Marrickville
I just wanted to thank you again for the amazing job you did in your property search and your aid in my purchase…I was particularly impressed with the depth of information gathering performed by you and your team, and the proactivity in clearing up…known unknowns. That strong risk-aware attitude definitely matched my own temperament and was much appreciated…[H]aving a voice of reason to turn to for support has been an immeasurable help. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to achieve the same outcome without you.
Dulwich Hill
Can’t recommend Chris highly enough. Chris was incredible through the entire process, helped steady our nerves when we felt stressed and when we doubted whether we would ever get a house, he was always available for any questions we had, and managed to get us our dream home for a great price! He really went above and beyond for us, and we will always be grateful. Thank you Chris!
Lauryn Bae
Penshurst
“Chris Curtis was recommended to us and we couldn’t have been happier with the work he did for us. Chris is very diligent, responsive and highly experienced. He operates with great integrity and has a warm personality that is easy to work with. The due diligence reports and analysis he produced were first class and provided us with a lot of comfort. He brought great insight and strategy when it came to making an offer on the house we purchased and we have no doubt we would not have been able to do so without him.”
Tim Holden
Leura
“Thanks once again for all your help and sage advice, particularly in relation to the Katoomba near catastrophe…delighted”.
John M
Milsons Point
From Lynne and I, again our thanks and feel free to say you have acted most successfully for us in the whole matter.”
His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd), Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia and Her Excellency Lady Cosgrove
Elizabeth Bay
Highly recommend. Amazing and professional. Supportive through the whole process.
Jennifer Foreman
Port Hacking
“We highly recommend Curtis Associates. In an incredibly tight market, they secured an off-market property for us in a highly sought-after suburb in southern Sydney. Without their expert help, we wouldn’t have even known the property was available – let alone purchased it.
Chris and his colleagues are astute, thorough and reliable. They leave no stone unturned during the search and selection process – and the same goes for the negotiation/purchase stage. Next time we are purchasing a property, we will be calling Curtis Associates again.”
Andy and Felicity
Surry Hills
“Chris showed us a number of properties off-market that fit our parameters and that we wouldn’t have been able to get access to without his help. He went above and beyond, once we’d found a property we liked, to make sure we were able to secure it within tight time-frames, and the flow of information and his responsiveness to our questions was impressive. It was really reassuring to have him on our side during an otherwise stressful process and we would definitely work with him again in future”.
Rowan Harvey
Queenscliff
“Chris and team were professional and very much on the ball at all times. They remained engaged with sellers’ agents in our target market to find off-market opportunities, including some that were not on agents’ databases.
Chris provided us with valuable context in a fast moving industry, and offered me additional data points that were otherwise hard to find. He helped facilitate exchange and legal advice – having someone that knows the ropes was very helpful.
Buying a property in the extremely competitive market as we currently have can be very stressful. A buyer’s agent will help you cover the bases and relieve some of the stress. I recommend getting one, and Chris was great [as he was when he] helped me purchase a home in 2010.”
Dr Jochen Bekmann
Collaroy Plateau
“Chris did a great job in a tough market with prices rising quickly and limited stock. Once he found a target property, he moved rapidly completing a thorough due diligence which gave us the confidence on our price target. At auction, having his experience in bidding was invaluable where he won for considerably less than we had expected. Chris and team did a fantastic job and very happy with the process.”
Roshan Ganeshan
Manly Vale
“After a thorough search of buyers agents, my family asked Chris to assist us find a commercial property. We wanted an ‘A’ grade property in our budget in just a few, very popular locations. What made our brief a ‘needle in a haystack’ search was that the property had to make sense as a yield play but with longer term development upside also.
Chris warned that it will be a tough assignment but delved into his contact list. With a booming commercial market and a pandemic, that was somewhat of an understatement as our search became the longest that Curtis Associates had undertaken to date.
Lesser agents may have dropped their standards as the going got tough but we were able to rest assured that Chris only pursued properties of the highest quality. Most properties were off market and it was good to feel ahead of the game.
In the end Chris found and helped us buy an off market property to which only we had access that ticked all of the family’s boxes and one that presents a low risk with many opportunities and a strong future. We would certainly not have found this on our own.
Chris is the most generous and meticulous person I have had the pleasure of working with. Hours of phone calls later, I have learned so much about the foundations and nuances of commercial property. Chris’ legal background and supporting team exposed and helped us solve various complex issues to reduce risk and even called in favours with specialists to get us answers and cover all bases.
I would recommend Curtis Associates to anyone looking for a commercial property. Get the experience, save the time searching and get first access to quality that rarely makes it to the market.
Many thanks Chris and team, it’s been quite a journey and we feel very lucky to have you on our side.
Muir Family
Brooklyn
“We first met Chris Curtis in 2008 when he successfully negotiated the purchase of our first apartment in Sydney in Dover Heights. 12 years later when we decided to buy a house in Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury River we contracted him again to represent us. In a tightly held market in which we had limited knowledge his experience and advice was invaluable. He managed to negotiate the purchase of our new home off-market which quite simply would have been impossible without his help. We would highly recommend Chris Curtis for anyone interested in an investment or owner occupied property in the Sydney region and beyond.”
Allana Sheard
Rose Bay
“Thanks to Curtis Associates I have just purchased a sought-after property which I am really happy with in a great location, and it’s a property I would not have otherwise considered on my own. The team there really understands what makes the market tick, and was incredibly professional, honest, thorough and responsive. They knew my requirements better than I did, and I can wholeheartedly recommend this service to anyone buying in Sydney.”
