable insight into how to run such a company successfully.
Both Niall and Paul are also keen to bring cutting edge technology to their client offering to enable them to provide consistently high-quality advice.
Niall says: “Some of the larger practices seem to have been pulling back their offering or contracting, which we feel has really left a market there for smaller practices.
“We are keen to provide a high standard of service which surpasses what we have experienced ourselves in our work over the years.
“We want to offer our clients a business that not only performs better but is cost-effective because it is in their local area and doesn’t have many of the overheads of some bigger firms.”
In terms of the current market for its services, Niall says the Preston Farm-based business can only benefit from the significant regeneration projects taking place across Teesside.
“There’s a lot of regeneration work and excitement within businesses and everyone I speak to seems to view the freeport as heralding a massive change,” he says.
“There is also the Middlesbrough train station development and the area around that.
“There are big plans for Stockton and there is a lot of building work and redevelopment going on. I believe it’s helping to change the character of Teesside and helping to define the area for the next generation.
“Above all, it’s providing a high-quality area where there are jobs, where there is opportunity so in the future, it doesn’t suffer from migration of talented people.”
He adds that as “businesspeople looking for opportunities” this seemed like the perfect climate in which to set up DGRE.
“We can cater for different markets and the most exciting market to cater for are those markets where there are developments and positive change is taking place,” Niall says.
“It just feels as though everything is aligning properly for Teesside now, which is lovely to see – and we want to be part of that.”
DGRE is already looking to grow and recruit like-minded staff, specifically surveyors.
For more information, visit dgre.uk[1].
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