Author: Bieke Peeters

Knokke: where summer becomes a second home

Not a destination, but a mindset

There are seaside resorts. And then there is Knokke. A destination that is not just synonymous with holidays, but with a way of life. Anyone who has ever spent a warm summer there will understand immediately: here, summer is extended, cherished and lived to the full.

Knokke combines natural splendour with refined elegance. The wide beaches, dunes and the shimmering North Sea provide the natural backdrop. Added to this is a cosmopolitan vibrancy featuring gastronomy, art, fashion and design, making it not just a seaside resort, but a setting where life and experience come together.

With the establishment of Christie’s International Real Estate Belgium in Knokke, in partnership with the locally based Liv’Immo, the luxury property market in this fashionable seaside resort is also set to enjoy a strong, forward-looking position.

“In Knokke, property is never quite what it seems at first glance. Behind a modern façade or a discreetly situated villa, the true value lies in details that can only be appreciated when seen in person.” – Julie Hemelaer, manager at Liv’Immo

A second home as a lifestyle choice

A second home in Knokke isn’t about escaping everyday life, but about enriching it. It’s the freedom to decide on a Thursday evening that Friday will begin by the sea. It’s working with a view of the dunes. It’s having breakfast in silence whilst the town slowly wakes up.

Today’s buyers are looking for more than just four walls by the sea. They are consciously choosing space, light and a seamless transition between indoors and outdoors. Large windows, sliding doors that disappear completely into the wall, south-facing terraces and sheltered patios create a natural flow between living spaces and the coastal landscape.

“The orientation of a living room, the actual depth of the view of the dunes, or the reputation of a street all play a decisive role, meaning that a difference of just a few dozen metres can have a significant impact on the price.” – Bram Vanballenberghe, manager at Liv’Immo

Indoor-outdoor living isn’t just a buzzword here, but a way of life. Kitchens flow seamlessly into outdoor kitchens. Seating areas extend out onto the terrace. Warm natural stone and wood evoke the beach. The interiors exude a sense of calm, with soft tones that capture the ever-changing coastal light.

The latest residential developments in Knokke reflect this trend. Today’s coastal home is no longer a traditional holiday home, but a fully-fledged living environment that adds value all year round.

“In Knokke, a property’s value is determined long before the first viewing, based on its location, pricing and the quality of the story behind it.” – Julie Hemelaer

It becomes an extension of one’s personal lifestyle: discreet, comfortable and well thought-out.

A Belgian hotspot with international appeal

What makes Knokke unique is its blend of nature and sophistication. The beach is wide and tranquil, with the dunes offering shelter from the wind and creating a sense of space. At the same time, you find yourself in a setting where gastronomy, art and design come together effortlessly.

Beach clubs where lunch flows seamlessly into an afternoon aperitif. Restaurants where making a reservation is a ritual. Art galleries featuring international names. Pop-ups, summer events and exclusive openings lend the seaside resort a cosmopolitan vibrancy without it losing its unique character.

“Knokke combines the elegance of a major city with the human scale of a sophisticated village, where nature, gastronomy and culture come together in a rare balance.” – Julie Hemelaer

Here, you can stroll from the beach to a gallery opening. From a bike ride through the Zwin to a fine-dining experience. Everything on a human scale. Everything within easy reach.

Knokke offers a rare blend of glamour and Belgian sophistication.

Time as the ultimate luxury

Perhaps that is the real appeal: time.

Time to have breakfast on the terrace as the sun slowly climbs higher in the sky. Time to leave the afternoon free. Time to go for a walk in the evening when the beach is almost deserted and the sky turns a soft shade of pink.

In a world where diaries are often packed to the brim, a second home in Knokke is an investment in peace and spontaneity. It offers the chance to slow down without compromising on comfort or quality.

“In the market for properties valued at over a million euros, it involves much more than simply putting a property on the market. It’s about wealth, transfer, strategic considerations and, inevitably, emotion.” – Bram Vanballenberghe

Here, luxury is not defined by excess, but by space. By light. By the feeling that everything is just right.

Partnership with Liv'Immo: rooted locally, connected globally

Our recent partnership with the Knokke-based agency Liv’Immo places this vision of seaside living in a strategic context. Together, we are building a strong presence in the luxury property sector in Knokke, a region where almost 80% of the million-euro apartments sold in West Flanders are located.

Liv’Immo brings over twelve years of local expertise and an extensive network in the coastal municipality. With Christie’s International Real Estate Belgium, we are adding an international platform to this, offering the visibility, marketing power and global connections that are characteristic of the Christie’s network.

