The response I get when potential clients ask what services I can provide generally ends with, “but I can do that myself on Rightmove”!
This is a little blog about what I do and why I feel I’m worth every penny….
Whilst I fully agree that Rightmove is a super tool for house hunting if you are searching for a property from afar it is only one of many tools you need to use, clients don’t always recognise that the Lake District is built on community. Community thrives by word of mouth. I am part of this community and have been for 35 years. My family goes back generations coming from both the Windermere and Hawkshead area. Most local people within these communities will almost certainly buy and use services from word of mouth recommendations or conversations with each other for example The roofer, the accountant, the newsagents, the estate agents and guess what the private sale of a property. Generally they will always have sought assurance via the community “who did you use? What’s your opinion & do you know anyone who would?”
When somebody is making the huge decision to move they tend to discuss this within the local community, it might be that they are going to the market with an agent and have decided to tell their neighbours, it might be that the local estate agents in the area know that they have a certain client that missed out on a property recently or it could be that they choose to put the feelers out to see if they could sell their property privately.
So you see my job is about more than searching just the web its about working within the community and with my connections to find properties that may never come to the open market, speaking to developers about their latest projects and been in touch with the local estate agents incase something comes up that might suit my clients.
The process of looking for a property and being able to exhaust every possible avenue to the best of your ability is all-consuming and that’s before you have even started the buying process.
My job as your property finder is to be your eyes and ears in the local area, the one that can act quickly, to be there if you are unable to, to help you discover new areas and bridge the gap between you and the Lake District whilst opening your eyes to the endless possibilities in our area.
Picture this, I’m walking through Glenridding in the pouring rain searching for a rental property for my clients. I’m speaking to local residents and popping my head into the local shops, posting information in places I know it will be seen, networking with the local groups and clubs in order to make them aware of my quest. I travel that way every couple of weeks and I speak to all the agents working within that area. That’s me with my feet on the ground, dedicated and I enjoy every moment.
A few weeks back I was in Keswick viewing properties on behalf of a client. If you live a long distance away from The Lake District the travel to the area can be a long one if there are only a few properties you wish to see. By the time you have booked a hotel, spent all day on the motorway, paid for food, rescheduled your diary got up here to then find that the property is completely in the sticks and too find out its wrong for you.
So for these particular clients I filmed the area, the roads, I wrote them a report and gave them my thoughts, I told them how far it was to the nearest shop, I drove the area to investigate further, I then arrive at my appointment early so I can see what was happening around the property. During the appointment with the agents I film both inside and outside, opening the doors to cupboards and filming the views. If there are any obvious issues I highlight them. It turns out that due to its location it was no good for them however I did view another property that day that turned out to be perfect they actually had their offered accepted on it that week! A complete success.
I put my heart and soul into everything I do and if I can help I will, not only do I help my clients find somewhere to live, I’m there on hand to offer advice throughout the whole process. A good property finder will not only will be able to tell you the exact location you will find the type of property you are looking for but can call upon their many years of experience in order to help you overcome any hurdles during the buying process.
Buying a property in a rural area does at times have its challenges but these challenges never seem as difficult when you have the advice and input from somebody who has been there before especially when dealing with previous property transactions.
For example, a few years ago I had to deal with a situation relating to a private water source and the process in order to make this property compliant or the time there was an unregistered piece of land within a land registry document then having to go through the process to resolve it in a timely fashion. With the introduction of new legislations in relation to septic tanks, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed when considering rural living. Having a bridge between you and The Lake District can be essential in my opinion, it can make life less stressful and keep things moving when they may otherwise stop.
When faced with any of these issues it could be easy to feel lost, what do you do & who do you ask? If you are from further afield the likelihood is that you will not have the local connections to remedy these issues, however this is when I can help. Not only am I a sounding board but I can call upon many years worth of experience in the local property market, pointing you in the right direction and if necessary to the right trade businesses. If an unexpected situation arises whereby you need to renegotiate your offer I will be on hand to give my advice and assistance where necessary. Renegotiations may be a part of moving forwards and navigating your way through this can be tricky if it’s been a long time since you bought a property, the buying process has changed so much over the last 10-15 years.
I hear quite often that clients would rather purchase a property that requires minimal work due to the distance they are away from the area. However, in a time when property is sparse compromise is necessary, but rest assured we have some amazing designers, builders and joiners to create your dream home. If multiple visits are necessary you can call upon me to assist.
A lovely lady said to me the other day that she was concerned how the removals would get her moved as she was at the other end of the country – part of my role is to make the relocation run smoothly, making your life easier working with you to overcome obstacles. So in this case I would collect the keys from the estate agents on the day of completion and wait at the property for her removals firm to arrive. This means she is able to stay behind, clean her previous property, say goodbye to her friends and travel up the following day.
Now tell me this, can Rightmove do all that for you? Can Rightmove warn you when something interesting is about to come to the market? Does Rightmove get to see properties that may not be advertised on the open market? Can Rightmove recall when it sold a property 8 years ago that was redeveloped and sold for £100,000 more a few years later?
Now it’s not like me to blow my own trumpet however in this case I feel the only way to get my point across is to be fairly open with you the reader on this subject.
So you see I don’t just find properties on Rightmove, I am your eyes and your ears & your direct link to The Lake District. Finding the right property for you.
Lake District Relocation 