| Town & Country Property: A powerful force to | | | | now? |
| be aware of. | | | | We are a very service-oriented company; you need |
| Hello Cees, thanks for agreeing to this interview for | | | | to have sufficient team members in place to be so. |
| the Real Estate Magazine. Our readers find these | | | | We are constantly remodeling the office space and |
| personal glimpses into the working of the real estate | | | | as you can see we are now renovating the left side |
| agents very interesting. | | | | of the building. That will become our showroom |
| Can we start with you telling me about yourself | | | | where we will show our project-models and have a |
| before you came to Thailand? | | | | guest lounge. There are two floors above us where |
| Of course! I come from Holland and have probably | | | | our designers, architects and accountants work. Our |
| been working all my life in sales and marketing or | | | | sales office accommodates a very powerful force of |
| related fields. I'm 43 years old, unmarried, and I | | | | sales consultants and sales and marketing assistants. |
| decided when I was 35 that it was time for a | | | | We focus on quality and are service minded; we do |
| chance. My working territory, so to say, was the | | | | not want to be the biggest realtor in Pattaya; simply |
| triangle of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. | | | | the best! |
| Originally I am from the Eastern part of Holland. | | | | What types of buyers are you getting and how are |
| Reason for me to move to Thailand is because I was | | | | they buying? |
| a little bit fed up with Holland, and, I guess, the | | | | There are two types of buyers and I like them both. |
| environment in Europe. If you are an entrepreneur | | | | There are those who are interested in a condo and |
| and would like to achieve some success or design | | | | there are those interested in a house. Two different |
| and establish something, it's getting tougher on you. | | | | profiles. People that are interested in a house don't |
| I don't even mention the tax climate of ‘sunny' | | | | mind registering it into a company. I have only come |
| Europe… | | | | across a very small number who would register the |
| I've been involved in the hospitality industry and | | | | house into a Thai person's name. People that buy a |
| logistics for example and to help a couple of friends | | | | condo are interested in buying it in their own name. |
| out I agreed to do the architecture/design for a | | | | Only when the percentage allowed for purchase by a |
| couple of luxury sandwich bars. I remember it took | | | | foreigner is reached they will, especially if the project |
| over a year to get all the permits and licenses in | | | | is very nice, register it into a company name. We |
| place opening up a sandwich bar in the city of The | | | | rarely see Thai people buying through an agency. |
| Hague. I have been working for rather big companies | | | | They will visit a project-site by themselves, go into |
| in Holland and operating them, with all the rules and | | | | the sales office and make their purchase. There is |
| regulations that apply, makes it so difficult to focus | | | | plenty of opportunity for them to do so, they hardly |
| on your core business. Most of your effort and | | | | go to an agency and say they are looking for a |
| attention is put into procedures and things like that, | | | | property. I can easily say that 95% of our customers |
| more than anything else instead of focusing on your | | | | are foreign. Many different countries but dominated |
| clients or sales. Although successful, I became very | | | | by UK buyers either as end-users or investors. We |
| bored and decided to leave Holland. When I | | | | have a very colorful mix of buyers, those looking for |
| announced to a couple of "friends" (acquaintances) | | | | a real bargain and those looking for the utmost |
| that I was going to leave and start a business in | | | | luxury. Even through Internet we are very successful |
| Thailand they thought I was crazy. They said: "You | | | | to cater to our foreign investors. Probably 60% of all |
| have a nice house, a nice car, a good career and you | | | | our sales are based on referrals; which, in my opinion |
| are making quite a bit of money… you must be | | | | is quite unique for such a young company. |
| crazy!" Only my best mates tapped me on the | | | | Apart from buyers we also see a strong growth of |
| shoulder and complimented me: "Finally"! | | | | quality tenants interested to rent a luxury home or |
| I had a friend who was staying in Manila Philippines | | | | condo. Those gain property owners an interesting |
