RE/MAX Malta - Top Marks For Satisfaction!
An interview conducted with a pleased client who has tried the services of the RE/MAX Professionals Letting team (22 June 2005)
Client satisfaction is taken seriously at RE/MAX and scores of happy clients can testify to that. Recent client Daniel Cunningham recounts his own experience of how RE/MAX Malta helped him relocate to Malta from the United States with the minimum of fuss and the maximum of efficiency.
House-hunting can present innumerable hassles if not tackled the right way. However, finding and working with the right real estate agents that have a efficient letting team will instantly make the task half as arduous. This is because a real estate agent’s function is not limited to simply giving you a phone call when there is a property that might suit your needs. On the contrary a really professional real estate agency will provide you, the client, with the whole package of services – from offering invaluable advice as to which kinds of property best suit your lifestyle to information about the amenities offered by a particular locality and even directing you to reputable architects, notaries and so forth.
Of course, a top real estate agency will offer you that tad more. Which is exactly what RE/MAX Professionals pride themselves on doing. Witness to this are the many satisfied clients who are happy to refer RE/MAX to their friends. Daniel Cunningham and his wife are two such clients who wanted to move to Malta from the United States and who obviously needed an experienced real estate agency in Malta to help them deal with the usual issues related to house-hunting as well as with the fact that they were essentially in a strange country with no family or friends to support them. Here is what they have to say about their experience with RE/MAX Malta.
How did you learn about RE/MAX and what led you to contact them?
We got to know about RE/MAX after we conducted a thorough internet search for reputable real estate agencies in Malta. One of the ones that caught our attention was the J&K Properties web site – and that led us to the RE/MAX website. What made these websites stand out from the rest was the fact that they seemed to offer the most useful information. We decided to send them an e-mail and Jeff Buttigieg, the Regional Director for Malta responded immediately. This was another plus point for us – other companies we had tried to get in touch with took days to reply. But the fact that Jeff acknowledged our e-mail immediately was very important to us. He promised to find out all the information we had requested in the shortest time possible and he delivered on that promise.
What were your requirements and what sort of letting property were you looking for?
We did not really have anything specific in mind. We did have a rough idea of what Malta was like but our knowledge was based on websites and somehow reality is always different! In fact originally we thought we might find a house of character in the countryside, but in the end we chose a town house in Sliema that was very conveniently located close to work, the hospital, and the seashore. In this respect, RE/MAX certainly helped us identify our priorities in order to opt for the property that was most ideally suited for us.
How long did it take you to find your desired letting property and how many houses did you view before that?
Well, we have done fast relocations before, so we knew what to expect. It only took us about three or four days – Jeff knew that we wanted to move fast and so we saw twelve houses the first day and another four the second day. By the third day we had narrowed down our choices to four locations. We made our choice on the fourth day, and appeared for the contract by the fifth day.
So what motivated your final decision?
In the end we had to chose between a beautiful villa in the countryside, or a nice townhouse in the city. We hail from Oregon, which is famed for wide-open spaces and great natural beauty. At first we thought that living in a crowded town would not suit us, which is why we were looking at farmhouses. But at the end of the day we surprised ourselves by picking the townhouse. We both realised that we were excited by this choice – it would give us the ability to absorb the flavour of the locale in an intimate way. We felt the country house would have made us a bit more isolated.
On a more practical side, the townhouse we chose is located within walking distance to work – being able to avoid the prohibitive cost of multiple cars in Malta (not to mention the maniacal Maltese drivers!) was a factor that swayed our decision to a good extent. I guess that we’re also excited to be immersed in the city life in Malta!
Many find house-hunting to be a frustrating experience. Was this the case for you or did the services of a professional real estate agent smoothen the path? If yes, in what way?
The services of J&K Properties were very valuable. We could not have found such a beautiful property that was suited for us in every way in such a short time frame without them. And just as importantly, they gave us the feeling that they really cared that we were happy and comfortable. From the beginning, when they met us at the airport, they made us feel welcome.
Jeff had also prepared us very well for what to expect prior to us actually making the trip to Malta, and this helped no end. If we had had no idea what to expect, that would have meant more time wasted for us. We knew there would be a lot to do in a short time frame, but we felt very prepared to do what we needed to do when we arrived.
You were alone in a foreign country, with a baby on the way – a potential “nightmare” situation. Did you find help from those around you to acclimate to your new life?
Luckily, we were made to feel very welcome by all the people we dealt with – but especially by the team at RE/MAX operated by J&K. In fact they really went that extra mile and offered their help and support even when it came to things that were completely unrelated to house-hunting. Besides looking for a house, we also wanted to ensure a safe delivery for our baby and RE/MAX operated by J&K really took things in their hands to make us feel secure happy about having the baby in Malta. They provided us with the contacts for the top obstetricians, setup several medical interviews for us and also arranged tours of the hospital facilities etc. Had we been alone we wouldn’t have known were to start but thanks to RE/MAX operated by J&K we managed to find an obstetrician who we believe will be perfect for our needs. And – our new home is only two blocks away from the hospital. When the time comes, we won't have far to go at all!
How did Re/Max help in making your dream house become a reality?
They helped us in many different ways. Like I explained, they supplied us with accurate and important information before our trip – half the worries were thus immediately removed. They also made pre-arrangements to meet us at the airport and this was important for us as we were landing in a strange country were we knew no-one. Once we got to Malta they never abandoned us either and the continuous presence and services of an experienced real estate agent removed a lot of the headaches. Even now, after we have actually completed the lease agreement, they are still in touch and ready to provide any information that we might need.
Do you think you would have managed to settle in so smoothly without the help of a professional real estate agent?
Not a chance!
Did your experience with RE/MAX match your expectations?
Yes, it did.
Would you recommend Re/Max to other house-hunters?
Definitely.
For further information or contact details e-mail: info@remax-malta.com
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RE/MAX MALTA is operated by J&K Properties Ltd., also know as the 'Letting Specialists', in Malta. The company has an experienced and professionaly trained letting team and are always in a position to be of service 24/7. RE/MAX Malta joins part of RE/MAX International which has over 5500 offices and 105, 000 associates.
RE/MAX International: www.remax.com
RE/MAX Europe: www.remax-europe.com
