“CUSTOM RESIDENTIAL SAY THEY'RE DIFFERENT AND WE WERE DELIGHTED TO DISCOVER THEY ACTUALLY ARE DIFFERENT.”
Client Feedback
We believe the proof is in the pudding and therefore this section of our website could well be the most relevant to you, our visitor.
July 2010
SUE SECURED A SOLID RESULT FOR OUR AREA AND WE HAVE NO HESITATION IN UTILISING HER SERVICES AGAIN
We engaged Sue Hatton recently to market and sell our recently renovated home in Grey Lynn. Having dealt with Sue previously with the purchasing of two properties we were very impressed with her style and negotiating skills. When we began to research who would be best to sell our home – Sue was at the top of the list.
Throughout the rigorous three week marketing campaign Sue made sure we were advertised and marketed in all arenas applicable to our location. She kept us informed of her movements and actions and was quick to advise us of anything we needed to know. Our Open Homes were conducted efficiently and considering we were averaging 60 – 80 groups through our home a day she managed and coordinated this impeccably.
We were selling our house via auction which can be an extremely stressful process for the Vendor. Sue remained calm, confident, professional and positive throughout the auction which to us was a vital ingredient to the process. Sue secured a solid result for our area and we have no hesitation in utilising her services again.
Regards,
Bridgette Johnstone & Tyrone Le Roux
Urban Space Ltd
NO DOUBT IN MY MIND AS TO WHOM I WANTED
"Having bought through John a number of years ago, there was no doubt in my mind as to whom I wanted when it came to sell my property. John's dedication to achieve a positive outcome is amazing. His approachability, excellent communication, professionalism and integrity set him apart from other agents. It's been an absolute pleasure having John sell my property."
MEG
WHOLEHEARTEDLY RECOMMEND SCOTT
"Scott managed the sale of our property at 8 Islington Street, Ponsonby. Scott made an enormous effort on our behalf to secure a sale in a very challenging market. He ensured that all stakeholders in the sale process were looked after including the tenants, property manager, prospective buyer and most important us, the vendor. I wholeheartedly recommend Scott. He offers integrity and a commitment to ensuring that you receive the best possible service".
Mark and Christelle Donaldson
THRILLED WITH THE RESULT THAT YOU GENERATED FOR US
"Dear Dan and Sue,
Just to say thank you for all your hard work, we know we were a 'challenging' client and we are thrilled with the result that you generated for us.
You promised us a customer focused service and that's exactly what you delivered!
We wish you every success for the remainder of the year.
Best wishes Liz & Carl".
WE FELT FROM THE START THAT HE WOULD DO ALL HE COULD TO PROTECT OUR INTERESTS
We chose John Wills as our agent after reading the feedback he has received and meeting him a couple of times. He brought us a good clean offer after 2 open homes and sold our house within 3 days of listing. John showed confidence but at the same time was always realistic concerning all aspects of our property. He understood our situation and what we were aiming for. We felt from the start that he would do all he could to protect our interests compared to other real estate companies where we felt we would be just another addition to their already extensive register of listings.
His professionalism, efficiency and excellent communication are second to none. We can’t recommend him more pressingly!
P & J Raynal, St Marys Bay
June 2010
UNDERSTANDS HOW PEOPLE BUY HOUSES
“We made the decision to list with John as he talked to us about people and the way they buy houses, not about himself, and throughout the process he continued to demonstrate his understanding of this.
He was easy to deal with, did everything he said he’d do and most importantly, achieved a result that we are very happy with. We found ourselves in a position of having to make a big decision about accepting an offer pre-auction or waiting for the auction to run. We needed John’s advice and we trusted him to guide us in the right direction.
John’s level of experience, professionalism and communication made the process easy for us. He’s totally dedicated to the job and when we sent him away to go and get more money on a Saturday night, he got it.”
S.R. Ponsonby
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
Thank you for your call (this evening) to advise that I was the successful purchaser, and for keeping me informed and updated throughout all of this process. In my past experience as a buyer, I’ve not come across an agent who thinks to keep the buyer as much in the loop as their vendor. These kinds of principles are a breath of fresh air in the industry and I guess what set Custom apart from its competitors. It helps anxiety levels when an agent just phones.
J. C. - Ponsonby resident
I CONTINUE TO BE VERY HAPPY WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE SALE
I fully recommend Jason’s work. I have been able to observe his approach for over 5 years so he was the natural choice for me when it came to selling my property in February 2010. He was utterly professional, transparent and energetic at every stage of the process - from first meeting to follow-up with both myself as vendor and with the purchaser. He reported to me frequently. This helped me to trust the process and the outcome. I continue to be very happy with the outcome of the sale.
Taruni Falconer
CUSTOM RESIDENTIAL MAY NOT BE THE BIGGEST BUT THEY GO THE FURTHEST
The team at Custom residential went over and above for the sale of my properties. I live overseas and so they willing offered to do many things that an owner would normally do. I can't speak highly enough of the efforts they went to, to get the end result. Custom Residential may not be the biggest but they go the furthest.
