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The Mourinho effect: Estate agents excited as Jose and Pep begin househunting

After penning his contract for Manchester United the next job for Jose is to find his new home, and estate agents across the city are desperate to sign him up.

It’s finally happened, Mourinho has signed, but it’s not just football fans that are getting excited about the ‘special one’ coming to our city this summer.

Estate agents and property experts have all got the ‘Mourinho bug‘ and are on the look out for that perfect pad for the new Manchester United manager – with the hope that his stay will be longer than LVG’s.

We spoke to agents and bespoke property companies about his imminent arrival and what it means for the property market and the city as a whole.

And with incoming Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reportedly settled for a city centre home, and Jose believed to be looking here for a home, agents are keen to catch his eye. Rob Kennedy from Phillip James in Didsbury said: “It is a massive thumbs up to Manchester. People of that calibre are only going to come to Manchester if it is a place they would like to live.

“There could even be a Jose Mourinho property bounce. He’s looked at where the city is and obviously he thinks he wants to live.”

But Jose doesn’t do anything the ‘normal’ way, and this includes house hunting, and with the ‘special one’ comes a very special list of the city’s best homes, just for him!

Rob said: “We have a little ‘black book’ of properties that are not on the market. They are clients that may sell but that they are not available for the public to view. So if United contacted us we may have a look.

“There would be a selection of properties we could show them, off market.” So, is there competition among agents to add such a celebrity name to their client list?

Richard Jones from Jordan Fishwick said: “Definitely. Particularly in the renting market, because as well saw with Van Gaal, they come and go, so a lot choose to rent as opposed to buy and we have done a lot of business with United and City.

“It has definitely created a bit of a buzz.” However, some believe that there aren’t many in the running to sign Jose up and that actually, the pool of agencies is a lot smaller.

Mark Oakes from Aboda Living has experience working the Cheshire’s ‘golden triangle’, said: “There are a couple of agents at that end of the market as they have experience with both clubs. So, would there be competition, of course, but no infighting; there are only one or two ports of call. “They will be looking at the usual places; Hale, Bowdon and Alderley Edge that are the areas that people with his kind of budget will be looking.”

View story on Manchester Evening News website here:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/property/mourinho-effect-estate-agents-excited-11396800