In-house sales talks with CEO Thomas Valkeniers

Living Stone organizes Sales Talks for the entire team. What is the purpose of these in-house meetings? “The real estate market moves at lightning speed—that’s fantastic, but it’s also a challenge. That’s why we launched our Sales Talks, which we hold at least once a year with a focus on real estate, sales, and trends. We feel a strong drive to keep up with market developments. Brainstorming together is an excellent way to stay current and stay ahead. The most recent edition took place on Thursday, March 23. Management, junior sales staff, senior sales staff… All real estate divisions were well represented. Among other topics, rising interest rates, current energy measures, and our expectations for 2023 were on the agenda.”

“The real estate market moves at lightning speed—that’s fantastic, but it’s also a challenge. That’s why we launched our Sales Talks, which we organize at least once a year with a focus on real estate, sales, and trends. We feel a strong drive to keep up with market developments. Brainstorming together is an excellent way to stay current and stay ahead. The most recent edition took place on Thursday, March 23. Management, junior sales staff, senior sales staff… All real estate firms were well represented. Among other topics, rising interest rates, current energy measures, and our expectations for 2023 were on the agenda.”

Real estate goes beyond market knowledge. Will common ground also be given a platform?

“The Sales Talks take a broad view of real estate, because anyone working in the industry inevitably encounters numerous intersecting areas. For this reason, we make time to keep our employees informed about changes in the law. Our in-house legal department, which closely monitors these matters, then takes the floor. For example, on March 23, our paralegal colleague Aurelie Defloo introduced us to several current topics. She discussed the disclosure requirements for flood-prone areas, the new asbestos regulations, the Flemish renovation mandate, and the registration fees (ordinance) in Brussels. Quite a lot to take in, but our legal experts are trained to explain complex matters in plain language. Very nice!”

“The Sales Talks explore real estate in depth and breadth, because anyone working in real estate comes into contact with numerous areas of overlap.” – Living Stone CEO Thomas Valkeniers

Living Stone also looked back on its sales targets and the impressive results that followed. What can colleagues learn from these insights?

“Living Stone is a healthy company with ambitions for growth. We strive to continually improve what we do. We look forward to opening additional real estate offices and expanding our services. Our goal is to take the hassle out of all aspects of real estate for our clients—and we’re committed to achieving that together!”

Next, we discussed internal operations. What optimizations are on the agenda? How will they positively impact internal operations?

“Our new website will go live in early May. It’s part of a complete transformation of our IT systems. It will be a major change for our team, but it will take our efficiency and marketing to the next level. We like to call it Living Stone 2.0.”

Finally, what changes in the real estate landscape can’t you ignore today?

“It is becoming increasingly difficult to acquire real estate. This is due, on the one hand, to rising interest rates and, on the other hand, to higher construction costs. Banks will be required to offer loans with longer terms. We don’t see any problems with that. Real estate is timeless, and based on our expertise and experience, it will remain a solid investment in the years to come. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, we found ourselves in extraordinary times, and we realize that. Real estate isn’t set in stone, and that’s exactly what makes our profession so fascinating. Team Living Stone is ready for the future!”

Thanks for the explanation, Thomas! Want to be part of an ambitious yet close-knit team?Check out our job openings here.