Jayne Ansin.
May 2010
LISTENED TO OUR EXPECTATIONS AND DIDN'T PRESSURE US TO DISCOUNT THE PRICE IN ORDER TO MAKE THE SALE!
"Jeanne and Steve were great to deal with on the sale of our house. They gave excellent advice on marketing and presentation and came in with a clear strategy from the start.
They also were easy to access and communicate with throughout the whole process. We were also very relieved that they listened to our expectations and didn't pressure us to discount the price in order to make the sale!
The end result was a fast sale to the ideal buyer at a price we were happy with. Thanks!"
M. W. K. - Vendor
April 2010
THE SAME ENERGY GOES INTO SMALL AND LARGE PROPERTIES ALIKE
Dear Sue and Dan, thanks so much for a such a quick and positive result on the sale of my property.
Your attention to detail and up front marketing programme brought in the right buyer in a very short space of time, resulting in multiple offers over one weekend and ultimately a cash unconditional sale!
Thanks Dan for the extra effort in making sure the entry and surroundings were well presented to give the best possible first impression.
I very much appreciate that the same energy goes into small and large properties alike and that was certainly proven by the dedication you both put into the cause!
Again ... thank you ... you guys rock!
Rebekah Andrae - Ponsonby
GOOD EXPERIENCE
Jeanne was proactive and worked hard for us. She sourced the buyer from her investment database and we had a very pleasing result and the good experience that everyone wants when they sell.
M & R - Vendors
WARMTH AND PROFESSIONALISM THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS
Sue Hatton has been exceptional in her dealings with the selling of John St. The warmth and professionalism shown throughout the entire process has been excellent and very reassuring.
Her feedback was prompt and honest, and her genuine interest and unfailing enthusiasm greatly appreciated.
I couldn't have asked for a better agent to represent my house, and deliver such a fantastic result.
R. Taylor - Ponsonby
I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND NIC BLACKIE
AND CUSTOM RESIDENTIAL TO ANYONE
Nic managed the sale of my property in a professional and straight up manner. Within two weeks of commissioning her services I received two excellent offers. With Nic’s assistance liaising between varying legal parties, the purchasers and myself she helped make what could have been a difficult sale go unconditional very quickly. Nic listened to what I needed from the sale and my circumstances and worked hard to provide me with the result I had asked for.
I would highly recommend Nic Blackie and Custom Residential to anyone who is looking to sell their home as they know their market, are approachable, sincere and results driven.
Susan Sterne- Grey Lynn
March 2010
HIGH STANDARDS OF INTEGRITY, PROFESSIONALISM AND HONESTY
This is my second opportunity to recommend Jason Trowbridge’s services. This time, nobody could believe that our house was sold in only two days. But it was not just a case of good luck - it happened because we had the best real estate agent on the job.
Jason planned everything impeccably, made all the preparations and worked his magic with passion and unfailing good humour. He also worked extremely hard, bringing into play his years of experience, astute observation, impeccable judgement and an extraordinary degree of dedication and focus. The result: a fast, unconditional sale at a great price.
Jason works always with high standards of integrity, professionalism and honesty. He conducts business with a transparency, charm, sensitivity and genuine warmth.
These intangible elements are invaluable at a time when you need to be moving forward with the next stage of life, as I was. Jason was aware of how emotional it was to be selling a loved family home, and took every opportunity to minimise any potential stress. I wholeheartedly recommend Jason Trowbridge to anybody selling their home.
Lisa Lark - Ponsonby
ALL OVER AND ABOVE THE CALL OF DUTY!
Hi Scott and Rose, thank you so much for all your help with selling 88 John Street. Mum and Dad have obviously kept me up to date with the outcome of the auction yesterday, which we are really pleased with, and which we know is attributable in large part to your professionalism and hard work.
Not only that, we also really appreciate all the things you did assisting with staging the house, the extra housekeeping and dealing with pesky doors and alarms - all over and above the call of duty! You've both been a complete pleasure to deal with.
Best regards, Sharon McGrath - Ponsonby
PROFESSIONAL BUT APROACHABLE
AND WITH INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE
As first-time home sellers we were apprehensive about the whole process of selling our home, especially because it was a home that had been in the family for over 40 years.
We chose Nic Blackie at Custom Residential because her name kept coming up in conversations with neighbours and friends in the area. She is highly regarded and we soon found out why.
Nic is professional but approachable. She has intimate knowledge of the area, its surrounds and its market.
For sure we asked many simple and probably naive questions but Nic indulged us with her patient explanations every time. Her information and feedback was always timely and honest. Above all, we felt we could trust her and that we were in good hands.
It was also a nice to see Nic’s management and colleagues there at auction day supporting her and us in our moment of truth.
I can’t thank Nic enough for guiding us through it all with a very good result. When we’re ready to purchase another home, we’ll be calling Nic Blackie.
We wish Nic and the team at Custom Residential all the very best.