Rachel Scanlon
Bronte
“Chris Curtis is a strategist and a magician. He moves quickly and was with us every step of the way. He was always available, read situations clearly and gave us clear options and advice. He did everything he said he would do and more. With his help, we bought our dream house. We can’t recommend him highly enough!”
Camilla Block
Randwick
“My sister and I used Curtis Associates recently for the purchase for a unit in the Eastern Suburbs. We had a tight budget and some unique and stringent requirements in respect to the property we were looking for, so it was not an easy task that Curtis Associates was given. It took a little while for us to get there, due to these requirements and the budget restrictions, but throughout the process Curtis Associates were excellent in their dealings with us, always promptly answering (or returning) phone calls, emails (including on a Saturday night) and going above and beyond to talk us through the process and provide advice along the way.
The communication and management of expectations was excellent, and the patience unmatched, which all paid off in the end with a great buy. Lastly, what was probably most impressive was that even though we were buying in what is essentially entry level in the Eastern Suburbs market, we were still provided with a great service and treated as how I would imagine a client purchasing in the high end of the Sydney market would be treated.”
Bianca W
Dulwich Hill
“Our family has now used Chris on four separate occasions. On each he has delivered cogent advice in a timely and professional manner, whilst always maintaining a relaxed style that makes him now a family friend. Chris’ forte is his extensive network of contacts and broad knowledge of the Sydney property market, which was particularly evident to us in the Inner West where we have been active. Chris has a well refined capacity to quickly understand his clients’ needs and to adapt to their changing, and sometimes conflicting, desires. Even when you think the deal may be done, Chris continues to deliver his full product ensuring the client is always fully informed as to all the possible machinations that may occur. We are pleased to recommend Chris and his team to any potential property buyer.”
Lee Pippard
Surry Hills
“Thanks Chris, and thanks again for all the hard work you and your team put into this transaction.”
Mike and Coleen
Curl Curl
“Thanks again for your help, it was great working with you.”
Clay and Lisa
Dulwich Hill
“Chris Curtis was an absolute blessing and a game-changer on our journey towards buying our first home. I cannot recommend him and his team highly enough. We first contacted Chris in early 2018, with an entirely unrealistic dream of buying a family home in the Inner West. Chris talked with us at length several times, free of charge, brainstorming ideas, and carried out extensive market research – still free – to find suitable suburbs where we would be able to afford buying. By the time we got our finances in order, however, the market had just started to decline, and Chris warned us that properties in the suburbs we’d settled on would likely lose significant value, so he advised us to wait. When the buyer’s agent you’re about to retain tells you not to buy, you know that: 1 – you need to listen, and 2 – this is a buyer’s agent you can trust.
As it turns out, Chris’s advice was spot on. A year later, after a market correction and some more saving up, our prospects were much brighter, and with Chris’s help we ended up buying the perfect townhouse for our family in Dulwich Hill. The Inner West dream came true after all!
The help and guidance we received throughout the process from Chris, his team, and the other professionals they referred us to, was exceptional. They saved us immense amounts of time and stress. They helped us make by far the most significant financial decision of our lives with full confidence and no doubts.
During our search we considered almost only pre-market properties, including the one we bought, so had we searched on our own we would never have had access to these opportunities. The due diligence process and report that Curtis Associates provides is incredibly detailed and far beyond what we would have even thought of to look into.
Perhaps most of all, we always felt cared for and confident that Chris had our best interests at heart at all times. I’m quite certain that we were small fish for Curtis Associates, but throughout the process, and especially at the stressful times, they made us feel as if we were their only clients.
Thank you so much Chris for the enormous difference you have made in our lives. I don’t even want to imagine what we would have bought without your help!
EDIT August 2020: A year later, in the thick of the COVID market, a similar unit (with minor bonus features) in the same complex sold for about 20K more than what we had paid. We’ve never doubted that we made a great purchase, but seeing how well our property has kept its value despite the unprecedented challenges of 2020 is very reassuring, and speaks to Chris’s expert judgement of what makes a robust investment – one that is also lovely to live in!”
Zsuzsanna Dancso
Jannali
“I retained Chris Curtis to assist in the search and purchase of property in Sydney’s southern suburbs. He is professional with extensive time in the property market as a buyers agent. I found his assistance, due diligence on the property search and depth of knowledge beneficial in securing the off-market property. He keeps you informed every step of the way and works with you to secure your desired outcome. I would recommend Chris to assist buyers in their search for the right property.”
Joanne Kennedy
Millers Point
“I am delighted with the outcome! Both the property and the price, neither of which would have been achieved without your considerable inputs.”
David
Milsons Point
“The process from start to finish took an amazing 17 days and that was a very impressive result considering not only the depth of research that Curtis Associates provided us.
In that time 11 properties were found; seven of which were off market opportunities. I don’t think I could have found that many properties on my own and I certainly wouldn’t have found any of the off market opportunities on my own.
They presented the due diligence report to us – very comprehensive report – very in-depth covering many aspects that I would never have thought of.
At the auction there were four bidders…and three of them were quite serious bidders and as it approached the Curtis Associates estimate, it narrowed down considerably and then ended up being within $1000 of that.
They were confident that it was worth even beyond $2.8 m.
There are fees associated with buyers’ agents and those fees I never considered them as a cost but were more of an investment because I’m such a busy person and I’m also not a specialist in the Sydney property market especially in its current state.
So for me it saved me a lot of heartache, a lot of time where I could invest my time elsewhere where I am far more profitable.”
