Sometimes helping clients find a home is just the beginning of the relationship.
Last year, we helped a lovely American family relocate to the Brighton area with their pets.
Their rental search wasn’t entirely straightforward. Their financial circumstances needed careful explanation, and competition for suitable properties was strong.
We guided them through the financial and referencing requirements, arranged viewings and even prepared them for an interview with a prospective landlord, who was choosing between two applicants.
The preparation paid off. The family secured the property and settled into their new life in the UK.
Fast-forward just over a year…
The family got back in touch. This time, they weren’t looking to rent. They wanted to buy a home in the same area and asked for our help through our Property Buying Advisory Service.
Before establishing Pets Lets, I spent many years working as a property buying agent, so it was lovely to be able to help the same family with the next chapter of their property journey.
We discussed the UK buying process, reviewed properties they were viewing and, when they found a house they loved, put together a strategy to secure it.
Knowing When to Walk Away
The challenge was that the family had a firm purchasing limit based on their mortgage borrowing and affordability.
After several rounds of negotiations with the estate agent, their highest offer was rejected by the seller.
My advice? Leave the offer on the table, walk away and give the seller some time to think.
The family were heading off on holiday anyway, so the timing worked rather well.
The estate agent continued to push for a higher offer, but I advised the family to stand firm. We made it clear that they were happy to look at other properties when they returned.
And then, just 48 hours later, the call came.
The seller had accepted their offer.
No increase. No stretching their finances. Just a little patience and a carefully considered negotiating strategy.
Getting All the Pieces of the Jigsaw Together
Of course, having an offer accepted is only part of the buying process.
We continued to support the family through their mortgage application, survey and conveyancing, with regular WhatsApp calls to discuss progress, questions and any concerns along the way.
There was another important piece of the puzzle, too.
Their existing landlord was interested in selling the property they were renting, so we discussed how best to approach him about their plans to move.
Thankfully, the relationship was a good one. The landlord was understanding and flexible over their notice period, helping everything come together.
More Than Just Finding a Property
What started as helping an American family find a pet-friendly rental in Brighton became a much longer relationship, culminating in helping them buy their own home.
There were plenty of moving parts, from financial preparation and landlord negotiations to mortgage advice, surveys, solicitors and managing the timing of their move.
But that’s often what good property advice is about. Not simply finding the right home, but knowing how to secure it and navigate everything that follows.
And the nicest part?
As the clients said: “We could not have done it without you!”
At Pets Lets, we help clients both rent and buy properties across London and the wider UK, bringing together over 30 years of property experience with a genuine understanding of the challenges of moving home with pets.
Pets Lets – Where Pets Call Home.