Joyce & Alex Fantoni - Grey Lynn
WE MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE IN SUE HATTON AND CUSTOM RESIDENTIAL
We had spent the last 5 years carefully renovating our home in Herne Bay and were always going to be pretty choosy about who we engaged to sell our home. Initially we were impressed with the Custom Residential philosophy, and the fact that they are not just one of the large franchise operators.
After a successful campaign and a great result at auction, we now know without a shadow of a doubt that we made the right choice in Sue Hatton and Custom Residential. The standard of advertising, Sue's energy and enthusiasm during the whole campaign were unparalleled in our experience. Our thanks to Sue and the whole team at Custom for all their hard work and service during the sale of our home.
Garry and Phil - Herne Bay
TO THE POINT, HONEST, TENACIOUS & EFFECTIVE
We had found a property we wished to purchase, and wanted a quick sale on our current property, and a good price, to allow us to do so.
Sue Hatton delivered results almost immediately. Within three days Sue had shown a dozen parties through and had obtained multiple cash unconditional offers. One offer was particularly good and another was an area record!
We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Sue to anyone wanting to sell their property. Sue is direct, to the point, open, honest, communicative, tenacious and effective. She delivered a result for us beyond what we realistically expected, all while operating within a set of constraints we imposed on her.
If you want to sell you house and get an excellent result, talk to Sue.
S.R. - Herne Bay
February 2010
ATTENTION TO EVERY DETAIL
Jason, just a quick note of thanks for completing the sale of our Summer Street property. We are delighted with the result.
I realise the timing was not ideal when we made the decision to sell just prior to Christmas but your advise was correct. Although we only had a short timeframe you managed to get us on market very quickly, pause when the festive season was in full swing, and get things sorted again by the end January as we discussed.
The extra marketing push and your timing were terrific, as was the attention to making sure we had the property in the right physical shape and value band to ensure we moved forward quickly.
I know you had huge volume of enquiry to deal with and in the end the timing and terms of the sale reflected that effort.
Again thanks for your attention to every detail and I look forward to the next one.
Russ Hewitt - Ponsonby
SUE D IS A TRUE GENIE OF SALES
Sue D has been amazing to deal with from start to finish. Her genuine, honest and calming approach to what became a frantic multi offer situation gave me confidence in my potential purchase. This resulted in me winning the offer and unconditional two days later! Whirlwind. It is rare to get a real estate agent whom I truely believe worked both vendor and purchaser (me) to get the best result for both.
I cant believe I am so thankfull for spending more money than I thought I would and happy to part with it in the process of securing my new home and beginning! Sue is a true Genie of sales and will be the first person I contact whenever I sell any of my properties. Thanks Sue D!
December 2009
WHAT MORE CAN I SAY?
Nic was aware that my daughter and son-in-law were returning from London in December to enjoy a summer in their rental property before putting it on the market in the New Year.
She approached me to view the house in order to prepare a sales proposal and plan.
I felt that was showing initiative and agreed to meet her there. It seemed that the house would be perfect for some very qualified buyers she had been working with…
Two days later Nic presented two excellent offers. Within ten days of our initial meeting the house was not only sold but settled and the money in the bank!
What more can I say...
J Walters - Grey Lynn
WITH YOUR HELP WE JUST GOT ON WITH IT
Nic, I thank you very much for helping us to sell our home so promptly. I really appreciate the way that you went about dealing with us because we are quite private people and extremely busy and you supported us in that very well. With your help we limited the drama and just got on with it.
The mowing of our lawns for the photo shoot really sealed it for me as to knowing that you were the right person who deserved to be selling our home. I will recommend you to anyone who asks, of course and know that you are going to do extremely well.
D.A. - Grey Lynn
IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST AND PAINLESSLY
Hi Scott, thanks for all your hard work selling the house, it was the best house selling experience I've ever had! Thanks to Rose too. I'm really happy it all happened so fast and painlessly.
B.R. – Westmere
ULTIMATELY IT WAS A SIMPLE PROCESS
Even before signing up with Custom Residential I enjoyed the benefit of Rose's expertise in relation to the purchase of the property to which I am moving.
Having secured a new home, it was necessary to ensure my current property sold as quickly as possible, Rose and Scott immediately swung into action. My house was on the market in less than a week.
Despite a tight timeframe, it sold only 18 days after being listed. I found both agents to be highly responsive, professional and knowledgable. Importantly, I felt I was listened to at all times and that their advice was honest and well-thought through.
Ultimately, selling my house proved to be a simple process - as a vendor, you can ask for no more.
E.T - Ponsonby
November 2009
DEFINITELY SOMEONE WE COULD TRUST
Dealing with Nic was fabulous. She established an easy/open relationship with us very quickly and we felt totally comfortable with her campaign plan.
Nic was extremely professional throughout the process and went to every effort to ensure we got he best out of our property -even offering to help out with the weeding!!
