This contribution concerns the province of Drenthe in the Netherlands, focusing on four municipalities in the southeast of Drenthe where real estate vacancy is a top priority of ministers and interested parties. This study introduces questions, ideas and solutions. The municipalities are developing and are responsible for the developments in the field of economic developments, community real estate, vacancy and reallocation. But what is the uniting force? The skill in managing community real estate lies in asking questions and having patience with answers. Answers may develop by asking questions and entering into the dialogue with the community. Municipalities are continually attempting to establish a balance between the opportunities of interested parties and those of themselves. A balance between public values, legitimacy and organization (capacity). Einstein discovered surprising answers because of the many questions he asked. Always asking questions stimulates personal knowledge, expertise and skills. Just like sailors running a tight ship who are always on the lookout for wind and currents. The study in economic developments, community real estate, vacancy and reallocation was carried out by the readership for Community Real Estate with 77 professionals in four municipalities with a total population of 195,000 and a surface area of approximately 1,200 square kilometers, comparable to the province of Utrecht
In The Netherlands, the Real Estate Assessment Act regulates the yearly appraisal of all Dutch real estate. Municipal real estate is a sizable, and thus important, segment of this real estate market. This results in assessed values that are used for official purposes and taxes. The Dutch municipalities also use these assessed values for their budgeting plans and in their considerations concerning their real estate portfolio (e.g. disposal). The act provides quality requirements these assessed values have to meet. One of these requirements is that the appraised value corresponds with the market value of the real estate objects.
The purpose of this study is to show how local authorities (municipalities) deal with their community real estate. The study is an annually recurring research: every year since 2008 (except for 2013), Dutch municipalities have been asked to complete a questionnaire about how they manage their real estate. With these results it is possible to perform quantitative analyses on both trends and the current situation.The questionnaire responses have led to the following conclusions: (1) Half of themunicipalities has a policy but takes few risk measures, (2) Withdrawing local government, (3) Management and operations most outsourced tasks, (4) Obstacles remain unchanged, (5) Cost reduction most relevant policy theme since 2009, (6) Relevance of some policy themes depends on municipality size, (7) More real estate is offered, smaller percentage is sold, 8) More FTEs for real estate management, especially executive tasks and (9) Conscious focuson quality. Dutch municipalities tune their new developments of the municipal real estate policy to the results of the Barometer for Municipal Community Real Estate. This leads to a further development of professionalism of the municipal real estate portfolios.The contribution to science is showing patterns of community real estate management at Dutch municipalities. A longitudinal study of this size on this subject is unique in The Netherlands.
