Real Estatement: French real estate for the happy few
A successful advisory practice in French law was not enough for Mireille Bosscher. Recently, as a partner of Real Estatement, she has also been makin' deals in the absolute top of the French housing market. "Some wish for a runway for their plane," she says.
DATE
03 May 2023
TEXT
Jasper Gramsma
IMAGE
Brian Mul (portrait) and PR
Real Estatement: French real estate for the happy few
A successful advisory practice in French law was not enough for Mireille Bosscher. Recently, as a partner of Real Estatement, she has also been makin' deals in the absolute top of the French housing market. "Some wish for a runway for their plane," she says.
Tr are those moments when all the right things come together. The Netflix series 'L'Agence' about the family business Kretz, which sells luxury real estate in France, recently made Real Estatement's Mireille Bosscher dream away. "Such a cool adventure," sighs the candidate notary from The Hague, who wanted an extra challenge alongside her consultancy in French law.
Mireille Bosscher is a partner at Real Estatement.
"Shortly after that, I asked Real Estatement if they would take a French chateau belonging to one of my clients for sale. We did business more often because they are in the top of the French housing market from the Netherlands. 'I will do that,' owner Jeannette Leopold replied, 'if you become a partner in my company.' At first I thought: are you kidding? But on the way home it dawned on me: this is a great idea!"
One look at Real Estatement's website reveals that these are not refurbishments. One dream house after another passes by with perfectly lit photos and spectacular drone footage. A thousand-year-old castle tower, a stable complex for twenty horses or a 70-hectare estate, including its own lake and staff? It is possible. "We particularly target buyers from Asia and America," Bosscher explains. "That is a completely new world for me. Some want a garage for their ten sports cars, others a runway for their plane. An Asian buyer recently bought a castle and had it completely rebuilt to celebrate his birthday in Europe - for two days!"
Personal assistant
The sale at Real Estatement is therefore slightly different from a house on Funda. "We are in the process of getting publicity through all kinds of magazines to bring the property to the attention of the public. When interested, we then make it as easy as possible for the potential buyer, because even a castle does not sell itself, and there is quite a lot of competition," Bosscher stresses. "Beforehand, we communicate all the details, right down to the building plans. Is the personal assistant coming to Paris for a viewing tomorrow? Then we make sure we are there. And then, of course, we have already figured out what there is to do in the area. It works: most houses are sold within six months."
Although she is fluent in the language and brimming with knowledge in almost all areas of French law, the perfectionist Bosscher continues to develop. "Even though I don't have to, I have started a brokerage course to brush up on construction law, for example. I also want to delve further into architectural history and French construction jargon."
'Selection remains rigorous, that's our capital'
And then there is the experience, the 'flight hours', as she calls it herself. "Normally, Real Estatement only does a handful of transactions a year. In the near future, I will also take houses in a slightly lower segment in my portfolio. That way I can master the work faster. Of course, the selection will remain strict - after all, this is our capital."
Real Estatement supervises not only sales but also purchases. In that part of the real estate profession in particular, Bosscher can apply the notarial expertise she gained from her consultancy work over the past 17 years. "In my practice, which is still my core business, I have come across the strangest situations," she wavers. "I know exactly what requirements purchase deeds must meet, I know the pitfalls and the legal consequences that can be attached to certain technical defects, such as asbestos and faulty septic tanks. In addition, buying a house in France involves inheritance law and tax law. So it's handy that I know both the Dutch and French systems."
Francophile
Bosscher understands the appeal of France all too well. "As a child I was already francophile, later I met someone who lived in Paris. That relationship has passed, but the love for the country has remained - no, even grown. When you learn to speak the language, you find out so much more about the culture," she beams. To her own surprise, Bosscher now has two French homes, in the Vosges and in the Dordogne. "When clients asked me before if I owned a house in France myself, I would honestly say: I shouldn't think about it, what a hassle! Now I wouldn't want anything else, although we will never emigrate."
