The most rewarding part of our job is helping people find a home that meets their needs. So we decided to produce a series where we share their personal stories of finding a better home with our agents.

To kick-off our series, we interviewed Ottawa client Harry Brundage and toured his character home in the heart of the Glebe. Check out our interview below for all the details.

The Transcript

How did Umber go about finding a better home for you?

Kristen did a great job of finding a bunch of options. I was picky about getting a house with some character that wasn’t just cookie-cutter, pre-fab, or something like that. And so Kristen was able to identify a wide variety of features, including this super beautiful sunroom that captivated my attention. 

What was your initial impression of your current home?

I loved it as soon as I walked in because there’s just so much billowing in from the sunroom at the back, and it feels so much airer and pleasant […] It’s not that big of a house either, which is awesome because it’s easier to clean, and it’s the right size for me. 

What was the best part of your experience with Umber?

I think the best part of my experience with Umber was feeling safe and taken care of. I don’t know that much about the real estate industry. I’m not super confident about all the different ways in which you have to set things up right. So I felt like I was really able to trust Kristen who brought all the potential issues to my attention and explained the different courses of action. 

What did Umber specifically do to make the process easy?

Umber made the process easy for me by meeting me where I was. So Kristen would come to my house to hangout and go through what we had to go through but be patient and explain it. She was always available by phone as well. I really appreciated and respected Kristen during the deal phase where we were negotiating with the counterparty. She was extremely responsive and knew what the right steps were.

I also appreciate that Umber marketed my property that I was selling. They did all the straightforward stuff that everyone else does, but they go above and beyond, right? […] Umber has deep awareness of the ongoing technologies in the landscape that make it easier to sell. So they came in and mapped it, put it up in virtual reality, and people were able to tour my house on the Internet, which I think is freaking amazing and like blows every other local brokerage out of the water, right? No one else is doing that. 

What is something that you learned about selling and buying that you didn’t know before?

I learned an awful lot about hot water rental contracts which is something that no one knows anything about. There was a sticking point in one of the deals we were doing and Kristen knew exactly what the remedy was and how to negotiate to get the issue sorted out. I’m not going to use that knowledge often, but it’s awesome that it was something that she had seen before and knew exactly how to handle it.