Mark was responsive, insightful, patient and got us an amazing rental within budget and location.
I can’t recommend Mark enough!!
Working with Mark has been a massive weight off my shoulders and he is generally just a really genuine and helpful individual who cares for his clients and their needs.
I recently relocated to England from Ballito, South Africa. Facing the challenge of finding a home that ticked all the boxes (yes, we are spoilt on the north coast of KZN, so no small task!), Mark was quick to get stuck in and understand my circumstances. He is incredibly knowledgeable and an extremely good listener! Not only did he find me my perfect home, but he also took time to walk me around the areas, showed me the sights and helped with simple logistics like where to get which busses and trains from and to!
Highly recommend Mark to anyone who is looking to find a home that meets all your needs. He is attentive, professional and goes above and beyond!!
We can’t recommend Mark highly enough. When we started our search for a UK rental having lived abroad it quickly felt overwhelming with the constant rejections due to having pets on top of a very fast and demanding housing market and lack of housing stock. When I heard about Forbury Services helping others’ in similar situations I decided to give Mark a call. It didn’t take him long to secure the first house we viewed but there were a lot of prior searches and calls to estate agents that he was better able to handle, negotiating with them and explaining our situation and needs. Owning pets himself helped us understand that he was empathic and kind and he took a lot of pressure off us. The champagne he sent at the end also helped- thanks Mark!
MichelleWe highly recommend Mark Palmer. He found us the proverbial “needle in the haystack” property for rental. We had been searching for months and he assisted within days. Highly recommend his services!!! He listened and found us exactly what we were looking for.
Carla SmithI would like to highly recommend Mr Mark Palmer if you are searching for a rental. He has been extremely helpful, well-connected and persevered until he was successful in helping us secure a rental (with a great sense of humour too). It’s a very hard thing to do alone and so my family and I are indebted to you Mark!!
Rachel ZaidmanI just want to thank Mark for helping us find a home in the United Kingdom… Our biggest challenge was our 7 cats… Mark took two weeks to find us a flat in beautiful Essex and the landlord excepted our fur babies. Relocating to another country is extremely stressful and being separated from your partner is even worse. But Mark really helped us in a way that that he will never understand. Thank you Mark you a truly the Bone family hero….
Michelle Van NiekerkWe can’t thank Mark enough for his great service! After desperately trying to secure a rental in the UK from South Africa, we realised this mission was near impossible! A mutual friend referred us and thanks to Mark’s exceptional service we could move into our rental 3 days after coming out of quarantine! We can highly recommend his services!
Magda BaillieI just recently moved from US, and Mark helped me with finding a place to rent. Mark not only helped me find a very nice place in a very short notice, he went above the call of duty to help me settle in as I had to spend some time in quarantine. Thank you Mark for all your help, as I would have been lost without your invaluable help!!
Bruce KeshtI had an opportunity to work with Mark Palmer on my relocation to London. Mark was very willing to work within my schedule and we started the process prior to my moving over to London. He was able to provide us with a number of different options within our budget and had a good handle on what we were looking for. He was very responsible and always available to walk through some of the ideas I had and was great at providing his opinion as well. Given the COVID pandemic, he was also very accommodating with how we wanted approach viewings. I would recommend Mark to anyone considering a move.
Mark SweeneyWe have recently used Mark’s services to sell our property. Mark was amazing and supported us all the way. His years of experience in the property market helped to guide us through a long and very difficult transaction. Mark is professional, knowledgeable and trustworthy. We simply couldn’t have done it without him and I have no hesitation in recommending Mark for any property related services.
Johann Appel
Thank you for a very knowledgeable and professional service. We were relocating back to the UK from Switzerland and were on a tight schedule to buy. Andrew listened to what we needed and came up with a good number of houses to view with serious sellers, one of which we are now the proud owners of. Andrew made what should have been a stressful time more manageable by doing all the leg work for us and by making house hunting enjoyable! Andrew has a warm friendly easy going personality that makes him ideal for this job and we would highly recommend him.
