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Pieter van der Brugge grew up in Sleeuwijk, with his parents and sister. His father started Van der Brugge Real Estate Agent 50 years ago. At the age of 26, Pieter took over the real estate agency from him. In June 2023, the 50th anniversary of the family business was celebrated with the entire team in Ibiza. There’s plenty to be proud of.
Youth, jobs and school career
One of my first jobs was delivering Christmas cards for the office. At that time I also worked in greenhouses, delivered flyers, had a job at a cafeteria, and worked at Albert Heijn. When I was sixteen, I started working at the golf course behind the bar. Around the age of eighteen, my father quickly involved me in the ins and outs of the business.
‘“I doubted between a career as a chef or real estate agent”
My school career started at Mavo. Then I did MEAO and HEAO (real estate agent training). I was an early student and only fifteen when I finished Mavo. I doubted between a career as a chef or real estate agent. It turned out to be real estate agent!
First steps in real estate agency
During and after my studies I worked with pleasure at several real estate agent offices in Rotterdam. At the age of 21, I started working at Ooms real estate agents, then I moved to BBW real estate agents. I first worked on new constructions, then commercial real estate (renting and selling commercial properties).
‘“You have to come into the company now, or I will sell it”
I worked one to two years at BBW real estate agents when my father said: “Pieter, you have to come into the company now, or I will sell it.” It was always intended that I would take over the company, just not so soon. I found it a very complicated choice at the time. I decided to join the company and then worked with my father for three months. Then he became ill. He had to go to the intensive care and actually never returned to the office.
The takeover from father to son
When I was 24, I was allowed to run the company. About 14 people worked here at that time. At 26, I took over. When I now look at people aged 24 walking around here, I sometimes think: wow, that those people listened to me. They were guys who were many times older and could have been my father. I did have support from my father at that time, even though I had the reins in my own hands at the office.
Because everything happened so quickly, I didn't have a detailed plan of action. It was about finding what suited me best and how I could best tackle this. I soon realized that you get further if you dare to delegate. I also find it important to entrust the team with responsibility, instead of wanting to do everything myself.
Implemented changes and the 2008 crisis
We have also ensured more structure. There is a director of real estate agency (Stefan Schreuder) and a director of mortgages & insurances (Dico Gremmen) appointed. With the three of us, we arranged the company. The mortgages and insurances were under one roof with the real estate agency, which we separated. This allowed us to also handle mortgages and insurances for clients at other real estate agent offices.
‘“It was muddling through”
The real estate agency suffered for a while under the 2008 crisis. I remember it well: it erupted in October that year. Nothing was sold anymore. We had acquired quite a few new construction projects, so I had a battalion of staff. It was muddling through, tough. Unfortunately, I had to let many people go at that time. Fortunately, things started to improve again from September 2013.
The growth of the real estate agency
After the crisis, I started paying more attention to our expenses. That doesn’t go away anymore. Once you’ve been through such a bad period, you remain cautious. I now also have various scenarios worked out, for example, if interest rates rise by 2% or if the company continues to grow as it is now. I regularly read through these scenarios and refine them. I keep working on it continuously.
‘“I became somewhat humbler due to the crisis”
I became somewhat humbler due to the crisis. I think that was good. I was 26 at the takeover, and everything went so fast. Now I cherish my staff much more, for example, and I find it important to guide them well.
Many staff in their thirties have never experienced a crisis. It has only been a rising line upwards. They do not always realize that everything can also get worse quickly. You can’t blame them, because they haven’t experienced it. Maybe it’s sometimes good to have a bit of a lesser time, because then everyone realizes again what we all have.
Future expectations
In my perception, a mega construction crisis is coming. What you notice now is that prices are already rising slightly again. There is simply too little being built, so that scarcity only becomes greater. Therefore I do not expect prices to collapse, unless interest rates become much higher. New construction offices must start thinking about their position. This issue also plays a role for us. We must be sharp, focus. And provide good service.
Marketing as cornerstone of the real estate agency
The importance of marketing has grown. What I see happening is that the larger real estate agent offices are getting bigger. They have people employed to do the marketing. Small offices taking photos casually with their iPhone, they leave it there. Following up with clients, making videos, and social media, many offices still do not (sufficiently) engage in these. I think if you don’t, you’re not keeping up with the progress.
‘In the past, the secretary made a brochure of two A4 sheets”
In twenty years, the real estate agency will change tremendously. It has already changed tremendously since I took over the company. One photo was taken per house back then, now there are a hundred photos taken. In the past, the secretary made a brochure of two A4 sheets. Meanwhile, we have a whole marketing department. A real estate agent becomes more of a jack-of-all-trades, taking on more and more responsibilities.
I started setting up a marketing department three years ago. There are now six people working there. It really makes a difference: we are much more visible and people come to us much more easily. You see that there is a difference emerging between offices that are willing to invest, and offices that are not.
‘There are also offices that are closed on Saturdays, I can’t imagine that in this day and age”
There are also offices that are closed on Saturdays, or close during the holidays. I can’t imagine that in this day and age. We are just open six days a week.
New living room concept bears (initial) fruit
Together with the marketing department, Stefan and Dico, we set up a living room concept in Sleeuwijk in January 2023. It is an office where you can easily walk into our ‘living room’ and receive immediate help. We have everything under one roof there: mortgages, insurances, and real estate agency.
‘We are far above the forecast we had, so it's going well”
The concept is going very well. We are located next to Albert Heijn, so the threshold is low to just walk in. For a question about how the housing market is doing, or a non-binding calculation for a mortgage. Without complicated, long appointments. We are far above the forecast we had, so it's going well. And that in a market that was shrinking because fewer houses were being sold. I am proud of that. Finally, we are opening an office in Hardinxveld-Giessendam.
Anniversary year and trip to Ibiza
Reflecting on the anniversary year is important to me. There aren’t that many family businesses in the Netherlands that have existed for so long. We have a close-knit team, in which we invest a lot of time. For example, we went with the entire team to Ibiza city for a week to celebrate the golden anniversary. It was a unique trip where all Van der Brugge companies were together. For team building, beautiful weather, and pleasant evenings full of music.
A special experience that won’t soon be forgotten. I am incredibly grateful that we could do this!
This interview is part of an interview series with the game changers in the real estate agency and housing market. Every month, a new interview is released. Tips on who we should interview next? Email us at info@mijnverkoopmakelaar.nl
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