Five years ago, Kenneth, Stijn and Hendrik took their first steps with Avenue. What began with a small team and an ambitious plan quickly grew into an established name in the retail real estate market. Today, Avenue has over fifteen people and has taken its first steps into the residential market. Time to look back — and ahead.
Five years of Avenue: which milestones in growth, team culture and market position stand out the most to you since the start?
Kenneth: “We grew relatively quickly into a team of around ten people. Shortly after the start, we added a few senior professionals who are still part of Avenue today. That was an important milestone for us.”
“Additionally, in our very first year, we became the market leader in retail real estate investments — a clear confirmation that we were doing good work, especially considering this happened in the middle of the COVID period. We were able to maintain that position for three consecutive years, and that was really a moment when we knew: we are here to stay.”
Last year you said you wanted to keep growing without becoming ‘too corporate,’ while still introducing structure and processes. Do you feel you’ve found that balance?
Stijn: “Yes, absolutely. We work continuously with external experts but keep our dynamic and modern approach compared to our competitors. It’s a balancing act, but today we’re more efficient than ever — and that clearly shows in the results. We may have become somewhat more corporate, but we’ve stayed true to our identity.”
You mentioned that the hardest part wasn’t launching, but proving lasting quality. How do you see that now, a year later?
Hendrik: “In our sector, the rule is: you are only as good as your last deal. That’s completely true. When performance drops, the effects are immediately visible. It requires constant balancing between maintaining long-term relationships and the need to deliver quality in the short term, time and time again. That consistent quality remains the foundation that ties the two together.”
Which elements of your approach are your greatest strengths in an increasingly competitive real estate market today?
Kenneth: “Our core values make the difference: Do whatever it takes, Build trust, and Be involved. We continue to focus 100% on proactivity and building strong, long-term relationships based on mutual trust.
We always go the extra mile to achieve a good deal for both parties in every transaction. We recently re-evaluated these values with an expert, and the conclusion was clear: they’re still fully integrated into the way we work. That’s our biggest strength.”
In your last reflection, you said the residential branch for investors would be the next logical step. You’ve now taken that step — how do you evaluate it after the first nine months?
Stijn: “There was clearly a market need for this, particularly in block sales. There wasn’t a player focusing entirely on this middle segment. We’ve filled that gap, positioning ourselves right between the large institutional players and the small local market. The transactions we’ve completed so far show a very promising start, with a lot of potential.”
The real estate market faces major challenges: AI tools, sustainability expectations, and more. What do you see as the biggest challenge for the future?
Stijn: “We see challenges first and foremost as opportunities. Take sustainability, for example — we collaborate with developers from the earliest stages to make projects future-proof. The balance between the rental and buying markets also remains an important topic. The rental market is growing, but many developers are not yet responding adequately to this trend. That’s where we want to make a difference.”
“With AI, it’s still difficult to assess the real impact. Although everyone internally is experimenting with AI tools, there hasn’t yet been a clear increase in productivity. AI isn’t a turning point in our sector yet, but we’re convinced that a moment will come when it will have a massive impact on our business and the way we work.”
What do you see as the biggest opportunities for the next five years, both in retail and residential?
Kenneth: “Our main opportunity is that we offer more than a traditional broker. Clients are not just looking for someone to bring buyer and seller together — they want someone with knowledge, expertise, and creative solutions. That’s our niche, and that’s what we want to keep building on in the coming years.”
Which ambitions or milestones from the first five years have been achieved? And which ones are still ahead?
Stijn: “We’ve clearly put Avenue on the map in retail. Now we want to achieve the same in residential. Our ambition remains to keep growing — while staying true to our identity and core values.”
Are you considering further diversification into other segments or services?
Hendrik: “For now, the focus is on continuing to build what we’ve already started. There are no concrete plans for new segments at the moment, but we definitely have the interest and ambition to grow further in Brussels and Wallonia. We’d also like to create more collaborations in the Netherlands.”
The story continues
The first five years of Avenue show how vision, decisiveness, and teamwork can lead to sustainable growth. From market leader in retail real estate to a promising player in residential — Kenneth, Stijn and Hendrik have proven that ambition and a strong team culture can go hand in hand. In the coming years, Avenue aims to keep building without losing sight of its core values. New challenges will become opportunities, and the company looks ahead with just as much energy as it did five years ago.