Mike & Moya Cooke
Moving house is said to be one of the biggest challenges a person can face, never mind moving a family of four overseas. Thankfully for our family, Mark helped us find our home in England with great attentiveness, support and, in his typical style, a dash of humour. Thanks again Mark from our entire family for making our time in England start off on the right foot.
Brian AngellMark did a fantastic job at supporting our candidate through a difficult and demanding relocation process. He was on hand 24/7 and really went above and beyond to ensure that all elements of the process went smoothly. He built a good relationship with the candidate and his wife and even ensured that appropriate renovations were made to the chosen home so that everything was just right – which is his approach to everything!
Mark Palmer assisted us when we relocated to the UK about 2 years ago. Mark carefully listened to what we were looking for in a house and in a town and selected a range of properties for us to view. Mark also reached out to people in his network to try to find out about properties that may not be on the initial radar screen. The house we eventually found was perfect. Mark was patient with us as we went back to review a number of properties and kept looking with us until we were comfortable and found something in our price range.
We would definitely use Mark again in the future!
KristinI have recently moved to the UK from Europe with my family to a new club and Mark was assigned to help me through this process. Very lucky that he did as the process of finding houses and arranging viewings and negotiating an offer is tricky to say the least when you are in another country!
Mark took care of all the property matters and negotiated a reduction in the price we paid. He even took us to the local authority to help find out about schooling for the children and we ended up with a great brand new school which the kids love and their English is now very good.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Mark to assist in any property matters as he is a career property professional with over 30 years’ experience – he made the transition as smooth as a family would want at such short notice.
RoyHaving worked with Mark for a number of years, I really couldn’t recommend him enough. Mark is not just a highly experienced individual but he also takes great pride and integrity in the way he deals with his clients. Above all, he is one of the nicest people I have done business with and can see why his clients are so loyal to him.
Canan WoodDebbie was fantastic and made me feel comfortable with the Reading area in a short time period. Coming from the US, I was very nervous about my home search and Debbie helped me to understand the different areas and find places that I would feel safe and happy. Debbie asked questions like she was looking for her own apartment and I trust her to find the best place for me.
Kristen BuonassisiWe wish we knew sooner!!!
My family and I relocated to the UK on the 1st December 2021, after an unfortunate experience of hotel quarantine, and a trip to a BnB, my wife and I were in a flat spin not sure of our future – we came to the UK trying to find a new home for our family.
While juggling job opportunities, we decided it was time to look for a home – Gosh were we shocked at how difficult it was to deal with realtors! From no replies to lack of contact and interest – simply frustrating. On the 31st of December, we sat with our heads in hands, worrying about the future! After a bit of googling and face book group searches, we found Mark Palmer being referenced for assistance around finding a home when relocating. We immediate sent Mark a mail explaining our situation – Mark replied promptly offering to set up a call to discuss further, which we did!
All I can say is that if it was not for that call from Mark, we would have continued to be a hot mess! Mark reassured us of our progress, what we needed to do, how we needed to go about it, he offered his guidance and connections – we thankfully utilized marks service after that call.
When it came time to using Marks service, he managed to assist us in securing our dream home! He was courteous, kind, caring, friendly and always happy to help! Mark made himself available on key had over day and helped us with our inventory check in.
Mark, you are a true Gentleman, I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for our family! I will continue to share praise for your service beyond this review, as I believe everyone who ever needs to move to the UK from South Africa (Or anywhere else), needs your service!!!
Keep on doing what you do – keep on doing you!
GavinI recently used Mark from Forbury services to complete a check out service for one of my properties. Communication was excellent and the report produced was of a professional standard. This allowed me to communicate with former tenants in a clear and concise way. I would highly recommend Mark and Forbury Services to anyone who wants a trustworthy service which provides peace of mind. Will definitely be using Forbury Services again.
