Testimonials

George and his team are highly professional and achieve excellent results.

When the decision was made to sell our family home we contacted George Agostino for a consultation. After a lengthy meeting with George, Belinda McFarlane and Neil Gibbins we gained a confidence and trust in the team to sell our house. George and his team were very honest and upfront with the appraisal of the property and what needed to be done to achieve the sale. George and his team were left with the sole responsibility of bringing the property up to sale standard as we left to go overseas a few days after the arrangements were made. We were kept appraised to the progress of works (via email) and everything went smoothly and on schedule for auction day. At auction (whilst still overseas) we achieved a price above our expectations. I congratulate George and his team on the sale of our house and would highly recommend them.

From Velko Gavran

A pleasure to do business with!

From the first contact we had with George and Belinda I knew that we had found the most professional agent to handle the eventual sale of our home so when the time came it was a no-brainer. Then, just 3 weeks into the campaign and 3 weeks prior to the auction date we secured a sale for the amount we were looking for. And it was all completed within a few hours! We would highly recommend Georges team at First National!

From Steve Holihan

George Agostino & Belinda McFarlane are an exceptionally marvellous team in the world of Estate Agencies. Their genuine, down to earth, openness and honesty from the very first meeting took me into their confidence. They "listened" to me in so far as why I was selling, where I was going and what my personal needs & expectations were. They spoke well of each other and how they would go about marketing my place. It was obvious they were a strong and "genuine" team at 1st National Agency Hunters Hill. They presented my Unit as if it were a Palace. The transformation at the hands of George & Belinda was unbelievable. They took "de-clutter" to another level. I was kept informed regularly throughout the process by reassuring phone calls from Belinda. George presented the three final offers to me objectively, unaware of who presented what, I chose, and the result was a worthy one for all.

From Pam Meyn

Life saver!

George and Belinda recently sold out unit and despite unexpected issues which arose throughout the process their dedication to our sale never wavered.

We are so happy with George and Belinda and recommend them for anyone looking to sell.

Jen and James Evans

Hi Robert,

Just a short note to express our appreciation for all the hard work you, Paula and your team did in the success of selling our home at 23 Gregory Street, Putney.

There was no stone unturned to achieve the result which exceeded our expectations.

We understand there is strong local competition in your industry, when we met all your competitors, but we took great comfort in our decision in knowing you’re a long standing local with intimate knowledge of the best buyers, successful with your proven track record of result, and felt you would work the hardest to achieve a sale beyond all expectations.

We were lucky but you works incredibly hard to ensure the luck went our way! Thank you so much!

Selling our home after 54 years was daunting but you and Paula made it feel easy and put both of us at ease through the entire campaign with regular updates and help, did not matter what, when needed.

We will have no hesitation in recommending you.

Thank you over and over again,
Pat & Dee Davis & family

I selected George Agostino and Belinda McFarlane to sell my apartment in Ryde because right from the start they were friendly, professional and honest.

They guided me through the whole process with their expert local knowledge and fantastic strategies. Everything went so smoothly and spot on.

George is an expert negotiator and created a customised cost effective marketing plan which generated a lot of interest and ultimately achieved a greater result than I’d hoped for.

Ralph Barbara

Dear Ben,

I have been meaning to write for months now, so apologies for this tardy note. Moving takes up a lot of time!!

Thank you so much for helping us sell our cottage in Putney. We both felt confident in you as our agent both in trustworthiness and effectiveness - key elements in the agent/client relationship.

Personally I was also touched for your genuine care and sensitivity, making what is a very stressful time as straight forward and trouble free as it was. These things don't happen by accident. They take an attention to detail, mutual respect, professionalism and experience.

Others may boast, but you delivered on your promises.

Warm regards,
Meredith Kirton

Ben runs a first class business and is personally an absolute professional in his industry. He has assembled a high-class team to support him and the trust and confidence they build through the sales process is outstanding. The communication through the process is excellent, the process runs very smoothly and the team take ownership to ensure they deliver great outcomes. They really do. We were very happy with the process and the outcomes that Ben realised for us.