She kept us informed at every stage and her understanding of her local market was critical when it came to advising us in terms of price-setting our expectations and getting the right people-namely our buyer to auction.
We were thoroughly impressed with Nic and highly recommend her to anyone seeking an honest, fresh approach.
Definitely someone we could relate to on a personal level and above all trust.
Jo Lee - Grey Lynn
QUICKLY, UNOBTRUSIVELY & AN EXCELLENT PRICE
We are so pleased we chose Custom Residential for the recent sale of our home.
Our sale was brought on by a sudden change in family circumstances. John Wills and Dan Reed were extremely sensitive to our special circumstances and acted both quickly and unobtrusively to achieve an excellent price.
Thank you Custom.
Mary Egan and Gerard Reid - Pt Chevalier
MADE US FEEL AS IF WE WERE HER COMPLETE FOCUS
Thanks so much to Custom Residential and in particular, Sue Hatton.
Throughout the entire sales process, Sue’s dedication and motivation to sell our home was tireless. Sue’s passion for her job shines through and certainly contributed to ensuring a fantastic result.
We have been extremely impressed with Sue’s professionalism and above all else, her honesty. Sue kept us in the loop at all times and she made us feel as though we were her complete focus and that her sole aim was to get us the best result possible.
We would have no hesitation to recommend Sue to all of our friends and we have told anyone who has asked how fabulous she is at her job. Sue knows the Avenues like the back of her hand, which was the perfect fit for us for the sale of our home.
Sue - Thanks for making the first big step for us to return to Melbourne so easy. It’s too bad you don’t work in Australia as we’d love to have you sell and then buy our next home in Melbourne.
Amanda and David Edwards
Wanganui Avenue - Herne Bay
OPTIMISTIC AND DETERMINED
Dan Reed acted as our Real Estate Agent in recent weeks, selling our house in Point Chevalier. We were impressed by his optimistic attitude and determination in an uncertain market.
He has always been professional but has managed to remain very approachable and helpful, working often in the evenings and every weekend at our Open Homes.
He also went out of his way to make things less stressful for us, for which we have been very grateful.
We would not hesitate to recommend him to others looking to buy or sell their house.
Dominic Barson and Candida Fox - Pt Chevalier
SOLD FASTER AND FOR MORE THAN WE EXPECTED
We would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to Custom Residential for their efficient handling of the sale of our home. We are especially appreciative of Rex Worthington for his professionalism and commitment to the sale of our property.
Not only did Rex sell our house much faster than we expected - he also sold it for more $’s than we had hoped for. It has been a pleasure to deal with someone of Rex’s caliber and experience and his sound advice has been invaluable.
We would not hesitate to call on Rex and Custom Residential to sell our home again for us in the future.
Thanks again guys!
Craig & Lisa Cramond
October 2009
STRESS FREE!
We are very pleased with the way Nic Blackie has handled the sale of our property. We found her to be really professional, warm and friendly. We still can't believe the sale was handled so quickly and efficiently. We highly recommend Nic to assist in the sale of your home. Thanks you again for the stress-free experience.
S.+ P. - Mt Eden
STRESSFUL SITUATION BECAME SO EASY
I was excited when asked to write a reference letter for Nic Blackie for several reasons. I wanted the world to know how Nic turned a seemingly stressful situation into an easy process. I was six months pregnant when we put our house in the market with Custom Residential, as we needed more space for our ever-expanding family.
Nic had such a high level of commitment, was respectful and showed initiative with great attention to detail.
We couldn’t believe the turn out at the auction, incredible. I can’t recommend her highly enough. Nic made it all so easy.
R.W. - Grey Lynn
YOUR HONESTY AND INTEGRITY IS SUCH AN ASSET
Sue, we would like to thank you so much for your commitment and dedication to achieving such a fantastic result for us at Wanganui Ave.
We have been extremely impressed with your focus, energy and professionalism. Your continued communication during the selling process made it stress-free and a pleasure to sell our home in such an unknown market.
Sue, your honesty and integrity is such an asset, this quality is one that will make you very succesful in your career.
We would have no hesitation to contact you again and entrust our home to you knowing that another great result will be achieved.
Wishing you all the best.
Marius Germishuyzen and Sharon Laffan - Herne Bay
SOLD 100% OF THE STOCK
Rose Kirkwood has been the primary agent responsible for selling apartments in two projects I am involved in, one in Upper Queen street in Auckland and the other in Takapuna on the North Shore.
The project has been difficult to manage because there are several key stakeholders involved, often with different expectations. Rose has navigated her way through this situation with integrity and skill. She has managed to sell 100% of the stock in the project in Upper Queen Street at prices that were pleasing given the market and the amount of stock for sale. She managed all qualified buyers and delivered a good result.
Her continued commitment to keeping communications regular and informative has been excellent which has made managing my stakeholders far easier. At times she has dealt with difficult situations between myself and my funders and continued to drive positive outcomes.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Rose as the lead sales agent for any person or project no matter how big or small.