Ritesh PauMark’s relocation rental finding service is 100% worth it. Mark is extremely patient with you and the agents he is dealing with, which leads to higher success. The process as an expat trying to secure a rental from outside the UK, is nearly impossible and without Mark I doubt we would have done it until getting there and probably still a few months later. He even managed to find us a place that allowed pets in the area we were interested in. I completely suggest using Marks services it will save you time and money.
Thank you Mark for helping us get our UK journey started.
Keagan LuytOne of the things I am most grateful for since moving to the UK is getting introduced to Mark. I was completely overwhelmed when I started looking for a house to rent – I had no idea about the different areas and how things worked. The demand for property was tremendous, it seemed as soon as a house was advertised online it was already gone! On top of this, I had an extensive list of requirements for the house to cater for the demands of everyone in the family!
It was a very stressful time for me. Mark always remained calm and positive which really calmed me down. He amazingly found us a house that answered to all our needs – as well as negotiating a reduced price – really exceeding our expectations.
During the whole process Mark was patient and supportive and put up with our changing our minds. Mark was always available to view properties for us if we were unable to travel – he would video call us so we could view which was wonderful.
On the day we moved into the house we were running extremely late but Mark sorted out everything with the landlord, took meter readings, took pictures and wrote up a comprehensive report which was really appreciated.
I highly recommend Mark – we are so thankful to him to all he has done and look forward to working with him again when we are ready to find the next house!
Last year my company relocated me to Bracknell but in the fall of 2019 our family visited Wokingham to determine if it will be a place we would like to call home in 2020. During that visit we met Mark Palmer; he was referred to us by our real estate agent in Chicago. Mark was extremely helpful during our preliminary visit. He suggested we tour the local schools, visit the Borough to get some of our questions answered and walk around the town to get a sense of what things are like. What great suggestions those were. We left knowing so much about living in Wokingham.
Then came the global pandemic during our transition year. We couldn’t travel, our visa was delayed and our daughter would miss the start of school but Mark Palmer was there to help from thousands of miles away. He helped us get a beautiful flat in Wokingham meeting all of our important criteria.
When we arrived in Wokingham in the Fall of 2020, we had a flat to call home because of the amazing work Mark did on our behalf. Mark greeted us at the flat with flowers, a card and a warm conversation to welcome us since we couldn’t hug! Mark continue to be a resource for me and my family. I would highly recommend Mark to anyone, local or international, looking for a property to rent or buy.
Karl FernandesMark’s incredibly professional, helpful (even after working hours), resourceful, patient and friendly service makes relocating countries a lot easier and less stressful. Knowing that there is someone on the “other side” looking out and after one’s needs when it comes to rentals, advice and just about anything regarding moving countries, is priceless. If you need assistance with finding a property to rent or buy, Mark certainly is the person to contact.
Christine Van DykMy family and I recently moved to the UK and Mark was assigned to assist us with our orientation and accommodation search. He took the time to get to know us, understand what we were looking for, took our children’s needs into account and went well above and beyond in helping us settle. I do not think that we would have had such a smooth start without Mark’s support! House hunting and navigating through the process is a complicated endeavour, especially in a new country and Mark was able to use his network, knowledge and experience to find us a place that met our needs in record time. I would strongly recommend Mark and his company to anyone setting out on this journey. He was a great support, always available, always patient and exceptionally customer-focused. The unexpected bonus was that even after we had moved and settled in, he continued to keep in touch. If you’re planning to relocate to the UK, you should seriously consider using Mark’s services.
Dhesh GMark has been so helpful and available to us throughout the process of finding, securing and settling in to our rental. Even though we have now been here 3 weeks he has still been available to help out with any questions, advice, referrals and even supplying recycling bags! He’s made the entire process far smoother than it would have been. Invaluable!
