INTERVIEW
How to make the dream of a house come true
Who doesn't dream of it? Of owning a home with a garden. The realization, whatever the individual preferences, takes planning, time and a trustworthy broker. We therefore asked Mag. Roman Dollberger for an interview and asked him about his two companies and his personal view of the real estate market.
I: Mr. Dollberger, you have been in the real estate industry for over 20 years. With your expertise, you successfully manage two companies. One is the CL-immogroup ( www.cl-immogroup.at ), which brokers real estate throughout Austria, and also MasterHomes ( www.masterhomes.net ), an internet portal for luxury properties.
What is still so fascinating for you about your job?
D: I am fascinated by being in contact with a wide variety of people. It wouldn't be for me to just sit behind the PC and work by myself. Real estate brokerage is a vibrant emotional market. There are all sorts of contacts, first and foremost, of course, customer contact with seller and buyer. If a construction project is to be brokered, property developers and craftsmen come into play, when concluding a purchase contract, then also notaries and lawyers. I enjoy finding the right property for customers and the right customer for properties. This requires a certain degree of networking between the individual actors. I enjoy maintaining this network.
I: Why should you definitely hire a broker?
D: The committed broker is, if you will, also a mediator, a neutral broker. He has the market knowledge and also the industry-specific experience. When buying or selling real estate a lot of money is always involved - trust and professional support are definitely recommended.
I: We already mentioned your two companies at the beginning, Cl-immogroup and MasterHomes. How would you describe the current situation of the two different companies. Do you feel the corona-related lockdowns?
D: Being an entrepreneur has its ups and downs. In the normal brokerage of CL-immogroup, a slight decrease in the offer of real estate is noticeable. Because of the lockdowns, visits could and can only take place under the required conditions. People are insecure about the future and are still waiting to sell or buy a house. I don't estimate until the end of 2021 to mid-2022 with an increase in the properties offered on the market. Then, when the crisis is no longer cushioned by the state and possibly second and third properties are turned into cash, or vice versa, when the cash becomes a real estate investment. But of course it's hard to predict in these uncertain times.
In the luxury sector, on the other hand, at my second company, the luxury real estate portal MasterHomes, we are experiencing an uninterrupted influx of real estate agents who want to advertise with us as well as prospective buyers. There are several factors that interact: the Internet portal as a form of distribution works worldwide, real estate in the luxury segment is always interesting and of course the large reach of MasterHomes. Because if you place one advertisement at MasterHomes, you get it served 15 times. We translate every real estate offer into 15 languages and have stored thousands of search customers due to our longstanding presence and reputation. The entire portal is structured in 15 languages.
I: Who are your customers on MasterHomes? Who buys or sells a property from € 100,000,000, - up to the multi-digit million amounts?
D: Our customers on the seller side are mainly well-known brokers from home and abroad who offer their exclusive properties through us. Depending on the number of properties, customers can choose a model that suits them and conveniently transfer it via an interface. In addition, there are also many private customers who have usually advertised one to a maximum of two properties with us. Just today we got the order from a private customer to advertise her great farm in South Africa. We are really looking forward to this property, also because we know that we have customers in our system who are looking for exactly that.
It is interesting to take a look at the buyer side. You could almost say that luxury goods are a question of age and gender. Our internal evaluation has shown that the male proportion of our customers is 65% and the age is between 45 and 64 years. However, there is a noticeable trend, whereby we are receiving more and more inquiries from women and younger people.
I: In your opinion, what is the current trend in the real estate market?
D: It can be seen, for example, that people are increasingly looking for a rural, self-sufficient life. Properties such as a single-family house with a garden are very popular, we know that from the many inquiries. Those who can afford it increase their privacy, acquire a property that offers space and bring the company into their home. The idea of self-sufficiency with your own large farm is definitely an unmistakable trend. This kind of urban to rural escape, I think, will continue. Rural areas close to the city and rural areas with a good traffic infrastrcture are particularly attractive.
I: One more final question: What do you wish for the real estate market?
D: (laughs) My motto is “Live and let live.” I would like fairness and honesty from colleagues, of course lots of great objects to convey and that I will continue to be successful together with my well-trained team.
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