Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Portico, originally founded in 1818, was acquired by Robert Nichols in 2004 when it was known as ‘Edmund Cude.’ Edmund Cude was originally entirely lettings-focused, but after taking it over, Portico merged it with another acquisition of long-established estate agency, Bushells, and created the sales and lettings expert agency that Portico is known for today. Over the years it has grown into a highly reputable lettings and sales agency that prides itself on offering an informed, knowledge-driven approach to the UK property market.
Prior to rebranding as Portico in 2015, the company took time out to extensively research the needs of landlords and customers. The research concluded that the insightful approach that Edmund Cude had previously taken in helping vendors to better understand local market dynamics and assisting landlords in fully understanding their obligations needed to be at the core of Portico’s intentions moving forwards.
These values of insightful property knowledge, approachability, and backed by educated experts and a team of in-house tradesmen became the cornerstone of their vision to launch a sales and lettings service that really gets to the heart of what landlords and vendors want and need.
In 2021, Leaders Romans Group (LRG) completed its acquisition of Portico. LRG - one of the UK’s leading property services groups - has welcomed Portico, along with its 154 employees, to the growing LRG family. The acquisition places Portico in the hands of a thriving property services powerhouse, alongside their other recent acquisitions including Outlook property and Gibbs Gillespie.
In 2018, Portico branched out further with its lettings expertise by creating Portico Host - a short-term lettings service, having been appointed to Airbnb's Professional Co-Host programme as a trusted and highly reputable management service.
At the time of its creation, Portico Host was one of only six UK Airbnb co-host partners, and the first-ever mainstream lettings business to be welcomed by the programme.
Portico Host offers a range of Airbnb management services package options, assisting homeowners to make additional income through their properties, and helping landlords to increase the profitability of their investments by bridging vacancy gaps. The services offered range from basic listing assistance via a dedicated accounts manager, through to a comprehensive package that includes property inspections, free insurance coverage, and more.
The move is designed to expand the services that Portico offers to create a full-service solution across London’s property market.
Portico’s outstanding consistency in providing quality, expert property services has resulted in a string of prestigious recognitions and awards. The agency won the Best Marketing Award, and received silver in the Property Management award in the EAELIVE event in 2015. The following year they doubled up their win with another Gold for Marketing in the Lettings Agency of the Year awards 2016.
Portico’s successful growth can be seen through its awards journey - beginning with bronze and then Gold award for Medium Lettings Agency in 2009/10, Best Property Management Agency 2012, Employer of the Year 2013, Gold in the Large Lettings Agency of the Year category in 2016, and winner again in 2017 in for London’s Estate Agency Marketing. The list goes on and Portico is not only proud of these achievements but stands by them as a benchmark for the quality of service they provide and their commitment to improving their company and the industry as a whole.
Portico is primarily based in London, and currently operates 15 high-street offices across the Greater London area. The agency also represents the north of England via its Liverpool-based branch.
