Edwin Wint, chairman and CEO of La Maison.

La Maison Property Services Limited has expanded into Montego Bay to meet what it says is the demand for high-level professional services as real estate developments climb in the western end of the country.

"Some of what we offer is not offered in Montego Bay at the moment," said realtor Edwin Wint, chairman of La Maison.

Development plans

"And when you look at the development plans between Trelawny back to Hanover the sort of investment in the environment - even though some have stalled because of the global economic climate - but if you look over a five- year period, a lot of the action is going to be between Trelawny and Hanover."

One of those developments, a more than 800-unit residential scheme priced at $4 billion to $5 billion, will begin construction in a matter of months at Florence Hall in Trelawny.

Wint said the office is a small branch that cost $250,000 to set up, with just three staff, but recruitment is ongoing to build the complement to 10.

"It is not a huge investment for a branch office, but it is less physical size and more technology driven. So we have invested a lot in pro-perty management software and accounting software solutions as opposed to having a 100 people on hand," he said.

The office is located at Freeport, Montego Bay, and will offer the following services: estate agency, valuation, engineering services, auctioning, construction and pro-perty management.

The Kingston branch has a staff complement of 25. Commenting on the expansion, Wint who is also the current president of the Realtors Association of Jamaica, said his company was seeking the opportunities that exist in the recession.

"Everybody is focussing on the negatives and we are focussing on the positives," he said.

La Maison Property Services is a 15-year-old company established in 1994 by Wint and his wife, Sandra.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com