Rebecca Parry
I am a… land agent
You could be a Land Agent if you would enjoy:
- Estate management
- Identifying, appraising and valuing potential sites
- Rent reviews
- Maintaining and letting property
- Working with other teams such as planners, architects, local authorities, countryside managers, and environmental experts
- Renewable energy work
- Showing land owners how to develop their property and maximise its value
- Acting on behalf of clients to acquire sites
- Working with tenants, landlords, contractors and legal teams
Rebecca Parry graduated with a Rural Enterprise and Land Management (REALM) degree in 2007 and now works for Staffordshire County Council as a Land Agent.
For Rebecca Parry being a graduate of Harper Adams University laid the foundations for her thriving career as a land agent (also known as a rural practice chartered surveyor).
She discovered the university through Young Farmers’ and had no doubt where she wanted to do her degree. “I chose to study at Harper Adams because I had been to a ball at the campus with my local Young Farmers’ Club. I didn’t know what course I wanted to do but I knew Harper Adams was the place for me”
Rebecca, from Bangor-on-Dee, Wrexham, finally opted to study BSc (Hons) Rural Enterprise and Land Management (REALM), graduating in 2007. She said she never once regretted choosing the course or the university, adding: “Not only do you leave with an industry recognised qualification and are in the best position to start a full and prosperous career, but you have so much fun in achieving it. You will leave with friends and memories that last a lifetime.”
One of the most appealing things about the course for Rebecca was the placement year in industry which saw her take on the post of Assistant Land Agent with Balfours in Shropshire. “The best things about placement were the opportunities to see new places in the country, see how different farms and estates operate, meet new people and make new friends. Placement year was the first opportunity I had to work in a busy office environment and provided invaluable experience of the very basic office procedures.”
Since graduating Rebecca, 28, has undertaken two Land Agent roles with different organisations. “My first job was a Resident Land Agent on the Nantclwyd Estate in North Wales, a traditional rural estate comprising of an in-hand farm, pheasant shoot, agricultural land and residential lettings.
“After obtaining my Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) qualification I moved on to the position of Land Agent at Staffordshire County Council and there became a Fellow of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (FCAAV).
“The thing I enjoy most about my job is the variety of work. Each day is different and varies from being out on farms dealing with farmers to being in the office dealing with the financial and strategic side of estate management. The job entails a huge variety of work such as landlord and tenant matters, rent reviews, tenant rights, investment in farm infrastructure, property repairs, re-letting vacant farms and interviewing prospective tenants.”
The Staffordshire County Farms Estate currently comprises 106 farms covering around 8,600 acres throughout the county. The County Farms provide opportunities for new starters in agriculture to set up a business on a let farm, with a house, farm buildings and land.
Rebecca believes her time at Harper Adams, with its “first class” teaching and support staff and “excellent” facilities, is the reason she is in the position she is at Staffordshire County Council today.
“Harper Adams provided the foundations of my career. The reputation of Harper Adams is recognised throughout the industry and the basis of the REALM course has allowed me to continue with obtaining my MRICS and FAAV qualifications,” she adds.
Rural land agents usually have:
- An MRICS qualification
- Knowledge of agriculture
- Project management skills
- Ability to come up with new ideas
- Business development skills
- Self-reliance and ability to work independently
- Great interpersonal skills
- Motivation, drive and determination
- Ability to work in teams
- Experience of the rural property industry
- Full driving licence and own car
- Watch a video of Rebecca here: harper.ac.uk/cmvrebecca
- Learn more about the County Farms initiative - (PDF)
- Staffordshire County Farms on Facebook
- Twitter @sccfarms