Carmel Onions

“George and Belinda made a fantastic impression the first time we met them, they arrived very well prepared and were happy to spend the time to talk through all our questions. The whole sale process went as George predicted and we ended up with a result that far exceeded our expectations.

George and Belinda kept in regular contact throughout the sale, made us feel really comfortable that we knew what was going on and how the process was progressing and helped us manage our expectations at each stage. The whole team are very friendly and professional, and they were happy to discuss any questions whenever they arose.

We couldn’t be happier, and we are 100% confident we made the right choice going with George, Belinda and the team at First National Hunters Hill, Gladesville and Ryde.

– Heidi and Jae Debrincat”

From the initial meeting George and the team at First National were first class, real honest local people, they had all the latest data, answers and knew the local area inside out.

They provided updates throughout the campaign and even dropped in as they were passing by just to say hi.

The house ended up selling way over what was expected and prior to Auction too, which helped out on timing as Dad was moving in to his next stage (retirement home). I would recommend First National to everyone as they were flawless in every step.

Thanks George and your team - unprecedented service in today’s market.

Regards,
Greg

Hi Robert Bagala and Team

RE: My successful Sale 5/244 Buffalo Road, Ryde

I would like to extend my gratitude to Robert and the team of first national who performed well above expectations during the sale of the above property.

Their professionalism and experience is second to none, accompanied by ongoing advice and support which made the sale process both delightful and stress free.

Their service will be highly regarded and their achievements very much appreciated.

Robert Bagala & his team will definitely be of choice again in the future, and welcome any persons call anytime to confirm my before testament.

Thanks

Joe Orlando

We chose Robert Bagala at First National Real Estate to sell our house at auction at 12 George Street, and we are so pleased we did!

We were impressed with the interactions of the agents during the auction, From the time of our first meeting with Robert Bagala, we had a good feeling that we were in safe hands.

The Marketing Campaign was well planned and implemented to our needs.

The photography of the house was very professional and turned out perfect. At all times during the campaign we were very well informed especially following open house times.

The entire staff of First National was very informative and helpful during and after the campaign.

The Valuation of our property was spot on and the auction hit in the centre of the estimate.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Robert Bagala who was ably assisted by a wonderful team who were helpful & at all times friendly, professional and very knowledgeable especially about the local area.

I welcome any prospective purchasers call anytime as I would not hesitate to recommend Robert Bagala anytime.

Brian & Jeanette Hewlett

Gary and Marion Krelle would like to express our appreciation for the recent sale result of our property at 9 Kareelah Rd, Hunters Hill.

Their dedication and professionalism of Trisha Guo and her team at First National exceeded our expectations.

We would whole heartedly recommend Trisha to anyone wishing to list their property for sale in Hunters Hill.

Sincerely,
Gary & Marion Krelle

Dear Robert,

We are still trying to compute what has just happened. You have sold our home and achieved a record price, within a little over a week, and only a few days after the first official open home. You accomplished this with exceptional speed and efficiency which translated into a seamless, stress free and simple process for us.

As I mentioned to you, I have worked in the real estate industry for a number of years, alongside some of the top agents in the business. However, I have never seen such a high level of skill and customer care in action than what you have demonstrated.

You made the process extremely smooth and simple for us, and always kept us informed along the way. Sometimes, with agents, you never really know if you are in good hands or not, until the end result is achieved. With you, we could never question this, we always knew you were looking after our best interests and that we were indeed in very good hands.

Your communication with us was always prompt, open and honest. Every bit of guidance and advice you offered us was also completely spot on. Your focus was always on the big picture, which was to sell our home and achieve the best result. And this is simply what you did.

We are truly grateful to you for making this so easy on us, and for obtaining a result that really exceeded our expectations. In fact, we were happy enough with the initial figure, then at the last minute, you achieved an extra $18,000 for us! We could not be happier, and will remain forever grateful.

