Thomas Balashev

Thomas Balashev (born June 22nd 1989) is a property investor, entrepreneur and founder of Montague Real Estate, a London-based international real estate brokerage.
Balashev was born in London to a Bulgarian father and a Scottish mother. He left school at 16 and subsequently worked various jobs, including as a fashion shop assistant, a children’s football coach and a diamond specialist. 
Balashev has stated that, by aged 25, he had taught himself the basics of international property markets and the global economy.
In 2015 Balashev established Montague Property, a property advisory service with a “boutique, disruptive” focus. The company’s first deal was completed later that year in Berlin. 
In early 2020 Balashev announced initial plans for Montague Property to expand into Los Angeles, Miami and the Middle East in 2020 and 2021. 
Later in 2020 Montague Property relaunched and rebranded as Montague Real Estate. Balashev stated the rebrand was to reflect the company’s growing international identity and growing range of services.
In July 2020 Balashev and Montague Real Estate facilitated the sale of Horse Island, a 64-hectare private island in Roaringwater Bay, west Cork, Ireland, for “over £5m”. The island was purchased by an unnamed High-Net-Worth, with the sale resulting in considerable publicity as the buyer had never set foot on the island before they purchased it. Balashev stated that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the negotiations were undertaken over WhatsApp Messenger. 
In July 2020, Balashev also announced the growth of Montague Real Estate’s Asian division, partly in response to the British government’s offering of British citizenship to Hong Kong citizens. Balashev stated that enquiries from Hong Kong clients had doubled in 2019 and early 2020 due to the country’s political circumstances.
In August 2020, Balashev and Montague Real Estate were commissioned by African Designers of the Year couple KLûK CGDT to facilitate the sale of Ilkley, a luxury Cape Town development designed by the pair. The commission represented Balashev and Montague Real Estate’s first engagement in the African property market. 
In September 2020 Balashev and Montague Real Estate expanded into the United Arab Emirates, announcing the launch of a new UAE division and plans to start an office in the United Arab Emirates in 2021.
In October 2020 Balashev and Montague Real Estate entered the US property market with an exclusive listing of an $11.9m Miami apartment. Balashev had previously discussed how the US real estate industry had been a source of inspiration for him, and how he felt the UK property sector was ‘centuries behind’ the US market. 
In May 2020 Balashev co-founded and launched Monta Capital, a £100m property investment fund. Balashev stated the fund would target international luxury real estate developments and high-yield investment offerings through the provision of equity, with a specific focus on bridging finance in Spain, Portugal and France. 
Balashev lives in London with his wife, who is Cypriot, and their children.
He is a supporter of Chelsea F.C.
Category:Living people
Category:1989 births
Category:Real estate entrepreneur
Category:British real estate entrepreneur
Category:Entrepreneurs
Category:British entrepreneurs
Category:English businesspeople
Category:British businesspeople