“Value isn’t simply published; it’s crafted. It arises from a combination of analysis, positioning and the ability to reach the right buyer. For sellers, it guarantees support that combines a global network with in-depth knowledge of the region.” – Bram Vanballenberghe

Our partnership perfectly illustrates what makes Knokke so desirable: a market that combines local authenticity with international appeal, backed by a strong team that shares and reinforces those values.

Knokke continues to attract visitors. Not by making a big fuss, but by offering exactly what is most valuable today: space, quality and time.

Discover our property listings in Knokke via this link.

Jo Vanbelle: the government’s new measures for Belgian property

We are pleased to share with you an article written by Maître Jo Vanbelle, founding partner of Vanbelle Law Boutique. A respected figure in the legal field, Maître Vanbelle took the initiative in creating, developing and coordinating VB Alliance, a collaboration between carefully selected independent service providers, including Christie’s International Real Estate Belgium.

The new federal government and the real estate sector: what changes are on the horizon?

In this insightful analysis, Jo Vanbelle gives us his observations on the Belgian government’s new measures and their potential impact on the property sector. His expertise gives us a perspective on the regulatory developments that will shape our market in the years ahead.

The new federal government aims to transform the property sector through a series of ambitious measures. The emphasis is on creating a greener, more transparent and more efficient environment for property transactions and developments.

Key initiatives include efforts to streamline, and in some cases eliminate, outdated tax regimes that currently burden the sector, while introducing consumer protections to ensure fair practices. These measures are designed to foster a more sustainable and robust property market, one that not only benefits investors and homeowners, but also contributes to wider environmental and economic goals.

Click here or on the image below for a comprehensive overview of these initiatives and measures, to be read in a detailed presentation on the coalition agreement.

At the same time, the construction sector is also under the spotlight. The government is expected to implement a number of new measures aimed at reducing undeclared work and combating social fraud, which have long been challenges in the sector. This renewed regulatory focus promises to improve labour standards and promote transparency, ensuring that the sector operates on a level playing field. While the full impact of these measures remains to be seen, they represent a significant step forward in modernising the industry and protecting the interests of all stakeholders.

Source: Vanbelle Law Boutique (read the original article here)

An evening of art and real estate heralds a new era of collaboration

On Thursday 12 September 2024, during the Brussels Gallery Weekend, we organised our first joint event with Christie’s International Real Estate Belgium and Christie’s Auction in our new shared offices in Brussels. This memorable evening marked the beginning of a new synergy between our two entities and served as a beautiful setting for the vernissage of ‘The Proximus Art Collection’.

The event, with some 250 exclusive guests, was the perfect occasion to celebrate the coming together of the art world and the real estate sector under the Christie’s banner. Attendees had the first opportunity to discover a selection of works from the Proximus collection, one of the most important corporate collections in Belgium.

Among the exhibits were works by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Longo. This collection, which previously graced the Proximus offices in Brussels, was auctioned online between 19 September and 3 October.

The success of this evening is testament to the potential for cooperation between Christie’s International Real Estate Belgium and the auction house. It sets in motion a series of future events through which we aim to build bridges between art lovers and lovers of quality real estate.

This first joint event not only highlighted Christie’s expertise in these two fields, but also demonstrated our ability to offer our clients a unique experience by combining art and real estate in a prestigious setting.

Christie’s International Real Estate in Brussels: opening office

A year after launching our exclusive partnership with Christie’s International Real Estate, we are opening the first Belgian affiliate under the flag of the renowned luxury brand. And that in the beautiful Avenue Louise in Brussels in collaboration with Jean-Marc Delcroix. “With 20 years of expertise in the luxury segment, Jean-Marc Delcroix is the ideal person to position us on the Brussels market. He is therefore a strong asset as Managing Partner in our team,” echoes our CEO Roel Druyts.

Our ambition is to be nationally active in real estate and insurance brokerage. An ambition we are living up to and leading to significant growth. This is evidenced by the majority stake of merchant bank Rotschild & Co, the 14 acquisitions over the past 2 years in the insurance landscape as well as the acquisition of the exclusive licence to promote the prestigious Christie’s International Real Estate brand in our country.

International prestige in home country

With 900 offices and 13,000 brokers in 50 countries, the Christie’s International Real Estate network is one of the undisputed world leaders in the multi-million dollar housing segment. Propagating the brand and its reputation also in our country is the icing on the cake for Hillewaere Real Estate, with which we remain committed to luxury real estate.