Dr Frank
Bellevue Hill
“Having spent almost a year trying to find a two-bedroom unit in the Eastern Suburbs with a budget in the low ones I had seen a lot of not-so-nice places and, very occasionally, an amazing place which was then immediately snapped up in a feeding frenzy. I had gotten to the point where I was constantly second-guessing myself and also feeling totally discouraged and overwhelmed. Then my lawyer suggested I talk to Chris because a number of his clients had purchased properties through him. I signed on with Curtis Associates in mid-November and by early February I was a proud homeowner of a unit in Bellevue Hill. I went to the first open inspection on the Saturday and exchanged on the Friday – this was despite the vendor being in the UK.
So quite honestly the best thing I ever did in my property search was to sign up with Chris. What I got was 1) peace of mind knowing that my search was now in expert hands 2) someone acting as a buffer between myself and the real estate agents 3) having someone in my corner who understood the current real estate market intimately and who was unbiased and unemotional in his advice. Also someone I could ask questions of no matter how stupid. I guess most importantly I just felt really supported throughout the process.
Would I use Curtis Associates again? Absolutely.”
Ashleigh
Paddington
“Chris, it has been an absolute delight working with you. You provided a fantastic service and it was the week before Xmas and you pretty much dropped everything. Having your support and experience gave me the confidence to make the calls that I needed to, as I knew exactly where I stood.”
Debra
Marrickville
“Chris was amazing! He enabled us to buy our first home, cheaper, faster and with way less stress than we ever thought was possible. He more than saved us his fee in the savings as well as time spent. He also took care of everything, and we felt very confident that we were getting the right house for us. Thank you so much Chris, we recommend you to everyone we know looking to buy a house!”
Robert Marangell
Newtown
“Chris was a pleasure to deal with and very professional at his job.
He will save you money and lots of stress!!”
Robert Graham
Millers Point
“ I’m sure you know I would never have progressed to the final stages of this deal without your wise words and common sense every time I had a stress attack. I have enjoyed working with you and yes let us keep in touch. Thank you for everything you have done for me.”
Sue
Cremorne Point
“Thank you for all your help. It was a major investment for us, buying into a part of Sydney we knew nothing about. Your depth of knowledge of the location and everything else including proposed developments, transport, air quality, lifestyle, schools and future public infrastructure was of enormous help to us. Being armed with your expert appraisal of the value allowed us to enter the auction with a well-informed bidding limit. Your command of the entire theatre of the auction placed us at a great advantage over the other three bidders.
I recommend that anyone who is serious about purchasing wisely and winning should engage your services.”
Peter K
Vaucluse
“I cannot tell you how happy we are: you did an incredible job finding this for us. It is truly a gem. We are very happy”.
Rebecca and Stellios
Westleigh
“Thank you so much for all your efforts on our behalf. We have been completely overwhelmed by suddenly finding ourselves homeless and in such a competitive housing market. Your calm efficiency and professionalism in achieving what you did yesterday was truly amazing.”
Zena and Jan
Ashfield
“While living interstate we decided to buy a residential property in Sydney, with a good investment potential. After contacting a couple of buyer’s agents, we decided to choose Curtis Associates. Our decision was practically taken blindly, save for the fact that we were immediately struck by Chris Curtis’ professionalism during our very first phone call. Six months down the track, after managing to secure the property we wanted, we can say that we have no regrets! Chris Curtis is an attentive listener and a great communicator, qualities which greatly facilitate the process of purchasing an unseen property interstate. His experience in the field enables him to almost instinctively know what kind of property will most suit the buyer. He handles the task of buying a property with almost surgical precision, starting off with carrying out extensive due diligence, coordinating his team and ultimately achieving. I doubt whether there is any other agent out there who will eagerly inspect streets at 4.30am for train noise! We will not hesitate to engage Chris again when we next buy property and certainly recommend him to anyone who is intent on buying property.”
Doctors Mark and Lisa
Millers Point
“Thank you once again for your excellent work and diligence. I’m very happy and impressed with how smoothly everything has gone.
Dr Joseph
Alexandria
“My wife and I hired Chris and his team to help us locate, research, and negotiate the purchase of our first home in 2009. Throughout the process, Chris focused on managing risk and making sure the investment would be sound while still meeting all of our requirements. After the purchase, there was absolutely no buyer’s remorse or second thoughts because we knew with confidence that it was a good investment. We could not be happier with our home and we have recommended Chris and his team to several friends and co-workers just starting their house search.”
Bryan Landsiedel
Warrawee
“… [T]hanks for your assistance on the purchase of our property… Your patience in looking at a number of properties prior to our purchase was greatly appreciated. I valued your advice on the tactics of engaging with the vendors’ agents and your balanced and dispassionate view on the re-sale prospects of the properties we looked at. I’m sure we will use your services the next time we are looking for a property.”
Paul
Grays Point
Curtis Associates were engaged to help me find and buy my first home, a difficult proposition as I knew my budget but was going to have to live in a completely new area to afford the large family home I was hoping for.
I chose Curtis Associates with confidence as they offered the most help in choosing an area to live (rather than just a house in a specific suburb) and I was impressed with the depth of their due diligence process which appeared to exceed the other buyers agents I spoke with.
The assistance Chris and his team provided was invaluable, often friends ask me if using a buyers agent was worth the money in terms of a discount on the house price, but where the greatest value lay was that Chris took the time to work out what I really wanted in a home and lifestyle (versus the things I had initially said) and steered me to an area of Sydney I hadn’t even considered in the Sutherland Shire. Working with Curtis Associates also felt like having a personal property advisor with Chris and I in touch daily and the advice invaluable when it came to choosing where to live and what sort of house to buy.
