MORNINGSIDE OFFICE
WILLIE HUNTER
Partner in charge of Estate AgencyWillie graduated LLB from Dundee University in 1976 and now had over 30 years experience working in private practice in and around Edinburgh. He founded Hunters, Solicitors and Estate Agents in 1998 and has a first class knowledge of the property market. He has devoted the last 7 years of his professional life to developing the Hunters brand and since becoming a Partner of Gillespie Macandrew LLP in March 2006 he has been the partner in charge of their estate agency department that now trades under the name Hunters Residential.
Out of the office he will be found either on the golf course, at Tynecastle or Myreside watching his two favourite sports or entertaining(?) audiences at Dinners around the country.
VALUERS
GARY MIDDLEMASS
Senior ValuerOn graduating from Aberdeen University in 1982 Gary embarked on a career as an estate agent with Slater Hogg and some major legal firms in Edinburgh that has now spanned 25 years. In his working life he has dealt with property in Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and Kinross-shire, and has gained a particular understanding of new developments. He first joined Hunters in 2003, and apart from a short break to do some property development on his own behalf has been with us ever since.
A member of Murrayfield Golf Club, at a recent night out involving karaoke Gary displayed his well hidden talent as a trained operatic singer, a skill that he occasionally puts to good use in the stands at Tynecastle.
DEBRA LENNIE
Senior ValuerA long career in the property market has seen Debra working at Ross Harper, Rydens and Balfour and Manson before she joined Garden Haig where she was in charge of their estate agency department for a many years until that firm also became part of Gillespie Macandrew LLP in 2004. Debra is now a very valuable member of the Hunters Residential team.
Debra's experience covers every area of the property process including valuation, producing brochures, photography, preparing marketing strategies, advising clients on home styling right through to providing back up for our purchase team.
Outside the office Debra concentrates her time on husband Drew and her two teenage boys and relaxes in the kitchen where she enjoys cooking. Outdoor pursuits include lots of walking and time spent carefully nurturing her organic allotment
NEGOTIATORS
EILEEN HENDERSON
Senior Sales NegotiatorEileen had amassed several years of excellent experience working as a Sales Team Leader with General Accident in their Penicuik office and then fulfilling the same role for Your Move in their Dalkeith office before joining Hunters in 2001. We were quickly able to put Eileen's corporate background to good use as she helped us put in place procedures to ensure the smooth day to day running of the office. Eileen still gets a buzz from securing new business for Hunters but still says there is nothing better than making the phonecall to advise a client that their property has been sold.
Eileen loves cycling, and that, coupled with regular visits to gym makes it sound like she is some sort of fitness fanatic, however we know the truth - that allows her to indulge in her other favourite pastime "eating good food" but only in moderation of course!!
PAULINE WAUGH
Senior Sales NegotiatorPauline gained valuable experience when taking charge of the property team at Mackinnons solicitors in Aberdeen before travelling south and working with Knight Frank. She joined Gillespie Macandrew in 2004 and became an invaluable member of the Hunters Residential team when the two firms merged in 2006. Pauline particularly enjoys building a strong relationship with her clients and guiding them safely through their sale transaction using those oft neglected old fashioned skills of charm and patience.
Pauline has trod the boards of many of Edinburgh's theaters and tells us that she makes a wonderful Dick Whittington - although we are not quite sure how to take that! Also enjoys golf and bridge and snuggling up with a nice bottle of wine and husband Willie!
SALES RECEPTION TEAM
AVRIL HUNTER
Avril arrived at Hunters straight from the world of teaching and can therefore use some of the same acquired skills when speaking to people who really don't understand what it is all about and are looking for help. Avril simply enjoys meeting and speaking to new clients and uses her undoubted inter-personal skills to make clients quickly feel relaxed and comfortable with the sometimes stressful process of selling your home. Avril will not only ensure that your inquiry is dealt with quickly and efficiently but also ensures that there is a happy atmosphere within the office. She now works 3 days a week and job shares with Kirsty.
Avril first love is her 3 children but when time permits she is a disciple of pilates and other strenuous activities at the local gym. She openly admits to what some would regard as an unhealthy love of all things Abba and loves nothing better than a good night out with her friends!!
AVRIL ANDERSON
With a history of working as a PA, and Executive Assistant and as a Sales Negotiator with Miller Homes Avril brought all of those skills with her to Hunters when she joined in 2006. Her attention to detail and her meticulous work practices made Avril the obvious choice to run Hunters very successful Buyers Register. Every week Avril will try to match new properties with the hundreds of potential buyers who have registered with us. She particularly enjoys her client facing duties at the front desk and devising new ways to attract business.
Her social life involves eating out, meeting her friends, walking and swimming and Avril confesses to being one of the few people in life who enjoys housework!
