Matt Baldock, Director of Charles David Casson
Follow Matt on Instagram - @mbaldock @charlesdavidcassonestateagents
Connect with Matt on Facebook - Matt Baldock
What is your career background?
When I walked out of my final law degree exam to go to a bbq I knew I was going to have to get a job (and also that I liked bbq's far too much). Estate Agency looked easy from the outside so I started as an office junior in corporate, did 10 years in employment and has juts passed my 10 year anniversary as a business owner.
How did you come to work for Charles David Casson?
I bought into the company when it was coming up to a year old so the name was already established and my ego didn't feel i needed my actual name above the door. Plus Baldock can be misspelt as Baldcock far to easily.
What's your proudest achievement?
Probably achieving 10 years as a business owner, it's been a rollercoaster of horrible and amazing times but sadly not every new business makes it this far so I feel very lucky. Winning our first Gold Award at last year's EA Masters was a highlight too as my team work really hard so it was nice to see them recognised by someone other than me and Neil.
What are the top 3 challenges you believe your business solves for agents?
Taking the headache out of lettings - Listing and agreeing lets is fun, property management isn't. We have an amazing team of Property Managers that (weirdly) really enjoy it and are also incredibly good at it so our partner agents can concentrate on doing the fun stuff and we take care of the hassle.
Helping them achieve financial security - Lettings businesses provide a guaranteed monthly income which is needed when the sales market enters tough times
Creating a retirement plan - It's widely accepted that Lettings agencies are more valuable to sell then sales only agencies. We help our clients create a sellable asset
Which industry suppliers do you admire most?
The two that spring to mind are:
Homesearch - I think they genuinely care about the industry and want to see it improve. They always try and help us do better rather than just try and sell us something. Big fan of their values and the way all the team carry themselves.
The Recruitment Lounge - Jess and Ross McPherson set up their own company in the middle of the pandemic which I think took amazing courage and i know how hard they have worked and sacrificed to build a good business, They have a really refreshing approach to recruitment which i think was really needed.
Which estate agencies do you admire most?
JDG - I'm a huge fan of Michelle Gallagher and it was no surprise when she won the Best Estate Agent Award.
I'm also a big fan of Tom McGee (as an individual agent), aside from his constant trolling of Simon Whale on Facebook you can see he has a real hunger to continue to learn and improve both himself and the industry and I think he has a great attitude.
Tony Ruby should be mentioned also. He was probably the only employed agent that everyone was dying to see go it alone and he is living proof that consistency in marketing and video content pays dividends.
I will say that I actually admire all hardworking agents that put the customers first. It's the best job in the world but it can be a thankless task sometimes and I think it takes a special type of person to do this for the long haul.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt from working with estate agents so far?
Don't assume. Just keep asking questions even if the answers seem obvious as the more you can know about someone the better placed you are to help them.
Neil Baldock, Director of Charles David Casson
Follow Neil on Instagram @neilosbaldock
What is your career background?
I have been in the estate agency and property management business for around 15 years now. I was also a police officer for 6 years.
How did you come to work for Charles David Casson?
I launched a letting agency and property management business whilst working full time in the police and we decided to offer property management services to other businesses after spotting a gap in the market for it being done with transparency.
What's your proudest achievement?
Completing 4 acquisitions of letting agencies
What are the top 3 challenges you believe your business solves for agents?
Taking away the compliance head aches of property management
Building a business of value without the need for the stress
Allowing you to grow your business whilst the property management is taken care of for you.
Which industry suppliers do you admire most?
Goodlord
Kerfuffle
Homesearch
Payprop
Which estate agencies do you admire most?
Castledean Group
Giggs Group
What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt from working with estate agents so far?
Value your time and your worth. People will pay well for services where they can see the value.
Jasmyne Devereaux - Senior Portfolio Manager at Charles David Casson Limited
Email Jasmyne
Connect with Jasmyne on LinkedIn
What is your career background?
Starting off as a junior Sales & Lettings Negotiator with a company, I quickly navigated through various roles within the business and found my true passion in Property Management. The core focus for me is providing an excellent customer experience, and I felt that the Property Management role helps me build strong relationships with my landlords & tenants while providing a safe living environment.
After several years at this company, which I had been so grateful for, I moved to another. At the time, that company didn’t have a Property Manager role available, so I entered the company as a Lettings Negotiator. I was keen to work for them, their customer reviews were fantastic, the staff were so friendly and I knew it would be a great fit. After a short period, I was able to then start my journey again as a Property Manager. During my years here, I studied and passed my ARLA qualification. They provided me with great support, encouraging study time during business hours to prepare me for my goals.
I then moved from them to where I am now, Charles David Casson to become a Portfolio Manager.
With strong dedication to customer success on high priority, I knew this was a move of employment to be excited about. Still very focused about the vision of the company, I continue to work within the Property Management department in a Senior position, assisting and helping people while maintaining a high level of professionalism.
How did you come to work for Charles David Casson?
I was contacted by a recruiter, as I was actively seeking employment at the time. The moment I heard about the Baldock Brothers, I wanted to work for them. I met with them on my first interview and knew in that very moment, I wanted to work for Charles David Casson. Their vision, beliefs and drive to not only improve the industry for everyone within it but their passion for the life-changing work they do every day.
What's your proudest achievement?
Passing my ARLA qualification. It took a lot of long hard working hours.
What are the top 3 challenges you believe your business solves for agents?
- Time to allow them to concentrate on winning new business.
- A fantastic service to their Landlords from very talented experts in their field.
- Great use of technology for their Landlords which we heavily invest in to improve the Tenant and Landlord experience.
Which industry suppliers do you admire most?
- PayProp their customer service is just leaps and bounds above any industry supplier I have ever come across.
- The Depositary I felt there was such a gap in the end of tenancy process, and these guys have really made something incredible.
Which estate agencies do you admire most?
- Thomas Marsh - I used to work for this company, and the team here are just absolutely fantastic and the talent I was surrounded on a daily basis was amazing.
- Am I biased? But I have GOT to say Charles David Casson! The guys I sit next to on a daily basis inspire me everyday and just hearing the care they have for each person down the end of the phone, the passion for providing a great service shines through.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt from working with estate agents so far?
We are just a bunch of people who are trying to help anyone and everyone that we can. The knowledge I gain from speaking to other agents is more key to me, than reading it from a text book. Plus, we are all quite funny ;)
Visit the Charles David Casson landing page on Kerfuffle to see their reviews