I’m positive we also achieved a good price for the house, where Chris masterfully lined up all the due diligence and building inspections as well as digging to find out the sellers real motivations so we could make an offer before anyone else got a chance. The sale was contracted on the day of the first open home and had it gone even a week longer the competition would have likely put it out of my price range. It was a relief to turn the negotiation over to Chris whose expertise was clear, without him I would not have kept my nerve through the stressful and difficult process.
But most important to me is the fact every day I wake up in paradise with gorgeous water and bushland views and wildlife when if I’d gone it alone I would be living in suburbia in Sydney’s South West. For a first home it feels like I’ve hit the jackpot, and for that I can’t thank or recommend Chris and Curtis Associates highly enough.
Louise Johnston
Sydney CBD
To achieve outstanding results at all levels when purchasing a commercial property in Sydney CBD, you must partner with the best in this space. Chris has gone above and beyond to get our firm the most satisfactory outcome in times of great uncertainty and fundamental changes in the market. We finally purchased a prime Strata Lot off-market in Sydney’s financial core, with no other competition during our negotiation with the vendor.
It was truly inspiring to work with someone with such a high level of experience, precision, and expertise. Chris brings the due diligence process to the next level and has the network as well as the resources to execute promptly when required – Working with Chris is like being hardwired to the market, you’ll never miss an opportunity.
It was an absolute pleasure to partner with him and his team on this assignment; and I highly recommend using his services whether you’re looking for a residential or commercial property.
Edgar Deluen
Director | SideReal Capital Pty Ltd
Mosman
“Thanks Chris, not often one gets to wake up to a fully negotiated and agreed deal. Thanks for all your dd, and good advice on this.”
David and Fei
Rosebery
“Just a short note to thank you and Jill for the outstanding dedication you showed finding me a lovely home. I cannot believe how the house meets all the many requirements I had, plus also a few things I hadn’t even considered but which make the house so very right for me. It truly was inspired home finding!
The most important thing for me in this search has been the level of trust which you so quickly established. I felt that you were completely understanding not only of my needs but also my taste, and that understanding coupled with your outstanding knowledge of the property market made what could have been an incredibly stressful experience a very enjoyable process.
I cannot recommend you and your team highly enough. Your expertise and professionalism in not only advising me but in dealing with real estate agents was invaluable, and I am so very grateful for all the extra lengths you went to which ensured that I was able to view homes which were entirely suitable and which met my brief. This meant that I was confident when the right home came along to put in an offer which was well considered and entirely justified.
To find a property like this off-market without anyone to compete against was priceless.”
Rachael
Pymble
“Being time poor and first time buyers in a tight Sydney market we thought it prudent to engage the services of an expert to help us buy our dream home.
We interviewed four buyer’s agents and selected Chris. This turned out to be one of the best decisions we will ever make in our lives.
We presented Chris with a challenging brief both geographically and financially i.e. we weren’t entirely sure what we wanted, where we wanted or what our budget could realistically secure.
Chris showed great patience throughout the entire search process, continually testing our criteria until we worked out through almost daily conference call updates, what we actually needed in a property.
Eventually he found our dream home – an off market gem, which he was able to secure for us at a fair price within only two days of our inspection.
This didn’t just happen by chance. Chris has a detailed and constantly evolving knowledge of the Sydney property market. Chris and his team’s exemplary diligence and attention to detail resulted in our great buy.
We never hesitate to recommend Chris to anyone who will listen to us!”
Nick and Annabel
Woollahra
“When you find that really hot real estate opportunity and you don’t have enough time to research it, it’s either take a risk or miss out. However, there is another way. From Tuesday night to Saturday morning we were able to go from internet viewer to successful buyer. With a market comparison, building and pest inspection as well as contract variations in place and agreed, everything was set for buying at auction. Add to that Curtis
Associates professional buying at auction service and it meant that we were in control. We got the property we wanted at the price we wanted, put simply it was the best result we could have wished for.”
Martina
Randwick
“Just wanted to say thank you again. We are just delighted – still don’t believe it’s actually ours…We do always talk very highly of the service we got from you – I think we have sent a few your way over the years – Kelly, Laura and Gary, Alex and Russel and am sure there are a few more in there, so good to see people are taking our advice. “
Dr Rob and Laura
Woollahra
“Over the past few years we have worked with Chris and his team to purchase two eastern suburbs properties [the first in Surry Hills for $1.353 million and the second in Woollahra for $2.64 million].
They have saved us from auctions, bad investments, and all kinds of stress with smart, commercial advice, market insight and a complete focus on what we wanted to achieve.
We cannot imagine and would not want to, or want our friends to imagine buying a property without them.”
Margaret and Justin
Marrickville
“Thank you more generally for your team’s fabulous work on our matter. We couldn’t be happier with the process and the outcome.”
Annalise and Tessa
Seven Hills
“It was the first auction I’d ever experienced so I was very nervous but am so glad now that I have it and for a very good price, thanks to you! The money I’ve saved will certainly go a long way to making further improvements in the future…
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank you so much for everything you’ve done for us in the purchase of our new home…the information you provided on each of the properties was invaluable. Your support and encouragement along the way also made the job of finding a new home much easier and the expertise you showed on auction day certainly helped to calm my nerves!
I will definitely seek your assistance again in the future for any other property purchases I need to make and will also be recommending your service to anyone I know who is looking to purchase a property.”
