Beatty Martin is having fun. As a Realtor for Handsome Properties, she spends most days taking her clients through beautiful Charleston properties from the Battery to the beaches. She calls this “treasure hunting.”
Martin is a born and bred Charlestonian whose passion for the Holy City is infectious. But there’s more to this real estate agent than meets the eye. Like many Charleston natives, Martin possesses the nearly extinct ability to make people feel like they matter. This ability is born of good manners and a Southerner’s sense that there is plenty of time to get to know people properly.
Martin spent the first part of her career as an educator, and her specialized skills serve her well in real estate. She is a formidable researcher with a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of Charleston architecture, culture and communities.
She works behind the scenes, meeting with various preservation and historic societies, referencing historical Sanborn maps, connecting clients with other people and social activities— even finding them homes that aren’t actively on the market. It’s all in a day’s work.
In addition, Martin has an uncanny ability to read her clients and identify the lifestyles they are envisioning. “I take time to understand what stage of life my clients are in, what they want and need, and what brings them joy,” she says.
As a representative for home sellers, Martin has an edge because she knows the local market, current prices and her competition.
If you go out with Martin— whether she’s taking you inside a historic home on the peninsula or on an educational drivethrough of Charleston’s neighborhoods— it’s easy to detect her respect for beauty and knowledge of functionality.
“Charleston is a graceful and hospitable place to live,” Martin says. “I love this city and her people. So many wonderful things are happening here.” One of those wonderful things may well be treasure hunting with Beatty Martin.
Robin Howard is a full-time freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com