Sarah JervisI recently moved to the UK from South Africa and was looking for somewhere to live, after weeks of dead ends and frustration I was on the verge of giving up. Then I was told about Forbury Services, Mark was such a big help, he took me through every step of renting a property from dealing with the agent and asking the right questions to reading the fine print in the tenancy agreement. He was even there on the day the keys were handed over and helped me go through the inventory check and helped me set up utilities and WiFi!
Whenever I wasn’t sure of something I knew I could give Mark a call and he’d be able to give the right advice and steer me in the right direction, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have been able to get settled in my home as quickly and as hassle free had I not had him guiding me through.
When it comes to renting property things in the UK can get complicated if you don’t know what you’re doing, that’s why I couldn’t recommend Forbury Services highly enough, what they do to help people settle in this country is incredible. Thank you Mark.
Tim FairhurstMark completed our tenancy check in and I wanted to say that Mark was very professional and trustworthy. He made sure it was a fair check in for both tenant and landlord. Mark was great at making our move stress free and can’t thank him enough. We will definitely be using Mark in the future and will be recommending Mark to our family and friends. Thank you so much
Katie GibsonWe have known Mark for over ten years and referred relocating clients to him due to his knowledge and expertise in the Reading and surrounding areas.
Everyone we have referred has been really happy with the service and advised how hospitable, caring and understanding he was of their needs.
We highly Recommend Mark Palmer
Selecting a new home is a daunting task, selecting a new home 7,600KM away during COVID-19 was extremely challenging. We relocated from Boulder, Colarado in the US to Wokingham this September. With the travel restrictions and delays with our visa we relied 100% on Mark Palmer to help us find a flat.
Mark used video chats, videos, texting and phone calls to assist us with our search. We worked together thousands of kilometres away to find a flat. Mark always ensured the communication between the leasing agent and us were clear. He was always available to answer our questions and when we needed some guidance and support Mark was there for us. We were not able to perform the walk through ourselves but Mark did it on our behalf and did a video call during the walk through. His attention to details, his in-depth knowledge of the market and area he services, his promptness and availability even with a 7 hour time difference was remarkable. On our first day in the UK Mark was at our flat waiting to welcome us with a big smile 6ft away, a card and flowers.
He followed up with us to make sure we were settling okay. We needed a few small bowls and a frying pan while we await for our personal items to arrive but we couldn’t go outside due to the 14 days mandatory quarantine. Mark was available to drop off a few bowls and a frying pan.
We consider Mark a friend and when you are in a new country and know no one, it is extremely comforting knowing that you are working with someone you trust and will put his customer first.
Shantie TI first met Mark Palmer about 15 months ago when he was managing the letting of property for my nephew. I was impressed with Mark’s professionalism, calm persona & interaction with the tenants he was showing the property to and myself, and the way he navigated around the challenges faced with demanding tenant and my nephew who was abroad on holiday at that time. In addition, Mark’s knowledge of the Reading area, the property market, excellent Customer & Results Orientation led me to decide at that time to work with him when my property would become vacant.
I approached Mark when my property became vacant at the end of September 2020 and I already have a great tenant on board despite the challenges of the Covid19 and a significant drop in expatriates moving to the UK and Reading. Mark showed his creativity as he arranged a few viewings through “WhatsApp” videos to potential tenants who were in Quarantine. Also, as he was setting up his own organisation, he managed to leverage his contacts within the Real Estate industry to front the marketing of my property and the 3 way relationship worked very well. Mark is also a true gentleman and honoured his words with respect to the fees we had agreed upon despite the extra effort required to overcome the challenges in this difficult time.
I highly recommend Mark for your property matters and can assure you that you will receive an excellent service from a highly professional individual who is Customer and Results Orientated and not fazed by any challenges he comes across.
Anil PauMy name is Nils and I relocated from Germany to Greater London in August. The relocation package from my company included a home finding trip and Mark Palmer as my agent for finding a new flat. He was with me for two days and showed me different flats. Before flying over to the UK Mark asked me relevant questions concerning my needs and wishes of the new flat. Based on that he was perfectly prepared with a list of more than 10 viewings for different flats fitting my needs. He picked me up at the airport and gave me a warm welcome to the UK. Mark did not only show me the flats, but also consulted me regarding the complexities of relocating from another country. I left not like a client, I felt more like a friend.
