Matt Malatich, CPYB is the Managing Broker of S&J Yachts in Charleston, S.C., where he is a standout in helping clients navigate the acquisition or disposition process of luxury cruising yachts.
Boating has always been at the forefront of Matt’s life. From growing up on boats, to pleasure cruising and racing, to watching his own kids learn the lines, Matt’s love of the sea is woven throughout the canvas of his life.
It’s no wonder that a heart for the water, a head for business and a degree from Hamilton College led Matt to launch his career in 1996 as a yacht broker with J/Port and then Crusader Yacht Sales in Annapolis, MD. In this role, he sold brokerage boats and new J/Boats, Ericsons, Pacific Seacraft, Sagas and Tiaras.
Shortly after being named Salesperson of the Year for Pacific Seacraft, Matt returned to his hometown of Princeton, N.J., in 1999 to expand his professional experience to commercial real estate. Matt served as a commercial real estate broker for CBRE and Preferred Real Estate Investments, where he focused on acquisitions of large corporate-owned properties for redevelopment as well as leasing of office properties and due diligence of large-scale dispositions.
Matt transitioned to the role of Assistant Director of Leasing for Hilton Realty, a fully integrated real estate development and management company in 2006. For nearly a decade, Matt’s primary focus was on marketing and leasing industrial, office and retail properties to large banks, law firms, technology firms, pharmaceutical companies, national retailers as well as mom and pop stores.
In 2015, Matt’s genuine affinity toward boating prompted him to make a sea change personally and professionally. Trading bricks for boats, Matt returned to the yacht brokerage business as the Managing Broker for S&J Yacht’s Charleston office.
Today, drawing from nearly 25 years of combined experience in yacht brokerage and commercial real estate, Matt has built a reputation for his proven ability to assist buyers and sellers of upscale power and cruising sailboats throughout North America and Europe.
As a seasoned broker, Matt understands that buying and selling can be both one of the most euphoric and stressful times in a boater’s journey, and views representation and guidance of his clients’ dreams as a true privilege.
Matt’s calm and easy demeanor provides clients with a steady hand at the wheel to help them obtain the best value for their dream yacht, as well as assisting sellers with a smooth sale of their vessel when the time is right. He is well positioned to be an advocate throughout the entire transaction process by prescreening boats (including obtaining their true histories), facilitating showings, navigating financing options, insurance needs, surveys and the closing process.
