We’ve had the pleasure of helping lots of people find their perfect property. Here’s what some of our previous clients have to say about working with us:
Ben is great, a perfect agent for people who are fed up with estate agents. He’s relaxed, friendly but professional. No mile a minute spiel, no bullsh*t. He handled everything for letting our property and made the process very straightforward and stress free.
I'm generally not one to post reviews but I had to on this occasion. We were fortuitous in meeting Ben, having had a 6 months of no sale on our two-bed ex council flat, using another estate agent. Was very pleased with the level of professionalism and level of communication, and we were able to complete within 6 weeks, from the date of Ben taking over. The experience was so good that I had to recommend him to our architect.
Where do I start?... We had an ex council flat that we were told was literally unsaleable. We had previously used a "so-called" estate agent who told us that we should take our property off the market and just rent, which suited their needs. They had produced horrible photos of our former home and it was unsurprising that no one wanted to touch the property with a barge pole but to all intents and purposes, it was a decent flat. We were at the end of our tether and nearly succumbed to the rental route. Then we decided to call in fresh estate agents, they were all eager to sell our flat but Ben seemed to have an edge, he had great local knowledge and a determination, so we took a punt and within a few days, we had viewings - Hubby and I were shocked. The level of communication by Ben and his team was second to none and we knew where we stood at all times. Even when we hit a rock, Ben was extremely supportive and I knew that the sale was going to go ahead. We have now sold the flat and we can honestly say that it was a fabulous experience and would highly recommend Ben Matthews Estate Agents. Amazing, well done and thank you!
I appointed Benjamin Matthews to market my property, as my first impression on meeting him was a good one. I found Ben extremely professional and had a good understanding of the market and my personal requirements, delivering a first class services and responding very quickly to all my enquiries. It is testament to his service that other homeowners in my street also appointed him to sell their properties upon the sale of my one and would highly recommend him.
Ben went beyond my expectations’
When Nolwen Rivet bought a flat in Forest Hill in 2013 it was always in her plans to sell it within a couple of years.
Sticking to that masterplan Nolwen found herself looking for an agent to sell the property in early 2015.
Nolwen takes up the story. She said: “I did what most people do and invited a few local agents around to give me some valuations. These included Ben from Benjamin Matthews Estate Agents.
“Straight away I felt Ben had great knowledge of the local area because he lives here and also that his was a small but very modern, personal operation.
“I instructed Ben because he seemed very honest and an estate agent I could trust, which is something you can’t say about everyone in the property industry. The trust factor was a big thing for me as selling a property is such a huge decision to make.
“Throughout the process Ben’s feedback and expert advice were really important and helpful to me.
“I felt very much in safe hands with Ben and he went beyond expectations in terms of service. I have pets whose welfare was a concern, and he always ensured I felt relaxed and the property and its full time inhabitants were well taken care of if he was doing viewings while I was out.”
Nolwen was buying a property at the same time as selling her flat, and her mortgage company forced her to instruct a solicitor they selected. This meant she ended up with two solicitors which was not ideal for her.
She added: “Ben was great at communicating with the solicitors, and the estate agents I bought my new property through.
“An unfortunate health event happened to someone in the chain during the process, which put a strain on us all. My buyer was not very flexible, but Ben did his utmost to try and find solutions that worked for all of us and create a win / win situation which he ultimately did.
“It may have well all fallen through with an agent not so considerate and dedicated as Ben.”
Nolwen described Benjamin Matthews Estate Agents as being ‘trustworthy, with excellent service and great communication.’
She summed up her experience. “I would definitely recommend Ben over other agents. I believe big companies or nationwide agencies do not offer the same level of service so I’m delighted with my decision to instruct Ben.”
Selling a home can be stressful at any time.
But in Matthew Reading’s case he was also buying a new property, relocating to another part of the country and juggling family life with three energetic young children.
