Diny
9th May 2005, 10:47 PM
During the nightmare of selling our house here in the UK, we've used 2 agents. Both of them offered the world. Both practically guaranteed a sale within a matter of a couple of weeks, both of them did an all singing all dancing presentation .... in fact, they both talked the talk but neither walked the walk.
In the end we advertised the house ourselves on the internet and got a buyer that way. I'm sure I'm not alone in my total abhoration of UK estate agents and the second rate service they offer.
Well then, can you imagine how utterly 'blown away' I was this morning when I opened up my e-mail. We had seen a house in Cambridge, Waikato NZ which we liked the look of. I just sent a casual enquiry off to them asking for a few more pictures and details.
This is the reply I got:
Dear Mr & Mrs Norrie
Thank you for your email regarding the 4 bedroom house in
Cambridge, New Zealand.
My husband and I lived for many years in Wellingborough,
Northamptonshire and moved to Cambridge, NZ, in early 2004. The family
selling the house are also from the UK. Good luck with your move. My
husband and I would be happy to help with things at this end (in
addition to helping you find a house). A real estate agent took my
husband and I "in hand" when we arrived (we stayed in hotel for a week)
and we managed to find a house in that time as well as gaining lots of
useful information about the area. On the house buying side, in
Cambridge you can have one agent to do all your running around for you
including showing properties that are with other firms. This worked very
well for us and I would be happy to do this for you.
I am assuming you found the house on the www.realenz.co.nz site. Did you
follow the link to the Raywhite.com web site? If you haven't already
seen these, then go onto the Raywhite site a sit has more photos.
www.raywhite.com
If you have already seen those photos I could take some more for you.
The house is in a quiet part of town. It has parks close by and a
primary school a few blocks away which seems to be considered a very
good one (our daughter is at secondary school so am basing this on what
others have told me). A medical center is about 1 block away as are a
few shops (diary, mini grocery store, fish and chips, hairdresser, off
license etc). The house has 4 bedrooms, 3 doubles and one very large
single/ small double. There is a good sized separate laundry. There is
lots of storage. There are some lovely polished wood floors. There is
also a sleep out and a covered barbecue area. Chattels that would stay
in the house include window coverings, floor coverings, garden shed,
waste master and TV aerial, There is a single garage (but longer than
average length) and a car port. There is also a fully fenced pool.
If there is anything else you wold like to know, please don't hesitate
to ask.
Regarding other properties for sale, can you give me a more precise
idea of what you are looking for e.g. minimum number of bedrooms,
garaging, living space, requirements re schools, other hobbies and
sports etc, some idea of what you are thinking of spending for a home,
whether you would do DIY (and if so, to what extent) or whether you want
a new or newly renovated home that needs nothing doing, minimum (and
maximum) plot sizes, your interest in having a swimming pool and other
outdoor accessories and any other information you can give me that would
help me look for you. Also, if you would like me to send the property
press fortnightly (and an other information about Cambridge I would be
happy to do so.
Also, if you would like me to phone you than I can do that also at a
prearranged time
Yours sincerely
Rachael Dean
Sorry .... this should have been posted in the real estate section :roll:
Diny
In the end we advertised the house ourselves on the internet and got a buyer that way. I'm sure I'm not alone in my total abhoration of UK estate agents and the second rate service they offer.
Well then, can you imagine how utterly 'blown away' I was this morning when I opened up my e-mail. We had seen a house in Cambridge, Waikato NZ which we liked the look of. I just sent a casual enquiry off to them asking for a few more pictures and details.
This is the reply I got:
Dear Mr & Mrs Norrie
Thank you for your email regarding the 4 bedroom house in
Cambridge, New Zealand.
My husband and I lived for many years in Wellingborough,
Northamptonshire and moved to Cambridge, NZ, in early 2004. The family
selling the house are also from the UK. Good luck with your move. My
husband and I would be happy to help with things at this end (in
addition to helping you find a house). A real estate agent took my
husband and I "in hand" when we arrived (we stayed in hotel for a week)
and we managed to find a house in that time as well as gaining lots of
useful information about the area. On the house buying side, in
Cambridge you can have one agent to do all your running around for you
including showing properties that are with other firms. This worked very
well for us and I would be happy to do this for you.
I am assuming you found the house on the www.realenz.co.nz site. Did you
follow the link to the Raywhite.com web site? If you haven't already
seen these, then go onto the Raywhite site a sit has more photos.
www.raywhite.com
If you have already seen those photos I could take some more for you.
The house is in a quiet part of town. It has parks close by and a
primary school a few blocks away which seems to be considered a very
good one (our daughter is at secondary school so am basing this on what
others have told me). A medical center is about 1 block away as are a
few shops (diary, mini grocery store, fish and chips, hairdresser, off
license etc). The house has 4 bedrooms, 3 doubles and one very large
single/ small double. There is a good sized separate laundry. There is
lots of storage. There are some lovely polished wood floors. There is
also a sleep out and a covered barbecue area. Chattels that would stay
in the house include window coverings, floor coverings, garden shed,
waste master and TV aerial, There is a single garage (but longer than
average length) and a car port. There is also a fully fenced pool.
If there is anything else you wold like to know, please don't hesitate
to ask.
Regarding other properties for sale, can you give me a more precise
idea of what you are looking for e.g. minimum number of bedrooms,
garaging, living space, requirements re schools, other hobbies and
sports etc, some idea of what you are thinking of spending for a home,
whether you would do DIY (and if so, to what extent) or whether you want
a new or newly renovated home that needs nothing doing, minimum (and
maximum) plot sizes, your interest in having a swimming pool and other
outdoor accessories and any other information you can give me that would
help me look for you. Also, if you would like me to send the property
press fortnightly (and an other information about Cambridge I would be
happy to do so.
Also, if you would like me to phone you than I can do that also at a
prearranged time
Yours sincerely
Rachael Dean
Sorry .... this should have been posted in the real estate section :roll:
Diny