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Having first opened our doors back in our first estate agency office in October 1909, the same month that the Model T Ford was announced, Hensons have grown the business to become one of the market leading professional estate agents in the area and certainly one of the longest established family run companies with a highly recognisable property brand. Over the years office locations and personnel have of course changed and today via one web site we are pleased to offer probably the most wide ranging, interesting and varied property portfolio in the region. This, together with the organic growth that has been seen in the lettings and management side of the business over the last 30 years’ has since seen an increase in behind the scenes personnel to service the additional demand that has resulted. Additionally, we are able provide to Commercial Property Conultancy - Sales and Letting services, Probate Advice, Land Agency, Planning and New Homes services, Surveying, Conveyancing quotations and Independent Mortgage Advice. So, in effect, whatever your property needs within a 150 mile sweep of North Somerset we are likely to be able to help all coordinated from one location – please get in touch we will be very pleased to help.

Stuart Burdge our senior partner is a lifelong resident of North Somerset who has well over thirty years’ experience in the profession locally. Having trained with what was then King Miles & Co, he became qualified and went on to run the Wells, Chew Magna and opened the Nailsea branch of that large multi disciplined West Country firm until its acquisition by Lloyds Bank in 1986. Soon after throughout several mergers and acquisitions, Stuart became Managing Director of Henson, Burdge & Evans who acquired Evans Estate Agents and Hensons along the way and now have a network of over 80 associated offices across the region and in London whilst, still based and living in Backwell having previously lived in Nailsea and before that Congresbury which was where his family farmed for many generations.

Not wishing to ‘niche’ in any particular market segment, Hensons market properties right across the price spectrum and operate both Residential Sales and Lettings businesses. In addition, Stuart advises landowners on development potential, often securing options to purchase produces Gross Development Valuations, appraisals and feasibility studies for developers large and small.

Meet The Team

Stuart Burdge BA (Hons)
Senior Partner


Stuart leads the team here in Nailsea and is our Senior Partner and Chairman of Henson, Burdge & Evans (HBE). He has unrivalled knowledge of the local property market and the wider area having first opened an office in Nailsea in 1985 a while after obtaining his Bachelors degree. He trained and qualified with one of the countries longest established firms of Chartered Surveyors and Estate Agents from 1980 and over the decades has seen many changes in property marketing - particularly with the development of the internet and Stuart made sure that Hensons were the first estate agency in the area with a fully functioning web presence, as far back as 1995 and that web presence has evolved continually since then.

Despite the changes in the way properties are showcased, the overriding principles of estate agency have never changed, matching People and Property and this skill has been finely honed over time. Stuart comes from a well known farming family who have farmed in these vales for several hundred years and he grew up between Churchill and Congresbury on the family farm that he eventually sold for his father on his retirement to become Mendip Spring Golf Course.

While Stuart's knowledge of the residential sales market is clearly extensive he also has considerable expertise in planning, land and new homes sales, auctions (he has conducted many auctions over the years), probate advice and he has many contacts in the farming world. In essence whatever your property needs Stuart can help, backed up by a really strong but ever friendly line up of colleagues.

When he is not at work Stuart enjoys motor racing and is lucky enough to have had a succession of classic sports cars including a 100 year old Ford Model T Coupe but that takes second place to spending time with his family and in particular his son who is a keen sportsman as was Stuart in his younger days!

Pauline Leyden
Sales


Pauline is the glue that holds our Nailsea office together; she will often be the person you first speak to when you call. Her main role is to liaise with buyers and sellers and their solicitors once a sale has been agreed, ensuring as timely and trouble free move as possible.

Clients have all commented that Pauline was the voice of reason and sanity when dealing with solicitors during the process of buying and selling alike!

Having worked in the Estate Agency for many years – we are not permitted to disclose how many, Pauline has a unique understanding of all of the potential issues that can arise and more importantly the best ways to avoid them! Pauline is a keen football fan and will often be seen “on the terraces” of a well known Premiership club in London.

When it comes to holidays, Pauline is also something of a cruise expert having sampled all of the best cruise liners in the world and some fabulous destinations with her husband Paul.

Angela Casali
Associate Partner


As one of the key members of the Hensons team Angela has helped thousands of people move home since joining us from a large PLC in London in 1998. Initially Angela managed our already very large rental portfolio and subsequently with her active involvement in the sales department and particularly overseeing sales progression from 'under offer' to 'moving day'. Her accountancy background gives her a keen eye for detail, facts and figures, rental yield calculations and returns on investment are a speciality.

Angela is very well known in Nailsea and Backwell and has served on PTA's and other school supporting groups in Backwell.

She is also well known among the Backwell mum's from school collect ion and also from her active participation as a parent in the various junior sports clubs locally and countywide.

As mum to a professional footballer in the making she is often taxiing her son around to training, matches, and tournaments from the midlands, to the south coast to London in all weathers but otherwise, when not behind the wheel or on the by line she is a great cook, especially of Italian food per the family tradition.

