Offered: NVM Agricultural & Rural
Major shortage of agricultural brokers and appraisers
Agricultural and rural real estate agents and appraisers play an important role in supporting agricultural entrepreneurs during the reorganisation phase of the rural area. Because it is clear that the Netherlands is in transition. But because there are too few agricultural and rural real estate agents, the Dutch Association of Real Estate Agents is keen to draw attention to retraining in this wonderful field. John van Wingerden, former greenhouse horticulture entrepreneur and current owner of Taxatiebureau Nederland from De Lier, took the step in 2016.
"I had a greenhouse horticulture company with my brother for years," says van Wingerden. "Especially in recent years, I also regularly did consultancy work, which required a lot of travelling. At a certain point, that combination was no longer sustainable. I left the company and continued as a consultant. However, a year and a half later, I came to the realisation: do I want to sleep in a hotel bed week in, week out for the next few years? I got into conversation with the broker who had assisted us in dissolving the company. He suggested that a job as an agricultural broker and appraiser might be something for me. I joined his service and that's how I got into the profession. I haven't regretted it for a single day."
Own valuation agency
Van Wingerden finds valuing companies particularly fascinating. "Because I come from the sector and have built a company from scratch three times myself, I have good technical insight. I enjoy mapping out a company, assigning it a value and creating a good report that the agricultural entrepreneur can use to continue. It is often an essential step that they need to be able to further shape their future." Van Wingerden is less enthusiastic about mediation, so when he was given the opportunity to set up his own valuation agency, he seized it with both hands. "We now have a team of five people. We all have an agricultural and/or business background. I do think that you need to have an affinity with the sector to be able to do this work. It does not matter whether you have been an entrepreneur yourself or, for example, worked in agricultural insurance, but it is important that you know and understand this sector and its people."
Challenge
Thanks to his background, the step to the Academy for Real Estate to follow the practical training as a Real Estate Agent for Rural Agricultural Real Estate was not that big for van Wingerden. "I had to study hard during the first year of the training, because it mainly taught basic theory such as public and private law, construction or the tenancy law. This was also mainly focused on the housing market. The second year, however, went a lot easier. The subjects were more applicable to the agricultural sector and I had already gained a lot of knowledge as a greenhouse horticulture entrepreneur and advisor. Of course, it was a challenge to work and study at the same time. Sometimes I really didn't get around to it in the evening, but then I discovered studying in the morning, before everyone was awake. That turned out to work ideally for me. After I had completed all the practical assignments and passed the exams, I was allowed to call myself an Agricultural & Rural real estate agent and appraiser."
A lot of work
Now that he has been working in real estate for many years, Wingerden's shortage of colleagues is certainly noticeable. "There is simply a lot of work in this field. The inflow is not large and there are enough files to get your teeth into. If you have a link with the agricultural sector, enjoy dealing with people, want to help them with complex processes and are also solution-oriented, there is a great career ahead of you as an agricultural and rural broker or appraiser."
