Chester estate agent and letting business Thomas Property Group is celebrating a bumper year.

The family-owned and managed company has announced record occupancy rates for its let properties and strong sales through 2011. A recent survey by independent market research provider Vizzihome found Thomas Property Group was the agent with the most Chester properties listed online displaying a let banner.

Director Martin Thomas said: “Continuous income is vital for any business and rental income, whether it is for 1 or 100 properties, is no exception. We are proud to say that landlords of our managed properties enjoyed an average 98% occupancy in their properties through Thomas Lettings throughout last year, ensuring optimum return on their investment.

“With Chester being such a great place to live, socialise and work the property sales market still continues to be strong as people will always want to move in to and around Chester.”

Strong marketing, which includes promotion through thebestofchester, and word of mouth have been key to the company’s success.

Mr Thomas added: “Our extensive marketing includes a prime position and editorial in the Chronicle Newspaper and local media. We were also thrilled to be invited to join the thebestofchester as estate and lettings agents a couple of years ago as it showed that people were so pleased with our service they were telling other people about it – which is the best marketing a company can get and most of our business now comes from recommendations.

“thebestofchester has been an important part of our marketing as it has allowed us to support, and be supported by, other local businesses, which we feel is very important. We enjoy working with other members to ensure the continued economic prosperity of Chester-based companies, as well as the networking and social events. This is especially true given the very difficult economic and trading conditions we have all been through over the last couple of years.”

Mr Thomas added that a new development in their strategy was launching a premium brand part-way through 2011.

He said: “As one of Chester’s premier agents we decided to launch a new brand to differentiate and focus on larger properties, and Thomas Premier was born. This was so successful we recently launched the same for our lettings clients, and the response has been fantastic.”

For more information contact the Thomas Property Group on (01244) 311119.