Interview | Black Swan Capital
Introduce yourself! Who are you, what industry do you work in and how did you get involved with HTBAH?
Hi there! My name is David Bellingham, and I head up Black Swan Capital for Europe. Having met HTBAH through the industry, I enjoy meeting like-minded business people like Monique and her team who value high-quality service and looking after their clients!
Who are your clients?
Usually, we deal with internationals - people either living outside of their home country. We provide objective financial advice on a fee-for-service basis.
What kinds of service do you deliver yourselves and what expertise do you forward to your partners?
Black Swan's employees are all internationals themselves! Overseen by Dutch central bank, Black Swan can guarantee the highest standard in Europe and is very proud to be the first firm in the whole of Europe that has a fully independent investment firm license.
Can you take me on your customers' journey from A-Z?
When we meet someone, we firstly get to know them and to see if it's a fit; will partnering with Black Swan be mutually beneficial? If it's a match, we sign a client agreement and spend a few weeks making a full advisement report for them. Then, we help them to implement the recommendations or outsource should they need it, and have an ongoing management service for our clients to ensure they are always on track to achieve their goals.
What are your top 3 tips in working with expats to ensure they have a smooth transition from their last country of residence to The Netherlands?
- Know what you want to achieve, we can help them with this if they don't know yet
- Built-in flexibility
- Get reputable advice
Give us an example of a time you successfully helped a client? What happened? What did you learn from it?
Every client is an example, but for privacy, I cannot divulge certain information. However, the main thing is that we know how to listen to clients and every service is bespoke on a case-by-case basis.
How can your expert advice assist a client moving from overseas to the Netherlands?
Helping them to understand the environment here, as well as understanding the options they have that are in their home countries.
What are some do’s and don'ts for expat clients that you would/wouldn’t recommend in relation to your industry?
Flexibility - the Dutch regulator has a commission ban. You can passport your license around the EU. Be careful - 'free' is not often the case, fine print and exit charges are often a problem for people after they're realized it. Make sure the person you're talking with is qualified.
What are the benefits of working with you as opposed to another vendor in your industry?
We always ensure our clients are comfortable, we're qualified, experienced, and have a judicial obligation to act in our clients' best interest.
How can a potential client get in touch with you?
The best way to contact us is to visit our website or send us an email at info@blackswancapital.eu.
Why do I have to go to a notary to sign the contracts?
In Amsterdam the notary is a VIP. The purchase and sales agreement is signed at the office of a notary and also all money travels through the notaries account. In this video I explain why you must keep them in mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_MeF4gd2bI
7 Steps to your mortgage
It all starts with a number. Here are 7 steps to get your mortgage done.
Video transcript of 7 Steps to your mortgage
hi are you an expert wanting to buy Dutch property then here are seven easy steps to success step 1 determine your budget find out your gross annual income work out how much you want to spend and schedule a meeting with us it's free of charge step 2 when looking for your perfect property you could either do it yourself on the internet or let us help you by introducing you to an estate agent or Makelaar as they're called here step 3 this is where the fun begins bidding and buying but to be honest this is where your trusty estate agent might well come in useful it's a jungle out there step 4 and this is where we at expat mortgages get very excited it's the mortgage application process we will make sure that everything goes smoothly and don't worry all the paperwork will be in English step 5 once everything has been approved you then have to have a meeting with a notary signed some papers and then the keys are yours and it's time to celebrate wahoo and by the way the drinks are on us step 6 is arranging your taxes for the first two years and free of charge we will happily organize a tax refund for your mortgage related costs and the final step we will reach out to you every year just to make sure that you are okay but if you have any questions in the meantime then just give us a call expat mortgages makes you feel at home.
Do you have any questions? Attend to our events or request a personal session!
My offer on a house has been accepted, what happens now?
Your offer on a house is accepted by the seller! Great news! Still, make sure you sign the sale and purchase agreement as soon as possible to be sure you are the buyer. Let me tell you what to do.
Transcript offer on a house:
Hello my name is Barry Burgemeester I'm a real estate agent and I specialize in helping experts find the dream home once your offer of a house has been
accepted you have to sign a contract so you your agent the seller and their agent will meet at the notary's office to sign the contract the purchase and
sale agreement the notary is a type of lawyer and the contract gives you three days to change your money the contract also includes a clause saying the
transaction is subject to financing that gives you a period of time to arrange your mortgage this is usually four weeks it might sound like a long time but there's a lot of paperwork to go through once all that is done you go to the notary again and sign a final deal it might sound complicated but I can help you go through it all very smoothly feel free to get in touch!
About Barry Burgemeester, burgemeestervastgoed.nl - Certified member of Expat Oriented Organisation Certification
Barry Burgemeester is a certified real estate agent with 23 years’ working experience. 18 years ago, he made the switch from a predominantly Dutch clientele to an exclusively international one. Helping expats purchase homes has remained his passion and his strength.
Barry has invited a number of friends in the housing sector to help him inform/educate you about buying a house.
Freehold and Leasehold: What is the difference?
Freehold and Leasehold: What is the difference? If you buy a house in Amsterdam not all the land you buy a house on is yours. The choice of property is either freehold (eigen grond) or leasehold (erfpacht). Here I will explain the difference.
We will provide all the information you need in order to buy your dream house. Feel at home while shopping around; we will make sure to have some drinks, snacks and even a nanny service ready for you so you’ll have nothing to worry about and be able to talk with our partners. All the experts you need to meet under one roof. Ask them questions related to your particular situation. Buy better by being better informed.
Barry Burgemeester is a certified real estate agent with 23 years’ working experience. 18 years ago, he made the switch from a predominantly Dutch clientele to an exclusively international one. Helping expats purchase homes has remained his passion and his strength.
Barry has invited a number of friends in the housing sector to help him inform/educate you about buying a house.
Do you want a free session with a real estate agent? Check out available sessions.
Why do I have to go to a notary to sign the contracts?
Notary sign contracts: In Amsterdam the notary is a VIP. The purchase and sales agreement is signed at the office of a notary and also all money travels through the notaries account. I will explain you why.
Barry Burgemeester, Burgemeester Vastgoed
Transcript of the video on notary sign contracts:
Hello! My name is Barry Burgemeester, I'm a real estate agent and I help Expats find their dream home! In Dutch law property ownership process through notaries, a type of lawyer who is specialized in civil contracts. When you've got your mortgage we will visit the property again to check if everything is as we agreed. We also read the gas, electricity and water meters. Then we plus the seller and the agent go back to the notary to sign the "Akte Van Levering", the deed of transfer and the mortgage papers. Dutch law states that this must be done by a notary and if you don't speak Dutch, a translator will also be needed. Once the Akte Van Levering has been signed, you will get the keys and your dream home will be yours! Formally, this is where my job ends. Let's see if we can team up and can get started!
Buying a home is a big step. We understand that it is hard to find your way around. You can find a lot of information online and from expats experts. However, Are all of these companies trustable? Who is good and who is not? We started the Expat Oriented Organisation register (EOO) to help you out.
The EOO certification ensures that expats are working with organisations who are credible, provide outstanding services and understand the needs of expats.