Power

Jacques Walch: 'You're better off living within your means'

25 oktober 2021Door MASTERS Redactie10 min lezenMASTERS MAGAZINE

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Looking for a house to live in comfortably in Het Gooi? Voorma en Walch Makelaars has a portfolio with the properties that matter. MASTERS visited owner and Registered Real Estate Appraiser Jacques E. Walch in Blaricum to take stock of the real estate market.

Looking for a house to live in in Het Gooi? Voorma en Walch Makelaars has a portfolio with the addresses that matter. MASTERS visited owner and Registered Real Estate Appraiser Jacques E. Walch in Blaricum to gauge the state of affairs in real estate. "Not normal! This weekend we were once again able to sell the most beautiful estate in the Gooi, approximately 60 hectares.” Text: Bart-Jan Brouwer
Online editing: Mical Joseph
Image: John van Helvert

How is the business doing?

“Very good, I might say. For example, we sold seven villas from our portfolio in the first six months of this year Secret objects are secret with a total amount of 65 million euros. Just before you came we sold another villa for 6,2 million. Since you and I last spoke two and a half years ago, prices have risen by about 30 percent. And those of the top houses even more. When corona broke out, I asked myself: what will happen to the housing market? I must honestly tell you that we have not extended three temporary employment contracts. With three fewer office colleagues, 28 instead of 31, we now charge 44 percent more brokerage. So everyone has to work even harder and more efficiently within our office.”

How do you explain that?

“Firstly, we put a lot of energy into the Voorma and Walch Makelaars brand in Het Gooi, both in the cheap, middle and high market segments and in new construction. We have a separate branch for the latter, Voorma en Walch Nieuwbouw, led by Henk Honing, Mery van Leeuwen and Martijn Geerdink. They are currently working on an amazing new construction project in Huizen, apartments next to the harbor. And we have also started the inventory of a new construction project in Laren. Secondly, living has become so important because of corona. Many people have started working from home and therefore need more space. Moreover, you see a migration from the capital to the Gooi, 'The Garden of Amsterdam' as we call it, because people prefer a house with a garden, they want more I lebensraum. What also plays a role is that Amsterdam is less fun if the theaters are not full and the terraces are empty. I see it in our son Olivier, who lives on the Amstel. 'Dad, Amsterdam is much less fun if you are not allowed to sail, cannot sit in a restaurant, cannot go to the cinema, cannot have a beer somewhere with a group of friends...' Another important point: you used to get interest on your savings, nowadays you pay a 0,5 percent fine if you have more than 150.000 euros in a deposit account. And most members of our office certainly have that amount. It is better to live within your means than to let the bank take your money. Instead of, say, 2,2 million, the consumer is more willing to pay 3 million for a house. I'd rather live within my means than put it in a deposit account and lose a little bit every month. Add to this the advantage of a low interest rate. People don't really look at 'how much does a house cost?' but to 'what does the house cost me?'. Due to the low interest rate and the bank fine, they are quite willing to spend a considerable amount on a villa, their 'home'.”

Since the beginning of 2020, Voorma en Walch Makelaars also has a branch in Ibiza. How did that come about?

“After having a second home elsewhere in Southern Europe for ten years, I was ready for something different. That became Ibiza, the Can Blaiet estate in San Rafael. Once when I was on holiday in Ibiza, I bumped into an acquaintance at grand café Cappuccino in the Botafoch harbor, whose house I had once sold in Laren. That man said he was trying to buy a house in Ibiza. “Shall I come with you?” I asked. I advised him and thought: if I put together a team with a Spanish lawyer, a construction engineer and a local certified real estate agent, I will start in Ibiza for fun, just from home. Compatriots who are looking for a trusted partner in the jungle in Ibiza and Mallorca can contact me. We started just before the corona crisis broke out. In the meantime, I have already completed a few transactions in the super top segment – at least I think 12 million for a villa in Ibiza is quite a lot of money. We have now decided to further professionalize the office in the summer of 2022.”

Not a bad place to work, Ibiza.

“I also want to divide my tasks slightly differently between Het Gooi and Ibiza. The ratio was 95/5 in the beginning, I will try to make that 70/30.”

Have you started living differently since corona?