As the housing market is very flexible in London, Mark adapted to it and always tried to find new special offers which just got advertised. I really felt that an expert is helping and consulting me. After finding my dream flat, he was helping me with all administrative burdens and negotiated the best contract for me. It has never been so easy to find a perfect flat in a foreign housing market. I can really recommend Mark and will always use his help and service again!
NilsMoving all the way from Australia to UK has been most stressful. Mark was fantastic in helping me with house-hunting. He was always there to patiently answer all the questions I have. A heartfelt ‘Thank You’ to Mark and his team. I would recommend Mark to anyone relocating to UK.
Vivien LeungMark helped me find a home in Maidenhead area. Despite some challenging criteria, and a major setback when a landlord reneged on an agreement, Mark was patient and professional as we explored all the options. He comes with my strong recommendation.
“Relocating from the US – Mark Palmer helped my family find a great home in Sunningdale/Ascot, UK. I received my International assignment in October 2014 and Mark made himself available the first week of November to have us visit homes, schools and towns.
It rained the entire week and he kept us positive and the search trip upbeat. During that trip my kids found the school they liked and that was a big relief. My wife returned in the spring to look at a few more properties. She only had 1 day and we looked at about 8 homes.
Mark was very organized. Mark knew the area well and we found the perfect home. He explained the benefits of being on the proper side of the level train crossing in Sunningdale for our school commute and that was great information” Thanks for making our experience in the UK a great one.
VinceAfter a 5 year period living abroad Mark helped with our family’s relocation back to the UK, to an area largely unfamiliar to us.
Mark has great local knowledge, strong relationships with local property agents and school admissions teams. This combined with his patient and empathetic way of facilitating our decision making process was invaluable in helping us choose the right area to live in and the right school and rental home for our family. Whilst all of the time, listening carefully and putting the needs of our family first.
Mark’s expertise was also invaluable when it came to buying a family home in the new area. From numerous accompanied viewings to negotiating the purchase price on our behalf, Mark saved us a lot of time, money and potential stress and heartache!
We have no hesitation in recommending Mark to help you with your relocation to a new area, school search and purchasing or renting a new property.
Liz & MarkMark and his colleagues at Forbury Services have provided DSP solutions for Lexicon Relocation Clients for over 2 years now. He has always been pro-active, helpful and informative and provides a very professional service.
Helen Grierson-SheaI worked with Matthew on my relocation from Costa Rica and he was absolutely fantastic. I really wasn’t looking forward to finding a house as I had heard it wasn’t very easy but Matthew was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and supportive in helping me find my house.
He always had everything prepared and was very knowledgeable of the surroundings even showing me small airports I could fly out of as a hobby, and making sure I knew where the prime locations were.
To be honest, he was an absolutely great guy which took care of my silly requests (checking out motorcycles out of a random thought) and was always there when needed and had an answer to just about everything.
I have recommended him to all my relocation contacts, and would be happy to speak to him in the future. I fully recommend him to anyone.
Francisco ObregonIt was an enjoyable and memorable experience to meet Andrew in our relocation to Manchester. He is not only absolutely professional and with lot of knowledge about the city and its surrounding, but also an awesome person and a very friendly agent. He always answered our questions and looked for extra information if he thought it was necessary. He really cares of us being happy with the service and mostly the place.
I would highly recommend him and the excellent services he provides.
We cannot thank you enough, Andrew!!!
Cristinela and VladimirWe moved from Mexico to the UK. Moving to another continent can be challenging and stressful but with the exceptional help of Debbie we found a new home in Wokingham (a fantastic place to live) and loads of places of interest. She showed us around and help us settle in the UK. She was great and friendly, we really appreciate all her brilliant help and we highly recommend her.
Nancy and Jose