Nathan Taylor

Let's meet some of our happy clients with their homemade video testimonials…

Hi, I'm Nathan Taylor, I'm from Sunny Oakley-Phillips. Not a lot of people know it's on the east coast of England. My current profession is a social entrepreneur in several hospitality venues. 

My background for using Springbok properties was 10 years ago, we owned a semi-detached house. At that time, we didn't want to sell it because we would have lost too much money on the housing market, but we were about to move to a detached house, so we decided to go for a buy to let mortgage. So we put it on let to mortgage. Fast-forward 10 years – well actually, 12 years – it got to a point where we decided enough is enough. We need to sell the house, release the equity. The aim was to pay off our mortgage, which was successfully done.

Obviously, like selling a car, I didn't really want to spend the time for visitors coming around, no-shows, etc. We were hoping to find a one-stop shop and we found Springbok properties. I did a Google search, looked at various different ones. Several people gave me a call. A couple of companies gave me a call and I just felt like I didn't really know what they were talking about or just wanted the sale and weren't actually that bothered.

But Springbok actually gave me some bit of attention, which was the cherry on the cake for want of a better word. They gave me some process then and there over the phone, which is what I wanted. I didn't want someone to give me a call back in a week's time and two weeks' time then we end up not speaking. I wanted an answer then and then.

Springbok rep: Springbok are a fast-selling specialist and a cash buyer. We have two main types of clients. Cash guaranteed clients that want a sale in days or weeks. They don't want to go on the market and they don't want client viewers. Or, we have clients that want a dull market value sale with the security of auction. This includes buyer deposits, proceedable buyers with a fast sale, quick completion.

The majority of our customers come to us having been frustrated with the services of estate agents. Poor communication, sales falling through and generally under-delivering. We hear from homeowners when they've been let down with a low offer at auction or when a cash company has failed them at the last moment, or when their estate agent has their home on the market for longer than they can afford.

Nathan: I'm not impatient – but I was impatient, if that makes sense. But it was efficient. I can't remember the guy's name who originally took the call with me to Springbok but basically they did some online evaluations of the house, asked me some questions like tiled roof, etc., what was the condition. I think it helped, the fact that I was honest with the condition of it. It was a rental property at the end of the day. Yes, we did live in it 12 years ago but the condition of it 12 years ago wasn't what was the condition of it now. So we were quite truthful with that. The property needed a deal of work to be done.

I assume that would have helped us see the sale of that property to prospective buyers, purchases, landlords, etc.

Springbok rep: An estate agent will assess your home from a professional perspective. But every property is unique and it's the details that make the difference. Your own first-hand experience of living there can play a major role in highlighting its best features to prospective buyers. So share that information with your agent when deciding how to market the property.

Springbok rep: Some people are more serious about moving than others, so it's important to be clear about your goals. Whether you aren't able to move for six months or need a new home in just a few weeks, understanding your motivation to sell plays a large role in the timescale you define for the sale with your agent.

Nathan: We got some valuations done over the phone on that day then the paperwork was sent, I believe within three days. I actually went back to Springbok and said, "Could we get a little more money?" So they agreed to put it up on the market for a little bit more money. Fast-forward about 7… I don't think it was even 7 days that we had an offer on the house and it was the original price that Springbok had said. It was actually a happy medium and we worked out the sums, and the figures that we got back after any fees that we would have to pay on our end – bearing in mind that Springbok foot the bill for the solicitor and all the other EPC certificates, blokes coming around for photography, etc.

We put the key on the key box. The key box was fitted on the side of the house. We then put the key in the key box, gave them the code and I never set foot in that house after that. Within 5 weeks I think it was, coming up 6 weeks, we had the funds in our bank account and paid our mortgage off. All I can say is I was very impressed with the service.

 Springbok rep: For most people, the top priority is speed and price. They want to achieve the highest offers in the shortest possible time. At Springbok Properties, we've developed our whole business around understanding these two concepts. We utilize an innovative, systematic approach to estate agency that's gained us a reputation for being one of the fastest and most efficient agents in the business.

Nathan: I was pretty apprehensive to be honest with you. When someone says 'no win, no fee' sort of thing, you think they're going to offer a lowball figure, it's not going to be what you wanted, you're going to be £30 – 40,000 out of pocket. Hut for me personally, it ticked every single one of our boxes. I wanted to pay the mortgage off, have a tiny bit left over. It's not enough to eat at Miller & Carter or something but it achieved our goals.

Picking up the phone, as I said I was a bit apprehensive, a bit unsure. But I didn't have to deal with an estate agent. I literally told them what I wanted on the phone. It must've taken up all of 90 minutes of my time in total, and that includes the solicitor sending me the forms, any phone calls, etc. So the whole process was about 90 minutes of my time. If you contact an estate agent, you'd have to be there for an estate agent. Maybe that's an hour, an hour and a half if they turn up, and people coming round to look at the house, no-shows, tire-kickers, 'can I come and have a second viewing'? My time's money at the end of the day, I haven't got the time to be doing that. Springbok took all that pressure off me and I didn't have to do anything so…

A couple of phone calls after service… All I can say is if you are thinking of going with Springbok, before any other company, have a Google. You won’t be disappointed with Springbok, that's all I can say.

Springbok rep: Springbok properties are fully regulated by the property ombudsman and we recognize that in estate agency, reputation is everything. We agree a selling fee with you upfront. No sneaky small print or hidden administration fees. And if we don't sell your property, you don't pat us a penny.

Springbok rep: What will be valuable to you is to speak to us and allow us to tailor our services to your situation in a timescale that works for you.

We have a fantastic culture based on transparency and hard work within the business, always backed up by an amazing team who've been with the business for many years.