You are a true professional, and so obviously dedicated to achieving optimal results for your clients.

Your market knowledge, and negotiation skills are extraordinary. If you have anyone who would like to discuss your efforts further, we are more than happy to oblige, as we cannot recommend you, your team and your services, highly enough.

Thank you so very much.

- Mark & Rachel

We recently had the pleasure of enlisting Robert Bagala and his team at First National Hunters Hill/Gladesville/Ryde to sell our dream home at 8 Pacey Avenue North Ryde. The professionalism of Robert, Paula and the team has always been exceptional whilst also being compassionate, calming and understanding of what could normally be a stressful and difficult time. Our ideas were always considered and guided whilst the feedback from prospective buyers and details of each open house was very punctual and thorough. Ongoing “post auction service” is also very important to Robert and his team. From our recent experience, we can highly recommend Robert, Paula and the entire team at First National Hunters Hill/Gladesville/Ryde. Yours sincerely, Vito & Kendall Carpinato

Dear Robert & Paula,

On behalf of our family, I would like to say a big thank you for a job well done in the sale of our much loved family home. We were, as you would have been, very surprised and delighted with outstanding sale price.

Thank you so much for handling mums house with dignity enthusiasm and professionalism

You both were amazing and did a fantastic job.

I would not hesitate to recommend you with great enthusiasm to anyone who asks!

Thank you with all my heart for making the last 6 weeks a very positive experience.

Your advice, your conduct and the entire process went absolutely perfectly.

The difference between individuals is now so apparent to our family, knowing that 2 weeks early a 750sqm block sold with your competitor for $1,325,500 yet you sold ours 490sqm for $1,601,000!

Unbelievable, we are just so grateful.

We will certainly recommend you to any family and friends thinking of selling and we look forward the completion of the sale.

Kind regards,
Tanya, Jan, Paula & Michael

Hello Robert,

I would like to sincerely thank you and Paula for the excellent service provided in selling my mother’s property at Putney.

You steered us in the right direction and I would have no hesitation in highly recommending you to other prospective clients/sellers.

As state manager for one of the biggest valuation firms is NSW, I understood from my research you & Paula were exceeding expected prices in all of your campaigns.

Now after now dealing with you both I can see your attention to detail and desire to achieve an outstanding price was genuine & obvious from the outset.

Our situation was slightly unique, dealing with my elderly mother and to listen and explain the process thoroughly to her removed any stress or concern.

The sale price achieved was beyond our expectation.

Thank you and your team so much for your professional help and kindness.

- Bill Silsby

Dear Robert, Paula, Alex and the team at First National Real Estate,

We just wanted to write to let you know how grateful we are for your efforts in selling our home. We are over the moon with the result of $2,701,000, which was well above our expectations. We first engaged your services when we noticed last year that you were obtaining above average results and doing so with minimal fuss compared to other agents we spoke to. We were won over when you told us about your team based approach to selling and when you enacted this by bringing your entire team to see our house.

During the sales process we put our trust in your expertise, which was invaluable. Importantly, you also put your trust in us, listening to our ideas and providing your expert advice. Even more importantly, we never felt pressured by you. We were particularly nervous about setting a reserve, but in our meeting on the eve of the auction you both settled our nerves and helped us to realise it wasn’t worth stressing over. Finally, it was great that you guys all had a sense of humour, which made the process enjoyable. It was nice to be able to work with “real” people.

We wouldn’t hesitate in recommending your services.

With thanks,
Frank and Vesna Basile

George personifies professionalism. He was proactive in all that he, and his colleagues, undertook and the communication lines were clear and timely. His manner undoubtedly lowered the stress levels for both the vendor and vendee as he was available for a chat and was consummately meticulous in his follow up. No doubt that this personal element was very useful in all the negotiations. One of the most important aspects of his work was his advice. He was able to give it in a timely fashion and it was valuable due to his wealth of experience in real estate. His realism was refreshing. Selling a property is inherently a nervous time and with George present that was decreased to a great extent and so I would confidently encourage others to use his, and First National’s, services.

