Broker Spotlight: Bas van t’ Hoff of Flexas
This month, we are delighted to feature an interview with Bas van t’ Hoff, Commercial Real Estate Broker at Flexas. With a passion for connecting people and spaces, Bas emerged as the victor of last year's Tribebuilder campaign, earning him an unforgettable trip to Pakistan alongside Tribes CEO Eduard Schaepman. In this exclusive interview, Bas shares insights from his trip, reflects on the awe-inspiring culture of the Hunza people, and offers invaluable advice for aspiring Tribebuilders.
Hi Bas! Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in the Real Estate Industry?
Of course! It's actually quite an unusual story how I ended up at Flexas and have now been working here for more than five years already.
In 2019, I was studying at the HvA here in Amsterdam and had to look for an internship for my studies. Unfortunately, that year I suffered a knee injury during a football tournament which required a year of rehabilitation. My physio was in the Olympic stadium at the time, so I started looking for companies that were close to the Olympic Stadium and offered an internship position. It was important to me that I could leave work early a few times a week, so I could visit my physio and Flexas offered me this flexibility. Actually, I had never thought of going into the real estate sector before and I certainly didn't expect to do 2 internships at Flexas and not leave after that. I still enjoy working at Flexas everyday so the internship worked out really well! I didn't expect this myself either. It really was a blessing in disguise.
What do you enjoy most about your role and the flexible workspace sector?
I think the contact with my colleagues and with landlords and tenants is what makes my role the most enjoyable. No day is the same and the position itself offers a lot of flexibility. When I'm in the office, I have a great time with the colleagues, but when I'm out of the office with landlords, for example, I always have a good time there too. This job has not only given me a lot of network opportunities, but also friendships outside of work. This means a lot to me. Networking events should not be forgotten in the real estate sector either. This is a nice bonus haha!
As the winner of last year's Tribebuilder campaign, you earned the unique opportunity to visit the Hunza people of Pakistan with Tribes CEO Eduard Schaepman. How was the experience? Can you share any highlights or favourite moments from the trip?
It was an experience to never forget. I am really glad that I had the chance to experience a trip like this. Beforehand, I still had my doubts a bit about Pakistan. And most people have an opinion about it, but the trip positively surprised me in every way. The landscape in Pakistan is amazing and all the locals I met were incredibly friendly. We were allowed to eat with the locals, able to watch how they spent the day and our guide, who came from the Hunza, was also very friendly. The trip exceeded all my expectations, but I did not expect otherwise with such a pleasant travel company as Eduard & Twan. One of my highlights of the trip was arriving at the Hunza tribe on our first day in Pakistan. All the inhabitants of the community were waiting for us with music and dancing (of course, I joined in the dancing myself as well. Unfortunately for me, you will also see that footage in the documentary haha). After this, we were able to have a conversation with the 'eldermen' and have dinner together.
Were there particular aspects of the Hunza culture or way of life that left a lasting impression?
Definitely! It was amazing to see how the people of the Hunza live as a community. Everyone in the community has their own role which in turn contributes to the improvement of this community. At the Hunza, for instance, they are currently very busy with improving their education within the community. The children receive better education from an inhabitant of the same village and mainly in English. Then, around the age of 16, the children head for the big city to continue their studies and often return to the village after this to apply their knowledge and contribute to the community. Whereas here in the Netherlands we sometimes don't even know our neighbours, here in Hunza the whole village works together every day to maintain and improve the quality of life. This was great to witness. As Dutch people, we can learn a lot from this.
From your own experience, what tips or advice would you share with your fellow brokers to top the Tribebuilder table and win the next trip to visit a nomadic tribe?
Actually, I shouldn't share that haha. Because I would definitely like to win the Tribebuilder award again in order to join the trip next year. I can't just give away my tips. But on the other hand, I grant every broker to have such an amazing experience. So herewith one of my most important tips. As a broker, I think the most important is to not just strive to close deals, but more importantly to offer genuine help to your clients. This means you should not think primarily about 'selling' products or services, but about fulfilling the needs of your clients, even if that means it does not directly benefit your own business. A long-term vision is crucial. Instead of focusing on short-term profits, you should aim to build long-term relationships. This way, you create not only loyalty but also word-of-mouth, which ultimately leads to more long-term gains than one-off successes.
