In Flanders Expo Ghent, the Second Home fair starts today. Two remarkable exhibitors are Antwerpers Carl Vorsselmans (45) and Freyke Van Looveren (29), once agents, now brokers for Spanish real estate.
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The Second Home fair starts today in Flanders Expo Ghent. Two remarkable exhibitors are Antwerpers Carl Vorsselmans (45) and Freyke Van Looveren (29), once agents, now brokers for Spanish real estate.
The award for the most drastic career switch goes to Carl Vorsselmans (45). Until 2018, he was commissioner of the federal police and department head of POSA Antwerp, the central directorate of special units. He took an unpaid career break to throw himself into the real estate markets of Costa Blanca, the Costa Cálida, Tenerife and Ibiza. His girlfriend Freyke Van Looveren (29), an inspector with the local Antwerp police, followed him. Both now head the companies New Construction Tenerife, New Construction Costa Blanca and New Construction Ibiza. And believe it or not, their experience with the police comes in handy in their new careers.
"I myself bought a small apartment in Tenerife 3.5 years ago and then noticed how many sharks are on the market," says Carl Vorsselmans, originally from Loenhout but now living in Antwerp for some time. "You have to be well guided in terms of taxation, purchase costs and choice of notary. Sometimes houses are sold with the land not included in the ownership, that kind of situation."
Carl speaks excellent Spanish, having studied in Spain as an Erasmus student. With his Master's degree in Commercial Science in his pocket and his interest in real estate - he already obtained his IPI accreditation as a real estate agent when he was in his twenties - he was approached on Tenerife by a construction promoter to guide Belgians there in the purchase of a new house or apartment. "It was quite a leap, because I held a top position," says Vorsselmans. "It did help that Freyke also loves Tenerife."
Not a moment's regret
Freyke jumped in the tub with us. "Everyone declared us crazy. We do miss our colleagues in the police. The fact that the door to return remains open and we also get a lot of confidence from our current clients means that we haven't regretted our drastic career switch for a moment."
Freyke is looking into marketing and researching whether proposed new construction projects are reliable. She does a bit of the work of a tax professional and a lawyer. "Detective work, in other words," she laughs. "I also organize info moments here in Belgium for interested parties."
Carl visits construction promoters and follows up with clients. "In Spain we already came across Belgians convicted here of forgery and selling homes. All this is possible just like that, because as a real estate agent in Spain you don't need a recognition number."
On Saturday, November 16, Carl and Freyke will give another information session at the Schaliënhuis in Loenhout.
Source: https://www.nieuwsblad.be/