Testimonials

Hi Warren

 

Thank you for your email. I would appreciate contact details for tradespeople if that is possible. I am also looking to have the internal walls and ceilings painted, any recommendations would be appreciated. With respect to keys and finalising everything, can you let me know when you have completed the final inspection, I can then call in and pick up keys.

 

Thanks again for all your assistance over the 4 years.

 

I expect that we will either rent the property out again after a period or sell it and will ensure we use your services again.

 

 

- Julie Donnellan

 

We would like to express our gratitude and praise for the professional services of Mr Mark Bowis. Mark has recently acted on our behalf to sell our property at Mary Street Leichhardt 2040. This was dealt with in a very efficient and sensitive way and we appreciate the hard work that Mark demonstrated on our behalf. There were difficulties in the process due to the fact that the house was not completely renovated and many questions and concerns were raised during the process. However Mark dealt with these very effectively and we achieved the desired outcome. I would have no hesitation in recommending Mark to friends or relatives who are requiring similar services.

- Ken and Kathy Fletcher - Leichhardt

 

"I chose Carol Leddon because her years of experience and specialist expertise in the Balmain area shone through when we met. She had the calm grounding and knowledge that comes from years of experience both with people and property. I felt that I could trust her advice and leave the ins and outs of the sale in her hands which was important as I had other major projects to focus on at the same time. Sarah Lorden's team approach and Sunday open-house option were also unique and a major factor in my decision between the three agencies I interviewed.

 

I was not disappointed. Carol kept in touch regularly and provided sound advice. Her persistence in following up all prospective purchasers; even when they didn't return her calls, resulted in five registered bidders at auction day. Carol went the extra mile with practical matters as well; even offering to prepare my house for one weekend's open for inspection when I was incapacitated. And your team did a great job with the Sunday opens which proved a god-send on one particular weekend when few people showed up on the Saturday due to a massive storm. I also particularly appreciated the nice note Mark left me after the Sunday open that he managed."

- Lisa Perkins - Balmain

 

Lynsey sold our property in Balmain and helped us achieve a very solid result at auction. Her experience and guidance during the whole campaign significantly contributed to this result.

 

Lynsey was always very helpful, open and approachable. We relied a great deal on her regular updates after each open for inspection and her insights into the current market conditions. She is a very skillful negotiator and a great communicator.

 

It was very impressive watching Lynsey work on getting us the best price for our family home on auction day. We were very happy with then result she obtained for us on the day, especially in light of the current challenging market conditions.

 

I would not hesitate to recommend her.

 

- Milou - Balmain

 

David and I would like to thank you (Mark) for all your help while selling our property in Balmain.  It is not often that we have experienced this level ofcandor and service and we respect your knowledge of the market in the area, your experience and the understanding you have shown us.  It is a difficult and sometimes stressful experience to sell your home, often wondering if the asking price is appropriate for the market and if it is achievable, and you have shown empathy while maintaining a professional composure that has been comforting, for me in particular. 

- Jane & David Eddy - Balmain

 

“Mark made the process of selling our house as painless as possible. He is highly organised, reliable and keeps a very close eye on every aspect of the selling process. He returns every phone call immediately and provides campaign updates regularly. We were also very comfortable that Mark offered us sound and objective advice regarding campaign choices.”

- Cassandra Meers and Ben Whatmore - Balmain

 

"I wanted to write to you to show my appreciation for the job you did in selling my property.  Given the declining market we were and are in, not to mention the doom and gloom being touted, I was exceptionally pleased to have not only had a great deal of interest in my property from the outset, but more importantly to secure a price above expectations. I have little doubt that your hard work and dedication to the process (phone calls well into the evening during crucial and other times) assisted in securing a buyer and then ensuring we achieved a maximum price. Thank you for your efforts Cherry, I will have no hesitation in recommending your services to anyone I know looking to sell in the Inner West. 

I wish you all the best for the future."

- Hamish Pearce - Lilyfield

 

“Carol, thanks so much for your assistance in the sale of my house; the result was just what I wanted. I really appreciated your professionalism, efficiency and communication. In particular I felt as though you went out of your way to help me and to make the process as smooth as possible, particularly since I am overseas. I would recommend you without any hesitation to any seller.”

