Our clients say:
Flumet, 2007
“Annabelle Ormond found our first chalet five years ago and we recently approached her again to find a larger chalet for our expanding family. Although we had looked extensively on the internet on both occasions, it was Annabelle through her local knowledge who found the perfect chalet both times. From the beginning there was a mutual understanding and she had a good feeling for what we were looking for. She is very professional and her expertise throughout the buying process gave us constant support. I recommend her to anyone looking to buy a property in the Alps.”
Dr. Paul R.M. Hekking, M.D.
Rotterdam, Netherlands
St Gervais, 2006
“We just wanted to thank you for the superb service you provide. You made a process which would have been exceptionally difficult, if not impossible for us, remarkably smooth and straight forward. Your help and advice throughout has been very clear and attentive. Thank you.”
Peter Phippen
Managing Director of BBC Magazines
Meribel, 2005
“Thank you so much for helping us to find and negotiate the purchase of our Chalet. Its been a pleasure working with you and we have appreciated the value of your local knowledge at all stages, including the completion meeting in Moutiers. Many Thanks again.”
Christopher and Melony Collins
La Clusaz, 2004
“I have known Annabelle Ormond professionally for the past ten years from the time when I approached her to help me find land for building in Haute Savoie. She not only negotiated the deal over the land but also introduced me to a local agent and helped me through the purchase, plans and construction of my house. …I find her efficient and meticulous in her work and will happily recommend her to anyone requiring her services.”
Mr A.H.A.J.M. Nouwen
Senior Partner, Hoeberechts Property Solicitor, Weert, Holland
Chamonix, 2003
“Annabelle was absolutely indispensible in helping us find our house in the Alps, and head-and-shoulders above all the others we contacted for help.
From the outset Annabelle exhibited exceptional intuitive judgement for the type of chalet we needed and would like — in fact she had a better grasp of what we needed than we did ourselves. As a result, she ensured we saw only real prospects rather than everything on offer. After an initial conversation, she visited about 10 properties that met our needs on paper, but narrowed it to 3 for us visit, and each was a gem.
Once we had decided on one,Anabelle navigated us unerringly through the offer and purchase process, making it all very straightforward and simple for us.She was flexible, responsive and patient to a fault throughout. Critically, she built a relationship on our behalf with the vendor, which ensured we were not gazumped, despite determined efforts from other potential purchasers.
At the end of the day of course, nothing speaks like results: We contacted Annabelle on May 13th, having worked with others for several weeks with little success; within a week or so we had seen three ideal properties, and by June 10th we had exchanged contracts on a much bigger chalet in a better location than we had ever thought possible; we completed on July 12th.”
Pat Butler
Surrey
St Gervais, 2003
“We already owned a property in the Alps, when we contacted Annabelle, to find what seemed impossible although we were on the spot, which was an isolated farm-house close to St Gervais. Annabelle came up with three within the month of signing on with her. We found her dynamic and thorough, and her continued help up to the completion and as a helpline after has been invaluable.”
Nick Moriarty
St Gervais
Samoens, 2003
“If you are looking to buy property in the French Alps, I am delighted to recommend Annabelle Ormond. …The day I came home I saw Annabelle’s advert in The Times and duly sent off my deposit.
It was a sound investment. What I bought was Annabelle’s extensive knowledge. Her polite insistence that I specify exactly what I was looking for — price, on the slopes or not, summer use, distance from Geneva, etc, sharpened my thinking. She then applied my criteria to her knowledge of the market and came up with a whole range of flats for me to view.
As a result my next trip was totally organised as we sped round the different resorts and quickly settled on the apartment we wanted and it was not in Tignes.
But Annabelle’s service didn’t end there. In fact, it was just beginning. French property law is a nightmare of bureaucracy. Annabelle finds the way through. She understands the mortgage set up, the notary’s function, the demands of developers. Without her help I would have given up halfway through. In addition, she helped negotiate on the price, which went towards offsetting her fee.”
Michael Kelly CBE
Former Lord Provost of Glasgow and Rector of the University of Glasgow
Le Grand Bornand, 2002
“Having started with a small budget and big ideas I was very unsure my requirements could be met, but you came up trumps and I can’t express how happy I am with my chalet. … My rusty French would have made it impossible for me to find my dream home without you, not to mention my lack of time to view properties. Yet, within 6 weeks of my original letter, you were meeting me at the airport and looking after me like an old friend. I cannot recommend your service enough. Thank you, thank you.”
Karen Cox
West Yorkshire, England
Les Carroz, 2002
“Early in the year, we engaged Annabelle Ormond to find us a farm to renovate in the Alps, with a view to making our home here permanently. She rapidly came up with a selection over a wide area. Unfortunately, the one we decided to buy was bought up by the local commune just before we completed (a right which every commune has but is very seldom exercised, unless it seems the property is a really good price). Annabelle restarted the search and we also started going into local agents ourselves, but found she had sent emails to every agent in every village, already alerting them to our plight and quickly came up with an even better propostion than the one we had lost.”
Richard and Liz Owens
Les Contamines, 2000
“…I have had to stop and thank you for all your assistance which I may say far exceeds anything I thought we were signing you up for. It was great to have you there for the signing ceremony …Seriously though for one minute, the service you offer is extremely professional — you seemed to understand exactly what we wanted, and you certainly found it!
That alone was fantastic,but the assistance from there to the meeting with the notaire is equally beneficial in the overall service you offer. Louise was very worried about dealing with the legalities of a foreign country and you seemed to make it all so simple, even assisting with bank accounts and my inability to fill forms out correctly!”
Jamie Watson
Bicester
Meribel, 1999
“We had failed in our attempts the previous year to find something on our own. …This year Annabelle Ormond of A.L.P.S. made careful arrangements for us to see properties in three different areas over one weekend. No time was wasted because she herself had already seen the properties, and knew what we were looking for.
Not only have we succeeded in buying, through A.L.P.S., a property which exactly suits us, but we also thoroughly enjoyed dealing with them. I have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone trying to find property in the Alps.”
Christopher Floyd QC
11 South Square, London, England