“We are now a year into the partnership and it is very nice to be able to help carry the Christie’s International Real Estate label from our position in luxury real estate,” comments our CEO Roel Druyts. “At the start of this collaboration, the intention was to open a Brussels office, and we are now delivering on that promise with Jean-Marc Delcroix joining our team. Thanks to his experience in luxury real estate, in the Brussels market and surrounding areas, we will no doubt get off to a flying start.”

The perfect match

Managing Partner Jean-Marc Delcroix, who spent the last seven years as Sales Director at Brussels Sotheby’s International Realty, says he is taking on a great new challenge with his move to Christie’s International Real Estate. “From my first meeting with Hillewaere’s management, it was clear to me that we would create a new dynamic together. Hillewaere is constantly growing and has extensive expertise in insuring luxury goods such as paintings and cars, with a direct link to art and Christie’s Auction House,” so says Jean-Marc Delcroix.

“It is an honour and a great challenge for me to open the first Christie’s International Real Estate office in Belgium. The mix between the strength of Hillewaere and the prestige of Christie’s International Real Estate will allow us to take a leadership position in the luxury real estate market across the country. Our commitment is to offer exclusive properties, catering to both buyers and sellers’ wants and needs by finding the right property every time. I feel that through all this, we therefore do the best job there is,” Delcroix says.

Rapid expansion of the Belgian network and synergy with the art world

With the opening of the first Brussels office under the Christie’s International Real Estate banner, we are further expanding Hillewaere’s network. Our office is located at 418 Avenue Louise, at the same address as the Christie’s Belgium auction house. A match made in heaven, according to Astrid Centner, director of auction house Christie’s Belgium & Luxembourg. “We are excited to join forces from the auction house and write a new chapter with Christie’s International Real Estate and Hillewaere. It’s about creating a synergy between our two offices, maximising opportunities to provide a comprehensive and high-quality service to our auction house clients on the one hand and luxury real estate on the other,” echoes director Astrid Centner.

“Both worlds are so close to each other. The valuation of an art collection sometimes goes hand in hand with the sale of a property, and conversely, when selling a house, an inventory of the artworks may be necessary. It is therefore clear that the arrival of Jean-Marc Delcroix will further boost the quality of our service on a larger scale,” she continues.

That it is a separate world is something our CEO Roel Druyts also knows. “Selling prestige goods requires a specific approach and knowledge and a lot of experience in understanding the world of potential buyers and sellers. We also see this in our other offices, where eight of our employees deal exclusively with this type of property. For Christie’s International Real Estate, we are looking for similar profiles who value integrity and discretion and for whom real estate, architecture and art are a real passion,” he concludes.

Christie’s International Real Estate Brussels
Avenue Louise 418
1050 Brussels
brussels@christiesrealestatebelgium.be
0032 2 808 03 64

This article was picked up by the press, including by:

Hillewaere Equestrian Property: the showpiece among real estate agents

Belgium sets the tone in equestrian sport, with a very wide range of both regional and international competitions. This makes Flanders the ideal base for the international professional rider. Moreover, the combinations with Belgian-bred horses are unmissable on the podium. Flanders also has a large number of hobby riders and semi-professionals. For these profiles too, Hillewaere Equestrian Property can offer a helping hand in checking out the local market and local brokers, ranging from single stables to professional accommodation.

Your equestrian estate agent, Yara Coppé

With more than 25 years of national and international experience as an equestrian and 7 years of real estate experience as an equestrian estate agent, Yara Coppé is an absolute asset in your search for or sale of your equestrian property. In addition to knowledge of (environmental) permits, Yara also has expertise in the regulation of zoned or company housing. Within her wide national and international network, she actively searches for the right buyer profiles and properties. In doing so, discretion is assured.

The advantages of Hillewaere Equestrian Property

  • Innovative digital marketing
  • International clientele
  • Personal approach
  • Partnership with Equnews and De Paarden Gazet

View our full offering of equestrian properties via this link.

Buying or selling an equestrian property? Contact your equestrian estage agent, Yara Coppé, at yara.coppe@christiesrealestatebelgium.be or on 0032 472 71 45 39.

Dream away at the sunny real estate offer in Southern Europe

Dream away at the sunny real estate offer in Southern Europe.

Meet the extensive real estate offerings of our fellow real estate agents in Southern Europe. From luxurious coastal villas to charming apartments and penthouses in picturesque and historic towns. Dream away at a diverse selection of properties in the most coveted locations along the Mediterranean. Our colleagues there are happy to guide you in your search for your own piece of paradise under the warm southern sun.

From now on you can easily consult our website.

Buying or selling a Southern European property? Contact your contact, Kristoff Herrijgers, at kristoff.herrijgers@hillewaere.be or on 014 45 10 11.