- Judith Graham - Balmain

 

“By putting us in contact with your excellent stylist, we were able to display our home in a very saleable manner, something which was commented on very favourably by people who saw it. Mark was swift to give us feedback after every open house and kept in contact with us on a regular basis by phone, email and face-to-face. We found that you conducted yourself at the highest level of professionalism, seeking out input and checking that we were happy with how the campaign was progressing at every stage. We were delighted with the end result that you achieved for us. A generous offer meant that we did not have to undergo the stress of an auction!”

- Tim and Faith Entwisle - Petersham

 

"We just wanted to send you a letter to say thank you for all your hard work with regards to the sale of 1/1 Barr Street Camperdown. Since the start of the campaign, we found your service to be open, honest and at all times were made aware of where everything was at. The implementation of the marketing campaign was thorough and the end result of the auction day was something we were extremely happy with. Thank you again for all your help and I would have no hesitation in recommending you to anyone when it comes to selling their home."

- Nick Cutler and Louisa Coleman - Camperdown

 

"From our first meeting with you we were impressed with your calm, confident manner and your attention to detail. You took the time to answer our questions and make sure that we fully understood and were completely at ease with the sale process. We appreciated your advice on our property both prior to the house being listed and in the short time that the house was on the market. We particularly appreciated your handling of the negotitation process with the potential purchasers, the result of which was a sale price that significantly exceeded our expectations. You made the process of selling our house a pleasure and we sincerely wish to thank you for your efforts."

- Leo and Allison Cohillj - Rozelle

 

“From the moment Carol and I met Mark, we have been very comfortable working with him in the sale of the property. He has portrayed himself as a very knowledgeable young man who is absolutely devoted to his work. He is very charismatic, loves what he does, and kept us informed every step of the way. He has been very punctual for all out meetings, did what he said he was going to do when he would do it.”

- Suzanne Younglove - Balmain

 

Initially we spoke to four potential sales agents about the upcoming sale of our property. Mark was the only agent to follow the initial meeting up with regular phone contact.   This was our first sales experience and Mark handled the sale with calm professionalism. At all times Mark kept us up to date with the progress of open houses, contracts issued and potential purchasers. He was reliable and honest and provided sound advice throughout the sale process. Ultimately our property was sold prior to the planned auction so obviously we were happy with the price reached.

 

- Josephine and Ben Hendriks - Petersham

 

Luke Holden did a magnificent job in the coordination of the purchase of our new home and sale of our home. His level of knowledge on the marketing was outstanding and his knowledge of our area was impressive. We really appreciated his availability both in person and on the telephone and he always promptly replied our emails. He was like a member of our family! We would thoroughly recommend Luke if you are either looking to buy or sell your home or both as he gets the job done.

- Patrick, Annie & Jeannie Teoh

 

After interviewing several agents for the sale of property (address), it was apparent that Mark Bowis had significant experience and knowledge of the market and was highly organised and articulate. Mark was extremely helpful in guiding us in setting an asking price; and prompt in organising advertising, inspections, and following up on every detail.

- Dr Claudie Lee - Alexandria

 

Both Stephen and I would sincerely like to thank you for selling our home in Balmain. The result was far beyond our expectations and so we would like to congratulate you on an outstanding accomplishment. This success is due only as a direct result of your unparalleled service noted by an exceptional attention to detail. You ensured the house was impeccably presented taking onboard the additional detail to differentiate our house from many others likened to be so similiar.

- Michelle Costa & Stephen Graham - Balmain

 

I wanted to write and say thank you on behalf of Carey and I for your help in selling our house. It is a very rare thing to work with someone of such honesty and integerity and even rarer in the much maligned industry you work in. You have been exceptionally patient with us and your guidance made a stressful experience one that we almost enjoyed. Your positive attitude coupled with a tireless work ethic impressed us no end but it was your constant availability and feedback that was most appreciated. We were never left wondering what was happening, a phonecall was never not returned, a question never not answered. The day of the auction was especially impressive, when all hope seemed lost, you seemed to thrive on the pressure and secured a result that given the market circumstances we were delighted with. I have already started telling all who will listen about you and will continue to do so,  I will also always keep you in mind for any future business obviously.

