Martin & Co Ashford owner Kevin tees up for the next 10 years
Kevin Hall’s 10-year plan is in its 10th year and he’s exactly where he wants to be: On the golf course. But while Kevin is a great example of how a Martin & Co franchise can give you back your time as well as a robust income, his current lifestyle (and golf handicap) hasn’t come without sacrifice.
“I’m 54 now and my first grandchild was born recently,” says Kevin with a smile.
“I worked really hard in my 30s and didn’t see a huge amount of my kids growing up as I was always on a train commuting or stuck in an office. So, I said when the grandchildren started to come along, I was going to wind down a little bit and spend some quality time with the family – as well as on the golf course!
“A lot of success in this business comes down to luck, but you don’t achieve anything in franchising unless you work hard. I’ve certainly done that throughout my career and now I’m in the fortunate position to benefit from that.”
Alongside many years working in London’s financial district with the likes of PwC, HMRC and Baker Tilly, Kevin’s interest in property led him to purchase a number of buy-to-lets that supplemented his income and provided food for thought on his future.
“I was a tax inspector for many years and a serious fraud investigator before I was head-hunted to work for PwC,” he adds. “But I also built up a little property portfolio at that time and once I’d had enough of the commute and being on call 24/7 for clients, I started to think about what I wanted to do next.”
As the UK emerged tentatively from the 2008 financial crash, Martin & Co’s established office in Ashford, Kent, came up for sale. For Kevin, whose experience in property extended only to his own portfolio, joining the franchise was a no-brainer.
Franchising provided a bit of a safety net because although I was already a landlord, I was a part-time landlord who thought he knew it all, but didn’t. So, joining the franchise was a safety blanket and as it turned out, it gave me the opportunity to buy an existing office that had already built up a good portfolio of managed properties.
The Ashford branch had a managed portfolio of just under 100 properties when Kevin arrived in 2010, but this has grown to 600 in the 10 years he’s been at the helm.
In 2017, Kevin expanded his operation by purchasing Martin & Co’s Canterbury office and grew its portfolio to 250 before selling up in 2021.
In December 2019, a further 100 properties were added to the Ashford books when Kevin acquired local independent agency Foxwood Maclean – and a further acquisition due to complete in 2021 will take the branch’s portfolio beyond 750 properties.
But back to that 10-year plan… and Kevin’s agenda for the next decade.
“When I first joined the franchise, I was given a lot of spreadsheets telling me where I’d be in five- or 10-years’ time,” adds Kevin.
“I was quite sceptical about looking that far ahead with any kind of accuracy."
Where I am is pretty much where The Property Franchise Group said I would be, and I can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am had I not chosen to go down the franchise route with Martin & Co.
“I sold the Canterbury office and that has given me some more time, as well as giving someone else a great opportunity to grow that business even further. And in Ashford I have an incredible, well established team managing the lettings business, so that requires very little of my time or input beyond speaking to landlords every now and again and making sure my team is happy.
“Owning this business has done great things for me financially and it’s given me back my time, but it also makes me feel good – and that’s really important. I worked for many years in well paid jobs, but I never had ownership.
“And having ownership of a business and a great team behind you is fantastic.
“I’m very paternal, too, so I really try to look after my staff and develop them – I actually have two people who joined me on day one back in 2010 who are still with me now, so I must be doing something right!”