| who had a plan to open a fancy restaurant in | | | | return on their investments up to 10%-12% in some |
| Thailand. It was a perfect excuse to wrap up things | | | | cases. A very healthy market. |
| and prepare myself to move to Thailand. | | | | What are your thoughts on the property market |
| When did you come here then, and how did your | | | | here in Pattaya? |
| plans work out? | | | | Property in general is moving. You would think that |
| I came here about seven years ago and the first | | | | there is an overload of affordable properties as there |
| objective was to secure a nice location for the | | | | are so many villages being built, from starter prices at |
| restaurant in a good area in Bangkok. It was tough | | | | just under 1 million (Bt), but still they are moving quite |
| to find a good location. Everything was either already | | | | fast. A new development starts and within 2 years |
| occupied or too expensive so the broker that we | | | | or so it is fully completed and sold out. Now, people |
| used suggested a property that was available here in | | | | are moving to better quality houses at affordable |
| Pattaya, a double unit on the corner of Soi Post | | | | prices rather than the standard style |
| Office and Beach Road. A former outlet of AW | | | | roof-to-roof-type of village developments, where the |
| fast-food chain. We opened a night-spot called | | | | developers tries to put in as many properties as |
| Samsara Lifestyle and it was pretty successful. We | | | | possible rather than a little more elegant and a little |
| had many clients from Bangkok, movie stars and | | | | more spacious with better quality. For the future I |
| many trendy people knew where to find us. One of | | | | would say starter-class developments will get better |
| those was a company called Tricon International | | | | quality and there is a strong demand for luxury |
| Restaurants who held the franchise for Pizza Hut. | | | | developments. Having been here for seven years I |
| That was in (I think) 2000. That was why Samsara | | | | have seen what is going on and know the market |
| closed. We sold to them and it's now another Pizza | | | | from the early stages up until now. I have seen |
| Hut outlet. | | | | tremendous change from three or four years ago |
| I decided to create my own business here in Pattaya | | | | when someone with serious money in their pocket |
| and later on began working with an interior designer. | | | | couldn't spend it on top-quality housing because it |
| We did many residential renovation projects and | | | | simply wasn't available. Individual residences perhaps, |
| commercial projects, interiors of bars and hotels and | | | | but a secure development where you had a choice |
| so on. Before I considered moving on to become a | | | | of really nice properties, maybe starting at 10 million |
| building agency that was involved in design, | | | | Bt or more, simply were very hard to find. If you |
| architecture, construction and sales of properties that | | | | look at the market now there are properties around |
| was probably the time when Town and Country | | | | for 1 million US Dollars, or even more. Even those |
| Property came along and I decided to join. | | | | developments seem to sell. |
| Who founded the company? | | | | The type of people who visit or live in Pattaya is also |
| Town & Country Property was founded by two | | | | changing. Many years ago the single bachelor came to |
| people. They had recently opened the business when | | | | Pattaya for alcohol and ‘company', stayed at |
| I met them. We worked well together and I became | | | | very affordable hotel accommodation or bought a |
| involved with Town & Country Property just | | | | condo for 1 or 2 million. It is now changing to many |
| one month after they opened for business. That was | | | | more families, couples and people with higher budgets |
| in 2003. All of a sudden a very small group became a | | | | spending serious money on a high quality product. |
| much bigger group because I brought with me nine | | | | As for developments and availability in Pattaya, |
| staff members so Town and Country Property was | | | | forget Central Pattaya. Everything is already taken; |
| not just a broker but a broker with the facility to | | | | most of it is commercial property, with a few small |
| design and construct private residences or convert | | | | exceptions like North-shore which is now almost |
| places into a commercial bar or a restaurant etc. This | | | | finished. In the early days places like Soi Nern Plub |
| whole company evolved into one which dealt with all | | | | Wan were THE residential development areas. If you |