So for Matthew it was crucial that he chose an estate agent who was responsive, reliable and above all – honest.
Here’s Mathew’s story.
“My wife and I moved to Forest Hill in 2008. Seven years, three children and a major refurbishment of our house later saw me land a new job which meant moving to Norfolk.
We knew we had to instruct the right estate agent to sell our home and to maximise its increase in value since we had bought it. It was one of the biggest decisions we’ve ever had to make.
I’d been spending time researching the property portals and liked the look of Ben’s website. I warmed to its friendly tone and the fact Ben was the person you’d be dealing directly with at all times.
I knew he had sold a couple of houses on our street quickly in the past so we decided to call him, and two other High Street agents in.
Right from the first meeting my wife and I found Ben to be friendly, personable and prompt without being pushy.
He asked questions and actually listened to our answers. By doing this he learned we needed a quick sale as my job offer meant relocating.
With this in mind his valuation was multi tiered giving us different prices for different scenarios. This was incredibly useful.
The other agencies either valued our property too low or didn’t seem interested.
During the first weekend of viewings we received offers from serious buyers who either had mortgages approved or had finances already in place.
Ben called me on the Saturday and Sunday evenings with feedback and advice. It turned out to be very wise advice.
Ben recommended we have another weekend of viewings the following weekend. By sticking to his promise of always showing people around on visits it meant my family and I could go house hunting in Norfolk.
This was great as it reduced our stress and meant we could focus on finding a new home which with a young family is no easy task.
Again our property was shown to several serious, quality buyers. We received offers at the asking price but Ben advised us to hold out for a bit more as he felt the local market was surging and the property was rising in value.
He turned out to be spot on. Our buyers eventually got the home they wanted and we got a very good price for the property. His advice was worth thousands of pounds to us.
I instructed Ben in August and we exchanged contracts in October before moving at the end of November.
Throughout the process he was superb. His warm personality, down to earth honesty, marketing nous and sales ability were remarkable and we’d like to thank him for helping our family.”
One last questioned remained. “So would you recommend him?”
Matthew replied: “Absolutely, without a moment’s hesitation.”
Becoming a landlord for the first time can be a daunting and stressful experience. When the property you are letting out is also your home it makes choosing the right letting agent an even more important decision.
This was the situation Fran Thompson found herself in when she needed to let her 3 bed terraced house in Hither Green. Here she shares her experience with us.
Fran said: “I called three agents to value my property, as I was moving to Suffolk from South East London and needed a local letting agent I could trust to let and look after my house.
“From the very beginning I thought Ben was my best option. He is very friendly, extremely knowledgeable and his fees were competitive. I particularly liked the fact he is an independent agent and that he would be my sole point of contact.
“Being a first time landlord, I had lots of questions but Ben never ever made me feel as if I was being
demanding or asking ‘silly’ questions.
“He gave me good advice on how to prepare my property to let, meeting all the safety criteria but avoiding unnecessary spending. He always took my calls, was very supportive and informative and, as a landlord himself, he showed great empathy with my situation.
“I feel Ben is completely trustworthy and he found me great tenants who moved in on December 1st 2015.
“Based on my experience with him, I would highly recommend Ben to anyone looking for a letting agent who is honest, approachable and very good at their job.”
Having suffered disappointment when her sale with an online agent fell through Beverley called Ben in.
She said: “I originally went with an online agent because I wanted to try to save money on commission fees. But when I had problems with the sale I instructed Ben and it was a really good decision in hindsight.
“Ben impressed me with his local knowledge, clear way of communicating things and his sincerity.
“I sensed he genuinely cared about helping to achieve my sale. Through all of my dealings with him I found him to be totally professional, assertive and decisive without being pushy, and a genuinely nice person to deal with.”
Beverley instructed Ben instead of High Street or national chain estate agents because she liked the idea of dealing with one person throughout the sale process.
She added: “It was reassuring to know that if there were any issues I wouldn’t be passed from pillar to post and that Ben was on hand to help.
