The brief
Mr & Mrs D an Irish couple were seeking to purchase a second home that had a sea view with crashing waves!
The clients first became aware of Buying Agent Partnership, simply by picking up a leaflet in their favourite North Cornwall pub! Then, after an initial telephone conversation, I visited them at their own home in south London to continue the conversation and explore the type of property the pair wanted.
Their preference was for a period stone property in Cornwall, offering four or five bedrooms as they had a large number of relatives!
Search criteria
- Period stone property – Giving a traditional, Cornish feel.
- Four or five bedrooms – To provide space for the growing family and visiting relatives.
- £1m budget – To purchase their second home in a picturesque location.
- Sea view – To be able to hear and see the crashing waves.
How Buying Agent Partnership helped
From the client’s introduction to us, the search lasted more than eighteen months. Partly because of limited stock, the husband’s long working hours and the fact that the wife was pregnant with their second child when they contacted us!
After viewing a limited number of properties with clients they returned to London, but after a price reduction, Reg was later informed by the selling agent that the former mill was now within their budget. Therefore, Reg viewed the property on their behalf and reported back to them, only for the wife to say that she was uncomfortable with the flow of rooms as shown on the floor plan.
Several months then elapsed and after a further reduction in price Reg was able to persuade the husband to fly to Cornwall for a viewing, as his wife was heavily pregnant and was unable to travel long distances. Upon his return home, the client managed to persuade his wife that the converted mill would suit their needs!
Two months later, the couple viewed the property together after which Reg negotiated a very keen price. Fortunately, on behalf of the clients, Reg instructed a full building survey and although the property was essentially sound, the surveyor identified a problem with the septic tank which was seeping and located in a neighbouring field. This proved to be troublesome but eventually was resolved satisfactorily thanks to our quick action!
The happy ending
The property eventually purchased was a former mill converted in the early nineties which was part of a larger farmstead, to include a detached holiday cottage, triple garage and ¼ acre Victorian kitchen garden. Interestingly, during the course of the viewing the wife asked to look inside the triple garage only to find a very large car under a white sheet. Lifting the cover revealed a 1934 Rolls Royce, which was unfortunately not included in the sale!
How Buying Agent Partnership added value
- Reg was able to find a property that fulfilled all the client’s requirements, quickly, easily, and within the parameters of their criteria
- Reg was able to instruct a full building survey, which revealed and quickly resolved some issues with the property
- Reg was able to use his knowledge of the region to ensure that the couple got their perfect address – even living miles away from the area!
