Relocation Stress

Fred and Jane were relocating to the South Hams having lived in London most of their lives. Fred had in fact owned the same house in Belsize Park since the 1970’s. So it was an extremely emotional move with so much of his life firmly routed in the city.  However, the countryside was calling and their children had settled in rural Devon so a compelling reason to relocate here was to be closer to family. 

Why they came to Stacks:

They decided to engage in our services as they were struggling to make sense of the pros and cons of the villages and local towns and were also finding it very hard to rush down to view a house at short notice. Particularly after rushing down to see a number of houses that ended up being a complete waste of time. They needed someone on the ground vetting houses before coming down themselves and also needed to have comfort from me on what the pros and cons of each area were.  

What the local area could offer:

It was after some explorative viewings across the region that we worked out that Totnes was the place for them. Its cafe culture, artistic vibes, and independent stalls give the town echoes of  Portobello Road in the bygone days. Totnes is extremely sought after and makes a great deal of sense to buyers still wanting that city (ish) vibe.  The town has many of the conveniences you might expect and has the train that’s only 2 hr 39 mins from Paddington. Yet you are 20 mins from the coast and 20 mins from Dartmoor and the town also has the mighty Dart running through, in case anyone missed old father Thames.

What they were looking for:

Fred had a fabulous art collection and so we needed to find something with enough space. They wanted a townhouse and to feel they could easily step outside and into the action. 

How Stacks Helped:

I vetted every house prior to Fred and Jane getting a train down to view. They found my videos very helpful. We also had to wrestle to get the house we wanted and utilised the powerful relationship I had with the agents to help give us the edge in negotiations. The agents all know that my clients (with my excellent guidance) outperform the average buyer and the transaction is typically expedited.  

The happy outcome:

“As Londoners making a once in a lifetime move to the country, we decided we needed help in finding the right place. We found Ed, who quickly became vital to the success of our enterprise. Not only did he keep his eyes open for good properties, he proved to be a great connector and communicator, and we felt that he was ‘in this with us,’ providing high-level professional guidance, always delivered with energy and humour. This included Ed being prepared to go the extra mile to obtain viewings that had to fit in with our schedule, living some distance from Devon.  Ed was good at sussing out the sorts of places where we would want to live, and we came to trust him completely in his selection of houses for us to view. We had quite specific requirements and are certain that without his experience and skill we would not have been able to purchase the special house in which we now live. Finding a new home can be stressful and demanding, but with Ed it was also exciting and fun, sometimes involving impromptu meals, even ice cream on the beach, while we discussed the latest viewings and made plans.

In our case, Ed also helped us, through a separate enterprise he has set up, to have some work done on the house  (helping draw up plans, finding and supervising workmen, etc), and you might keep this possible additional service in mind if you ask him to help find you a property.

A very big thank you to Ed for accompanying us on this trip, and we can recommend him unreservedly.”

Dr Frederick Mulder CBE LLD
Jane Craig AFBPS Chartered Clin Psych