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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

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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.

Christie’s Real Estate Belgium launch: the aftermovie

This was our Christie’s Real Estate Belgium launch.

A fantastic day in the magnificent setting of Kasteel Mishaegen in Brasschaat, during which we announced our exclusive partnership with Christie’s International Real Estate. Extraordinary enjoyment thanks to culinary indulgence by chef Alex Verhoeven of restaurant Hert, Vranken Pommery and Royal Belgian Caviar and with beautiful musical support on the grand piano by Nel Swerts.

Thank you to everyone who attended, as well as our partners.

Hillewaere Group becomes exclusive partner for Christie’s International Real Estate in Belgium

Hillewaere Group – led by entrepreneur Roel Druyts – will become the exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate in Belgium for the next 10 years. This means that Hillewaere – an established player in residential real estate for many years – is the only authorised broker to market the exclusive range of luxury properties on the Belgian market under the Christie’s International Real Estate brand. Additionally, Hillewaere gains access to the international network of Christie’s International Real Estate. U.S-based Christie’s International Real Estate is separately owned but strategically aligned with Christie’s, the world leading art and luxury business known for its auction house.

Hillewaere Group was founded by Roel Druyts in 2002 and has experienced solid growth in recent years, both in real estate and insurance. As a real estate broker focused on upmarket properties, they have 820 properties on sale today, of which 120 properties are marketed at one million euros or higher. Its recent acquisitions have only expanded and further diversified the expertise that addresses both the professional and private needs in a variety of insurance niches. Apart from that, the group is now Belgium’s market leader in insuring art and exclusive cars.

A perfect match

The new partnership with Christie’s International Real Estate in luxury real estate is the next step in the group’s growth strategy. Initial contacts about engaging in a comprehensive collaboration date back to 2020, but it was only last year that talks gained momentum.

’During our initial contacts, our company growth lay elsewhere, as you can see in the recent acquisitions in our insurance arm. But it was quite clear even back then that we were on the same wavelength in our approach to luxury real estate. So we stayed in touch and our talks began in earnest again last year. Our niches, areas of expertise and portfolios complement each other perfectly. They have a wide client base and unique target audience, especially given their close relationship with Christie’s auction house. We built our strong reputation and systematically expanded our existing portfolio in the luxury housing market in Belgium over the past few years. This means we have everything they were looking for in terms of expertise, the way we serve buyers and sellers and credibility in the market.’ Roel Druyts, CEO and founder of Hillewaere Group

Christie’s International Real Estate has expanded rapidly over the past 18 months through new partnerships with independent brokerage firms around the world. Recently, the brand has signed on new affiliates in London, Milan, Venice, the Italian, Swiss and French Alps, Malta, Estonia, the Caribbean and Japan. The luxury real estate network has also added branches in top-ranked U.S. markets, including Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, Miami and Chicago. As cherry on top of that now comes our country thanks to this collaboration. Christie’s International Real Estate now operates in nearly 50 countries and territories.

This partnership means that the Hillewaere Group is the only Belgian real estate broker allowed to sell exclusive residential properties under the Christie’s International Real Estate brand, which includes any property marketed over one million euros in their portfolio. The partnership also creates international access to the properties for sale in our country, as well as the entire international network of potential buyers across all of those countries. All of these properties will be available for sale in Belgium through Hillewaere, both online and in the physical offices.

‘Our focus on luxury real estate, our client-centric approach and our staff’s expertise ensures clients know they are in the right place to buy or sell their luxury property with confidence. This is how we have successfully grown our portfolio over the years. This partnership proves our approach is right for us and will also help us further strengthen our position in the Belgian luxury real estate market.’ Bart Van Delm, Managing Director of Hillewaere Real Estate

‘Roel and Bart have built an exceptional real estate brokerage focused on relationships, innovation and unmatched service, all values shared by Christie’s International Real Estate. We are pleased to have them on board as our exclusive Belgium affiliate, and we look forward to supporting their growth as we continue our expansion throughout Western Europe.’ Helena de Forton, managing director, head of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) for Christie’s International Real Estate

Expansion to the Belgian coast and capital

Today, Hillewaere Group is not yet active in Brussels and Knokke and even by extension the entire coast. Through its partnership with Christie’s International Real Estate, this is now changing. Over the next two years, Hillewaere aspires to have a physical presence in both Brussels and Knokke with the Christie’s International Real Estate label. In Knokke, Hillewaere Vastgoed may enter into a local partnership; for Brussels, Hillewaere is looking at the possibility of housing the brokerage in the building of the Brussels auction house of Ch

‘Today, the coast and Brussels are still largely uncharted territory for us. Our history started with our Flemish growth in the province of Antwerp followed by the other Flemish provinces. So this new partnership, expanding into Brussels and Knokke with our own branches seems a perfectly logical step in Hillewaere’s growth. In Brussels, the next logical step is to also serve the French-speaking market, so we will move in the direction of Wallonia.’ Roel Druyts, CEO and founder of Hillewaere Group

Hillewaere Real Estate is well known for luxurious properties, and has a team of staff including eight real estate agents who specialise in exclusive high-end properties valued at one million euros or more. The company states that this requires a specific approach and knowledge. The group also sees the combination of real estate and insurance in-house as a major advantage. Clients can buy a property and then immediately ask their expert about the best insurance to cover their new home and its contents, art, etc.

Hillewaere indicates that the luxury real estate market continues to flourish. 2022 also saw record sales of million-euro properties in our country. In fact, the total of 1,927 property sales was 12 per cent more than in 2021. Inflation accounts for this somewhat, causing some properties to suddenly reach the one million euros mark. Nevertheless, Hillewaere Real Estate also sees a strong increase in its own numbers. For instance, in the first five months of 2023, they had already sold half of the total number of million-euro property sales in 2022.

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