Testimonials

Testimonials From Our Clients

Some of our customers have been kind enough to write us a testimonial.  You can find them below as we add them.

Joyce
Downsizing

I was looking to downsize from a large house with four bedrooms to a unit at Brooklands Village. Sorting my home was a fairly large job which I wasn’t really able to do on my own and my daughters could only do what they could. Thank goodness Graham was recommended to me by Jenny Lambert, my Estate Agent.

Without Graham, I wouldn’t have managed on my own. He organised for items to go to the auctioneer, removed rubbish, sorted items for charity and gave me great advice. I think he made a total of twelve trips in his truck in the end. He is just so easy to get along with and such a big help and nothing was any trouble to him.

I already recommend Graham to all my friends and would recommend him to anyone shifting from a big house to a small house – his help was invaluable. I would highly recommend him to anybody.

Jill & Russell
Preparing an Estate for Sale

Jill’s parents went into a supported life care residence and we had to prepare their property for sale while being based in the North Island. Our Real Estate Agent recommended Graham from Estate Property Solutions as a service which would help make the process more manageable. This has indeed been the case, with the service from Graham exceeding all expectations. He managed the process of packing, realising the value of saleable items, disposing of non-saleable items, cleaning the house, organising minor repairs, having grounds tidied up and even cleaning the exterior of the house so we maximised the house sale value. We also had some negative family dynamics which Graham went above and beyond in his duties, to diplomatically help navigate and resolve as much as possible. A difficult time and process was made easier by Graham, so we have no hesitation in recommending his service to anyone else. With Graham, we started as clients and feel we have ended as friends.

Jo
Preparing an Estate for Sale

I highly recommend Graham’s service to anyone dealing with, as I was, the family home after my mother and father moved quickly to aged care. Graham was respectful and understanding with my parents, which reassured them that their beloved house was in good hands.

In my dealings with Graham, I have found him to be trustworthy, honourable, considerate, and easy to communicate with. Until I was able to find the time to make decisions about the home, Graham did a weekly check over the property and made sure the grass was mowed and the garden weeded.

I was lucky to have the time to remove all the possessions that my parents wanted from the property and leave the daunting task of dealing with the excess to Graham. (I believe he does offer the complete service of going through a property for you if you haven’t the time). After I handed over the property to Graham, he efficiently organised a dealer for the remaining items that could be sold, donated whatever he could to charities, and removed the rest to the tip.

He then arranged for the house to be professionally cleaned, ensuring the whole place was spotless (including carpets and windows), and ready for our real estate agent. He continued to oversee the property and garden until the handover to the new owners.

I was continually delighted at his thoughtfulness and attention to detail. He certainly stands out above any other property service I have ever encountered, and I am very grateful for his assistance.

Shona
Helping with the Transition of family to Rest Home Care

In November last year, I had to make the trip to Dunedin from Auckland to organise the removal of the contents from my Aunt’s Council Flat. She had reached the point in her life where she was no longer able to take care of herself so had recently moved to a Rest Home. My Aunt’s Age Care Support Worker mentioned that Estate Property Solutions could help.

I phoned Graham and organised a meeting with him at the flat. Graham made me feel comfortable from the moment I meet him. He was very understanding of my need to have time to go through my Aunt’s possessions to decide what personal and important things I wanted to keep for her and our family.

Graham was always friendly and professional and I felt the weight of this enormous and emotional job lift off me when he told me how he was going to handle the removal of everything that I did not want. After he had finished removing everything, he rang to let me know he’d found a few extra things that he thought we might want and arranged the package and post of these, which I’m very grateful he did.

I would like to thank Graham, Glenda, and the team for the work they did on behalf of my Aunt. Without them, I don’t know how I would have been able to clear the flat out, or how long it would have taken me. Especially since I don’t live in Dunedin and don’t know my way around very well. I’m so happy that they made a very difficult job a lot easier for me. It was not an easy or very pleasant job, so I am thankful I had their care and expertise.

Graeme Pennell
NIDD Realty

I have worked with Graham Burgess of Estate Property Solutions on several occasions and always found him to be exceptionally helpful and efficient in dealing with all kinds of property situations. In sometimes very difficult circumstances Graham has been able to quickly establish a plan and work with me to have a property ready for sale in a timely manner that satisfies family and meets our needs for property presentation. We have received grateful thanks from our clients for arranging Estate Property Solutions to help and would have no hesitation in continuing to recommend the business to our clients.

