We decided to locate to South Wales from South West London and recognised that we would not have the time to do a thorough house search in Wales whilst selling our property and tying up our affairs in London.
We found Carol Peett on the internet and called her. From that initial conversation we were convinced that using her would be our best option to complete our move to the timescale we wanted. We talked to Carol at length about our requirements: our likes and dislikes about properties we had seen in person and on the internet. Carol was able to add dimensions that we could not possibly know about the areas, villages and districts – even though one of us is from South Wales! We agreed shortlists of properties with Carol and she made the initial visits, comparing them to our brief. The detailed reports and photographs, added to her local knowledge were often enough for us to either discount or want to view a property. Through this local knowledge, we were able to pinpoint a search area – something we had not been able to do on our own.
We made 2 trips to Wales with County Homesearch to view shortlisted properties and found our new home on our second trip. It is fair to say that we would not have found this house ourselves – and the drive and attention to detail offered by Carol and the team ensured we were able to complete the sale and move in on the original timelines we had set. She negotiated the price for us – lower than we would have thought possible, saving us money. Over and above the service offered, Carol Peett has given us many local contacts that have made moving easier. Having Carol on hand lessened the stress of the complete process and even now when we need some local advice, knowledge or a chat, we call her or her team. At first view, it may appear that the fees are high but our opinion is that this service has saved us time, saved us money on the house price and has introduced us to professionals who we would not otherwise have found. Above all has found us a new home in an ideal location. We would thoroughly recommend them to anyone going through a similar situation.
When we finally made the decision to find a property near to my childhood roots, we had certain fixed ideas and requirements but neither the time nor the patience to search for the right type of property and investment. Getting a really good idea and understanding of our requirements and just what we meant or felt about the venture, was the first objective that Carol Peett sorted out.
We were quickly impressed with the thoroughness of her subsequent investigation which ranged far and wide and covered the sort of detail that we would never have found the time to do ourselves. Pros and cons of particular areas within our search area were compared to areas further a field. A feeling for which estate agents were good and which were not, was all part of this thorough initial report which gave a detailed descriptions of a long list of potential properties that might suit. Each description contained a balanced and fair assessment of both good points and bad points, something we really valued, allowing us to pick a short list to view on a day’s visit. This was superbly arranged and conducted by Carol with the various Estate Agents and made the most of the limited time we had available. It was particularly valuable having Carol’s professional shoulder to lean on during this viewing day.
Having then made a decision, Carol handled all the negotiations, another great part of the service which no doubt saved us hassle, time and money. Someone like Carol, who knows the workings of the Estate Agency business can I am sure save pounds at this stage and that was certainly true in our case. The help and advice form this point onwards was no less and in fact the constant chivvying of both solicitors, the seller and the estate agent was all part of the great service provided. Had it not been for this help and pressure, we might still have been waiting for completion and would have probably lost the property.
The exceptional service, sensitive and perceptive attention that we received throughout was outstanding. The whole experience was painless and even enjoyable. It was certainly outstandingly successful in that some 18 hours after completion our tenant moved in.
It is hard to imagine any search agency going to the trouble that Carol Peett took in finding us our perfect Pembrokeshire house.
We had never used a search agency before , thinking we could manage fine without one, but we stumbled across her on the internet and decided that she might be able to help. She exceeded our expectations, in alerting us to a property not yet on the market which was ideal, and in obtaining it for us through her skilled negotiation and in the face of strong competition.
It did not stop there. She supplied names of curtain makers, builders, cleaners, interior designers, plumbers, fuel oil companies , all personally recommended and was incredibly helpful throughout, fortifying us with thermoses of strong coffee and helping us to appreciate the area and the market. We can’t quite understand how we ever managed to buy a property without her.
We used the services of Carol Peett in our recent move from Bristol and Stroud to South Pembrokeshire during late 2009 and early 2010.
It speaks volumes that we were introduced by local personal recommendation in the first place. The biggest advantage of that introduction was gaining access to properties not on the open market so that when we eventually viewed the small private equestrian property that is now our home we were, in effect, at the head of the queue.
Throughout, Carol kept us fully informed of the progress of our purchase and introduced us to expert advisers and service providers, all of whom have proved to be of high quality and reputation. These included removals and storage operators as well as legal and financial professionals.
Whenever we had a question, Carol was quick to answer the phone or call back and ensured that no unforeseen delays occurred, especially in the run up to exchange of contracts and completion. She even collected the keys and delivered them along with a bottle of good champagne, already chilled!
We would add that, although we dealt mainly with Carol, if Rayner took our call he was always aware of our current situation and able to help.
We have no hesitation in commending Carol and Rayner for due recognition of the quality of the services they provide.
Just a quick note to thank you so much for helping us find the most wonderful new house.
We were so tired of our fruitless search and, until you came along, we did despair of ever finding anywhere we could both like. Now we are fired up and so looking forward to tackling the garden.
