‘I am a firm believer in leading by example as it benefits the entire local industry’

Douglas Salt is a shareholder and Board Member at Frank Salt Real Estate as well as Manager at its St Julian’s branch and speaks English, Maltese and Italian. After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Malta, Douglas joined the company and succeeded in becoming one of the top sales consultants during his early days. At present he has been with the group for 30 years. Besides his extraordinary talent when it comes to selling property, nowadays his involvement focuses on managerial, organisational and the motivational aspects of the group, as well as human resources, property management, IT and AML. He is also the Founder and former President of the National Federation of Estate Agents and also the Founder President of the estate agent’s section of the Malta Developers Association. Douglas lives in Madliena with his wife Joanne and four daughters. Here, he shares his opinions and visions for the real estate market in Malta and also that of the Frank Salt Real Estate Group.     

Overall industry vision

“We have a strong drive to not only retain our position as the market leaders in Malta, but also to expand even further without the risk of compromising the exceptional quality of service we have always delivered. Our dominance in all sectors of the market means we face some stiff competition at times, but with our standards of training and the people we hire and invest in becoming ever higher, we are confident we will not only keep the momentum going but also exceed past performance figures as we have done year after year,” he explained

“Our main focus at this time is to improve our market share and to remain a point of reference for developers and the government when deciding on new policies and when planning new exciting projects. We are also upping the stakes when it comes to our overall investment in the foreign market sector as this is crucial for the local economy as a whole. I am a firm believer in leading by example as it benefits the entire local industry,” Mr Salt said.

He also stated that a cohesive approach by the entire sector is to the benefit of all, as it is the duty of all estate agents to raise standards, professionalism, ethics and the image of the profession above all else.

On the need for quality developments, adequate planning, and responsible building

“To pick up on my previous point, we undeniably have a more discerning and educated market wishing to buy and sell, so the pressure is on. In order to be successful, one needs to focus on delivering and representing a quality product no matter the type of property. In addition, it needs to be correctly priced and offer value, so developers have no choice but to investigate how they can improve on aspects of design, energy efficiency and after-sales service, otherwise they will be left behind by those who embrace this proactive approach,” Mr Salt said.

“We have already witnessed this effect trickling down to the resales sector where sellers are expected to keep their properties in if not tip-top condition, then in a very good state in order to achieve asking or close to full asking price. Quality always counts,” Mr Salt stated.

There’s a need for trained and experienced professionals

“We were the first real estate company in Malta to have all its agents accredited according to legislation passed in 2021. Our compulsory, rigorous in-house induction and training courses for any new recruits, onboarding procedures and on-going training courses for the lifetime of any agent is a hallmark of our proactive nature” he said.

“There is always a need for new agents to join the group, whether it is in sales, letting or commercial and this need has increased considerably. We always welcome established agents but anyone that is currently considering a career in real estate with the group has no need for prior experience or knowledge of property, as all training in order to operate as a licensed agent will be provided. Agents come from varied backgrounds which shows that you only need to have a passion for property, the determination and a will to succeed,” he continued.

“It is well-known that selling real estate offers flexible working conditions to those that want an alternative, and therefore our human resources department can be contacted at any time should you be interested in a career with us,” Mr Salt added.

2023 vision for the local property market

“No-one has a glass ball that can predict the future, but I am of the sentiment that the real estate market will overall remain healthy for the new year. There’s a real need for creating attractive environments both outside the home and across the country as that will grow, encourage and nurture our attractiveness as a popular holiday and residence destination,” he explained.

“Since the Maltese economy is always very resilient and both homeowners and investors have always believed in the local real estate market, we have had an amazing track record up to now. As the market shows no current signs of slowing down, I can only stress the point that sellers should always seek the right advice when planning to sell so they enter the market at the right price from the start. When it comes to attracting multi-faceted tiers of investment that includes a mix of property and residency, we need to pay attention to what our competitors overseas are offering in terms of residence and corporate programmes and ensure that we can compete realistically with other nations when it comes to what we have on offer,” Mr Salt said.

On what makes Frank Salt Real Estate leaders in the property industry

“We are not only local but have long been considered the leader in Malta’s real estate market. We come with impeccable market knowledge, the highest professional conduct on record, we have highly experienced agents, and an impressive history of sales success that now spans far more than 50 years! With our more than 17 branches and a great cohort of professional estate agents, we offer not only convenience, the biggest selection of properties for sale and to let in the country, but a Frank Salt Real Estate branch can be found in most towns and villages. With our ancillary arms of business that cover commercial property, letting specialists, property management and a home interiors division, Frank Salt Real Estate is a one-stop shop for anyone interested in buying and selling property,” he said.

Mr Salt concluded: “The needs of each and every one of our clients get assessed on an individual basis. Around this background we will formulate solutions that are individually tailored to fit the client and we will then proceed to hand-pick the best options to ensure a quick and successful outcome for any buyer, seller, landlord or tenant”.