Marcus Läggeberger & Jessica Bertilsson

Marcus & Jessica, Fliseryd

One of the biggest problems in rural areas is that the region's young adults leave the place to study at university or college. The majority do not return but either stay in the study location or follow jobs to the big cities. Marcus Läggeberger and Jessica Bertilsson do not belong to this group. Instead, they did the exact opposite – they chose to stay and invest in their hometown. Nowadays, they run a real estate company focused on rental apartments and are engaged in the community association and local politics. This is a couple who are passionate about developing the area of Fliseryd as well as the countryside in general.  

Marcus and Jessica welcome me to the house on the Läggevi farm in central Fliseryd. They tell me that they moved in two years ago and have since renovated with care. They recently completed the renovation, but there is still another part of the house left to do. ”But that can wait, now we need a break from renovation projects,” they both say and laugh.  

The house, dating back to the 18th century, was originally a wing of Läggevi Manor. Unfortunately, the main building burned down in 1905, and during the 1930s, the wing was remodeled to replace it. The farm has become somewhat of a family estate for the Läggeberger family, as Marcus's grandfather bought the property in 1937. Nowadays, not only do Marcus and Jessica live with their family on the farm, but also Marcus's mother Mona. Mona also has her porcelain studio in one of the wings, where she has both sales and course activities.  

This matter of renovations and properties is not just something that Marcus and Jessica engage in during their free time. It is, in fact, the foundation of their own business. They run a housing company where they primarily rent out apartments. Right now, they have about 60 apartments in Fliseryd and Timmernabben, and they handle everything themselves: from renting and finances to maintenance and repairs. ”For us, the personal touch is important; we want to deliver a service beyond the ordinary,” Jessica explains. ”Yes, we want to be able to offer rentals in a way that we ourselves would like it,” Marcus adds.  

Marcus started the company by pure coincidence. It all began when he bought a rental property with five apartments in Timmernabben, and from there the business has gradually expanded with additional properties. Marcus had a hand in the game when the local ICA store's existence was to be determined. He then stepped in as a new property owner and enabled the investments required for the store to manage the modernizations needed to meet the new regulations from the food industry. Caring for the local community is important to Marcus. In addition to being an entrepreneur, he is also politically engaged and sits on the municipal council. ”I have no ambition to pursue a political career, but I think it is important to engage in local issues to be able to influence and achieve positive development for Fliseryd and Mönsterås municipality,” he explains. Issues related to rural development are particularly interesting to Marcus since he both lives and runs a business in the countryside. During our conversation, he brings up matters such as lower labor fees for companies investing in rural areas and a simplified process for building permits and construction. ”These are important issues that I really hope will receive higher priority from the government and parliament. If the countryside is to thrive, we need to make significant efforts and dare to implement substantial changes.” 

So what makes Fliseryd such a great place? Marcus and Jessica, who have both lived in the area their entire lives, agree that the absolute best thing is the safety. ”Not everyone may know everyone, but most people are familiar with each other, and that makes it feel safe,” says Marcus. ”There is such a nice sense of community here too,” adds Jessica. ”The community association is really engaged and organizes many activities that create togetherness,” she continues. ”Also, Fliseryd is well-located; we are only a few miles from the E22, and from there it’s quick to get to Oskarshamn, Mönsterås, and Kalmar.”.  

”I think we have everything we need here in the area. There is an ICA, a pizzeria, a school, and a sports hall. Besides the fantastic nature, of course,” concludes Marcus.  

There is no doubt that Marcus and Jessica have many ideas and are passionate about their community. There is both energy and creativity here. This bodes well for Fliseryd! 

Text and image: Jenny Svendsby