A First-Home Buying Experience Made So Much Easier by James Ellis

I can’t recommend James highly enough. Buying my first home was a huge and scary experience, especially being based in Auckland while searching in Christchurch. James went above and beyond to make the process easy and manageable. While I was in Auckland, he personally viewed properties for me and video called me via WhatsApp so I could see the houses in real time. This gave me confidence to narrow down options without travelling for every viewing. When I travelled to Christchurch for two days, James had around 14 suitable properties lined up. He organised everything so well that my short trip was extremely productive and economical, ultimately leading me to the home I chose to make an offer on, which was accepted! James was incredibly supportive throughout the process, gave great advice, explained things clearly and made what could have been an overwhelming transaction much easier to understand. As a first-home buyer, that reassurance was invaluable. The only thing I would have appreciated was more encouragement to consider negotiating the purchase price. In the excitement of finding a home and having my offer accepted, I overlooked this and paid the full asking price. Looking back, I wish James had prompted me to consider whether there was room to negotiate. That said, this was a very small part of an otherwise exceptional experience. Even after settlement, James went the extra mile by doing a walk-through to ensure everything was in order and working as it should. This showed how committed he was to looking after me, not just getting the sale across the line. James was professional, responsive, knowledgeable, genuinely supportive and incredibly generous with his time. He made a daunting process much less stressful, and I’m extremely grateful for everything he did. I would absolutely recommend James to anyone looking to buy.