WIRRAL LIFE TALKS TO JEMIMA NEAL WIRRAL INDEPENDENT ESTATE AGENT
Jemima Neal talks about how she went from a career in Banking to setting up her own company in Real Estate and her journey back to the Wirral .
I had a fantastic childhood growing up in Oxton and Prenton and despite living in numerous places since I always knew that I would one day return to the Wirral . It was when my partner and I moved to Malta that I was able to indulge my passion for houses by working in one of the largest luxury Real Estate companies in the world , John Taylor . Once back home , after a short stint in banking , I decided that now was the time to come back to the Wirral and set up my own estate agency – Jemima Neal , Wirral Real Estate .
I wanted to take a different approach to how Real Estate was done – firstly , I was determined to provide my clients with every piece of information on the local market so they could make informed decisions about selling their house . Secondly , I wanted both buyers and sellers to celebrate the uniqueness of Wirral properties ; many of the houses are steeped in history from a fascinating time , when the Mersey was the gateway to the world . Liverpool rivalled London in prosperity and trade in the late 1800s and early 1900s with 40 % of the globe ’ s trade coming through these waters . The architecture reflects this immense wealth and prime period of history , both in Liverpool and on the Wirral .
The final point is that I believe that selling your house can be enjoyable , to be able to share the history and unique qualities of your property to prospective buyers should be an exciting part of the sales process , I view properties as timeless antiques , each with a unique history and provenance that deserves to be understood and cherished . My conscientiousness in dealing with clients is grounded in a strong sense of professionalism shaped by my background in banking . I am dedicated to guiding my clients through a seamless selling process , using direct marketing and advertising , I will help you navigate each step with confidence and even enjoyment when it comes to selling your house !
What is it that made you want to move back to Oxton ? One of the main reasons is the architecture – there are so many beautiful buildings that were built by the Victorians and Edwardians from the 19th and early 20th century . Entrepreneurs , businessmen , merchants , brokers came over from over-crowded Liverpool to the rural tranquillity of Oxton and built beautiful homes for their families . There are some fantastic examples of early Victorian houses throughout Oxton , you only need to walk down Talbot Road , Bidston Road , Shrewsbury Road , to name a few to see relics from this momentous time in history – the unique designs of these houses reflect a truly special time in the UK . The housing boom in Oxton and the Wirral resulted in some of the more unique styles of properties from that era with many architectural influences from further afield .
Some of the more notable houses many of which can still be admired today were in and around Oxton village where prominent figures of the mid-19th Century lived in huge houses with their many children and servants . Such as George Rae , who moved to Oxton from Scotland and who commissioned renowned architect Edmund Kirby to build him a house in Devonshire Place . This beautiful , red-bricked Victorian house contained an unrivalled number of Pre-Raphaelite paintings , there were at least 200 of the Raphaelites ’ paintings hanging in his home . Kirby ’ s legacy is still seen in the shape of wonderful red brick mansions built along the Oxton / Noctorum border with extensive grounds and views across the Fender Valley to North Wales including Mere Hall , Wethersfield , Rathmore and Middlewood .
What do you think the real estate market is like on the Wirral ? Unfortunately , it ’ s been quite slow-moving over the last year or two . The challenge is an ageing population and a declining birth rate , it ’ s been on a sharp decline since 1974 . By 2043 it is anticipated that there will be 97 % more over 90-year-olds , and -7 % less 0-19 years old . This puts an even greater strain on our care and health services . We need to try and attract young families to the Wirral who will buy up the larger houses meaning the owners can downsize to smaller houses ; currently there is a logjam on property which is seizing movement .
What do you think of the regeneration programme in Birkenhead ? I think it is long overdue , growing up in the 80s I was aware of the contrast between the rest of the Wirral and Birkenhead and despite various funding initiatives over the years it ’ s never really improved . It has such a fascinating maritime past and was an extremely thriving town in its day , but Birkenhead has been neglected for so many years now that you do wonder if it can be salvaged . There are some wonderful parts that should be restored to their former glory . Hamilton Square should be a national treasure , a fantastic architectural feat with no fewer than 61 Grade 1 listed buildings . Birkenhead Park was the first publicly funded park in Britain and was the inspiration for the design of Central Park in New York . There are many firsts in Birkenhead , first street tram line , first municipal park , first tidal tunnel ,
I believe there needs to be a drive to bring people to the Wirral generally and think it ’ s important to see a real drive to encourage talent to flock to the area . Traditionally Liverpool and Birkenhead have been very creative , and this needs to be engaged with and nurtured when rebuilding the town .
To contact Jemima Neal : Email : sales @ jemima-neal . com Telephone : 07845 056536
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