In the captivating Balearic Islands, where hues of blue grace the skies, sits a unique gem known as The Blue Pearl – a rarity on Ibiza. This all-encompassing property and home service has a track record of over 200 successful projects for homeowners globally. Founder, John Broekman, a Dutch entrepreneur rooted in Ibiza with a business tenure exceeding 25 years, has honed his expertise in five languages, ensuring excellence in every aspect. His renovation projects tell a story of his love for transforming ugly houses, into amazing homes.
Has the Blue Pearl been around for long?
I’ve been doing this for thirty years now and about three and a half years ago, I decided to create a brand because it was always about me before. Back then I was a small business, a small construction company. It was during Covid that I thought, I have to create a brand that someone else could continue with, otherwise I might die unknown. The Blue Pearl brand is our philosophy – it’s a gift of tranquility, honesty, perseverance and trust.
How do you think the Real Estate sector has changed in your time and what makes The Blue Pearl different?
It went overboard I think… I don’t consider it being serious, you know, it’s every Tom, Dick and Harry can pretend to be an Estate Agent. It’s all about the commissions, all for the mediation, they are not offering a proper business model where you are really working for the client. Most estate agents are only working for their commission, not for the client. But we are not like that, our service is 360 degrees – our offering includes design, construction, renovation, landscaping and maintenance. Our real estate specialists can also help you find your luxury home or rent it out for you when you’re away. We do things like pools, gardens, HVAC, water, electric, installations, safety checks. So the big advantage is you have absolutely everything taken care of. Your home will be ready for when you arrive and consistently maintained. Overall it’s a smoother and worry-free experience.
Can Juan de Català
How does Ibiza Real Estate compare with the Netherlands or other countries?
People are willing to pay stupid money, or here people don’t take the process as seriously as they would do in their own country, you know, it’s a bit of a fantasy world sometimes. I see it with clients buying properties for say 2.5 to 3 million euros. They are taking legal issues onboard and in their own country they are hardcore business people who don’t take one side step, but in Ibiza they are more inclined to just buy the lifestyle, as one would say.
Do you find there is a shortage of properties available, do you struggle to find a plot of land?
It’s not that easy any more. We still find stuff, but I am established here – I am 30 years here, so I can find it but the prices are through the roof, so some of the logic has disappeared. The market dimensions, the dynamics, and it’s going up, it doesn’t go down. For us to get a licence on a non-urban plot it takes between two and four years, or even up to six or seven years.
What are the big challenges of buying a property on Ibiza?
Well the big challenge is always to ensure that the house is 100% legal. These days in construction the laws are so stringent and you are responsible when the licence isn’t in order. You have to be really 100% aware of the legality of the property you work on. The old days are gone. The old days where people just did it. That’s the problem we have in Ibiza, so much has been built without a licence.