| kinds of property matters. We became so successful | | | | go along it and look at the small Soi's you will see |
| and had so many enquiries and so much work, but at | | | | smaller and bigger villages built in there. They aren't |
| the same time we were working as developers and | | | | always noticeable because if you drive along you see |
| looking at developing our own projects, that last | | | | only shop-houses. It's a typical technique of Thai |
| year, in December, we decided to end our entire | | | | developers. They have a land parcel fronting on to a |
| individual commercial and residential projects so were | | | | road, they make a nice garden with a security gate |
| stopped taking customers who wanted us to design | | | | on a road leading in to the village and when |
| and construct single residences, what was in effect | | | | everything is nearly sold the garden disappears and |
| turnkey projects. | | | | shop-houses are being built. That is the reason Soi's |
| We could then focus our attention on our own | | | | like Nern Plub Wan have many shop-houses. The |
| projects, which is what we still do. | | | | developers then moved over to other Soi's like Khow |
| What projects are you currently working on? | | | | Noi, Khow Thalo. It isn't finished yet. Developers |
| We have three projects at the moment. "Whispering | | | | moved to Mabprachan, though now with zoning |
| Palms", a luxury project of sixteen villas near the | | | | regulations, no new housing developments are |
| entrance to The Horseshoe Point, the equestrian | | | | allowed there. |
| centre near Mabprachan reservoir. We have The | | | | "East Pattaya" is still the strongest residential area of |
| Meadows, a unique modern residential development | | | | Pattaya and most likely will be so for many more |
| of 64 houses being built at the top of Soi Nern Plub | | | | years to come. It offers starters-housing projects up |
| Wan, and Nova Residence Jomtien, a condominium | | | | to exclusive projects like the luxury Siam Royal View. |
| being built at Soi 17 Thepprasit just behind Jomtien | | | | There are now a few hot areas around Pattaya with |
| Park Villas. A very up-and-coming location in the heart | | | | lots of activity. Wong Amart (north Pattaya – |
| of Jomtien. All in all we are quite active for a | | | | Naklua) is quite hot, it has always been a favorable |
| relatively young company. Guess we are quite | | | | area for the richer Thais and the German crowd. The |
| blessed with a number of talented and experienced | | | | coastline is now dominated by commercial |
| staff-members. | | | | developments and luxury condominiums like Saranchol. |
| When you joined the company what position were | | | | We see quite a few up-market hotels going up in |
| you in and how did you progress to your current | | | | that area as well. Pratamnak (Buddha Hill) with a |
| position? | | | | combination of low rise condominiums and luxury, |
| I started heading the department architecture and | | | | nicely finished houses, is definitely one of the hottest |
| turnkey contracting. Then I was a minor shareholder | | | | spots in town. Over the last couple of years you |
| of the company. Over the years a fourth partner | | | | didn't see much activity but land parcels were rapidly |
| came in and later the initial two founders of the | | | | changing hands. Since the beginning of this year more |
| company were bought out by us, so together with | | | | and more end-users finally got their plot of land and |
| my Belgian partner we operate the business on a 50 | | | | started to build their dream home or development. |
| – 50 basis. I am the Managing Director who | | | | Land prices in that area are relatively expensive, |
| oversees the day-to-day operations and has personal | | | | approximately 25,000 Bt per talang wah. But I still see |
| involvement in all of our marketing, sales and | | | | a growth around. There is also quite a bit of activity |
| advertising. I'm sales driven; enjoy dealing with clients | | | | in Jomtien, with a variety of condos and houses |
| and like designing art-graphics. My partner Herman, | | | | available. Especially with all new infrastructures going |
| who has an extensive back-ground and experience in | | | | in at this moment, the ‘back-drop' of Jomtien is |
| construction and development, is taking care of that | | | | getting more and more popular. |
| side of the business. A great combination I would say | | | | Just a matter of a few more years before people |
| and a very pleasant working relationship. | | | | will notice it. |
| How big the company is and what staff do you have | | | | |