Brian Lyle

My husband and I would like to thank Benjamin Mulae and the First National Real Estate team for the incredible auction result that they achieved for our property in Ryde.

Selling our family home of 14 years was the most important decision my husband and I have had to make in our lifetime so far. Khanh and I have never sold a home before, yet selling it from Perth was even more daunting. So we really needed a trust worthy person to do the right thing by us, to sell our home for a good price and provide reliable service.

After a chance meeting with Ben and the First National Real Estate team at an auction in Ryde, I was very impressed! I set up a meeting straight away with Ben and instantly liked him. Ben is very polite, professional, very knowledgeable and was very experienced in the real estate business. We knew we had found the right person to sell our home.

Ben was with us all the way, from the time before we went on market to the sold sticker on the sign board! Ben communicated with us nearly every day about what was happening with the sales of our home. We believe that his commitment and dedication was unsurpassed. Ben's focus on the end result was beyond question. Our home was sold for well above the prices of similar properties in the area at the time. Ben's motivating advice and detailed reporting during the process was appreciated more than he realised!

From the onset we had confidence we were in the right hands and have no hesitation in recommending Ben and the dedicated sales and administration team from First National Real Estate to others who value professionalism, honesty, integrity and maximum outcome for their property.

Thank you and best wishes,
Minh Luong and Khanh Doan

I met Robert in my endeavours to find a suitable property to purchase months before my own home was listed on the market for sale with First National Real Estate. During my search for a property, I found Robert to be extremely proactive, informative and reliable with his follow up. In addition to this, he volunteered a lot of time, assistance and advice to help me in my search.

I noticed very quickly Robert Bagala’s efficiency with regards to communication and his responsiveness whether it be via phone call, email or text message. This was evident from the very early stages of our dealings, through to the entire sales campaign of my property and importantly for the period I was overseas and away from the involvement of the sale.

During the negotiation process that quickly followed, Robert made circumstances that would typically be stressful, extremely comfortable. I genuinely felt he professionally negotiated extremely well with buyers, and extracted every possible buyer with his thorough & meticulously arranged marketing campaign.

Choosing Robert Bagala as my sales agent over other agents and agencies was due to the comfort and ease my wife and I felt in our dealings with him. Robert’s attention to detail throughout the marking campaign from beginning to end offered me great piece of mind, knowing that his best efforts were always at the forefront of his mind and in his actions.

I was extremely satisfied with the end result and sale price of my property. So much so, that I referred Robert to my daughter to sell her own property only weeks later, in which he also transacted a very successful result!

I would not hesitate in recommending Robert Bagala of First National Gladesville to anyone for the sale of their property.

Thanks Robert.

Regards,
Geoff Scott

“Ben, thank you for making the sale of my property stress-free. You were incredibly helpful throughout the process, and often did far more than expected to ensure I was kept up to date and totally informed. To say I was impressed with the final result is an understatement - you sold my property in THREE days and managed to secure a record price for the building (and above the price I was hoping for). The result really did exceed all my expectations. Your professionalism and the way you guided me through the sale, was greatly appreciated. I would happily recommend anyone looking to sell their property to get you on board”.

- Lisa Muxworthy

Hi Robert,

On behalf of my mother, Patricia, and myself, I would like to express my thanks to you and Paula for the way you conducted the sale of my mother's property.

Your kindness and sensitivity to my mother's needs was very much appreciated and we are in awe of how quickly you were able to push the sale along to a very good conclusion.

It has been a pleasure to do business with you and Paula and we wish you both well for the future.

Sincerely,
Lynne Levine

Dear George,

A huge thank you for helping us sell our home in such a quick time frame. No request was too much trouble and you always kept us informed.

