She and her clients were standing in front of a little gem of a house and yet it had just been deemed unsuitable. ‘It might be a good idea to have some sacrificial boxes too, ones that you don’t mind if they don’t get ticked,’ she said gently. ‘While it’s useful to make a checklist, you don’t want to be ruled by it or you’ll never find a house.’ Bella had grown very fond of the Agnews over the eight months she had been trying to find them somewhere that fitted their requirements, but she did sometimes find them exasperating. They had small-stately tastes with semi-detached money. Big rooms, large garden, views, a garage, a restricted search area and a reluctance to compromise made them something of a challenge. This particular garden, filled with roses and other summer flowers, was deemed ‘too small and too much on the flat’ although a level garden was one of their top priorities. Mrs Agnew raised her eyebrows. She knew she was fussy and could even laugh at herself, but she hadn’t so far managed to compromise.