Simon
Packing, Storing & Coordination of Goods

NIDD real estate recommended Graham of Estate Property Solutions as we needed a reliable team at short notice. The team managed to fit us in to their schedule and kept us appraised of their activities at all times. I found Graham provided great communication, was superb getting things organised, as well as professional and completely trustworthy. We are in a different town and not able to complete the household contents relocation. Being able to trust a group to recover our possessions and organise storage at such an awkward time (with the university year over so storage space was at a premium), have them move everything, including awkward heavy items, was just fantastic.

Graham and his team organised secure storage, repackaged and moved a whole household in perfect condition. Graham negotiated the storage arrangement and later coordinated with a third-party to recover their items which all occurred seamlessly. The team did a great job, especially at what was quite a stressful time for us, so their consummate professionalism was a breath of fresh air. Plus handling the handover of items to multiple parties, closing out the storage arrangement, and on their own recognisance; providing photographic and video footage to document the move, was a real step above. I would unreservedly recommend Graham and Estate Property Solutions; their service was perfect.

Alan
Deceased Estate

I heard of Estate Property Solutions from radio advertising and personal recommendations. I was impressed with their service and would recommend them to others. Graham was pleasant to deal with and very willing to fit in with the times I was available, so I didn't need to take the time off work that I was expecting to. The team took good care of shifting everything out of my father's apartment and into my house, and were concerned that everything was in good condition and properly set up. He also managed to obtain a good price for something I was told I might have a problem even giving away. He obviously has plenty of experience in his line of work and knows the best way to approach it.

Fiona
Deceased Estate, Downsizing & Relocating

I wish we had known about Graham and his business Estate Property Solutions when we were discussing our wills and planning our funerals. After my partner passed, I decided to sell my family home, relocate to a new town and settle in a small townhouse.
Three months later, I finally had decluttered and downsized. The house was ready to go on the property market. I was exhausted! A cat found its way into the basement, panicked when it couldn’t get out and ripped off some lining paper. Devastated, I contacted Public Trust for advice who fortunately sensed my distress and suggested I contact Graham who became a valuable trusted friend.
I was a recently widowed woman and Graham had to earn my trust. He proved to be a good listener with exceptional communication skills. Together we devised a plan to help me move forward. Graham has a team of reliable and experienced tradespeople working with him so I didn’t have to find my own tradespeople. He helped me prioritise the repairs, select items to take to my new home and advised how to wisely dispose of unwanted items.
Quite simply, Graham removed the heavy load from my tired shoulders. I strongly recommend Graham and his business Estate Property Solutions.

Andrea
Helping with the Transition to Rest Home Care

I found Graham and his team's services to be extremely helpful at a difficult time for the family. They were professional, efficient and friendly. They used their initiative and paid attention to the details, such as sentimental items that we may have overlooked. They left the house spotlessly clean and sorted out all the house contents so items went to appropriate places such as charities, or dealers. They organised subcontractors and met them at the property. I would highly recommend Estate Property Solutions.

Lisa Jamieson
helping a friend to downsize

I recently met Graham and the team when they helped a friend of mine by packing and shifting her into her new flat after her house was sold. They were amazing with her as she is not able to do much for herself. They helped carry and unpack everything. Made sure she was set for her first night in the house then back the next morning to finish things with her. Thank you so much guys for all you do. I will keep your card and give them to anyone I know needing help.

Susan
Downsizing

I came across Graham’s ad in the Age Concern Magazine. Graham and Paul completed more than a few maintenance jobs. They were very prompt and just so helpful - such pleasant people - and all the other firms he suggested were like that too. It was one of the best decisions I made around that time.

In the past, I’d found it difficult finding a good handyman. Builders would neglect finishing work properly, sliding doors were stuck, that sort of thing. Some things that seemed may have taken hours took Graham and Paul only minutes to sort out, almost like they had a magic wand! There was a doorbell I’d been meaning to install for around 18 months, it took them all of ten minutes. It was such a relief to get things fixed after such a long time.

With Graham, you’ve got someone who you feel is totally honest, reliable and straight forward. He’s transparent in all his dealings and it’s such a pleasure to do business with him. He’s top-notch.

Zoe
Preparing an Estate For Sale

We were selling our house and were time-constrained. I was looking for an all-in-one solution; someone who could get everything squared away so that the property was neat, repaired and ready for sale. The experience was fantastic. I was worried initially that they only dealt with deceased estates, but Graham said he could help, no problem.

