We first met with Craig by chance one year before we purchased our new Leeds townhouse.  We were visiting Northampton, where we lived in the 1980s, to consider whether we wanted to move back to the valley. We passed by his office, went in and chatted, and he put us on his targeted search of properties on the market in the area, an invaluable resource.  We also learned then about his leadership role in the Rails to Trails effort in the region, including building new bike and walking trails in Northampton and in Natick, where we have lived.

 

We weren’t ready to move until one year later.  We then reconnected with Craig, hiring him as our buyer’s agent, and began a few months of visiting properties in the greater Northampton area with him and his Trailside Team colleague Kristin.  Beyond merely showing us properties, Craig is an incredible resource.   He provides a wealth of practical information and has contacts in greater Northampton, guiding us to several excellent contractors, and also connecting us with a top-notch listing agent in Eastern Massachusetts. 

 

He is incredibly responsive to calls and emails (even on weekends when we didn’t expect a quick reply), and guided us, without pressure, at several decision points. Beyond his professionalism, wealth of knowledge and contacts, and relevant Real Estate skills, what we liked most about Craig was that he seemed to care personally.  He genuinely wanted us to find the right place for us, and at no point did he pressure us to go, for example, for a more expensive property than we needed.  

 

As a side note, we want to add that Craig’s work leading a statewide effort around Rails to Trails is itself an incredible contribution to community building.   He has helped make many communities, including Northampton, into better places to live.

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Neil and Steve, Leeds