Thanks again Mark,

 

- Stewart Reeves & Carey Cameron - Annandale

 

“We would like to thank you (Carol), in particular, for the assistance and advice you provided us with as we were preparing the property for market..... We also appreciated the regular feedback you provided us with about the level of interest in the property, your assistance in sorting out issues as they arose, and your preparedness to spend as much time at the property as prospective purchasers required”

- Jennifer Wilkinson and David Fruen - Balmain

 

Carol and Andrew, Many thanks again for the excellent result achieved yesterday. It was very comforting for Jenny and myself down here in Melbourne to know that you both had everything under control. The weekly written reports were extremely informative and kept us up to date on the interested parties. We have dealt with a number of real estate agents down here in Melbourne and no one comes close to the professional manner in which you operate or provide as much informative information on prospective buyers of our property ie if you were willing to suffer the cold down here you would have the Melbourne agents wrapped around your little fingers. Good luck for the future and we will keep a keen eye on the goings at Sarah Lorden.

- Jenny & Michael - Melbourne

 

It is a pleasure to be able to write expressing our thanks and appreciation for the way in which you recently achieved a prompt and satisfactory sale of our Balmain town house.  From the start we found you a most pleasant person to associate with.  Your approach was businesslike and professional, you were always friendly and available, prepared to hear our needs and points of view.  Your valuation of the property was realistic, thorough and based on your experience and relevant data which you showed us.  The plan proposed for marketing the property was practical, economical and appropriate to its type, value and location.  We were particularly impressed with the prompt verbal and written feedback you provided to keep us informed of responses to advertising and inspections during the marketing period.  

- Elfreda & Arthur Marshall - Balmain

 

Rhonda and I wish to thank you again for all your hard work and dedication in the recent  successful auction of our home.  To describe the result as outstanding is not an overstatement.  From the start, and throughout the process, we found you to be a pleasure to deal with.  You managed our expectations, paid attention to every detail kept us informed at every stage so we never had any surprises and delivered on your brief, providing us with an effective sales campain that culminated in a record price for a property of its class in our area. You are an extremely effective and experienced real estate agent and will remain our agent of choice in the future.,  We have no hesitation in recommending you in this capacity to any propective vendor.  We wish you every success in the future.

- Stuart Lloydd - Lilyfield

 

I have bought and sold numerous properties throughout my life and as a result have had dealings with a variety of real estate agents. Luke Holden at Sarah Lorden Real Estate is by far the best to date! Luke provided superior marketing knowledge in a tough Real Estate market and was able to sell my house in less than a week at a price above expectation. I appreciate Luke's sincere efforts in marketing my house and providing me with timely updates. He was always accessible, prompt, cordial, and very professional with the added bonus of being a straight shooter, so I always knew exactly what was happening. I would highly recommend Luke to anyone who is looking for an agent. Thank you again Luke for making a potentially stressful experience as simple as possible.

- D.Ellis

 

“Thank you for your enthusiasm, concentrated effort and non pressurized advice during a very intense and fast sale period. Most importantly you (Carol) met my number one criteria of a good communicator and a person that both Matt and I felt comfortable dealing with.”

- Leanne Abbott and Matt Scott - Balmain

 

Dear Luke, I am enormously grateful for your kindness and efforts on my behalf in helping me find my next home and sell my property. You really are quite extraordinary! I will tell everyone that you are the best agent in town! Thank you

- Cathrine Whewell

 

"I want to personally thankyou (from both Doug and I) for your unbelievably professional service and superior delivery across all aspects of the sale process. You have yet again proven to me that the Sarah Lorden Brand is the best in Balmain and in particular your expertise, skills and savvy as an agent are the best we are yet to experience, over many years. So a sincere thanks for all your efforts & professionalism. "

- Doug Friis-Clark and Heather Wassenaar - Balmain

 

“I have sold houses before but have not encountered anyone who was so energetic, committed to ensuring I got the best price nor someone who actually seemed to enjoy the whole process! It was all very professionally handled – Mark’s communication was prompt and regular - I never had to chase him up - which is so often the case - to find out what was going on. Mark dealt with the current tenants with tact and sensitivity and was always consultative in every decision made.”

