Altrincham has its own version of Kirstie Allsopp - and she’s offering to help time-poor people to find the house of their dreams.
Carolyn Flowerdew has launched a business called Property Finder Altrincham that matches movers with suitable homes in the area.
Like the co-star of Channel 4’s Location Location Location, she will gather information about somebody’s property requirements and then come back with a shortlist of houses.
Unlike Allsopp, however, she will also liaise extensively with estate agents, solicitors and other service providers, with the aim of smoothing a process that has been likened to one of the most stressful things that anyone can do.
“A typical customer is anyone who is either too busy to go and look at the houses when they come on the market, or doesn't like moving house and doesn't want to do it,” she said.
“Sometimes both parents will have full-time jobs and simply won’t have the space in the week to dedicate the time to finding a new house. My job is to try and make the process quicker and smoother, and generally take the pressure off.”
A qualified accountant, Carolyn has in recent years focused on her obsession for finding properties.
She’s also currently a relocation agent for five companies in London, covering the ‘M56 corridor’ between Stockport and Chester.
Having settled with her family in the Altrincham area, Carolyn has experience of navigating the school catchment system locally.
She explained how she would typically work with a customer.
“I like to find out what sort of house they want, whether they want to do any work on it, and then I'll ask them to send me some examples of which houses they like so that I can start to see what it is they like about a house,” she said.
“Some people are more practical about a house, whereas some people will only get it if they love it. It's about navigating people's needs and opening their eyes up to stuff that they may have not thought about. I'm a big fan of knocking walls down and reimagining!
“I’ll then come back with a shortlist, often with videos of the houses as I’ll have viewed them in advance. I'm potentially the nosiest person you've ever met, so that definitely helps in this job!”
For more information about Carolyn Flowerdew and Property Finder Altrincham, contact her on 07780 671389 or visit propertyfinderaltrincham.com
