It’s no secret that, here at Manchester Young Professionals, we love Manchester ( the clue is in the name!). We love all the amazing pubs, bars, restaurants, businesses, start-ups, and young professionals that make up this amazing city. We love it so much that, a few months ago, we started a series of ‘Get To Know’ blogs.
Each Get To Know blog will look at a different organisation in Manchester and our first one looked at digital marketing and SEO company Embryo, which is based in the heart of the city. And now, we’re delighted to say that the second one in our series has arrived!
Today, we’re going to be looking at NW Living which is a Manchester-based organisation that aims to “create high quality, affordable accommodation for young professionals around Manchester and breathing life back into unloved properties.”
We’ll learn all about this awesome organisation, the work they do around the city, and the wider region to help young people secure housing. If you’d like to learn more about us, Manchester Young Professionals, then feel free to take a look around our website. Here, you’ll find out about us, who we are, and what we do in this city.
To be the first to know about our latest events, now that lockdown is easing, be sure to sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram. Alternatively, if you have any ideas about events, and think we should know about them, give us a call on 0161 327 1385, or email us at info@mcryoungprofessionals.co.uk.
What You Need To Know About NW Living
Who?
NW Living is a business that creates high-quality accommodation for young professionals in Manchester who want to kick start their careers, without paying thousands of pounds in rent every month. Their affordable accommodation helps to breathe life back into unloved properties. NW Living focuses on ensuring that their customers feel settled and secure in their property so that they can focus on other things in their lives, such as work. This is why they are passionate about ensuring quality is present in all their properties.
NW Living was started by partners Cat and Chris in 2017 when they bought their first investment property. Since then, they have grown exponentially and now offer 50 co-living rooms.
What?
NW Living will purchase unloved houses that require full renovations. This allows them to create spaces that are designed for co-living and socialising. Their first house, which they rented out to friends, was the catalyst for the newer properties. This was because they saw the benefits and progress people made by living and working amongst like-minded people. They wanted to replicate this space for others and so worked hard to do just that.
To do this, Cat and Chris knew that property design would be key. Hence their communal spaces and amenities are all shared so that people can mix and get to know each other. Everyone has private rooms and bathrooms. The spaces are designed with socialising at its heart, and each new property is made with the last one in mind so that they are constantly improving. Occasionally, they offer additional spaces like cinema rooms and working spaces if the property is big enough.
And, the best thing is that all rent and utilities are covered in one simple bill, and all their properties cater to different styles and tastes.
Cat and Chris make quite the team. Cat has a real passion for interior design which allows NW Living to create unique spaces. Cat also helps other landlords with their design layouts which results in more demand and a profitable portfolio of properties. On the other hand, Chris is the financial whizz and is happy to find the projects and run the numbers, leaving Cat to create stunning spaces.
Currently, the guys have got two big projects on the go. They are currently in the process of renovating a pub and are looking to convert an old office space into a 9-bedroom co-living home.
When?
NW Living, as mentioned, started in 2017. Both Cat and Chris were from London but moved up to Manchester to further their careers. It was during their first few years in the north that they discovered their passion for property. Chris bought his first house, made some renovations, and then rented rooms out to friends. It was this that sparked a desire to offer high quality, affordable accommodation to young people. Both of them then set out to educate themselves so that they could offer the best solutions possible.
In 2019, Cat left her full-time job to concentrate on NW Living, and the business has gone from strength to strength ever since.
Where?
NW Living operates across Greater Manchester and renovates places both in the city and in more suburban areas. If you’re interested in their properties, head over to their Instagram page to learn more to get in touch with Cat and Chris.
Why?
Cat and Chris’s reasons for setting up NW Living are varied but all come from a place of empathy. Cat and Chris both moved to Manchester without really knowing anyone in the city and quickly understood the need to have a comfortable, safe place that you could call home. Creating those little communities by bringing people together in a co-living space can have transformative effects. At the very least, knowing where you’re living is looked after, maintained, and run by good people, is just one less thing to worry about when moving to a big city and starting a new job.
This feeling of community is what made us so excited about reaching out to NW Living for this blog. We were very lucky to speak to them and ask them a few questions.
We asked if they had any advice for young professionals. Chris and Cat’s response couldn’t have been clearer: “The biggest factor that has led to our success so far is surrounding ourselves with other people who were already doing something similar.
“Learning from them, but then putting our own spin on things. We get a lot of value from mentoring and networking with others.
“That’s part of the reason we got involved in MYP as it’s all about surrounding yourselves with like-minded people.”
Got A Business Or Organisation You Want Us To Get To Know? Get In Touch
As we’ve mentioned, to learn more about Cat & Chris’ journey, be sure to head over to their social media. Alternatively, click this link to sign up for their newsletter and be the first to know about their new plans.
If you think there is a business or organisation in Manchester that deserves to be shouted about, get in touch! We’d love to hear from you and make people aware of another great Manchester-based organisation doing amazing things. You can give us a call on 0161 327 1385, or email us at info@mcryoungprofessionals.co.uk.