I really needed that person who could manage the whole project and get in tradespeople. He knew what needed to be done to get the property ready for sale without blowing our budget. Graham organised everything, keeping us updated all the way along, and the result was great; all repairs done, the house was repainted inside, and cleaned outside, and the garden was tidy.

Throughout the process, Graham was cheerful, polite and easy to deal with. I liked his attention to detail and they were timely and thorough. I appreciate the care he put into things, and how he respects the wishes and belongings of his clientele. They prioritised the jobs which would have maximum impact on the house sale price, and while I'm sure that it would have cost less if I'd skipped the repainting, I also think that having the house looking so neat helped put a good offer on the table. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Graham to others who are looking for help when it comes to preparing an estate for sale.

Heather McConnell
Deceased Estate

I first found out about Graham and Estate Property Solutions through St Barnabas Rest Home, where mum was at that time. Before that, I didn’t realise there was this kind of service out there. Graham was absolutely fantastic and we could not have had better service. If it wasn’t for Graham, I might still be knee-deep in it.

I was the only child in Dunedin, with two brothers out of town. While mum was still here, we started to sort through things together. Once mum passed away, I found myself walking from room to room thinking what do I do with all this stuff?

I initially found it hard to hand over and involve Estate Property Solutions in the process, but Graham and Glenda were very respectful. They don’t just throw stuff out but sort through everything. They found some things, things that will be valuable going forward – in a sentimental way. They really made the extra effort. Graham was just awesome finding mementos and fixing things.

They suggested what might be worth selling, so we managed to get some money back on a few items, they also suggested what could be donated. I was happy for some things to be given away. In the end, what’s important is important, the rest is just stuff. It can be overwhelming at the end and they helped sort it. It’s a real journey and I think Graham does a great job and offers a great service.

He gave us a rough indication of what it would cost, and it was pretty much on the mark. It was worth every cent to us and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to people and do recommend him.

Rachael
Large Deceased Estate

Graham was a godsend. My sister lives in Dunedin, while I live in Invercargill and we both work full time, with the death of our mother in January 2018, we had a large home that had been with our family for years to prepare for sale. Graham was incredibly helpful.

He did so much for us, after we had completed an initial sorting of things, he came in and co-ordinated a lot of the possessions and furniture – to auction houses, to my sister, down to Invercargill and even to my brother in Switzerland. He sold the piano, arranged for someone to do the garden. After the removal of furniture, it obviously needed a good clean and with five bedrooms - it was a big job. They pulled up the carpets, tidied up and made repairs. He was so nice throughout the whole process, never intrusive, he just made it so much easier for us.

For us, Graham just co-ordinated a whole lot of stuff for us. He was very adaptable; if I was only available on a Saturday, he made time for us. He knows a lot of people like lawyers, estate agents, book specialists, you name it, and if you’re stuck, he will give you advice on what do to and where to go. If you need something done, he will get it done. It’s a difficult time, and when you’re working full time it can be hard to liaise with all the different people. He was able to be there for us.

He made a situation that can be stressful and at times overwhelming, a whole lot easier. He did an absolute stack of work for us, and at a very reasonable price, he comes highly recommended from us.

Irene Russell
Public Trust

We at Public Trust have dealt with Estate Property Solutions since they commenced their business and we are always impressed by their professionalism and commitment to doing a fantastic job. Our clients call us to let us know how delighted they have been with their services. There has never been a job that they couldn't do for us and they always manage to exceed our expectations of providing excellent customer service. I would and do recommend them to all of our clients.

Sarah Sharp
A Good Life

Graham assisted me to transition an elderly woman from her two-bedroom home (where she resided for thirty years) into a single rest home unit. This was a sensitive assignment as throughout the years, the client had become overwhelmed by her circumstances and the majority of the house and possessions had remained untouched for years.

Graham had a huge job ahead of him, sorting through all the items and working with the client to establish where all the items should go. For the transition to go ahead, it was vital that the client felt comfortable.

Graham was remarkable. His manner was incredibly compassionate, kind, and his level of communication was excellent. He took his time to understand the individual's wants and needs. He made sure he was clear about the clients’ wishes, at each stage of the process.

It has been a pleasure working with Graham. Working with someone to transition to a rest home requires a lot of trust and Graham is someone I feel I can rely on to establish this trust. He is patient, honest, non-judgemental and transparent; every step of the way.  I look forward to working with him again in the future. 

