Any one bought from Barrats Oakleaf?

bargainquest

We have just sold our house today (hurray!) and one of the houses I am interested in buying is being sold by Barrats Oakleaf. I am assuming it must be a house that has been part exchanged for one of the new builds they are selling up the road. They don't seem to be advertising it widely - we only came across it when driving round to look at another house on the same street. I am just interested to know a bit about how they go about things as when I rang up for a viewing and requested details I was told that they are not an estate agent and therefore do not produce house details. If they are not estate agents is it problematic in anyway?

cattie

If the house you're interested in is on the current Oakleaf homes website, then you can click to have details sent to you. You are able to do this for up to 5 properties at a time. See here http://www.oakleafhomes.co.uk/

bargainquest

Thanks - I did that so maybe they will respond, although being as I contacted the local office and was told they didn't have details I am not hopeful!

Cazza

Hi bargainquest! I have worked with Barratt in the past a few times and you are entirely correct in thinking these properties are usually part exchanges. I have not come across any problems with Barratt not being an Estate Agent, the work they do in relation to selling brand new houses is very similar to the work done by an Estate Agent anyway, they know what they're doing - many of the staff have worked for EAs in the past or go onto jobs with EAs after Barratt.

In some ways it can make things easier - there'll be no ongoing chain with the house you want, they often redecorate and recarpet houses which look a little "tired" at the edges and with any negotiations, you're talking direct to the vendor, rather than having an Estate Agent playing Chinese Whispers! HTH!

bargainquest

Thanks Cazza, that sounds positive -we'll just have to see what the house is like on Sat

Madjock

We bought our house from Barratt Oakleaf. The house is fab, but Barratt's aren't. Take everything they say with a pinch of salt. And it's quite likely the vendor will be living there till the day of completion. We weren't told this and ended up sitting in our removal van till 3pm before we could get into the house.

withabix

Madjock wrote:

We bought our house from Barratt Oakleaf. The house is fab, but Barratt's aren't. Take everything they say with a pinch of salt. And it's quite likely the vendor will be living there till the day of completion. We weren't told this and ended up sitting in our removal van till 3pm before we could get into the house.

Not knowing that would have been the fault of you or your Solicitor, not Barratts!!

MOST Oakleaf houses are vacant before they are sold, because the last occupants will have been desperate to get into their overpriced cardboard box.

Madjock

No, it wasn't mine or my solicitor's fault, it was Barratt lying to us. Don't presume to know a situation. The only advice I would give is to make notes of everything Barratt tells you, and confirm what they are saying to you (though they probably will still move the goalposts to suit themselves).

bargainquest

The house is vacant but thanks for the advice.

KARPY

I have recently purchased a home from Barrett Oakleaf and i have nothing but admiration for them. They helped push our Mortgage through and negotiated extremely on the price knocking 8% off an already low price. Also paying our sollicitors fees and search fees. We have already had the poperty valued as a home close to us was sold for much more and are even in this situation in positive equity by at least £10,000. From start to finish it took 7 weeks to complete and our mortgage company Bank of Scotland dragged their feet through that or we would have been done in a month. I would suggest them for a bargain.

Lilystar

We also bought our current home from Barratt Oakleaf (the Chester branch), and like you, we were told they don't produce property details. It wasn't a problem as the house was vacant so we were able to measure up ourselves - and we were able to visit as often as we wanted after we exchanged contracts, as they had a set of keys at the site office just the other side of town.
I found them to be very efficient, and very willing to come to a deal on price - we were also able to negotiate new carpets and a coat of paint throughout, as some of the previous decor was a bit vibrant!
Overall I'd say certainly no worse than dealing with an estate agent, in our experience anyway.