We’d like to give a warm welcome to Craig Osborne, our new Director of Housing at Vesta.
Craig brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience from the property industry and has joined us to continue our exciting growth in the new build sector primarily under our INVESTA sister brand. We caught up with him to chat about his background, his love of New York-inspired design, and the impact Covid-19 is having on the industry(yeah, we hit the heavy stuff pretty quickly!)
What’s your career background?
I come from a marketing and sales background in multiple sectors, including hospitality and financial services. My wife works in property, as do my friends and family, so when the opportunity came up a few years ago to join the sector, I jumped in and haven’t looked back.
Previously I worked with SiteSales Property Group as Assistant Director of business development. During this time, I learned so much about the industry from some very talented colleagues and clients. I think working for a sales and marketing agent was a great foundation to start a career in the property sector due to the different services provided to a wide range of clients.
What have you joined Vesta to do?
I’ve joined Vesta as Director of Housing to work alongside developers, housebuilders, registered providers, agents, and the Build to Rent sector to continue and grow Vesta’s excellent work in the new build sector.
What’s your area of expertise?
Thanks to my previous roles, I can add value at any stage of a development from planning right through to Sales and Marketing. I also hope to build upon the fantastic relationships I already have in the industry and introduce them to the team at Vesta to support them in exceeding their sales and development ambitions through our services and expertise.
What are you most excited about getting involved in at Vesta?
I have joined Vesta at a very challenging time for the UK housing market – during the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The sector as a whole has embraced several different approaches in the past three months to ensure those who are looking to buy or move can have access to viewing developments. This has been done by utilising technology such as virtual tours and web-based viewings.
[You can view a Virtual Tour of Craig's favourite project here].
More than ever, the need for creative interior design has been fundamental too in highlighting space and creating an attractive environment that prospective purchases would want to call home. I have been excited to see how Vesta’s design team have risen to the challenge and pre-empted the changing needs of the purchaser, providing an added focus on working from home and outdoor space.
Lockdown will have given many the time to understand that their current living situation needs to change, leading to an increase of interest in new build homes and the opportunities to buy or rent. At Vesta, with our creative and innovative approach, we have a real opportunity to assist our clients in maximising all their future opportunities and ensure that our interiors tick all the boxes for purchasers and investors alike and really stand out in a competitive marketplace.
What would you say was your interior style? Do you have a favourite place to visit for its interiors or architecture?
I’m a huge fan of industrial design – along the lines of a Manhattan Loft Apartment. I have spent a lot of time in New York and am happiest when close to a big city. I like open plan living, floor to ceiling windows and spaces with lots of light; exposed brick, dark fixtures, and fittings all utilising a high contrast neutral palette, as well as monochrome with mid greys, taupe and olive greens.
I like a mixture of materials; metal and chunky wood, statement lighting, and really good artwork. As I mentioned, I love New York – SoHo and the West Village have some amazing architecture and fabulous apartments, restaurants and working spaces. I’d love to have a place there one day!
From what you have seen of Vesta’s projects so far, do you have a favourite?
I absolutely loved the Legacy Wharf showhome we created for Bellway Homes. The designers really hit the brief by capturing the energy and coolness of East London while creating an aspirational place to call home. As I mentioned earlier, I love industrial led design, and the team utilised the space and natural light really well with beautiful furniture and industrial lighting. It’s somewhere I could really see myself living and a look I could recreate myself – something I think is very important in showhome design.
Photo of Legacy Wharf Showhome (Craig's favourite project - see the portfolio for more)
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