James Greenwood has been involved with property search and acquisition since 1984 – it was his father who first thought up the idea of property finders and started the whole industry! James has been working in the Forest of Dean, Monmouthshire and South Wales area since 1999, buying everything from unconverted barns to cottages, to houses and farms. The area is very popular with young families (in the top 10 places in the UK to raise a family) and James has represented many families looking for the family ‘nest’, the place to raise their children. The stunning countryside and great access also mean that the Forest of Dean and Monmouthshire are very popular with retirees – and James has helped many people ‘downsize’, balancing that delicate requirement to be both somewhere rural and lovely, but also connected to shops and services. 50% of James’s client base already live locally. They work with him to find and investigate the best houses and then negotiate the best price. Being well-known across the area means that James is often the first to hear of properties that are coming to the market. Agents will often give him the heads-up on properties that might be available and he is often the first round through the door. Now it is a bold claim to make, but James reckons that he is the most experienced property finder in the UK.