Jan Vayne and his girlfriend Marije had been dreaming about a holiday property abroad for a while. “We love both snow and sun, so it should be a place where we can have both and one that also shows a stable economic and geopolitical situation. In addition, it had to be a country that we can fairly quickly reach, should we want to go there. Soon, we came up with Norway.”
Healthy country“We knew that Norway is a healthy country that is autonomous and does not isolate itself. The peace particularly appealed to us, but also the stability, pureness and beauty of the land. It is very inspiring to see how Norwegians treat their energy and nature. This made it easy to choose for Norway.”
Personal clickBut where to start? A search query on Google directed them to Portula. An introduction followed with Erik and Werner, which instantly felt good. “Subsequently, we spent four days together in Norway, to visit different plots and to see properties.”
A place of our own
“We both have different wishes, so we had to look for something that would make us both happy. That is why we autonomously decided to have a holiday property built. For Marije the most important thing is to have a place where she can store her own things, so she doesn’t need to move everything all the time. I’m appealed to a house with one large space, whereas Marije is more into nooks and crannies.
Bourgeois
“It was very nice that Werner guides us through the steps we had to take in Norway. For instance, we had to a Norwegian bank to have our passports ‘confirmed’, which was the first step for the required Norwegian D-number. The bank’s opening hours were between 10.00 am and 2.00 pm, very bourgeois. It was clear that Portula had been there, was made us feel confident.”
Viewed locations
“During those few days, we looked at different plots and construction projects. The first location was at a lake, the second spot was on a mountain and the third near a ski slope. We explored the area and found out about things to do in the area. From forest to ski slope, from supermarket to pub.”
Trial residency on a mountain
“The great thing was that during those few days, we could do a trial residency in a property built by Portula, to experience the atmosphere. We slept on the mountain, where eventually we also bought a plot. The house was luxurious and really comfortable. It was great to experience waking up in the morning in your future holiday property. The first thing we saw were the tracks of an elk!”
South-east Norway
“Following Werner’s advice, we have chosen south-east Norway. It offers four seasons, a sub-continental climate, little rain, you can go sailing, skiing and you are close to the cities. In addition, the south coast is just an hour and a half away, by car. That is where you can see Norwegian ‘bustle’; drinking beer together near a fire, wearing bearskin”, Jan says laughing.
The most beautiful spot
“The main thing is to find the right plot, because you are facing a zoning plan”, Werner of Portula explains. “I has chosen this plot for Jan and Marije in advance, purely on gut feeling. Nicely situated at a lake, near the cosy village and within walking distance from the supermarket. You can be on the ski slope within 10 minutes.” Jan and Marije fell in love with it straight away: “This plot really stood out. To us this was the most beautiful spot!”
Site preparation
Currently, the plot is being prepared for building. On average, there is a period of some 7 to 9 months between selecting the plot and the construction of the house. The holiday property of Yesn and Marije will be finished by mid-2023. “At this moment, we are finalising the property type Fiskebekk, chosen by us, together with Werner and Wessel. We will look into what will best suit our spot, as well as into the difference between price and return. In addition, we will also see whether the property is able to accommodate 1 or 2 families.”
Commercial point of view
“In addition to our personal preference, the choice for the type of property is also made from a commercial point of view. In the end it should produce return. After some 8 weeks of rent, we will already have earned back the costs, which is a reassuring thought.”
Renting out via Portula
“Our plan is to visit Norway for two weeks, some four times per year”, Jan says. “Thus, during the remaining period we will rent it out. We will also outsource that to Portula (Fjord Rentals). That local presence during letting is super convenient.” But first the house must get finished. “After construction has started, we will get a photo-update of the state of affairs every two weeks. Even photos made by a drone. It is fantastic to be able to monitor the process from a distance, this way! I will not rule out that we will perhaps buy a second house there.”