We appreciated your friendly, professionalism and more importantly your honest advice. Selling your home is a stressful and overwhelming experience for any family.

George your enthusiasm, confidence and knowledge of the market was evident from our first meeting. Other agents we spoke to were not as well prepared as you.

Having an Open House on the wettest Saturday in 60 years posed no obstacle to you and your team.

We are very happy to recommend you as an agent who has high professional standards, a sound knowledge of the market and 200% effort.

It has been a pleasure working with you and your agency.

Yours Sincerely,
Bell Family

Dear Robert and Team,

Thank you very much Rob for your personal attention to our sale. Yesterday that attention paid off in a most satisfactory way with a sale achieved and at a very pleasing price.

At all times you stayed in touch, allayed the fears we had (as best you could!) and encouraged us with your experience and knowledge. We were particularly struck by your total integrity and conscientiousness, attributes which some other Estate Agents generally, rightly or wrongly, are not renowned for.

We know that the team supporting you must also take the credit and we should appreciate your passing our thanks to them for their attention to our sale.

We won't see so regularly now that Contracts are signed but we look forward to meeting you personally when the deal is finalised to once again personally say "Thanks".

Best regards to all,
Peter and Margaret Matthews

Dear Robert,

I would like to express my greatest appreciation to you and your team for all the hard work that each of you had put in, especially Robert, to make the sale of my house possible in such a short timeframe, despite the uncertainty economy we are currently in.

Robert not only managed to sell my house within 1 month, he also manage to do it at the price which I wanted which was far above what many other agents had told me was possible.

During the process, Robert and his team had been very patient and responsive to requests from both buyers and sellers as he tried to help to make the sale a smooth process.

His negotiation skills is undoubtedly one of the best I have ever seen in a real estate agent and I would definitely go back to him if I am thinking of selling in future again. cheers.

Regards,
Wei Chen

To potential clients,

I would like to tell you of my experience selling a property with First National Real Estate Agent, Robert Bagala. The highest praise I could give is that it was stress free.

Robert was professional and efficient. There was no hard sell, but it was obvious on first meeting that here was a man who ‘knows his stuff.’

I was kept up to date with all expressions of interest on my property; every objective set out was met, and at the end of it all we achieved a great result.

I haven’t had a lot to do with real estate agents in my life, but can say I was 100% satisfied with the job Robert did for me.

Regards
Andrew Voss

Dear Robert,

We wish to express our sincerest thanks and gratitude for the sale of our property “Ford St”. Although it was a hard decision for us to make the move being our first home full of wonderful memories, you handled the situation with sympathy as well as great professionalism.

Your advice on preparing the property for the sale was accurate and extremely effective and detrimental to achieving the price we wanted for our property. Also the company representation on open house days and support by all your staff was overwhelming.

I would recommend you to all friends and family without hesitation.
Kindest Regards, Sam & Christina Lizzio

We would like to thank Robert Bagala and the team at First National Gladesville for the quick & stress free sale of our property at East Ryde.

We found Rob to be extremely professional and honest at all times.

His approach, advice & communication was second to none and his attention to detail in all aspects of selling our home was amazing.

Rob was able to secure a buyer within 2 weeks of listing our house (after previously having it with another agents for more than 3 months) which we were just thrilled about.

We have no hesitation in recommending Robert Bagala and his team at First National Gladesville to anyone considering selling their home.

I would have no hesitation in speaking with any prospective client of Robert’s.

Albert & Josephine Novati

Dear George Agostino and the First National Team,

We would like to thank George Agostino and the First National team for the wonderful work they put into the recent sale of our home. We found the team to be prompt, professional, friendly and a pleasure to deal with at every stage. We were also very impressed with the efficiency of the team resulting in a lightning quick sale and at a great price. The after sales service has also been excellent. We are very pleased that we chose George and the First National team to sell our home and would have no hesitation in recommending them to other sellers.

Kind regards,
Ben Derrett