“I’m not an online shopping, social media following, internet trusting kind a gal. So it was quite unlike me to have randomly picked my buyer’s agent off the net and not via a personal recommendation. In fact, having bought many properties in my time, this was the first experience using a buyer’s agent. This was mainly out of necessity, being an interstate resident with no personal ties to the northern beaches area, plus the need for representation by someone on the ground, whilst being stuck once again in yet another Melbourne Covid lockdown.
Whilst all of the testimonials on Marika’s website were compelling, I’m not that naive to simply go by the word of total strangers, when it comes to handing over complete trust & responsibility in the purchase of arguably one of our biggest assets. Being a detailed person, I went to work, trawling the net to learn more about Marika and independently, I found and made contact with both past employers and others having professional associations with Marika now and in the past , such as local agents and colleagues ( I never shared any of that with her – sorry Marika to have stalked you!) I felt this was a more reliable & honest way to verify Marika’s skill, as cited references do risk being partial. I knew I was on a good thing, as each and every person came back with the same glowing reviews. And every word was true. When it comes to property, Marika is highly skilled , experienced and professional. She maintains very good relationships with the local agents – an essential ingredient. Once you’ve provided her with your brief of what you’re looking for, she quietly and efficiently goes about information gathering and appraising potential properties and then reports back with honest and comprehensive reviews, detailing her findings. Her manner is reserved but considered, she is patient, pragmatic, diligent and has a discerning eye for quality. She was quite vocal in steering us towards the home we ultimately bought, knowing that it was the very best home for our needs, as well as being a valuable asset with excellent growth potential.
It’s also worth noting that she is fantastic under pressure, as evidenced by her steely bidding performance during a fairly fast paced auction, where we successfully purchased our home. Having watched the auction on livestream, she didn’t flinch nor give away the fact that we were teetering literally on our last bid, when the hammer came down. One more bid by the opposition, and we would’ve lost out.
It was a real pleasure working with Marika. Being quite comfortable and confident with purchasing property myself, I felt her & I were on the same page and so together we could put our heads together and really work as a team. It was 4 weeks exactly from the date I signed Marika’s agreement to the date of the auction.
Marika is also incredibly well connected in the area, in that she has contacts across the board with trades and advisers in all matters of property. She was proactive and thorough in making the necessary enquiries and seeking professional opinions when it came to doing the due diligence on the property we bought. Ours had the complication of large protected trees positioned relatively close the the dwelling, and she spent hours seeking the advice of registered arborists, the local council and the building inspector.
All in all, we are so thrilled & excited to have finally acquired our dream home in Sydney, and without her encouragement and reassurance, I’m not sure I would’ve gone for it.
Thank you Marika! I look forward to having you around when we eventually make it up there.
If you’re looking for a buyer’s agent in the Sydney Northern Beaches area, don’t even think about using anyone else.
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Belinda Minc
