A nice home begins with a good neighbor
From Van der Vorm Vastgoed we rent out homes in beautiful locations in the Netherlands and Poland under the label Vorm Living. But living is more than just a roof over your head. We believe that you only really enjoy living when you feel connected with the place and the people around you. That is why we actively invest in community building. A chat in the elevator or doing something together creates a connection. You know what is going on around you, you are helped more quickly and you contribute to a pleasant atmosphere. That makes life more fun and increases the feeling of happiness.
"To strengthen that connection, we organize get-togethers and build a vegetable garden or indoor gardens with seating areas and barbecue," says Marnix Woertink (Assistant Asset Manager). "We also encourage connection digitally. Through our janitor app 'Victor,' residents are connected to service staff and each other. Furniture, plants and pet supplies are exchanged, reports are shared about maintenance and neighbors can easily reach each other." That connectedness is valuable. You don't have to walk through each other's doors, but a greeting or brief contact makes all the difference. Often more shared moments grow out of that: sports, a meal or watching each other's children.
In addition to interconnecting residents, we are exploring ways to create more synergy between our residential and commercial tenants. For example, several residential complexes have gyms or other commercial facilities on the first floor. We would like to actively link these to residents, for example with a discount on a sports subscription. This approach is still in its infancy, but it fits with our vision: connecting housing, welfare and local functions for a future-proof neighborhood."
Community building also plays an important role in Poland. "By now, the share of Polish properties is about 30% of our total residential portfolio," explains Margarethe van der Vorm (Acting CEO). "We see that the market in Poland is still enormously promising, with mostly young highly educated, career-makers and students who do not yet want to commit themselves permanently to a particular city. They are mainly looking for living quality, experience and flexibility, not an immediate long-term mortgage. In Poland you can see how important the social aspect is. Even more activities are organized there: from language lessons and creative workshops to family events, green initiatives and coffee mornings. Quiet encounters around mindfulness and tea ceremonies also contribute to connection. And it works. Tenant satisfaction is high. Because we work there with annual contracts, we see very concretely that satisfied tenants like to stay. Contracts are being renewed and the housing community is growing stronger."
