Indra Manniesing got into the real estate business almost by accident. She began by helping a friend find a home, who told another friend who told another….

Fast-forward a few years and Manniesing had enough clients, via word of mouth alone, to open a proper business, and the Dutch Real Estate Company was born.

“Our name says it all,” says Manniesing, whose company has come to serve mostly internationals relocating to the Netherlands. “Expats weren’t our aim in the beginning, but they quickly became an important target group as we worked with more international businesses and got more referrals. It was a way for us to grow. As the saying goes, ‘Go big or go home.’”

For the highly-skilled international who is faced with the daunting prospect of an international move, having someone on your side to help navigate a tight housing market with ever-changing rules and regulations is something of a godsend.

“People abroad get jobs and have to think about relocation” says Manniesing. “They need a real estate company that can help them throughout the Netherlands with their entire housing journey.”

Today, Manniesing employs seven brokers in her Amsterdam Zuid office to help her clients find their dream accommodation—whether it’s a short-term rental, a forever home or even an investment property—in Amsterdam and beyond.

But this family-run business is so much more than just a real estate firm—it’s a one-stop-shop to meet all of her clients’ housing needs.

“My son Ganesh is our contractor,” explains Manniesing, who moved to the Netherlands from Suriname as a child and has lived in Amsterdam for most of her life.

“In a foreign country where you don’t know anyone, a trustworthy contractor can be hard to find. But we want our clients to get the same service when they’re renovating as when they’re buying or renting. My son has the same values as me, and his word is his word. When he says a job will take three months, it will take three months. We don’t just throw people overboard, which makes it reassuring to stay with us.”

The same goes for her daughter Ananda, who is a mortgage broker at one of the three firms the Dutch Real Estate Company works with. “She’s really a numbers girl who loves solving problems,” says Manniesing.

Selling (and buying) points

And they aren’t the only ones. Many of the nation’s brokers specialise in one or two services, such as renting or buying. But at the Dutch Real Estate Company, Manniesing and her team can take clients from property viewings to placing offers, finding financing, getting technical evaluations and even renovations.

“We take a personal and professional approach, offering a full-service package from your mortgage to construction,” says Manniesing. “There are so many different clients, and if you want to be helpful to the majority of them, you have to diversify. People tell us their wishes, and we make sure everything is arranged—under one roof.”

She does that by providing each client with a personal broker and also someone who handles all their administration needs. Personal WhatsApp groups make sure it all runs smoothly.

And when it comes to investment properties, the Dutch Real Estate Company can also help investors on all fronts—from finding the perfect property and reliable tenants to inhabit it to managing all maintenance tasks and other day-to-day communication with tenants.

Global reach

While the company’s brokers currently work throughout the Netherlands, Manniesing aims to have two local brokers in the big Dutch cities shortly, including The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven and Groningen.

In the coming weeks, the Dutch Real Estate Company will also branch out to other countries, working with its partners in Mexico, Dubai, Morocco, Spain, Germany and other locations to help those looking to buy or invest in property outside of the increasingly regulated Dutch housing market.

“It’s getting harder to find properties to rent out,” says Manniesing, citing changing tax rules and rental regulations. “Because of all the new rules, it’s interesting for people living here to invest in property outside of the Netherlands, and we can help with that.”

When it comes to property needs, the self-made Manniesing indeed has all the bases covered.

For more information about the Dutch Real Estate Company’s services, feel free to get in touch.