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2019 sees Frank Salt Real Estate turn 50 years young – no small feat for a local company. Add to that a reputation of being the leading independent real estate agency in Malta. How did one man in his early thirties, with no experience in real estate, fathom the potential of the real estate world? How did a venture that started with a single visionary operating from a small outlet in Paceville, become a family business with a staff complement of just under 200, and with 17 branches spread across Malta and Gozo, having sold and leased homes to thousands of Maltese and foreigners over the span of five decades?
It all started in 1969 which many define as a difficult year for Malta. Elections were around the corner, and the fledgling Maltese real estate market was suffering a period of uncertainty. Nevertheless, that was the year that Frank Salt Real Estate was conceived, 50 years ago.
Always the entrepreneur, Frank Salt opened a small office at 20, Paceville Avenue in St Julian’s, and decided to look around for a secretary to help him run the new venture. Not so easy. Everybody thought that the market would collapse, so secretary after secretary were interviewed, until finally a strong-minded young lady accepted to take on the job, helping the company start on its epic voyage with a staff of two and its own shop window, bravely showing photos of the properties the company wished to sell. The first property sold was an apartment in San Gwann, for the grand price of £3,000! The second property was sold to a certain Mr J H Salt, no relation whatsoever to the company founder.
From there, the sky was the limit, and the business gradually bloomed with more staff continually coming on board. 1971 brought about a change in government in Malta under the leadership of Mr Dom Mintoff, leaving everyone waiting with bated breath to see how the real estate market would develop, and more importantly, what would happen to the foreigners living in Malta. In spite of people’s worries, the property market continued moving forward, and so did Frank Salt Real Estate, who shortly afterwards restructured itself to reflect it growing headcount of property consultants.
Internal rules and procedures were set out, and a defined culture vision was defined – a service promise built on integrity, honesty and a personal and reliable service to clients – values that are still at the forefront of each activity or property dealing that the company takes up and concludes to this day. Many firsts were set for Malta by Frank Slat Real Estate; it was the first estate agency to do away with type writers and computerise its system, it was the first to have its own property website, to introduce the use of mobile phones, to launch a branch network, to publish a dedicated property magazine and to introduce professional property management and home Interiors services.
Over the years, the staff of Frank Salt Real Estate has become family. Working together as a finely tuned team, achieving better and better results for the company and more importantly for the clients.
Real Estate business has changed over the years, and today social media has become so important as well as other youthful ideas. Ten years ago, the founder Frank Salt transferred the company and its management over to a new, younger generation of family and non-family. New blood, new modern ideas, whilst keeping the company’s time-honoured tradition of excellent customer service.
Apart from being the leader in the real estate market, Frank Salt Real Estate has a corporate social responsibility programme and supports the environment, in many ways through the ‘Let’s Go Environmental’ committee. It will continue to do this in the future because the company feels that it has a responsibility to safeguard the country’s environment and heritage as much as possible.
Frank Salt Real Estate has also been at the forefront of trying to keep property prices reasonable, and to ensure that there are always properties for sale for clients on lower incomes. Properties for first time buyers are also a priority, and for which the company gives a lot of importance. A social conscience is so important for a company that deals with probably the most important thing in life and that is, the family home.
Holding the reign as a market leader for 50 years in such a competitive environment is no small achievement, but the firm boasts of a strong team of agents under the guidance of the Salt family and fellow directors, backed by a strong team of professional and dedicated, managers, agents and support staff, constantly working hard to deliver a service like no other.
Frank Salt Real Estate has been around for 50 years. That’s a long time. Thousands of people have found their homes with the help of the company and many more will continue to do so in the future, but all will find that they have been, and will receive, the very best service that can be provided. ‘That’s because we drive our business with passion and integrity. We treat our clients’ property needs as if they were our own,’ believes Frank Salt. ‘The relationships we build with our clients are based on trust and a world-class service. We have always understood the value of straight talking and loyalty to one another and our clients, and sincerely appreciate every opportunity that our clients entrust us with. This will make sure that Frank Salt Real Estate not only holds its standing in the field but continues to strive and remain Malta’s real estate agency of choice.’