STUART MACK
Stuart or "Smack"as he is better known to us, joined Hunters nearly 3 years ago, and after several vastly differing jobs says that he has now found what he wants to do - work in the property market. He trained first as a valuer before putting his infectious personality to great effect as part of the front line team in the Morningside office. His enthusiasm and willingness to help, no matter how small the task, has endeared him to clients and fellow workers alike. Stuart enjoys most the challenge of translating a simple telephone or personal inquiry into new business.
A party animal out of the office Smack has tried his hand at most sports - rugby being his favorite. He has also traveled the world, frequently on rugby tours and will therefore have engaged in many of the more hazardous activities known only to rugby tourists!
KIRSTY BATHGATE
Kirsty is the final member of our reception team and works part-time sharing her duties with Avril Hunter. In fact Kirsty has experience of almost every area of estate agency working for 9 years with two well known Edinburgh firms as both valuer and negotiator before joining Hunters in 2006. This experience helps ensure that no inquiry goes unanswered and Kirsty loves working as part of a happy, friendly front office team as she is very aware that we only get one chance to create that all important first impression.
DEDICATED PURCHASER
TRICIA JAMESON
Senior PurchaserTricia started working in the Edinburgh property scene nearly 30 years ago. She was involved in property sales when the same person who you spoke to in the office, came out and measured up the property, took the photographs, typed up you sale schedule and negotiated the sale. Her depth of knowledge of the market meant she was the only obvious choice to head up our dedicated Purchase team. She takes pride in ensuring that purchasers not only fully understand the process but receive the nest possible advice before submitting their offer.
Tricia enjoys relaxing with a good book or sampling some of Edinburgh many fine restaurants. Holidays abroad with husband Bill help to recharge her batteries, enabling her to keep some of the "less experienced" members of staff in check!
CORSTORPHINE OFFICE
VALUER
SCOTT WHIGHAM
Senior ValuerThe youngest (and therefore the hungriest!) of our team of Valuers, Scott previously worked for a company called Home Move Services where he co-ordinated home moves for George Wimpey customers when they moved into their new home, a job he still does in his new role with Hunters Residential. Scott joined us in 2005 and his obvious skills as a valuer and ability to win business resulted in him being given the role as our lead valuer in the new Corstorphine branch office.
If Scott isn't playing football on a Saturday afternoon he will be watching his beloved Hibs at Easter Road or perhaps trying to lower his golf handicap, having recently become "grown up" by joining Swanston Golf Club.
NEGOTIATORS
LYNNE GIBSON
Senior Sales NegotiatorLiving in the Kingdom of Fife Lynne developed her career in property working with Dunfermline solicitors and Slater Hogg & Howison before becoming the very first employee in the Property department of Hunters in 2000. Lynne's loyalty was rewarded when she was appointed as the Senior Negotiator in the new C orstorphine office when it opened up in 2006 and she says she loves the challenge of building a new business from scratch.
Her main passion (outside her job) is to engage in healthy doses of retail therapy and maintaining a year-round tan, which is quite a challenge for a girl from Dunfermline!
AMANDA LOGAN
Sales NegotiatorAmanda cut her teeth in the estate agency business working for Your Move in their Dalkeith office. She also worked on and off for Hunters over a number of years providing maternity and holiday cover and was therefore a natural choice when we were looking someone with experience to work alongside Lynne when the Corstorphine office was opened. Like Lynne her day is spent ensuring that sales progress smoothly, clients are kept fully informed and that the best prices are negotiated - something she says still gives her great job satisfaction.
In keeping with many of Hunter's female staff members Amanda has a passion for shopping and socialising although not necessarily in that order!!
SALES SUPPORT TEAM
JENNIFER REID
It was whilst Jen was working in an admin role for Intelligent Office in our Atholl Crescent office that she first came to our attention. Her happy, enthusiastic personality was clear to see and her willingness to help resulted in an approach being made to join the Hunters team. She has since become an invaluable member of the Sales Support unit. Jen also helps out with reception duties, takes charge of property press advertising and organises mail drops - and all done with a smile on her face!
Apart from being our social convener Jen loves the traditional female pursuits of shopping for shoes and bags, eating out or spending a lazy night in front of the television - our resident soap queen!!
LISA MACDONALD
Despite her tender years Lisa has already amassed 5 years experience in the world of estate agency. Her skills on the computer are often required by some of the less IT literate members of staff and Lisa can now claim to have worked, when required, on reception and as a negotiator. She has been entrusted with co-ordinating production of the glossy Hunters Property Guide and of ensuring that all estate agency files are complete and accurate before they are passed to the conveyancing team at Atholl Crescent.
Outside the office Lisa's pleasures are simple - she loves to visit family and friends, going to the cinema, taking as many foreign holidays as possible and... of course... shopping!!
West End Branch: 1 Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 8EJ Telephone: 0131 221 6900
Morningside Branch: 76-80 Morningside Road, Morningside, Edinburgh EH10 4BY Telephone: 0131 447 4747
Corstophine Branch: 207 St Johns Road, Corstorphine, Edinburgh EH12 7UU Telephone: 0131 467 8888