Tristram Van der Meijden
Director - Westend Consulting Limited
TOTALLY ON TOP OF YOUR GAME
Rose, thank you very much for selling our Princes Wharf apartment.
Thanks for all the hard work and the well-targeted marketing.
You were totally on top of your game and made our selling experience easy in a really tough market.
You were respectful of our needs, mindful of our time frame and extremely generous with all advice and support. We especially appreciate your efforts in keeping us informed of progress every week.
Rose achieved a successful sale in an incredibly short time. If you want to sell your property without hassle and get the price you want Rose is the one.
Wendy Sigvetsen and Garry Schultze - Auckland Viaduct
INVALUABLE ADVICE
Thank you, Sue and Kerri, once again for achieving a great result for us and so quickly - it has made our move less stressful. And thank you for your good advice - it was invaluable. It was great working with someone so enthusiastic and passionate, and knowledgeable about real estate.
Keep up the great work - we wish you every success in the future.
Ali and Rob - Herne Bay
HONEST, DOWN-TO-EARTH, REFRESHING
Nic, thanks so much for all your help with our house sale in Grey Lynn. From day one to after our house sold, your professional, honest, down-to-earth advice was refreshing and I'm sure that all of our prospective buyers appreciated this too and that is so important. We would definitely recommend you and Custom Residential again.
All the best.
Tara and Tom Wellby - Grey Lynn
September 2009
A FINE EXAMPLE OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE
"I write to thank you and your team at Custom Residential for your efforts and expertise in relation to the sale of 9 Dryden Street, which is owned by an Estate where I am the executor.
I have been in legal practice in Auckland as a property lawyer for 40 years. It is against this background of many years of experience that I express my gratitude on behalf of the charity which is the major beneficiary of the Estate.
I have been extremely impressed by your organisation and my client has benefited from your hard work.
I have been particularly impressed by your property consultants Sieva Jackson and Nic Blackie. I have been struck by their focused attention to detail, their energy and their engaging personalities.
They have relieved me of a great deal of worry in working through the sales process as executor and I am grateful for this. What could otherwise have been a stressful and difficult pre and post auction process, ran extremely smoothly and delivered a very good outcome.
Your company sets a fine example of professional expertise and, in my view as a lawyer, takes the real estate profession positively forward. I am sure Custom Residential has a great future."
Warwick Wright
Principal
RAINEY COLLINS WRIGHT
THIS WAS OUTSTANDING!
"Earlier this year we met Nic Blackie at several Open Homes conducted by her company, Custom Residential. Her personality, presentation and professionalism were obvious on every occasion and when we decided to sell our house at 10 Murdoch Road, Grey Lynn, we had no hesitation in asking her to market the property for us.
Nic impressed us with her approach to the task, particularly in the current volatile and unpredictable real estate environment. Not only did she display sound technical knowledge and skill, she also had networks and strong personal relationships that are essential when selling a property.
To our surprise and delight, we had a sound and attractive agreement signed within three days, settlement one month. This was outstanding.
Nic's honesty, integrity and dedication were greatly appreciated. Her ability to manage the numerous competing demands of the sale process, keep us happy and steer the matter to a successful outcome, is a talent not shared by many in her profession.
If the opportunity arose, we would not hesitate to employ Nic again. It was a pleasure to work with her. We have no doubt that she will continue a successful career in real estate. We wish her every success and look forward to keeping in touch on a personal level."
P. Faire & M. Bryson - Grey Lynn
ALL I HAD TO DO WAS SIT BACK & SAY "THANK YOU"
"I have just sold my house and it was the most enjoyable experience. I was introduced to Dan Reed and Custom Residential.
Dan took all the worries and strain out of the process. Selling a house can be a mine field, but Dan saw to everything all I had to do was sit back and say: Thank you."
H.F.B. - Pt Chev Vendor
August 2009
WE UNRESERVEDLY RECOMMEND YOU
"After being impressed by Nic's warm and professional manner at an open home, we were impressed again after we discussed listing our property with her.
Nic is truly a pleasure to deal with as a vendor, and judging by her ability to present multiple offers leading to the quick sale of our apartment in a depressed market in the middle of winter we can only assume the buyers agree!
Thanks again Nic, it was a pleasure to meet you and have you sell our apartment, we unreservedly recommend you to others!"
M.D. Grey Lynn - Vendor
PERSEVERANCE AND DETERMINATION
"Nic Blackie showed levels of perseverance and determination in getting our apartment sold which was refreshing.
Two months of open homes in the middle of winter every Saturday and Sunday, and despite the gloom being felt by the vendors, Nic would walk in the door full of cheer and optimism.
Ours was never going to be an easy sale but we quickly realised that if anyone could sell it Nic could!"
K.S. Grey Lynn - Vendor
YOU UNDERSTOOD US
"I wanted to say that we have enjoyed the experience of selling with you.
We chose Custom Residential because we wanted to support a new and localised business that is reflective of what we are fundamentally about, with our new business, Art and Object.