Kristina Fomina
Lettings Manager


Kristina is an exceptional administrator and property manager who has developed her career with us since 2010 with a combination of in house training, specialist third party training and hands on experience gained alongside Angela and her other colleagues in the rental department of our business. Kristina's skills have blossomed to the point where she now has full control of our client rental portfolio looking after all of our Rental Clients; both Landlords and Tenants assisted by David, Darren, John and John.

She is an invaluable member of the team and always offers an understanding voice, whether dealing with broken boilers or fence panels that have blown down during a storm. Kristina has a superb way of being efficient whilst remaining friendly and helpful, making even the most difficult circumstances bearable and is a masterful coercer of contractors to get repairs done "today, this afternoon, or how about now?"

When not in the office (which is not that often) Kristina is a qualified ocean going navigator - ship's captain and enjoys sea fishing for Mackerel or even more challenging creatures of the deep that usually come home and are cooked on the barbeque. In addition, Kristina speaks several languages fluently including Russian.

Andrew Sweet
Sales and Lettings


Andrew Sweet, qualified pilot, stunt flyer, credited movie actor (recent appearance in the latest Star Wars film to name but one), outstanding photographer and movie maker, tall (6'4"), dark and handsome (he did not write this himself and the text may be re-edited soon).

Andrew lives in Nailsea having grown up and schooled locally here too. He is always cheerful and has a caring and cheerful style that our clients always like but is nevertheless meticulous and professional.

A natural people person Andrew is a great conversationalist and has so many life experience anecdotes that he can always find common ground with virtually all clients. Andrew is a much valued member of our team in Nailsea and has knitted into the office brilliantly having joined us in 2015.

He is almost always in the office at weekends as well as some week days (movie stardom permitting Monday to Friday) but come what may he is always available for a chat and would love to meet you if you are passing and he is not out with a viewing appointment.

Judith Clarke BA (Hons)
Sales and Lettings


Judith also joined us late in 2015 following a brief training spell with one of our linked offices in the region having decided on a career change from some years of teaching. Judith grew up in Backwell and went to school there and these days’ lives in Nailsea with her husband and three lovely daughters.

Judith like Stuart has a degree in History and a tremendous living and working knowledge of the local area including the hamlets, villages and other towns in North Somerset. Judith always has an empathetic ear for our sales and letting clients and is well liked by all.

That level of empathy gained form life experience, teacher training and sales training from some of the best in the estate agency business has developed Judith’s skills as an excellent property advisor and sales negotiator who carries out a good percentage of our viewings in Nailsea in conjunction with Andrew, David and Stuart, Judith is also a very good organizer keeping the ‘boys’ in the office on their toes and likewise, we gather her husband and daughters. When asked what hobbies does she have of note for this bio Judith replied with a degree of indignation “do you think I have time for hobbies with a husband, three children and a six day a week job?”, “wait a minute I do like the odd single glass of good wine at the end of the week – will that do”. As far as we are concerned that will do very nicely and we are glad to have Judith with us.

Cloe Hynam
Lettings


Cloe who lives locally, grew up in Nailsea is a very personable and conscientious member of the team who joined us in 2017 to assist Kristina. Cloe initially completed a catering and hospitality apprenticeship with a well known local cafe – bistro before approaching us with a direction change in mind. Through a formal apprenticeship, in house and external training Cloe has already gained a very good grasp of the complexities of Letting and management and is developing her role in the Lettings team very well. Her hard working but friendly style has been a great fit with us and we look forward to her career blossoming when her apprenticeship is completed.

Ian Le Petit
Mortgages and Financial Advice


AIan and his colleagues provide an across the market, personally tailored advice and arrangement service for mortgages and insurances, along with a range of other financial services in Bristol, Gloucester, Somerset and surrounding areas. Ian says I am aiming to provide you with the best finance deal possible, having taken the time to fully understand your needs and using detailed knowledge and many years’ of experience together with foresight to recommend the right products for you from the bewildering array of mortgage products offered by countless banks, building societies and specialist lenders all of whom I have access to”. When Ian has finished the commercial he reminded us that he served in the Royal Navy before qualifying as a mortgage advisor and is a keen sportsman who still makes the odd special guest appearance on the Rugby field and is a regular supporter at first class club Rugby and International Games whenever time and his lovely wife Gill permit.

Ian has so many life experiences that little fazes him and he is very calm which is a factor that brings his clients back to him time after time, move after move. That pattern fits so well with the Hensons ethos – People & Property, each is as important as the other.

Get In Touch

Whatever you want to know more about, just a general question or a more detailed discussion please contact us here for more advice. People & Property are of equal importance at Hensons and we will be very pleased to help out.



Ivy Court
61 High Street
Nailsea
North Somerset
BS48 1AW

01275 810030

info@hbe.co.uk

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