Judy
Balgowlah Heights
“We had never used a buyer’s agent before. But, after being gazumped twice on two very ordinary properties on the Lower North Shore, we turned to Chris Curtis. First Chris, a lawyer by training, spent several hours precisely understanding our requirements. Then came the drive – a two-hour tour of potential districts, streets and properties that had recently sold. He steered us away, with good reason, from three places that seemed initially desirable, found one home we all thought would work, but, in negotiation, advised it was overpriced. One weekend, when we were away on the Mid North Coast, three hours from Sydney, he called us back to a home that was “not yet on the market”, a quiet sale. We drove back, saw it, and exchanged contracts within the hour, and now happily have moved in. It meets all our requirements. Chris earned his fee, and saved us money and time.”
Colin and Susan
Manly
“I just wanted to thank you again for all your assistance in sourcing and negotiating the purchase of our house… We had initially thought there was little possibility of finding a place that met our criteria within our compressed timeframe…
Moving back to Australia after five years in London, [we] were very keen to buy however were a little concerned about our lack of knowledge of the market and our ability to devote the necessary time to the search and execution. The service that you provided with respect to focusing our search efforts, negotiating the purchase and coordinating all the third parties were invaluable to us given our circumstances.
I appreciated your frankness and honest advice which ensured we never had any unrealistic expectations about the market and were comfortable in being more or less aggressive in the pursuit of a particular property.
I have no doubt had it not been for your efforts that we would be back on the rental train rather than living our dream…
I have no hesitation in recommending your services to friends and colleagues and I look forward to speaking again when it comes time to upgrade.”
Garrick and Melissa
Killara
“We engaged Chris after identifying a property going for auction that we liked, and being based offshore, we needed someone we could trust to lead the diligence and negotiation process on the ground. We were immediately impressed with Chris’ approach and attitude – he is the consummate professional, acting with a high level of integrity and is attuned to his client’s requests. The due diligence that Chris’ team undertook was extremely comprehensive and covered almost every aspect of the property including potential risks, positive aspects, and a thorough valuation based on recent market comparables. This gave us a high degree of confidence on the attractiveness of the property, and importantly, its fair market value which allowed us to set the right bidding limits. From his assessment of the competitive environment, Chris recommended a pre-auction bid strategy which proved successful – we secured the property the night before the auction at a good price and also allowed us to avoid the stress and potential risk of an auction. Overall, we are extremely pleased to have used Chris for the purchase, as without him, there would have been a high risk that we would have overpaid for the property, or lost control of the situation in an auction environment. We therefore have no hesitation in recommending Chris as a buyers advocate, and look forward to using him again on future purchases. “
Derek and Leigh
Roseville
“Chris Curtis acted as our buyer’s agent on the purchase of our home. He was able to respond to our request to act in a very short time frame and provided us with objective, well researched and comprehensive written advice on the value of our target property relative to other available properties in the area.
Once we decided to proceed, Chris took over all dealings with the vendor’s real estate agent and quickly positioned us as the buyers to be first dealt with by the vendor’s agent. His advice during the negotiations stage and his conduct of these negotiations was of great assistance. Despite a most competitive and emotional buying environment he was able to secure our property for us.
At all times we found Chris to be most professional, available to us, reassuring and communicative. His coolness, calmness and pragmatism were a bonus. His presence in the process meant that we could stay arms length from the negotiations and leave it in the hands of a professional advocate. Testament to all of this, we are now living happily in our new home.
We have no hesitation in recommending using Curtis Associates as a buyer’s agent.”
Michelle and Michael
St Ives
“Feeling very pleased. After a weekend’s thought feel like we did well. Your strategy was 100%. Looking forward to a glass of champagne.”
Graeme and Debbie
Mosman
“I was initially hesitant to spend the extra money on a buyer’s agent, but after having done so I can say without hesitation it was a hugely worthwhile investment and I would not contemplate buying another property without engaging Chris again.
His background as a barrister and having been involved in large commercial property transactions for Macquarie Bank both give Chris the perfect mix of skills for this role.
I negotiate deals every day in my business but still found it invaluable in this case to be ‘represented’ in such a large transaction by someone who is a former barrister, knows the local real estate industry inside out [and] is familiar with the selling agents…
He did a great deal of due diligence on this property, and analysis of comparable sales data before commencing negotiations which:
1. gave us peace of mind that there were no hidden surprises before making such a big investment and
2. meant that he went into the negotiating process extremely well prepared
Chris was on-call to us 24/7 through the process, and was extremely proactive and completely professional throughout. His service is self funding in that I believe he would always save clients a multiple of his fee on the purchase price, this was certainly the case in our experience.
I strongly recommend his services.”
Mark and Tegan
Mosman
“Wow. Thanks is not enough. Spectacular work.”
Gerry and Marica
Mosman
“…I thank you very much for your assistance in finding us a new home. [W]e were sceptical about hiring a buyer’s agent and unsure of the value in doing so. From day one, your significant and tenacious efforts to secure the right home for us were apparent and we have been pleasantly surprised by your hard work and dedication to our campaign. You were true to your word that you would influence and restore some equality to the unequal balance of power that the vendor and agent usually has… I think the most appropriate compliment we can give…is that we wished we had hired you much earlier on and be rest assured we will be seeking out your services in the future.”
Simon and Rhiana
North Ryde
“Being a property developer/investor for the past 10 years, I have not an issue with acquiring property; therefore initially I was hesitant in deciding to take a step back and allowing someone else to take charge of purchasing part of a development site, as I generally like to be involved in these aspects of the business. Chris’s calm and confident approach gave me the confidence to proceed. His professional manner with the seller helped secure the first purchase; all conversations between the selling party, conveyancers and Chris were disclosed to me in detail, in an open and very timely manner.
Once the first purchase had been completed, I had no hesitation in signing Curtis Associates up for a second request to purchase property. The acquisition of these two assets was important to the future business of our company, and I found that by allowing Curtis Associates to be involved, I was able to proceed with other work that our business had commenced, rather than having my complete attention taken for the purchase of these properties.