“I was delighted with his service and I’ve already recommended him to friends.”
Like many of Ben’s clients Jonathan Voo was initially impressed by his local knowledge.
Jonathan’s job means he travels a lot internationally and in August 2015 when it came to rent out his two bed house in Forest Hill he wanted an estate agent he could trust.
Jonathan explained: “I did the usual thing of inviting three agents around to my property to give me their opinion and get an idea of what working with them would be like.
“Ben impressed me the most. He is very friendly yet highly professional and efficient. The fact than Ben is a local man was highlighted as he knew the area and its property market inside out.
“I wanted an agent who was honest and who I could have faith in to sort things out while I’m abroad and Ben fitted the bill exactly.
“He took the time to ensure I got a good calibre of tenant rather than rushing simply to fill the property as fast as possible.”
Jonathan is also enjoying Ben’s flexible approach to staying in touch.
He added: “Email is my favourite tool of communication as I’m often in differing time zones. Ben replies quickly and comprehensively to my emails as well as taking my calls when I need to speak to him – even when he’s on holiday.
“There are many things I like about Ben’s services. He is a problem solver, has a patient and positive attitude and I know that by having Ben looking after my property I’m in safe hands.
“I wouldn’t have a moment’s hesitation in recommending Ben and his company.”
Trusted, hardworking and very knowledgeable are one of many things I would describe Benjamin. When renting out my house, because he knows the area very well and has good connections, I can feel at ease. He is a great communicator as well and has kept in the loop always. He found the perfect tenants for me and when any challenges arises, he is on it and able to help. I would high recommend using Benjamin to friends/family and those who are looking to use his services. Rates are competitive and his service more tailored than your usual high street agents.
Selling a property can be a stressful time – especially when you’ve never done it before.
And that was the situation that first-time seller Paul Hodge found himself in when he decided to put his two-bed room flat in SE23 up for sale.
Paul’s journey to selling his property saw him meet five different agents before deciding who to instruct.
Paul said: “I chose Ben in front of others because he has a quiet confidence and certainly wasn’t pushy. He was approachable and knowledgeable and gave me a realistic valuation of the property. I felt he got excited about the prospect of selling my flat and that enthusiasm appealed to me.
“There was an issue with a short lease on the flat and Ben was helpful in supporting me to overcome that.
“Even when parts of the process looked like becoming fraught Ben’s calm stewardship and transparent way of dealing with things was very reassuring. He knew how to do the right things at the right time and his communications struck a perfect balance.
“He was always responsive to me and was extremely professional.
“Ben being an independent agent who doesn’t have a High Street office didn’t bother me at all. Technology means the times are changing rapidly and whenever I needed to see Ben there was never any issues.
“I would have no hesitation at all in recommending Ben, I definitely made the right decision instructing him – he’s the most un-estate agent, estate agent I’ve ever met and that’s a big compliment.”
Ben’s attitude and work ethic made the purchase of our first home really enjoyable.
As first time buyers, not fully aware of exactly how the process worked we met a lot of very pushy agents who were keen to force us into a purchase and move on. Particularly for houses that were over priced and needed work doing to them.
When we met Ben we had a completely different experience and he was definitely one of the contributing factors leading to our purchase. He was informative, incredibly helpful and let us move at our own pace. We felt comfortable asking questions and he always fed back as soon as possible. Ben’s attitude and work ethic made the purchase of our first home really enjoyable and we’d 100% recommend his services.
Thank you again Ben!
Ben was great throughout our house sale at a very difficult time in the market. He supported what we wanted and was well informed with his advice. I found him much more capable and credible than any of the other estate agents I spoke to. Always polite and responsive. The online presence he got for us was a big bonus too. Highly recommend.
“Ben treats you as a person not as a number.”
Niki Mylonas spent three months with an estate agent she was unhappy with before Ben came along and sold her home in Shipman Road within two weeks of taking over.