Linda
Deceased Estate

I had a lot on my plate sorted out my mother’s estate and coordinating her funeral and everything after her death when Graham was recommended to me by two people, first from the real estate agent and also from a local Dunedin auction house. I’m based up in Whangarei and by that stage was flying backwards and forwards between there and Dunedin, trying to organise everything.

Graham came in and he was just amazing. Nothing was a problem, he was incredibly helpful and an absolute joy to deal with. Nothing was too small, he sorted out little things like light bulbs and lifted wallpaper. When the house was empty, little things can show up, and he sorted them all. He coordinated with the agent and he went in and took photos, he then came back to me and was methodical and thoughtful about the process.

He doesn’t just throw things away but goes through them, he sorts things that would be good for charity, what might be mementos, and what he thinks could be on-sold. He sent me photos of some things I might want and then organised for things to be sent up North for me.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Graham, I was at the other end of the country and I know he deals with people who are overseas, he’s just so great to deal with and such a nice person, he made the whole process just so much easier.

Allister Preston
Waikouiti

I had cut an ad out of the ODT and had it floating around for a while before calling Estate Property Solutions.

At 88, I’m relocating back to Christchurch and had a collection of around 50 years of stuff sitting in the garage, some of which I hadn’t touched for some time. I realised that what I had in the garage really isn’t of much use to me anymore, and a lot of it is of very little value, in this day and age, so I decided to use Estate Property Solutions.

It was genuinely worrying to me what I was going to do with it all, Graham and his team solved that problem in an hour and a half. They didn’t just throw away everything either and with this sort of thing, there’s a fair bit of trust involved. My items were genuinely sold with a very detailed invoice and I like that a lot of it ended up going to charity.

They were very friendly and easy to get along with. There’s a real need for their services in Dunedin. Especially for people with no family to help out, Graham and his team are genuine. I would recommend them to anyone in a similar situation. They’re doing a great job for people like me.

Lana Lloyd
Gallaway Cook Allan Lawyers

As a law firm which handles estate administration, we occasionally have the need to contract companies to provide a range of services.  The advantage of Estate Property Solutions is that no task is too large or too small and their scope of work covers such a large range of duties that realistically they can handle most requirements – and if not, they can contract the appropriate organisation to attend to the task required and oversee that work.  It frees us up to continue with the legal work.  We have used the services of Graham and his team on a few occasions and the service is exceptional – fulfilling the brief to top standards and on one occasion really going the extra mile to try to assist us in providing avenues to contact the appropriate persons in Auckland!  We have also referred clients directly to Estate Property Solutions and they have worked directly with the clients to assist them with photographing household items and arranging shipping to other cities, at the appropriate times.  On a personal level, I have found Graham to be an extremely helpful person, his willingness to assist is exemplary and any work completed by Graham and his team has been completed to a very high standard.  I would have no hesitation in recommending Estate Property Solutions to clients or friends.

Carole
Deceased estate

Finding Graham and Estate Property Solutions made a big difference for our family. A task that had seemed quite overwhelming became a lot more manageable. They had the knowledge, experience and expertise to help assess what needed to be done and suggest what method might be the best way to achieve that. They helped construct a timetable and strategy and were practical and hands on in making it happen both through their own work and their network of contacts. They solved the big problems and the some of the little ones that had us stumped. Also, they made things happen in caring and conscientious way which makes a big difference.
I would highly recommend Estate Property Solutions to any family working through the process of a deceased estate in Dunedin.

Paolo Guglietta
Gillions Funeral Services

Our company engaged the services of Estate Property Solutions on behalf of one of our client families to clear out and prepare a deceased estate for sale. Graham and Neville arranged everything from rubbish removal, from within and around the property to restoring the inside to a presentable condition. The communication from Estate Property Solutions was professional, sensitive and kept the family well informed regarding the level of involvement required along with a realistic estimate for their services. I wouldn’t hesitate to contact them in the future to assist us.

Wayne Cockburn
Business Development Manager CCT

As you are aware CCT contracts to Estate Property Solutions with our Garden Crew Business to complement the Estate work your business undertakes in the Dunedin metropolitan area. We wish to thank you for the ongoing relationship we have built on in the last few years, your business is very professional in its way it deals with its clients, exhibiting a high level of integrity and respect for the customers you deal with, many of at a time in life when their time in their home has come to an end or when a family member is left to deal with winding up the estate. CCT wishes Estate Property Solutions the continued success and look forward to building on what one can describe as a partnership to complement your business. Thank you.