Chris was able to remove any concern I would have had during the purchase process with the sellers. His communication skill, time input and general knowledge were valuable and would be a great asset for anyone considering purchasing property.
I have no hesitation in recommending Curtis Associates as a buyer’s agent for any business or personal plan to acquire property.”
Patrick
Crows Nest
“I would not be here were it not for your services. Particularly, providing the impetus to shake me out of the stagnation that had prevented me taking this plunge for so long. I am still in awe of the fact that I/we purchased the property off-market, with a clear and complete head-start, ahead of any other (known) competitors; and before others were even aware of the opportunity. This is the sort of advantage that makes your services so attractive. I also particularly acknowledge your advice on price to bid, which as you know was accepted without any negotiation, and secured the property for myself within a week of first inspection.
Many of my friends and colleagues have been interested in my use of a buyer’s agent. It is still a service that is not generally widely known. I only became aware of it myself over a dinner table conversation which is how you were referred to me”…
Mark
Hunters Hill
“We recently engaged Chris Curtis to help us buy our second property – our first family home.
Before we met Chris, we had our real estate alerts set up and Saturday inspections organised and thought that was enough. Chris pointed out that you use professionals to sell your home, but often not to buy; which is absurd given you pit yourself against professionals who do this every day.
Chris drove us through all the areas we were considering with his guidance, he helped us narrow our brief to a very specific set of requirements. He remained in contact with us from first thing in the morning to last thing at night, providing us with information, guidance and recommendations on our desired location and house. We always felt he was working entirely for us and had his full attention.
We never thought our budget … would buy us everything we wanted, but it did – a beautiful home in a quiet, leafy culdesac in Hunters Hill, which we would not have got without Chris. The house was not yet on the market when we found it and Chris took us to see it mid week before it was advertised. We loved it instantly and he booked building and pest inspections on the next working day. The following day Chris then couriered a carefully crafted offer to the agent and 15 hours later it was ours.
Words can not express how thankful we are for having Chris on our side – his professionalism, passion and drive to succeed for his clients is second to none. We will use Chris every time we buy, and will recommend him to anyone thinking of using a buyers agent.”
Philip and Faye
Dulwich Hill
“We remain absolutely thrilled…and very grateful to you for making it all happen…
The due diligence report is exceptional, thank you. The document is a valuable resource and enables us to feel even more confident about our purchase”.
Dr Melinda and Rica
Abbotsford
“We were very pleased with the result achieved on Saturday. Your service, professionalism and capability served us greatly on the day, thanks for saving us a small fortune! [We] both agree instructing Curtis Associates was one of the best decisions we have made and will happily recommend you…”
John and Shannon
Glebe
“The secret to our successful acquisition is to a large degree owed to the (very professional I might add) services of … the buyer’s agent we had hired to negotiate the price on our behalf since we had already found the house we wanted. It took exactly 7 days from the moment we decided to purchase this property to successful exchange at 8% below what I was prepared to pay. Due diligence on the property was incredibly extensive and included many information tidbits only obtainable through personal research such as interviews with neighbours, policemen and council workers in the area. The information he provided on the neighbourhood was meticulously researched and flawless, and his assessment on the property spot on.
Also found were numerous off the market sales in the neighbourhood as well as comparable properties to give a good price indication and negotiating tool. …. I can highly recommend Curtis Associates to anyone looking to purchase property in the Sydney are…the best professional services my wife and I have encountered in almost 8 years of living in Australia”.
Dr Balthasar Indermuhle
Petersham
“We have no doubt that we scored well. Various friends who have lived in the inner west for longer than us said the price was very good. And we have you to thank for that”.
Dr Zoltan and Tom
Chippendale
“My wife and I recently engaged Curtis Associates to act as our Buyers’ Agent for the acquisition of an apartment in Sydney. I am writing this letter as testimony to our satisfaction with the services provided.
Our objective was to purchase an inner city apartment to be used by our daughter while studying at university in Sydney, and also as a long term investment. As non-NSW residents, the selection and purchase of an apartment posed many difficult challenges and traps. We were so fortunate to have Chris Curtis acting on our behalf who made the process smooth and efficient.
I found Curtis Associates via an internet search. I made appointments with several Sydney Buyers’ agents but was immediately impressed by Chris Curtis’s professional approach, obvious experience in local real estate and his legal background…
Upon engaging Chris he found a suitable property in surprisingly quick time. His background search and investigations were amazingly thorough and his due diligence report was absolutely comprehensive. Chris’s experience came to the fore when, following what seemed a disingenuous representation of market value by the vendor’s agent, Chris’s research resulted in a more realistic estimate that proved extremely accurate. Armed with this knowledge, Chris represented us as at the auction where he controlled the bidding is a way that we never could have managed alone.
I unreservedly recommend Curtis Associates to anyone requiring the services of a top-class Buyers; agent in Sydney. Others may be cheaper but I would be surprised if any are better.”
Dr Warwick
North Strathfield
“Many thanks once again for the brilliant job you … did for us on Saturday. We are still on cloud nine!”
Allyson and Megan
Newtown
“We spoke to a number of other buyers agents before deciding to go with Curtis Associates – we have always been pleased with our decision. We were truly impressed by how quickly you initiated your research after we first met – literally the same day we signed our contract with you. This was important to us as we needed to find a property quickly.
You also rapidly appreciated the qualities we were looking for in a home and focused the search so that we didn’t waste time looking at unsuitable properties.
