Fleur Doublet is a senior property advisor, who has been with Alliance since 2016. Based at our flagship branch on the Strand in Gzira, she specialises in period homes, buy-to-let opportunities and properties for first time buyers, mostly in the central and northern regions.

Before establishing herself as one of the top performing Alliance property advisors, Fleur worked as features journalist with an independent newspaper and held various management jobs in marketing, communications and advertising, where for a time she also worked as an independent advisor on several high-profile brands.

Talking about her experience working as a property advisor, she recognises the benefits of having flexible hours and the satisfaction of dealing with so many different people from all walks of life, as the top benefits of the trade. “I get to explore so many great spaces such as the many beautiful palazzos and period homes we have on this island, and you learn to appreciate the beauty of so many hidden gems awaiting to be discovered.”, she continues. Fleur is fascinated by the transformation of empty soulless spaces into homes, and her own personal brand tagline is actually “Seeing spaces evolve into homes”.

As much as Fleur appreciates the flexibility of her job, she faces the same challenges as most working parents who struggle every day to balance work and family. Given this is not a 9 to 5, Monday to Friday job, it is not so easy to balance out her time demands to service her clients efficiently with her responsibilities as a single mother of a young son. “Unfortunately, some clients do not appreciate the hours of work we put in the endless days of searching, and that when we do not sell, we do not get paid”, she explains. “It’s not just about the time, but about the fact that many people have no idea what the job of an estate agent really entails, and they think we make a lot of money for not much work. Nothing could be further from the truth.”, she concludes. These are points that are often mentioned by real estate people, and it is hoped that the new mandated licensing system coming into force at the end of this year, will begin to change people’s perception of the estate agents’ profession.

Fleur describes herself as a photography enthusiast, a foodie who loves travelling, sailing and anything to do with the sea, and she admits she’s a weakness for shoes. “may sound silly but shoes tell a lot about a personality and yes any excuse to buy a new pair…let’s call it a little reward for all my hard work. Never enough shoes right!?” she quips with a cheeky laugh.
Asked about her most memorable sale, Fleur is at first reluctant to commit. “Every sale is unique in its own way and there’s often a great story to tell from each experience. Finding the right property for the right client is an extremely satisfying feeling for me, and although each sale was important to me as buying a property is such an important investment, I think that selling one of the few properties available in Mdina must be my most memorable. Unfortunately I must respect the privacy of my clients, so won’t go into more detail”, and that’s all we got to know on this.

Fleur’s best advice to buyers is to choose the right agent carefully and to then trust your choice, be open to their advice and open to exploring properties you never thought of before. You need to communicate well with your agent, and realize that they spend days previewing properties; so buyers should take advantage of this expertise. For first time buyers, Fleur recommends they need to be looking at the investment potential of their first home as a stepping stone to their next one of the ladder. “As they say Rome wasn’t built in a day, so be patient and invest wisely in a property that will make you money when you come to resell it in a few years time”. She has similar advice to sellers. “Choose wisely, follow valuable advice given by agents, ask questions and don’t feel embarrassed to ask anything. Information is key when we are marketing your property and no one likes nasty surprises, so make sure to discuss any issues that may be of concern, if there are any.”

Stemming from her admiration and passion for quality architecture, Fleur is also conscious of the impact of new developments “People need to appreciate the beauty behind our historical buildings, learn from them and not lose our Maltese aesthetics completely but find a way of merging old with new”. Fleur concludes.

Fleur Doublet is based at Alliance Strand branch in Gzira and can be reached on fleur@alliance.mt or phone 99038356.