Why We Finally Stopped Scrolling Rightmove (and Called a Buying Agent Instead)

Why We Chose to Work with a Buying Agent

At Otters Home Search, we often hear the same frustrations and challenges from our clients before they come to us. They’ve spent months scrolling through Rightmove, juggling demanding jobs, managing family life, all while trying to make sense of Bath’s fast-moving property market.

Every client’s situation is unique, but their reasons for engaging a buying agent are remarkably familiar. Below, one of our recent clients shares their story - one that reflects why so many people decide to bring us on board.

“We just couldn’t seem to make it happen…”

When we first decided to move to Bath, we thought we could handle it ourselves. We’d been dreaming of a family home here for years - somewhere with space for the children and a short commute into the city. I had a spreadsheet, endless Rightmove tabs, and a dozen estate agents saved in my phone. But after months of searching, we still hadn’t found anything we liked.

Everything good seemed to vanish before we could even book a viewing. The houses that stayed online didn’t quite fit - either too far out, too small, too compromised. I began to wonder if we were missing something.

“We were living abroad and couldn’t keep up.”

To make things trickier, we were still based overseas. Flying back and forth for viewings just wasn’t realistic, especially with school schedules and work commitments. Friends mentioned that homes in Bath often sold before they even reached the portals, something you’d never know from another country. It became clear we needed someone local, someone on the ground.

“We hadn’t lived in Bath for 25 years.”

When we left in our teens after A levels, Bath was a very different place. Coming back with two school-aged children, we didn’t know where families lived now, which schools were sought-after, or how catchment boundaries really worked. It felt daunting - like starting from scratch.

“We didn’t understand the market, or where to start.”

Trying to gauge property values was like reading tea leaves. Prices seemed all over the place, and we had no idea what was fair or what was inflated. We didn’t want to overpay, but we also didn’t want to miss out on a home we loved.

And then there was the process itself - surveys, solicitors, searches - things we hadn’t navigated before. It felt like a full-time job, one we didn’t have the capacity for alongside our actual full-time jobs, two children, and ageing parents who also needed us.

“Negotiating filled me with dread.”

When a house we liked finally appeared, I froze. What do you offer? How do you play it? What if you offend the seller or misjudge the market? That’s when I realised - we needed professional help.

“That’s when we found Otters Home Search.”

From the first call, everything shifted. They listened - properly listened - to what we needed, what we worried about, and how we lived. Within weeks, they’d previewed properties we’d never have seen otherwise, including one that wasn’t even on the open market yet.

They walked us through school catchments, commute times, renovation potential, and even helped us sense-check what the right offer looked like. When the time came to negotiate, they handled it calmly and strategically. What had felt impossible suddenly became manageable, even exciting.

“They did the heavy lifting so we could focus on life.”

Otters managed the search, the shortlisting, the viewing schedule, the paperwork - everything. We were kept informed but never overwhelmed. And when we found the one, they made sure it didn’t slip through our fingers.

Now, sitting in our new kitchen with the children playing in the garden, we sometimes laugh at how close we came to giving up.

Working with a buying agent didn’t just make the process smoother, it made it possible.

If you recognise parts of our story - whether you’re abroad, short on time, unsure about the market, or just tired of endless scrolling - you’re exactly who Otters Home Search is here to help.