“I live even more consciously. This is also because of what I experienced with Jan des Bouvrie in the autumn of 2020. On Monday morning, September 28, I went to the gym to exercise. Immediately afterwards I had to quickly visit the office to issue a deed of sale. The phone rings: JdB. 'Sjakie,' – that's what he always called me – 'could you come and visit me?' I said I had to grab my diary. "Then you misunderstand me," Jan said literally. "I'd like you to come over now." A little later I walk in to see him in sportswear. Jan is sitting there at the table with Monique and his children. 'Well, Sjakie, I'll tell you right away: I'm going to stop.' With work, I thought... That day I was with him for a long time. I don't smoke, but then I lit two cigars. He invited everyone who wanted to see Jan that week. That man was very important to me, what a passion for his profession! We discussed a few things and then the conversation moved on to women, deals and cars. He wanted to know what I thought was the most beautiful car. A Porsche 911, I replied. Whereupon Jan shouted: 'Yes, and not that hideous Targa you have. Promise me you'll never buy one of those again.” I couldn't, because I was really unsure whether I should take a Targa again or a Turbo this time. And I'm not a quick decision maker, am I? Yes when it comes to real estate, but not when I have to spend money. Just ask Dries Wajer: it took me a long time to buy a boat, haha. 'A Turbo?', Jan responded fiercely. 'That's quite an ordinary thing. With a cake server like that on it! Then I'd rather have a Targa. At least that is just like art.' That same afternoon I go to Porsche Center Gelderland. I never make decisions quickly, but this time I was done within fifteen minutes: the Targa, with all the bells and whistles you can think of. Far too expensive, but you can't take money with you on your last trip. Above all, let me enjoy life. You also see this in society: people want to enjoy more. You can just get corona and end up in the ICU. People want to enjoy their assets, live within their assets.”Jacques Walch with son-in-law and fellow real estate agent Bart Lammerts in front of the swimming pool of a spacious farm in Blaricum, which was sold for 6,2 million euros on the day of photography.

And that wealth has only increased since corona, because you couldn't spend it.

“Most people went out to eat every week and spent about 500 euros per month. If you don't do that for fifteen months, you will have seven and a half thousand euros left. It's all been hoarded and people still want to spend it. I think we will get a spending pattern from here to Tokyo and back again in the second half of the year - unless of course another wave throws a spanner in the works. That is why I would love to participate again in MASTERS EXPO from 17 to 22 November, in collaboration with Monique des Bouvrie. This year's theme at our location will be 'Inspiring encounters'. I think we are going to install a scale model of the Wajer 77. I don't have to sell anything there. I will invite all my members from Het Gooi to meet each other. No more. Meeting each other, that's what life is all about. We haven't done that for a year and a half."

You said that house prices have risen 30 percent in the last few years. How do you think this trend extends into the long term?

“More and more people are coming, but not much more land. And if you want to build a home, there are always people who object. What they often have in common is that they already live comfortably. We are now working on ten to fourteen very luxurious apartments on the site of the former Rabobank in Laren. Those who object to that building plan all live in houses in the area that were already objected to when they were built. Most people are selfish: not in my backyard! You know what: we should have a Minister of Housing. Living is so important! It is not only a basic necessity of life, but also incredibly important for the economy. Construction drives everything: the plumbers, the furniture makers, the real estate agents, the interior designers... It starts with construction. We should create a Delta Plan for Housing, not managed by the State Secretary, an assistant, but by the Minister of Housing. Just look at what we can still build in the green zone, such as Bloemendalerpolder. Aren't there a lot of people who just want to live in a nice house?"

Shouldn't you become the Minister of Housing?

“No, I am completely unsuited for that. Of course, the whole politics is now a mess! It's like a kindergarten class. I don't want to be in the sandbox with you. On the schoolyard of the Blaricum Public Primary School, people interact even more socially than in the cabinet. Now look at what unites you, not what divides you. To start with, set an electoral threshold of 5 percent to make the country governable again, otherwise in twenty-five years we will have one hundred and forty political parties and then we will achieve nothing. And dare to make compromises. Compromising is the basis of living together. You just have to have rules for each other. Hear me, I sound like a pastor…”

Is the sermon over or would you like to say something about real estate?

“I would like to say a lot more about real estate, but that is not possible. The most beautiful houses we have for sale, anything over 7,5 million - and that really hurts me - I am not allowed and cannot advertise with them. The sellers don't want that. That's why we have the portfolio Secret objects are secret: villas for private sale, which are exclusively in the top segment and super top segment. And that number is only increasing. As real estate agents, we really enjoy sharing what we do. But I am not allowed to say anything about the most beautiful transactions. CEOs, artists, celebrities, football players: they don't want publicity, especially not on Funda. That's a shame, because we NVM real estate agents are all a bit of braggarts. It's boxing with your hands tied behind your back.”