We were so passionate about our home and wanted to find a buyer who fell in love with what we had invested in, our style, love, vision, and of course, be able to build and create their own future development of the property.
So it was immensely important to us to find an agent that could relay that to the buyer and make the process incredibly amicable.We had absolute confidence with Nic to present this to the deserving owners.
We felt that you understood us, and our future requirements and have made a concerted effort to find us our next home.
We would (and have) gladly recommended you and Custom Residential to our friends and colleagues."
E.M. Westmere - Vendor
July 2009
HATS OFF TO SUE AND KERRI!
"Having unconditionally bought before we had even decided to sell, we turned to John Wills and the Custom Residential team as we liked their fresh, customer centric approach.
Even better, John is a person you can actually talk to - someone who relates and will listen. So, here we are, in a seller situation with a number of real-estate firms as options to sell our property in ‘The Avenues' in Herne Bay. We had always favoured John so we gave the Custom team a shot on a very, very compressed time-table.
John was away and introduced us to Sue and Kerri. Little did we know, that we would get double teamed! We gave them the "go" on the Friday of Queen's birthday weekend. We went away, and came back on the Monday night to 2 qualified, ‘clean' offers. We negotiated with 1 buyer and had it all signed up and unconditional within 7 days.
As vendors, and having bought and sold a few times before, I was very impressed - we were constantly kept abreast of where things were at. I have no doubt that Sue and Kerri got the best price for us at the time - they had the qualified buyers and the knowledge, passion and enthusiasm to make it happen.
Selling in a perceived slow market needs strong, capable, resolute people - John, Sue and Kerri are those people."
M.M. Herne Bay - Vendor
FANTASTIC JOB
"I have already had a talk with a few of my colleagues and told them what a fantastic job Custom Residential did. I am enthusiastic to use Si and Nic and the team at CR on any property that I may have in the future."
G.B. Grey Lynn - Vendor
DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT
"Dan contacted me after he noticed I had numerous attempts at selling my property.
After my previous experiences I quickly realised that Dan and the team at Custom Residential had a unique friendly approach to Real Estate, so I felt very much at ease listing my home of fifteen years with them.
Dan's dedication and commitment to selling my home gave me the confidence I had made the right decision and after 6 weeks of viewings my house was sold.
I wholeheartedly recommend Dan to anybody in the Point Chevalier area who is considering selling and the name 'Custom' really does suit how they operate."
R.J. Pt Chevalier - Vendor
NO BULL
"Thank you for all your prompt action, your focus on completing the sale never wavered, well done. No bull shit either, which I love, just pure commitment. Our sincere thanks for all your hard work."
A.M. Herne Bay - Vendor
ACHIEVED A PRICE BEYOND EXPECTATION
"I can't believe how quickly Sue sold my apartment! Her professionalism and efficiency led to a quick result which minimised my marketing costs and achieved the price beyond our expectations. Sue is friendly, capable and we would definitely engage her in the future, and recommend her to our friends and family. Thanks Sue!"
F.F. - VENDOR
June 2009
THEY ACTUALLY ARE DIFFERENT
"Custom Residential say they're different and we were delighted to discover they actually are different!
From our 1st friendly email conversations, our entire engagement with Sue has been fantastic. Sue impressed us with her outgoing and proactive approach - she acknowledged our needs, personalised her service, and exceeded all of our expectations - AND delivered a fabulous sale result within a week of listing!
We've loved meeting Sue and absolutely recommend her and Custom Residential to anyone thinking of listing their property. Sue understands that selling your property is a big deal and that makes all the difference."
S+S+N Ponsonby - Vendor
May 2009
THE PERFECT CHOICE
"We have known Sue for several years and have always found her to be both professional and personal at the same time.
She has shown an interest in our family, our children and the changing needs of our family unit. Over the years she has shown us properties which have been for sale, keeping in touch and maintaining contact.
This made her the perfect choice for the real estate salesperson to sell our home.
Once again she understood our needs, and developed a personalised marketing campaign to suit us. She worked diligently with buyers to bring us constructive feedback regarding the current market, and ultimately achieving an excellent sales result for our home.
Sue knows the local area, is in touch with buyer's feedback, and will stop at nothing to achieve a positive result for all concerned."
S.B. & D.C. - Westmere
DECIDING ON THE RIGHT AGENT WAS SERIOUS BUSINESS FOR US
"Deciding on the right agent to sell our renovated Grey Lynn villa was serious business for us. After much research what tipped the scale was not only were Nic and John successful in the area and professional in their approach, they were genuinely good people! We could see they appreciated the blood sweat and tears that had gone into making the property what it was.
We often saw Nic working around the area and while always friendly and available to talk, she gave us the space we wanted to finish the project- further cementing in our minds her priorities laid with doing what was best for us.
Throughout the whole marketing process Nic and John were extremely professional, approachable and diligent in their follow up something strongly supported by our friends and family who quietly viewed the property throughout the period. We were very impressed with the effort and quality work they produced culminating in a huge auction day and a great result for us.
