HANS VEENHUIJSEN: CEO AT COSTA DEL SOL CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE
· 5 min. read
Costa del Sol Christie’s International Real Estate is the exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate for the luxury real estate market in and around Marbella. What are the main benefits of this affiliation?
There are two major benefits to this exclusive affiliation with Christie’s International Real Estate. The first is the globalization of the Christie’s brand.
We are talking about a company with 900 offices in 50 countries around the world operating in unison. This provides not only a huge real estate support network, but access to prime clients on an international level. These are wealthy individuals willing to buy luxury properties all over the world. Of course, for owners, this means that every villa, every apartment has global publicity as well.
The second point is the brand guarantee. Christie´s has been in business for 250 years. It is best known for appraising and auctioning art, or for its private sales, but it has a lot of real estate experience as well. Of course, it applies the same unquestionable seal of quality it is known for to its properties. Each property is also a delicate and valuable piece.
How would you describe Christie’s philosophy?
If you go to Christie’s website, you will find a special section dedicated to their beliefs. The core values are integrity, good business judgement, exceptional client service, passionate expertise, respect, teamwork, and innovation. At Costa del Sol Christie’s International Real Estate, we share the same heart and brain of the business.
I would like to add that Christie’s is also committed to Corporate Social Responsibility. Not everyone knows about Christie’s educational programmes or its support for social causes. This year we decided to be the main sponsor of the “Forbes 11 Gala“, a charity dinner in the Czech Republic. We did business and networking, of course, but the proceeds from the charity dinner went entirely to various charities. We plan to do more events like this, and give back to society.
What do you feel sets your agency apart from others in this area?
Without disparaging the competition, we have the largest international network of agencies on the Costa del Sol. The rest are local, national or with a certain international projection… but they don’t reach the level of our agency. As I explained earlier, Christie’s is in every corner of the world, and that gives us an unrivalled database of wealthy clients and luxury properties.
What are the most challenging, and satisfying parts of your work?
Attracting new, high-quality, and if possible, exclusive properties is a challenge. We often say no to lovely clients because their properties are not up to Christie’s standards, in terms of size, location, quality. And there is a lot of competition on the Costa del Sol in this respect, so the best properties are scarce and have many “suitors”. When we find hidden gems on the Costa del Sol, it is well worth the effort.
The most satisfying thing, without a doubt, is to see how many of our clients return, whether looking for a new property or reselling. Loyalty and word of mouth are two of our strong points.
There is also a very special moment when you find the ideal home for a client. That’s when you know you’ve done your job very well. We don’t just sell homes, we sell satisfaction, we sell happiness… we sell life potential.
Many agents on the coast experienced their most successful year ever in 2022. How is 2023 going for Christie’s?
The balance of 2022 was fabulous, to be honest, and for this reason we decided to grow. That is why 2023 is very exciting for Costa del Sol Christie’s International Real Estate. We moved into a new office in June, in the heart of the Golden Mile. It is spacious, elegant, technological and with greater visibility and accessibility for our clients.
We have also grown in Human Resources, always focusing on people who are multilingual experts in luxury real estate. But, above all, we have consolidated the team. Each member of the team is focused on the best possible customer service.
Are you seeing a rise in American buyers? Any other noteworthy emerging markets?
We too have noticed this “American wave”, as you point out, especially on our website. Visits and requests for information from Americans have risen significantly. At the same time, our contacts with our colleagues on the other side of the Atlantic have become stronger. Two of our agents were there last year, one visiting the New York headquarters and the other touring the East Coast. Similarly, delegations from Christie’s California and Miami have come to visit us in Marbella, showing great interest in strengthening ties.
The other big market that works for us is Northern Europe. German and English clients are a classic for the Costa del Sol, but we get a lot of clients from Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Czech Republic, or Poland, as well as Scandinavians.
Which area of Marbella is your favorite?
This is a very difficult question to answer. Marbella in general is a great place to live and has many charming areas. Real estate-wise, I do think that the Golden Mile is still a great investment, and within that, I particularly like Sierra Blanca.
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This interview was published in EXCLUSIVE LIVE MAGAZINE this summer. To see the full magazine, please click here. You will find it on pages 140-141.
If you are looking for your ideal luxury property on the Costa del Sol, do not hesitate to contact us.