The latest member of our lettings team joined us earlier this summer. James was interviewed for the Press and Journal to talk a little about his experience and why he came to work for us.
Name and age: James Mitchell, 30
Where are you from? Aberdeen
Job Title: Senior Letting Coordinator at Dandara Living
Lettings experience
With more than 13 years’ experience in the property industry in Aberdeen, it’s fair to say that James Mitchell knows the local market.
After leaving Aberdeen College at 17, James landed a traineeship with a local leasing agency. He has spent his entire working life learning everything there is to know about the city’s leasing industry; progressing from trainee to office manager, and becoming a partner with an inventory business at the age of 21.
James explained:
I really benefitted from coming into the industry at a young age. At that stage I’d just completed college and left home. I found myself speaking with clients who were sometimes two and three times my age about things that I didn’t always have the answers to. I had to learn and mature very quickly.
It’s always been more than just a job for me, it has opened my eyes and I’ve put my professional experience into practice in my own life. It’s made me stand on my own two feet.
Forbes Place’s unique offering
James, now 30, recently joined the Dandara Living team in Stoneywood as Senior Lettings Coordinator at Forbes Place.
James admits he wasn’t looking to change jobs at the time but was attracted by the overall concept, having never seen anything like it before.
He said:
Forbes Place is owned by a major institutional investor, which presents a really unique opportunity for the tenant and the lettings team as Dandara Living manages everything onsite – so neither party has to wait for the landlord to get back to them if there’s a query.
We’re here Monday to Saturday, so it’s easy for us to develop strong relationships with our residents, and they know they can rely on us for a quick response.
James added:
Forbes Place has a real community feel to it, so it appeals to people of all ages. We’ve got young professionals who aren’t ready to commit to a mortgage, busy executives who like the ‘lock-and-leave’ convenience and onsite services, and people who have retired and want to live in a brand new, purpose-built apartment that’s hassle-free and fully maintained for them.
It’s important that people living and working in Aberdeen have access to a range of property that suits their budget and lifestyle, and our concept provides just that – good quality rental accommodation that’s there for as long as they need it – without having to worry about a landlord who could put the property on the market at any point.
A resident-focused service
As Senior Lettings Coordinator, James’ role is very hands-on with day to day responsibilities involving much more than just property viewings.
For me it’s totally different to any leasing job I’ve done before, because my focus is completely on the residents – as it should be.
We provide an all-round service for our tenants, helping to facilitate their move in date, ensuring they are given the right guidance and even showing people how to tune their TVs and use their dishwasher.
We’re all delighted to have James on board, and hope you’ll welcome him to our team!