We are now able to move on to our next project and highly recommend Nic and John to any vendor who seeks an agent prepared to do the hard work, cover all bases and drive hard to achieve the best possible result for the homeowner."
H.H. Grey Lynn - Vendor
GREAT RESULTS IN AN UNSTABLE MARKET
"We are really pleased with a swift and excellent deal from Kerri and John. The team at Custom are very motivated and able to produce great results in an unstable market."
R.V. Ponsonby - Vendor
WE COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER OUTCOME
"Nic, thanks again for all your hard work and efforts over these past weeks and especially today. It's all quite surreal and we still can't quite believe it as it's all happened so quickly and without any stress. I don't think we could have asked for a better outcome really, the approach and strategies you put in place were perfect. Mum just got the best Mother's Day present ever!"
S.T. Grey Lynn - Vendor
April 2009
REFRESHING APPROACH
"On a personal note, I wanted to convey how refreshing I found your approach to this whole process: you and your team were not only thoroughly professional, but also extremely nice people who I felt genuinely cared about our needs."
J.B. Freeman's Bay - Vendor
March 2009
PASSION, ENERGY AND PRAGMATISM
"As a residential real estate investor, I have dealt with many real estate agents over the years.
John Wills and the extended team at Custom did an outstanding job for me, even before the word "go".
John impressed me with his passion, his (positive) energy and pragmatism, the latter a rare occurrence amongst most real estate agents, as well as his "hunger" to be able to represent and sell my properties.
Within a time frame of 4 weeks the (multiple) properties were marketed by John Wills and Nic Blackie AND sold on the same day via auction in March ‘09!
The next time I sell another of my properties I will most certainly give John & the Custom Residential Team 'first right of refusal'..."
A.S. Herne Bay - Vendor
February 2009
MY BEST INTERESTS AT HEART
"I chose John Wills at Custom Residential because he has a reputation for being honest, reliable and totally committed to his job.
When he marketed and sold my Schofield Street property recently, this is exactly how I found him to be.
I was staggered when he created a multi-offer situation and presented me with 5 individual offers at 9.30 on a Tuesday night.
We negotiated with the best one and had a contract by 10.30 that same evening.
I really felt that John had my best interests at heart and I would definitely use him again."
P.B.
January 2009
SERIOUS ABOUT ACHIEVING THE BEST RESULT
"I listed with John Wills at Custom Residential because he is a proven local specialist.
To date he has sold 6 of my properties (all local) and has achieved great results.
We had 52 groups view the property on the first weekend of open homes and John presented me with an unconditional offer straight after the weekend.
Prior to that, he had bought buyers to the property on Christmas Eve and right through the holiday period while I was away.
John is easy to deal with and serious about achieving the best result he can.
I'd recommend him to anyone in the local area."
P.L. - Herne Bay Resident
UNDERSTOOD OUR REQUIREMENTS & WORKED DILIGENTLY
"Given the economic climate my wife and I were unsure of whether we wanted to enter the property market late last year. However, after meeting Kerri, things just seemed to flow; eventuating in the purchase of our new home.
Kerri made the search for what we wanted effortless and constantly kept in touch with the details that counted. She understood our requirements and worked diligently to only provide us with suitable homes to view. Above all else Kerri listened which was so important as the process was a daunting one.
Kerri's natural personality was a pleasure to deal with and I would recommend her to any others contemplating a purchase in real estate."
A.L.
CONSISTENTLY GOOD RESULTS
"We interviewed a number of local agents and our decision to use John was based on his open and down-to-earth approach and the consistently good results that he had achieved with what we considered to be the lion's share of sales in the area. John achieved a great price and continued to be responsive and helpful following the sale."
R. & L. G. - former Ponsonby Residents
UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARKET
"Sue sold my property in Westmere. I had contacted her as I had been impressed with the success of her past marketing campaigns in the area.
I have been impressed with her professionalism and understanding of the market and her skill in positioning properties to attract the right buyers. She was honest in her appraisal and recommendations for marketing my property and made the whole process run very smoothly for me. It has not been the easiest of times to sell a property and I have appreciated Sue's positive attitude and high level of motivation to achieve a successful result.
I have been very happy with her service and the result and would not hesitate to recommend Sue to others looking for a proactive, professional and customer focused approach".
P. N. - Vendor
WE COULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED A BETTER RESULT
"We have both bought and sold through John Wills; on each occasion we experienced an open and honest relationship combined with a consistent level of professionalism. We felt comfortable with John's advice and do not believe that we could have achieved a better result through anybody else."
J. & K. - former Herne Bay residents
ABSOLUTELY EXEMPLARY
"Dear Sue, I am writing to express my gratitude for your assistance and support in facilitating the recent sale of my property. I found your direct manner and positive attitude to be a huge asset. Your sincerity in dealing with myself and my partner was outstanding. The concise and detailed approach you took to documentation and advertising was also first-rate. The expeditious manner in which the whole process was completed was very impressive and overall I found your demeanour, cognizance of the market and the industry as a whole, and sales ability absolutely exemplary in every fashion.
