Lee Churchyard and Matthew Pattenden – Match estates

Lee and Matthew have set up Match Estates – Folkestone’s latest independent estate agents.  It was important for these two to give back to the Folkestone community, so every sale gives a contribution to a local or national charity.  Lee has grown up in Folkestone attending the Folkestone Academy and working in other agencies to gain experience.  Matt moved to the town for his final years at secondary school attending the Harvey Grammar.  His work over the past 20 years in national and local agencies gave the duo the confidence to start their business in May 2024.  Now, shortlisted for two national awards, they are definitely helping sell Folkestone.  Folkelife went to meet them.

Lee: “We set up Match Estates when I was 22 and Matt 37.  It was important to us that, although we come from a corporate background, that our business is focused on our community.  Our sellers can choose which charity they want our donation to go to, and if they want some inspiration we have a list of local charities to help.  Our first £100 went to Folkestone Community Fridge.  That £100 can train 5 volunteers on a food preparation course, which is great.”

community connections

“I went to the Folkestone Academy and benefited from the work that Academy FM, now Turner Schools Radio do with the students there. Our donation to the radio station will enable students to visit the BBC at Broadcasting House in London.  I remember that trip and it was amazing.  So there are many areas of our community that have supported us, and we wanted to create a business that would help give something back.”

Matt: “I’m the Kent Regional Executive for PropertyMark which is a membership body for the industry.  We help set those standards using regulation and accredited qualifications that are recognised throughout our industry. Lee started working when he was 16 with a local agent, and I’ve been in the industry nearly 20 years now.  It’s hard to set up your own business though.  There are models that you can buy into to get some of the support you would have with a national agency, but we’ve done this all by ourselves.”

award-nominated

Matt: “We’re very lucky that so many people in Folkestone have supported us with selling and letting their properties.  Six months in and we’re well ahead of where we thought we would be.  And with our two award nominations from The Negotiator, that’s icing on the cake.  Lee is up for Rising Star of The Year – which, setting up your own estate agents at 22 years old is quite impressive really.  And we’re also up for New Agency Of The Year too.  Just to be recognised in the shortlist is like winning for us.”

Lee: “I’m chuffed to bits with the nominations.  But it’s a reflection on how the community has got behind us from our launch.  We’ve had lots of feedback about being creative and different.  And essentially, it’s our names that are at stake here.  If we don’t sell or let anything, then we don’t get paid at the end of the month.  So it’s about building and maintaining our reputation.”

at the heart of folkestone

Matt: “Folkestone’s changed over the last 20 years I’ve lived here.  You can see the regeneration project in progress. 20 years ago I would never have thought of setting up my new business here.  But now we’re looking at a town which has so much going for it.  If you look up the houses on sale here now there are some really beautiful properties that are bucking the trend in being snapped up so quickly.”

Lee: “I went to the Folkestone Academy and now I’m in a position to set up my own business in my home town.  I think that’s rather fantastic.  It’s important to us that we give the next generation employment opportunities too.  Matt and I went to speak to both the Turner and Academy schools a few weeks’ ago.  And we want to continue building that link so that we can offer an apprenticeship soon to local students.  You don’t have to do a degree.  As long as you’ve got a good work ethic, and are excited and driven to be passionate about Folkestone and what we have to offer, then we want to work with you.  It’s going to be great to be a business that is truly Folkestone-grown, as we continue to grow here too.”