Your comprehensive market research and advice packaged in clear, concise and regular updates gave us the information we needed to feel confident in making our decisions. This was particularly important given that we are new to the Sydney market.
We were also grateful that you made yourself so accessible as our busy jobs make it difficult to deal with these sorts of matters during work hours. Your graciousness at our late night calls was particularly commendable.
Your advice on the best strategy for acquiring the property was the most valuable…On our own, we would surely have missed out at auction. Your management of this process also took away a considerable amount of stress.
…Overall we think it’s fair to say that your service is exceptional and unlikely to be matched, so congratulations and thank you again.”
Milan and Sarah
Sydney CBD Hyde Park
“We were looking to buy a property in Sydney for investment purposes and, at a later stage, for personal use. We are based in UK and therefore particularly in need of the services of a good buyer’s agent. After talking to a number of such agents sourced from the internet, we chose Curtis Associates.
It was a good choice. Chris Curtis listened to our requirements carefully and produced a short-list of potential properties after exhaustive research carried out by his firm. He talked through the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Through our many conversations we soon realised he understood what we were looking for. We were very much on the same wave-length. Where our interest was leaning towards a property he thought unsuitable, he produced additional evidence to convince us that we were on the wrong track.
The purchase of a $3 million plus property unseen is not something lightly undertaken. With Chris’s expertise and attention to detail, we felt confident to proceed. He was skilful at the negotiating stage and partly by relying on the results of some novel due diligence, secured a meaningful discount. He also provided useful guidance in selecting a local solicitor, immigration lawyer and agent, accountant and sources for mortgage finance.
Chris is a highly qualified, likeable and very capable buyer’s agent. With his support we felt confident proceeding with a multi-million dollar purchase unseen from ten-thousand miles away. We doubt there are many others with his unique combination of skills and abilities. We recommend Curtis Associates whole-heartedly.”
Clive and Siyoung
Rushcutters Bay
“Thank you for your tireless effort and persistence with this deal…Well done!”
Bellevue Hill
“Your letter to the vendor’s agent was expertly crafted and a pleasure to read. Outstanding research (thanks) and I can see some sensible arguments developing here that further justifies our figure being southwards of $5.5 million. Thanks so much for all of this. Helps enormously in the process.”
Nick
Bellevue Hill
“We engaged Curtis Associates to represent us in buying our new home. We had found THE one and felt that after buying our previous home and a large number of investment properties, we were able to complete the task without a Buyers’ Agent. This could not have been further from the truth.
My husband and I had different opinions on aspects of the home and how to buy it. We had already sold our own home and were faced either with a double move or buying the house that week for settlements to line up conveniently. We were going round in circles and the stress was unbelievable!
Once Chris took the reins, the stress lifted immediately.
A very comprehensive building a pest inspection was organised – in some of the most torrential rain Sydney has seen. Chris took over all dialogue with the sales agent and even struck a rapport with the vendor who had been a little difficult. The vendor was under no financial need to sell the property and was quite willing to rent it out if necessary.
We were kept informed every step of the way. The Due Diligence report provided by Curtis Associates was especially informative and supplied us with the information needed to sort out our differences regarding aspects of the home. The building report also gave us some brilliant ideas on how improve some of these aspects and an indication of the costs involved.
That Due Diligence report provided two very good bargaining points which permitted us to make an offer that was considerably lower than the price being asked. Along with the strength of Chris’ negotiating skills, this due diligence made certain our offer was accepted. Included in the offer was a signed 66W Certificate waiving the buyers cooling off period. As my husband is extremely risk averse, waiving this right was an initial source of great concern. After being informed of the thoroughness of the comparable sales considered and analysed by Curtis Associates, we felt reassured that the risk involved was minimal.
On reflection, signing the certificate gave us increased control over the offer and acceptance process.
From retaining Curtis Associates to exchanging contracts took only five days! We were provided with a vast amount of information in order to know exactly what we were buying and Chris handled all our uncertainties and questions with professionalism and skill.
We will not be purchasing again, whether it be investment or a home without Curtis Associates. Not only did the bank valuation come in as hoped after contracts were exchanged, five days later a comparable property sold for considerably more than we had paid.
Dr Bernard and Jill
Vaucluse
“Chris Curtis has an exceptional knowledge of the upper end of the Sydney property market and has developed an enviable network of contacts within the real estate industry, providing him a significant competitive advantage in sourcing and securing outstanding properties. Chris made sure he really understood what we were looking for in a property and was then able to meet our requirements in a timely and professional manner. The service was invaluable in our recent relocation… I highly recommend Curtis Associates.”
Graeme and Louise
Bondi Junction
“Chris. Thanks again… for the result we achieved in buying…on the weekend, both in the execution of the auction strategy and in the post auction negotiations…we would be happy to (and indeed have already) recommended your service to others.”
David
Bondi Beach
“Your help on this has been exceptional and very much appreciated”
“I was looking for a particular property in a specific area of Bondi. As an overseas buyer I knew I would need on the ground assistance. There were very few properties for sale of the type we were targeting but…Chris patiently unearthed numerous properties through a combination of letter drops, agents and his own contacts. He actually advised me against purchasing several of these until we finally found the ideal property. It was an off market deal and the previous owners are now my tenants.”
Graeme
Surry Hills
“We thank you so much for your dedication, persistence and hard work in securing us the property in … Surry Hills…
You have been a wonderful mentor to the two of us, and professional and polite throughout. We have no hesitation in recommending you to friends and family”…
Dr Russell and Alex
Woollahra / Rushcutters Bay
“Thanks very much for your great advice, both on the entry and exit strategies… Much appreciated. Very happy!”
