Chris sold his insurance company years ago enabling him to retire. He is still very active and likes to mingle with entrepreneurs. He regularly helps his children and friends with insurance-related questions and is a member of various entrepreneurial clubs.
Through a meeting at the Rotary, he came into contact with Frank van Dongen, partner at Briqwise and responsible for investor relations. Briqwise immediately aroused Chris’s curiosity. Not just because he enjoys entrepreneurial stories, but also because of the Briqwise formula.
Chris had wanted to do something with his assets for years, but as a former insurance advisor he knows risk like no other. And he hadn’t found an investment opportunity to which he could say “yes” wholeheartedly.
Chris said: “The Briqwise model is so well put together. The entrepreneurs I get to know through Briqwise are experienced and successful. That gives me a sense of security.
The certainty of ‘bricks and mortar’ is decisive for me. You don’t get that in crowdfunding, for example, where you invest in a company based on forecasts and expectations. Also with crowdfunding platforms, another party always has the right of first mortgage. With Briqwise the mortgage is directly in my name. That gives me control over my financing. And Briqwise’s condition to never invest more than 75% of the value of the property is a golden rule! That’s like a free insurance, should the property fall in value.”
When Chris got the chance to finance an entrepreneur through Briqwise for the purchase of his furniture factory, he looked at the application with much interest. In addition to recieving a return on his investment, he enjoys helping other entrepreneurs build and strengthen their companies.
Still, Chris looked for more securities before proceeding to financing. “My risk-averse background is clearly still a part of me”, laughs Chris. “I found it reassuring that Briqwise requires the borrower has a good home insurance policy. When I asked to see the policy and proof of payment I received them in my mailbox the same day. So if the building burns down, the insurance payment goes to me. Briqwise takes care of all that. ”
“Banks need to learn from the speed and flexibility the financing came about. I remember the difficult discussions with my bank when i tried to obtain financing for the construction of a new office. It took months. And if I asked for some flexibility during the term, the entire process could start all over again.”
Is everything going according to plan? “Absolutely!” Chris nods. “My financing has now been repaid up to 50% of the appraisal value. The remainder of the term is still four years and I receive 6% interest annually. At the end of the ride, I will have received about $60,000 in interest and the financing repaid.”
“So not surprisingly I am now planning to finance an apartment with my brother in a Briqwise Clubdeal. The property is currently rented to his studying daughter – which gives it both a business and a personal touch and that makes it even more rewarding for me! ”