To this end, Sue, I wish to both thank and congratulate you for a job done with impeccable deportment and professionalism."
D.J. Vendor
HE HANDLED ALL ASPECTS OF THE SALE
"After facing the proposition of moving back to Sydney very quickly we were faced with the prospect of selling our home in Islington Street as soon as possible. We entrusted this task to John Wills and we are extremely pleased that we did. After only three open homes John sold our home for a great result. He handled all aspects of the sale with great professionalism. We felt very comfortable with leaving every detail of the sale for John to handle and we're not disappointed. We would highly recommend John to anyone thinking of selling their home as he can achieve an amazing result.
Thanks very much John. We were very relieved to be able to leave so much up to you after we left. We hope you have a great future and wish you all the best."
P. & L. former Ponsonby residents - Vendors
I CANNOT FAULT HER
"Sue Hatton recently acted for me as my real estate agent in the successful sale of my property at 95 John Street, Ponsonby. I can highly recommend Sue as an agent, she was thoroughly professional throughout the marketing campaign and she brought to it a level of enthusiasm which I am sure conveyed itself to members of the public viewing the property.
Sue kept me informed of all interest in the property, she followed up each and every person who viewed it and I cannot fault the manner in which she tirelessly ensured that everyone was engaged in the sale process.
She ensured that the marketing of the property was carried out with the utmost exposure in the target market and this was evidenced by the incredible auction result ultimately.
Sue was always available for me to contact and was extremely supportive of me as a vendor. She responded to every anxiety and query with empathy, while at the same time being direct and giving her honest opinion.
D.N. Ponsonby - Vendor
A GREAT PRICE IN RECORD TIME
"We found John to be a very approachable and professional person to deal with. He was a very patient sounding board (and freely gave his expert opinion) for at least six months before we finally put our property on the market. True to his legend he got a great price in record time. John specialises in the local (Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay) market and it shows with a good knowledge and a good database of clients. We have recommended John to a number of our friends and collegues and we will enroll his services again."
S. & L. - former Ponsonby residents
TRACK RECORD IN THE AVENUES
"I decided on John to sell my Ardmore Road property because of his track record in the Avenues. In this very difficult market he had the property under contract an hour before the first open home. I am very happy with John's performance and ecstatic with the price achieved. I have no hesitation in recommending John to maximise your return on the sale of your home."
M.B. former Herne Bay resident - Vendor
IT IS CLEAR HE KNOWS HIS MARKET
"We bought and sold in the Avenues through John and have been more than pleased with the process and the results. We knew John does actually actively market his properties to a list of interested people, as in the past he had proactively called us to advise us of properties that were coming on to the market.
His approach and manner throughout the process was informative and immediate but at the same time unpressured and he gave us confidence in his ability to deliver. John's traits and approach were much appreciated in a process that can often be time consuming and stressfull. It is clear he knows his market - we recommend him."
M.M. - Vendor
HONEST AND ENTHUSIASTIC APPROACH
"After speaking to a number of local real estate agents, I decided to entrust the sale of our much loved home in Ardmore Road to John Wills. He impressed me with his honest and enthusiastic approach and within a very short space of time he was successful in finding a buyer at an optimum price.
I believe John works hard to achieve a successful outcome in the minimum amount of time, with minimum cost and disruption to the vendor and at the maximum selling price possible.
I have no hesitation in recommending him."
S.V. former Ardmore Road resident - Vendor
NON-ABRASIVE BUT KEEN NEGOTIATION SKILLS
"Having seen John Wills achieve great results in the Herne Bay Avenues, we approached him to sell our family home at 75 Wanganui Avenue. We immediately felt that John appreciated the unique attributes of our property and would be easy to work with. We were also convinced that our sale would benefit from his experience in the area, his knowledge of current buyers, and his non-abrasive but keen negotiation skills.
John kept us fully updated throughout the preparation, promotion & open home process. An offer was forthcoming within days of us going to market and we sold the property in under a week.
It was a pleasure to work with John. If you have a property in the Avenues or nearby, we would not hesitate to recommend him."
R. + H.T. former Wanganui Avenue residents - Vendor
IT WAS AN OBVIOUS CHOICE
"We met John while attending one of his open homes in 2004. He immediately impressed us with the way in which he presented the property, his knowledge of the vendor's home and of the surrounding area, commonly referred to as 'The Avenues'.
John has maintained contact with us over the years so it was an obvious choice to engage John in the marketing and sales process of our home.
The result of his campaign was 60 groups through the open home in 3 viewing days, several solid offers and 1 unconditional sale. Number of days on the market - 6!!
With any sales of course comes a need for a purchase and it was no coincidence that the home we purchased was also being marketed by John. Its location? The Avenues of course!
Genuine, professional and trustworthy. We recommend him."
T.M. Herne Bay resident - Vendor
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