We cannot thank you enough for your constant advice and good humour and we will recommend you to everyone we know.
Purchase of our “Dream Home” in Pembrokeshire.
We just wanted to thank you for the help you gave us in finding our long term home in Pembrokeshire.
After two and a half years of searching through the more traditional routes of the internet and via the local estate agents it was becoming clear that this approach was not going to find what we really dreamt of as our perfect future home for our retirement.- Until we met you!!
Even as a family who knows Pembrokeshire well, as we have owned there for over 8 years, when looking for that ideal property the task was quite daunting as we had a fairly precise list of requirements and some exacting standards of which the many houses we saw just didn’t match up.
However it was clear from our very first meeting with yourself that your knowledge of the local market and your ability to drag out of us what our real priorities were and what we needed to focus on and prioritise as well as compromise was essential. You managed to do this in a short period and very precisely.
One of the reasons we came with you was the lure of finding those properties which never actually come on to the market. For those of us not in the “Know” we didn’t realise there was a market for property that wasn’t on sale through an agent or on the internet, and you managed to report on and show us several properties which clearly met our brief but have never been available on the open market, and of course it was one of these which eventually we have chosen. This process was helped by the fact you produced a specific property report on the various properties but it was more a “Trip Advisor” report with the positives and negatives and pictures which showed everything rather than the Estate Agent sales documents that conveniently miss a few things!!
Your ability then to negotiate a suitable price with the vendors made it easy for us and the vendors I think.
As you are aware the buying process was (dare we say quite typically) littered with legal delays and slow progress which is enough to try anyone’s patience but again your involvement with all interested parties – ourselves, vendors, solicitors, neighbours and their solicitors, surveyors etc – made things a lot easier at our end especially as we live away from Pembrokeshire and you were our eyes and ears on the ground. Eventually we got everything done within the original timeframe which would not have happened without your interventions.
Finally, with your vast knowledge of the local area and the many contacts you have, we have managed to find some of the most capable and trustworthy partners to both help in the purchase but also now to carry out the necessary development works which we want to do to get the perfect house to be the perfect home.
Once again thanks so much for your continued help in finding what we were after and succeeding where several previous attempts had failed!!!
If you would ever like us to speak to any prospective clients then we would be happy to do so and I am certain our “Trip Advisor” report would be 5 Stars.
Thanks once again.
May I take this opportunity of thanking you for all your help and assistance in findiing our new home here in beautiful Pembrokeshire.
When Max and I first decided to take the plunge and up sticks and start a new life in the beautiful Pembrokeshire countryside back in June 2008 from Hertfordshire (a distance of some 250+ miles), we were faced with a daunting task, as we quickly realised our main knowledge of the area was limited to the main tourist trail.
The thought of having to drag our 3 dogs around in the car with us, trying to find accommodation which catered for 3 dogs, visit estate agents, attend viewings, the miles and miles of driving to and fro from England to Wales, was daunting to say the least.
It was with great delight that I came across your website and saw that you were so centrally located in Pembrokeshire and couldn’t help but make contact. The rest of course is history – within a week we were heading down the M4 corridor to meet with you and plan the way forward and from that moment on it was all systems go.
We would particularly like to thank you for your patience, your professionalism and your guidance, your skills and knowledge of the world of estate agents and of the housing market in general and your our extensive knowledge of the local area is outstanding – it made such a difference having someone ‘in the know’ re different areas who was able to steer us in the right direction. As we all know the whole process of buying and selling is extremely stressful and for us moving to a new area across many miles certainly proved to be just that. The process was made so so much easier in knowing that you were there to be our eyes for us, to be on hand at any time. To be able to just pick up the telephone or send an email with yet another question, or other suggestion was a godsend. The fact you were also able to provide us with very useful information with regard to our selling our own property and of course your ability to tune into ‘us’, assess what our ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ were, must have been very difficult but you seemed to do this with relative ease and now we are in situ we can just call you to put us in touch with any tradesperson etc.
Of course the endless viewings undertaken by yourself on our behalf – it was great to be able to trust someone to be our eyes and have complete confidence in the advice given as to whether or not we should make the journey to view a particular property.
You did find a little ‘gem’ for us and here we are now in our new home, which is now newly named ‘Hollytrees’. Due to the condition of the housing market at that time, I have no doubt that had it not been for you being our eyes, we would have missed this particular property – thank goodness it is now our home, in a location we just love and with a cottage garden to go with it!
Finally, I would have no hesitation in recommending the services of yourself and Rayner to anyone who may wish to follow in our footsteps and please feel free to show any prospective client a copy of this letter. The service given has literally been from beginning and actually never ends as the support is ongoing, always with a personal touch.
Thank you once again ……
Carol is phenomenal in what she does. If you are looking for your dream home in West Wales then Carol will not stop until she roots it out for you.
