Monique Burgemeester’s Useful Mission. That sounds like a great title for a book, but this is definitely not a work of fiction. Monique Burgemeester is a real Amsterdammmer through and through. She has seen the city change over the years and knows Amsterdam as well as anybody could. She has worked in the property market for many years. Having seen the growing numbers of expats looking to lay down roots in Amsterdam, she created the ‘How To Buy A House’ information events. These events are above all very useful for expats. If you have a project to buy a home, you need to attend this. At a HTBAH, you can meet all the experts you need to talk with under one roof. One evening to be better informed about the whole process. Being better informed is essential to successfully getting what you want and avoiding any potential pitfalls.
You will meet professionals in many different domaines : real estate experts, mortgage advisers, notaries, interior designers, tax experts, property managers, builders, etc. Each event has a different experts, so please consult the site to see which ones attend the event you attend. You can discuss with them your specific situation and plans. The experts will inform and give guidance on issues that you need to know or consider. That is useful and being useful is Monique’s mission.
The HTBAH event is very popular as attendees spread the word to their friends and colleagues. At the events, drinks and delicious snacks are provided so that attendees can relax and enjoy the event. Even expats with children can attend as on site childcare is provided. Your kids will be entertained allowing you to concentrate of getting the best information without any stress. This is a free event and all you need to do is register your place and attend.
So Monique Burgemeester’s Useful Mission is to help expats. We asked Monique a few questions to get more insights into her events and she provided the answers here :
How did you have the idea to create the HTBAH?
As you know we have been in real estate for over 23 years and the last 18 years, we work almost exclusively with expats. We have been asked as a guest speaker at seminars and events, but we alway felt there was something missing on a personal level. It is good to hear all the basics, but maybe you have different questions that are important for you. You can not ask them in a 15 mins Q&A after the seminar ends. Everyone wants his or her minute, so we saw that a lot of people left with good knowledge about the principles, but that is it. Most of that stuff you can find on the internet right? If you register with us, we will provide you with a movie that contains the basic info you need to know buying a house in Amsterdam. Then during the HTBAH seminar we can get into the specific details of your needs.
What makes the HTBAH event special?
Well, we decided to make an open format event where you can have one on one talks with all experts present. Everyone is there to help you find your dream house, but also to help you with what comes with it. A renovation for example. At the next event a company that does school searches. Or a company you can hire to take care of all stuff you need when you become an owner : changing locks, cleaning, make all your utilities work etc. It is a 3 hour event, so take your time and talk with everyone present. It might be busy at times, but we provide free drinks and bites, so take it easy, stroll around ask the experts answer to all questions you might have within a reasonable time. If you really want to go deep, you can make an appointment with the expert you like and have a good chat on another date. We even take care of the children, there is a kids corner and a nanny available.
What kind of people attend these events ?
All sorts of people. People interested in buying in the future, families who are already in the process but needs some more information. Attendees are sometime young, sometimes old, everyone is welcome
Having done so many HTBAH events, what are the mains benefits for the attendees?
You meet all the experts you need in one place without being lost. My staff is amazing, they all speak multiple languages and are here to help. If you do not know what to ask, we will help you and provide you with questions to start a conversation with all experts presents. It still dazzles me that, even when it is very busy and people have to wait, the vibe stays relaxed and stress free. I am so proud of my staff. It is a small scale event in a beautiful location.
Do you have any feedback stories from the people that attend your events ?
They tell us that they love the format. That is something we love to hear. We have done many of these events to date and we always work hard to make it enjoyable. Yes, they surely find it useful, that is the central aim, but being useful in an agreeable atmosphere is also very important to us and the attendees.
So there you have it. Monique Burgemeester’s Useful Mission is really useful for your home owning plans. More information about the events is here and the next one is on 12th February in the Vondelkerk in central Amsterdam. If you have a project, you need to attend this event !
Resister your place for the May 13th event now on the official page.
