Case Studies

Moving from overseas can be daunting, especially when you can’t view properties in person. For Nick and Bridget, trust was essential. They needed someone reliable to thoroughly inspect potential homes and provide honest, detailed feedback.

That’s where Ed stepped in. With video tours capturing every detail—warts and all—he made sure Nick and Bridget had a clear and realistic view of each property. Once they found a house they loved, Ed meticulously walked them through every positive and negative aspect to ensure it was exactly what they hoped for.

The result? A smooth, informed process that gave Nick and Bridget confidence in their decision, despite being thousands of miles away.

And to top it off, the house Ed found came to him completely off market via the seller direct!

“When we began to plan for our move from California to the UK, we knew we’d need a trusted person on the ground in South Devon to search for our perfect home (and we had a LONG wish list!). We found Ed through an online search, and after one phone call we knew we’d found our guy. From day one,  Ed did a brilliant job of touring homes and sending us videos and photos (even allowing us to FaceTime live from a few). After a short amount of time, Ed found an upcoming off market listing that ended up being “the one”. He was patient with us through the entire process, organizing surveys and recommending tradesmen. Ed is passionate, loves his job, and his excitement for the South Devon area is contagious. We highly recommend enlisting Ed’s services to find your dream home!”

Bridget and Nick Brown 

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

What will a Stacks buying agent in South Devon, Dartmoor & The South Hams Property Finders (also covering West, and Northwest Devon) do for you?

South Devon

We’ll talk with you about how you want to live, the demands of your work, and your plans. We’ll establish what you need from your next home… and why.

Dartmoor

We’ll scour the market, bend the ears of our contacts, and hound the estate agents. We’ll leave no stone unturned to find the right home for you.

South Hams

We’ll haggle hard and bring all that we’ve discovered to bear to agree the best terms on your behalf. Our clients enjoy preferred bidder status with estate agents. You’ll have clout.

Teign Valley

We’ll problem-bust, tackle obstacles, arrange surveys, and liaise with planners. A myriad of issues can raise their head at this point… we’ll deal with them all for you.

To discuss what you are looking for call
Ed Tel: 01803 732128 / 07711724939

How We Do It

“You showed fantastic attention to detail, anticipated all eventualities, and provided timely and practical help and guidance every step of the way.  Above all, you supported me in making my own considered decisions, and I am so grateful to you for all your help in getting me to where I am now!”

“We firmly believe that without Rachel and her skilled negotiation we would not have secured the property.”

“We felt they genuinely wanted to help.”

“Stacks’ performance on this assignment has been absolutely outstanding and more than met my expectations. Her understanding of the brief and the ‘after-find’ service set a standard of professionalism that I have not met before.”

“It is not often that one is pleased to part with money but I can truthfully say that I am on this occasion. You have earned every penny of this cheque and what is more, you have done it with great courtesy and good humour. It has been very pleasant working with you. You really did take most of the stress out of our house hunting.”

“Encouraging me to think creatively about what could work for me.”

“Finding a plot not yet on the market and persuading the developer to enter into an exclusive contract with me to build to my specification.

“I was impressed by the efficient, kind and courteous service provided by Stacks”

“Stacks were a tremendous help and we would never have found our home without them. She is a lovely person with a great sense of humour which was essential during some of our tricky negotiations

“You gave a much-valued ‘younger’ perspective on our situation, which was a real asset”

“We found the service extremely helpful and professional at all times”

“I have been delighted with the service I have received from Stacks and will not hesitate to recommend Stacks in the future.”

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