- Phillipa Maher - Balmain

 

My husband and I sold our property and purchased a property both through Mark Bowis in the beginning of 2009. We met Mark while inspecting the house which we ended up purchasing and were impressed with his approach in selling the property to us.  We then sold our house after only 14 days on the market, well before our auction date and for a price that we were happy with.   Mark put a lot of effort into his initial proposal to us and kept us informed daily through the whole process.  Having dealt with Mark on both sides we have no hesitation in recommending him to you.  We valued his honesty and integrity.

 

 

 

- Emily & David Mcgrath - Lewisham & Lilyfield

 

From the moment Carol and I met Mark, we have been very comfortable working with him in the sale of the property. He has portrayed himself as a very knowledgeable young man who is absolutely devoted to his work. He is very charismatic, loves what he does, and kept us informed every step of the way. Rang me just about every day to let me know when another prospective buyer inspected the house, asked for a contract, or had other bits of news. He kept in touch with prospective buyers, updating us on what was said, concerns, etc.,  He let us know about newspaper articles relative to our situation, that we may be interested in reading. He has been very punctual for all our meetings, did what he said he was going to do when he said he would do it. Mark was very honest with his perceived value of Dad's home. He didn't promise an unbelievable figure for the property.He did a lot of research before giving us the report on the property and recent sales etc., He gave us a quite realistic figure, which came to fruition, plus a bonus $10,000. We all appreciated that the property has to have heaps of work done to it and realised that the price paid  would reflect it. If there was something that we weren't quite sure about, Mark would go through everything to ensure that we understood it fully and didn't use "Real Estate Speak".  He has a rapport with people of every age group and walk of life. He even stayed for the chicken and champagne lunch for a little while after the auction on Saturday. He introduced the new owners to the neighbours and us and we all celebrated together. One big happy street.

- Thomas Wickenden and Sue Younglove - Balmain

 

“Her (Carol’s) close following of every potential buyer and her regularly keeping us informed, ensured that we knew at all times how attractive (or otherwise!) our property was. We were never left in the dark and therefore had a high degree of confidence around the sale of the house”

- David Madden and Chris McRostie - Balmain East

 

From the beginning of the sale process of my home, I found Luke to be very thorough and efficient. He provided an excellent description for advertising with plenty of detail for possible purchasers to see. Luke gave me also helpful additional tips for selling my property. Luke’s great knowledge of the market and area I live in was very evident during the handling of my property. He does his homework. I particularly appreciated his respect of my wishes in how I wanted my home sold and that he listened and acted on my wishes. 

- P.D.Souza

 

Sarah

 

For the past 4 or so years, your organisation has been managing our property at 15 Arthur Street Balmain. It was always our plan to move into the house at some stage and we have now made the move.

 

I thought it appropriate to record my thanks for the way in which your company has managed the property on our behalf. Also I wanted to highlight, in particular, the exceptional service provided by Warren Davies.

 

Having worked alongside many property managers, I know what the task involves and I suspect it can be even more "trying" in the residential sector. Warren has exhibited a professional and highly responsive attitude in our dealings and will be our property manager of choice, in the event we decide to invest further in the area.

 

Regards

- Chris Gilbert

 

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: RE: Luke Holden The service provided by Luke has made the whole experience of selling our home, quick, easy and hassle free. He was very easy and straight forward to deal with and provided advice, answers and even found us our next house! Overall, Luke provided a great value service and support to make moving easy!

- Andrew Marshall & Karen Woolf

 

“Carol was very professional and extremely helpful. We were informed and keep completely advised of the market, buyers, and feedback. The house was sold in less than two weeks for a price I was extremely happy with given the current climate. I would be happy to recommend Carol to future sellers and would look to use her again with no hesitation.”

- Lynn and George Herisson - Annandale

 

Mark acted as our agent in selling our one-bedroom apartment in Alexandria. Through his years of experience and continual effort, he achieved a result for us that we had not even allowed ourselves to dream of getting. He, with his non-stop client contact, kept us abreast of all the facts regarding the sale of our property and achieved a building record to boot. Mark left me wondering, when does this guy sleep?

- Vincent and Grace - Alexandria