In this month’s Client Focus, we chat to Matt Berry- a Compass Client- and the Managing Director of Martin and Co, Portsmouth
In 2012, Matt Berry worked as a Negotiator at the Southampton branch of the estate agency, Martin and Co. It was during this time, that Matt aspired to go out alone, with a view to opening his own branch of the franchise somewhere else in the South. When the opportunity arose to open an office in Chichester, Matt decided to make the jump and teamed up with his dad to invest in their own Martin and Co offices.
After two years, Matt and his father branched out further by opening another division, this time in Southsea. Matt explains, “Things had taken off really well, and so we eventually opened the second office. After this we decided to amalgamate the two, and since then we have run both locations from our Southsea headquarters.”
Matt now runs both offices, alongside four staff members, but his dad is still very much involved. “My dad has a background in construction and so he deals with the construction consultancy side of things.” Adds Matt. We also meet for Director’s meetings once a week, but generally, he is more of a sleeping director.”
As a residential estate agency, Matt’s offices began with lettings only but expanded into sales two years ago. “Since moving into sales, the business has soared to the next level.” Says Matt. “We’ve seen a huge spike in interest in the property market in Southsea. This really started just before the pandemic -but has continued beyond. It has had a lot to do with a rise in the homeworking. We are seeing a trend in people looking to upgrade their property for larger premises, allowing them to work from a home office, or increase their garden size.”
“Remote working is here to stay, and as a result, people have decided they no longer want to work in the kitchen, or dining room, or in their child’s bedroom. So, we have also seen a huge increase in Southsea as a popular place to live. It has become very similar to Brighton, in that it has the beach, and there are lots of independent shops, bars, restaurants, boutiques and cafes, – it’s a lively hub, and has a good reputation as an up-and-coming place to be. Local people in Southsea are also very proud, and with events like the Victorious Festival and the Great South Run, its popularity continues to grow.”
Martin and Co now boasts over 200 offices around the UK, and the familiar brand is something that has been useful on Matt’s road to success. “The Martin and Co brand has been an ideal fit for us in terms of our investment as a franchisee. They are, however, quite happy to leave us to independently run our offices, but their support is there if we need any assistance, mentoring, or advice, should we face new challenges or issues.”
Meeting Compass
After searching for a new accountant, Matt came across Compass and they appeared to be the perfect fit for a new accountancy firm. “I knew Compass were right for us when I met Stuart for the first time.” Said Matt. “He was easy to talk to, very down to earth and there was nothing he was bamboozling me with. He broke everything down into simple layman’s terms.”
“Compass are easy to deal with and friendly and speak in plain English -and that immediately appealed to me. People often think of a stereotypical accountant, with bowler hat and briefcase- well Compass are the opposite of that. They are very forward thinking; they explore new areas, and they offer a level of practical advice we hadn’t had with our previous accountants. We are very pleased we found them.”
If you would like to find out more about Martin and Co, Portsmouth, go to www.martinco.com/estate-agents-and-letting-agents/branch/portsmouth
Or call 02392 987001.