Niki shared her story. “I regretted not instructing Ben to sell my home in the first place. The agency I originally went with was part of a big chain and I felt they didn’t really care about my sale.
“They got lots of viewings but I felt they were not qualifying viewers before taking them round to see my property.
“They also signed me into a three month contract which I felt was too long. The offers they put forward were also not good enough and they pushed me to accept them.
“I’m very glad I didn’t because when Ben took over everything went far more smoothly.”
Within a fortnight Ben had secured two good offers for Niki’s home. But it wasn’t just the results that Ben achieved that impressed Niki.
“Ben’s a very honest person who treated me more like a friend than a customer. He was kind, patient, reliable and super efficient. It was such a different experience and feeling from the first estate agent I was with.
“Ben impressed me in lots of ways. He wasn’t at all critical of the rival agent which shows his professionalism and he was as good as his word when he said he would definitely sell my place for a price I’d be happy.”
Niki also praised Ben’s attention to detail and that of members of his support team.
She added: “Even the photographer who came to take the photos of my house was superb. He took his time, got all the best shots and was a pleasure to deal with.
“Any time there was an issue during my sales process Ben was on hand to sort it out quickly and confidently.
“I know that a lot of people don’t like estate agents but Ben was brilliant and thoroughly earned his commission. I’ve already recommended him to several other people and will continue to do so.
Ben very quickly found us reliable tenants for a rental flat, providing us with a professional and friendly service from start to finish. Thanks Ben!
We have recently used Ben to sell our 2 bedroom Victorian garden flat in Forest Hill whilst upsizing locally/ We were very impressed with Ben who we found very professional, knowledgeable and proactive unlike the majority of big name estate agents we had contact with when viewing properties for our onward purchase. Ben was brilliant at arranging viewings and our flat sold quickly at a price we were happy with. He was also crucial in ensuring successful completion of our chain, liasing with the solicitors and other estate agents. Definitely recommended.
Benjamin Matthews was acting on behalf of our vendor of our purchase in Forest Hill. Ben went above and beyond for us to try and make the move as smooth as possible, something I wouldn’t expect from other agents. His team were constantly in contact with all parties to keep everything moving, which you get sight of via an online portal. Would highly recommend.
Highly recommend Ben. Great communication, market info and just a great guy to deal with. Our flat has just completed and the whole process was easy.
I can not recommend Ben highly enough. After frustrating experiences with some of the bigger named estate agents it was refreshing to find someone who has excellent knowledge of the market, particularly the local area. We felt Ben was very honest and kept us informed throughout the whole process. His communication is great which meant viewings were booked and carried out smoothly and feedback always given. Once we accepted an offer Ben was in constant contact with all involved to ensure the process moved quickly.
We are very thankful for Ben's proactive approach and besides being a genuinely nice person he is an excellent estate agent!
Having been renting in London for a number of years, we have come across several estate agents and have always had issues. When the time came to buy our first home we met Ben and he was exceptionally helpful, going well above and beyond. What we liked the most about Ben is that he really maintained a very honest balance between the seller's needs and ours. He is dedicated and honest and we could not recommend him more! We recently purchased a buy to let flat from a high street estate agency which offered to let it out for us as well but once completed we decided to ask Ben to look after the letting, knowing that we could totally trust him. Well, he got us a tenant in less than a week and we are pleased once again with his services. People tend to think that high street estate agents would have wider audience and more resources (and they very much use this as a point in their favour) but Ben proves this wrong as it is not just about resources but more than anything it is about dedication and commitment and that is what Ben has in abundance!
Ben was very quick and efficient when helping us with one of his rental properties, and was an absolute pleasure to work with. He could not have been more helpful, informative or friendly - would wholeheartedly recommend him, and will be our first choice on our next move. Thanks Ben!