John
Queens Park
“Thank you very much for your services, professionalism and patience.”
Rebecca and Luis
Surry Hills
“…I can’t recommend Curtis Associates highly enough… the place we’ve just purchased in Surry Hills is still so far from market it is almost unbelievable. Because of the groundwork…we were shown through the property only a day after the vendor had initially contacted the real estate agent and before the real estate agent even had the listing and well before a contract for sale had been drafted. Less than a fortnight later, we have already finalised the purchase and exchanged contracts… and, more importantly, we were never competing with any other purchasers for the house. Their knowledge and understanding of the lower north shore and eastern suburbs is incredible… and the due diligence they conduct is… beyond expectations.”
Matt and Shauna
Kensington
“…For us, after so many years of looking – it was like lightning!!! We…will miss the countless conversations, emails and hypothesising….but mostly your rating system! …We look forward to working with you again in the future!”
Peter and Joanna
Randwick
“As a busy professional who spends a good deal of his time living and working abroad, I found Curtis Associates’ service invaluable on a number of different levels. Firstly, in saving me the time, money and aggravation in finding an absolute gem of a property off market; secondly in terms of thinking of all the ‘known unknowns’ that will be quite intimidating to anybody not familiar with the intricacies of the Sydney property market. And finally, as a bottomless source of strategic and tactical advice in securing the kind of property my partner and I were looking for, at a highly competitive price. CA deliver all this – and more – for a modest investment, and at a level of service that is very hard to beat. I cannot recommend them highly enough.”
Nick
Surry Hills
“We deeply appreciate the level of integrity and honesty given to us in your detailed analysis of the current market and our targeted property. Your skilful handling of the agent’s behaviour was invaluable, as was the strategic guidance.
We recognise the time pressure our project imposed on you due to the short notice and time frame.”
Alexandria
“We are thrilled with the property and very happy!!
…Thank you for everything, I’m sure we would not have identified the area or the place without you and would have settled for something that did not make us nearly as happy!! (possibly imploded at the stress of it all).”
Dr Jochen and Hillary
Surry Hills
“After many years preparing to enter the Sydney property market, I retained Curtis Associates with a requirement for a well-located apartment and a highly rational investment.
Within a fortnight, Chris and his team had presented me with high quality on and off-market offerings representing some of the best I had seen in Sydney’s east. Chris’ due diligence report exceeded my expectations, enabling me to make a sensible decision in difficult market conditions. Under immense pressure Chris took my instructions to auction and secured the property at a sane price against fierce competition.
I am thrilled with the result that Curtis Associates achieved. Chris’ professionalism, thoroughness and experience enabled me to purchase an excellent property in otherwise difficult and frustrating market conditions”.
Tim Markovitch
Surry Hills
“I have been utterly delighted with your service, your professionalism and skill have been exemplary. I will have no hesitation in recommending you to everyone I know.”
Dr Kelly
Surry Hills
“The assignment that my partner and I gave to Curtis Associates was very specific… The strength of using a buyers agent for us was not in trying to save bucket loads of money whilst buying in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, but to hire someone with experience in dealing with property sales. Above all else it was the strategy that Curtis Associates employed that won us the property we were seeking.”
Angus and Greg
Roseville
I have never met anyone like Chris Curtis. I spend my work life with smart, driven, effective and highly-trained healthcare professionals, but Chris is in a league of his own. He brings a whole new meaning to the word “due diligence”. In fact, he is the epitome of “due diligence”! We engaged him when disheartened by the lack of property stock on the market. Within 3 weeks, we inspected 2 properties on a Saturday. Within 24 hours, even though it was a weekend, he had obtained a searching building and pest inspection by an architect and engaged a competent and personable lawyer to review the contract. We were then barraged by an avalanche of highly pertinent information about factors impacting our potential property purchase – from electromagnetic radiation to planned developments in the area and soil contamination reports. Given Chris’ previous litigation and financial background, he was able to bring his substantial intellect and market experience to assure us regarding the integrity and value of the property of interest. Within 72 hours, he had secured the property for us at a discount to the market. It’s like having your own personal barrister in your corner batting for you…..Be warned though – you need to be contactable, focused and to know exactly what you want to let him do his stuff….
Dr Peter Wong
Roseville
I decided to engage a buyers’ agent after having no success in finding a suitable home to purchase. I googled “Best Buyers’ agent”, and Chris Curtis’ name was at the top of the list. Google was spot on. After reading Curtis Associates website thoroughly, including reading every testimonial, I had a clear idea of the way Chris operates. I also reviewed a number of other buyers’ agents’ websites, but concluded that there were no other contenders for our purposes.
Time of initial enquiry to purchase of a blue-chip property that met all our stringent criteria was 21 days. This was extraordinary, considering our specific needs and the current global situation with Covid-19, which rapidly deteriorated during the time of our search. Chris impressed us with his intelligence, ability to synthesise and communicate complex information and provide astute advice that was evidence-based. But more importantly, he did so with the utmost respect, openness and integrity. We were deeply impressed with both what he was able to achieve and the manner in which he did so.
In a difficult and expensive property market, at times of unprecedented uncertainty, it gave us great confidence to purchase having Chris on our side. His service was invaluable. Chris’ unique skill-set from his background as a barrister and in finance were evident in his analysis of our needs, his advice and in the way he successfully negotiated for us. Knowing that someone of Chris’ calibre was working unceasingly for us (we would receive emails within minutes of our queries) gave us great comfort. We knew he had our best interests at the forefront. A heartfelt thank you to the best buyers’ advocate ever – we never want to purchase another property without you!
Dr Karen Chia