Real Estatement
For her youngest son Jasper, she sees a future in the business. "He is now at college and Jeannette wants to take it easy in a few years. When my son Jasper has finished his studies and he still has so much interest, it would be my dream to continue Real Estatement with him. He is so wonderfully down-to-earth, which complements me well."
text Jasper Gramsma image Brian Mul (portrait) and PR
Tr are those moments when all the right things come together. The Netflix series 'L'Agence' about the family business Kretz, which sells luxury real estate in France, recently made Real Estatement's Mireille Bosscher dream away. "Such a cool adventure," sighs the candidate notary from The Hague, who wanted an extra challenge alongside her consultancy in French law.
Mireille Bosscher is a partner at Real Estatement.
"Shortly after that, I asked Real Estatement if they would take a French chateau belonging to one of my clients for sale. We did business more often because they are in the top of the French housing market from the Netherlands. 'I will do that,' owner Jeannette Leopold replied, 'if you become a partner in my company.' At first I thought: are you kidding? But on the way home it dawned on me: this is a great idea!"
One look at Real Estatement's website reveals that these are not refurbishments. One dream house after another passes by with perfectly lit photos and spectacular drone footage. A thousand-year-old castle tower, a stable complex for twenty horses or a 70-hectare estate, including its own lake and staff? It is possible. "We particularly target buyers from Asia and America," Bosscher explains. "That is a completely new world for me. Some want a garage for their ten sports cars, others a runway for their plane. An Asian buyer recently bought a castle and had it completely rebuilt to celebrate his birthday in Europe - for two days!"
Personal assistant
The sale at Real Estatement is therefore slightly different from a house on Funda. "We are in the process of getting publicity through all kinds of magazines to bring the property to the attention of the public. When interested, we then make it as easy as possible for the potential buyer, because even a castle does not sell itself, and there is quite a lot of competition," Bosscher stresses. "Beforehand, we communicate all the details, right down to the building plans. Is the personal assistant coming to Paris for a viewing tomorrow? Then we make sure we are there. And then, of course, we have already figured out what there is to do in the area. It works: most houses are sold within six months."
Although she is fluent in the language and brimming with knowledge in almost all areas of French law, the perfectionist Bosscher continues to develop. "Even though I don't have to, I have started a brokerage course to brush up on construction law, for example. I also want to delve further into architectural history and French construction jargon."
'Selection remains rigorous, that's our capital'
And then there is the experience, the 'flight hours', as she calls it herself. "Normally, Real Estatement only does a handful of transactions a year. In the near future, I will also take houses in a slightly lower segment in my portfolio. That way I can master the work faster. Of course, the selection will remain strict - after all, this is our capital."
Real Estatement supervises not only sales but also purchases. In that part of the real estate profession in particular, Bosscher can apply the notarial expertise she gained from her consultancy work over the past 17 years. "In my practice, which is still my core business, I have come across the strangest situations," she wavers. "I know exactly what requirements purchase deeds must meet, I know the pitfalls and the legal consequences that can be attached to certain technical defects, such as asbestos and faulty septic tanks. In addition, buying a house in France involves inheritance law and tax law. So it's handy that I know both the Dutch and French systems."
Francophile
Bosscher understands the appeal of France all too well. "As a child I was already francophile, later I met someone who lived in Paris. That relationship has passed, but the love for the country has remained - no, even grown. When you learn to speak the language, you find out so much more about the culture," she beams. To her own surprise, Bosscher now has two French homes, in the Vosges and in the Dordogne. "When clients asked me before if I owned a house in France myself, I would honestly say: I shouldn't think about it, what a hassle! Now I wouldn't want anything else, although we will never emigrate."
Real Estatement
For her youngest son Jasper, she sees a future in the business. "He is now at college and Jeannette wants to take it easy in a few years. When my son Jasper has finished his studies and he still has so much interest, it would be my dream to continue Real Estatement with him. He is so wonderfully down-to-earth, which complements me well."