Ben was fantastic at selling our flat, right from the get go. He was really passionate about selling our place and it was this that really made us chose his business. He was very open and honest about the whole process and had very good local knowledge. It was great to be able to deal with one person the whole way through our sale, and we felt very comfortable knowing that it was him rather than anyone else who would be showing people around. I can not recommend his business highly enough. Thanks Ben!
I can't thank Ben enough for the levels of patience and professionalism throughout our sale. A truly personal, and caring service, helping us overcome so many hiccups along the way.
When the sale started it was to be a simple affair, with a buyer found quickly, we were off to a fantastic start.
But due to a change in our circumstances, there was red tape flying about all over the place, which Ben helped us deal with, with patience and great advice. Keeping both parties informed throughout the whole process, helped us manage to secure the sale without issue, even with all the delays the red tape had created.
Can't say enough good things to reflect how much help Ben has been, and how much stress has been avoided by going with an independent agent, rather than one of the local high st agents, all of which we found to have one issue or another.
Thoroughly recommend Benjamin Matthews Estate Agents, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you Ben :)
Benjamin sold my garden flat in Nunhead this year and I was very pleased with his excellent service, professionalism and kind & curteous manner. His level-head, honesty and clear communication made the process as least stressful as selling a house could be.
I know there are plenty of big estate agent brands out there that you could choose to sell your home & they will regale you with the number of properties they have sold, their unrivalled experience in getting you the best price and their extensive local knowledge.
What they can't offer you is a dedicated, personal service and honesty that Benjamin gave me.
All through the process he was straight with me & estate agency is not a profession where honesty is in rich rich supply.
He was clear about what price we should put it on for, he filtered potential buyers to make sure only real people who wanted to view the house were shown it and he found me an excellent buyer who paid a price I was happy with.
All through the exchange and completion process he supported me and made sure I was up to speed with how everything was going and often liased with my vendor's estate agent to iron out the "bumps in the road".
In a world where we're asked to rate every experience we have, from Ubers to Amazon purchases, out of five stars, a five star score can come to feel a little banal. But let me make this very clear, the service Benjamin gave me was exceptional, it was a five star service in the truest sense of the phrase.
So, in short, get Benjamin round to quote on your home, you won't be disappointed.
Had a great experience - Ben was knowledgeable and friendly and went above and beyond when showing people round our home. We got a price we were really happy with and the sales progression team were very on top of things and kept the sale moving speedily so it completed in less than 3 months. Would definitely recommend for people selling in SE23!
Ben is without doubt the best agent we've ever dealt with. From the outset we were confident Ben was the right fit. He is professional and friendly with an in depth knowledge of the market that obviously comes from years of experience. Ben's dedicated team ensured everything went smoothly with the conveyancing and kept everyone informed throughout each stage of the process. If you're thinking of buying or selling, we can't recommend Ben highly enough.
We would thoroughly recommend choosing Ben as an estate agent, we had a fantastic experience with him. Throughout the sale of our flat Ben was clear and honest in his communication. He often went above and beyond to ensure a smooth process and even took final meter readings on our behalf to prevent us making an additional journey.
We’re so glad that we choose Ben over other agents and would recommend him to anyone.
I would highly recommend Ben Matthews. He is very hands on, a good communicator, and a pleasure to deal with. My house sale was not straight forward but Ben went over and above what I expected of an estate agent. A true professional.
We had a first class experience with Ben at Benjamin Mathews Estate Agents. Sold very quickly at the price we wanted. Ben, ably supported by George in the office, provided fast, effective communication throughout the process. Overall, after looking at the competition, we were very happy to have chosen Ben who provided excellent value for money. I would highly recommend his estate agency services.
Ben is a super efficient, friendly and reliable estate agent. He was personally there every step of the way to navigate us though the tricky process. I thought his bespoke service worked so much better than the bigger agencies on the high street and his honesty and straight talking were commendable. Should we ever move again we will definitely be giving him a call.