Could you introduce yourself in a few words?
Hello I am Anne-Claire, I am 48 years old, I am associated with Claire and we have decided to open a property concierge in the area of Royan, Rochefort and Saintes.
Holder of a DEUG in law, a license in commerce/marketing, and a Bachelor in real estate, I started my career in two real estate agencies at the end of the 90s, and a professional opportunity allowed me to successively join two major industrial groups, where I took on the role of head of the Communication/marketing department for a dozen years, until the end of 2011.
At the same time, I started to invest in rental property, first traditional, then in seasonal furnished rentals.
In 2012, wishing to give more meaning to my actions and with the deep desire to return to human values, to have real interactions and to make real encounters, I created a para-hotel establishment with gites and guest rooms that can accommodate up to 25 people, as well as a table d'hôte.
In 2016, a change in my personal life led me to sell my establishment and reconnect with my activity as a real estate agent. This is the beginning of my association with Claire and from which we created our own real estate agency in the Loiret (45), with the aim of restoring the image of a profession that is sometimes poorly perceived, by demonstrating that benevolence, respect and transparency are not incompatible with success.
Today, my personal life taking a new geographical direction, we are creating a second establishment in Charente Maritime by developing the YourHostHelper concierge service, while keeping our company and our historic real estate agency in the Loiret. And that's how a new adventure begins!
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Hello, I'm Claire., I am 40 years old, and I have been associated with Anne-Claire since 2016.
I hold a BTS Commercial Actions, and from the beginning of my professional career in 2004, I was keen to discover various professions related to customer relations. I first joined the telephone service of a major insurance brand, but the distance imposed with the customer did not satisfy me. I then entered the banking sector as a reception adviser, then an opportunity led me to start in real estate with the management of a rental service in an agency which managed several hundred lots. The assignments were exciting, such as managing landlords and their property, finding tenants, building files, carrying out inventory of fixtures.
After 5 years, a new opportunity allowed me to experiment with a job as a negotiator in a transaction department for a local agency, but I was working with outdated methods that were not very kind to certain clients.
In 2016, after a new experience as a commercial agent in another agency, I met Anne-Claire and quite naturally, we decided to join forces because we shared common human and professional values.
And the adventure of entrepreneurship has begun! Since that date, we have formed an original pair and the fact of being two people dedicated to the service of their projects seduces and reassures our customers. We decided to open our agency which wants to be a warm and different place, a place of exchanges and sharing, a space of advice for our customers who often feel lost in the complexity of the purchase or the sale, but also the rental or management of their property.
We have now decided to extend this management to concierge services, by creating a second specialized establishment in Charente Maritime.
What motivated you to undertake the management of seasonal rentals?
It all started when we decided to diversify our business into a new geographical area.
It is as a host and by receiving guests that the concierge activity has taken on its full meaning. Rich and exciting encounters, this is the starting point of this new adventure.
Making people happy for a parenthesis of relaxation and disconnection from their daily lives is the meaning of this job. We are proud to contribute to it and that is why every detail counts.
On the owners' side, we know perfectly well the obstacles and constraints to seasonal rentals, even though the owners really want to generate income with their real estate assets.
Why did you choose the city of Royan to set up your business?
The Charente Maritime – and more particularly the Royan-Rochefort-Saintes triangle – is my adopted region. I first had a second home there for several years and I am now settling in this magical place. I like the light, I like the climate and I like the landscapes between marshes, dunes, beaches and forests, with no less than three estuaries (Gironde, Charente, Seudre) which have shaped the decor.
What places would you recommend to a traveler wishing to discover this city?
In Royan, there are no less than 5 beaches, some intimate, others very large, many restaurants and shops, and the famous Royan market, ranked as the 2nd most beautiful market in France in 2018.
Around Royan, an extremely rich natural and historical heritage, ideal for spending weekends or holidays without ever getting bored, so many activities are there: cycle paths along the sea and sinking into the pine forests , the troglodyte sites, the zoo of Palmyre, the most beautiful villages of France, the royal rope factory of Rochefort, the thermal baths, the Hermione, the Ile d'Oléron, the seaside towns, the visits by boat of the islands and the Fort Boyard, the Vauban castles and forts, ….
What advantages do you find working in rental management?
We never get bored, we meet charming people, we share our happiness in helping them discover the region. We like to help them discover the place they have chosen for their stay, with high quality service.
With our owners, we like to enhance their real estate assets, think about the little details that make all the difference, advise them, allow them to rely on us.
What are the essential qualities in your profession?
Benevolence, precision and a sense of detail, availability, adaptability, dynamism.
Why did you choose to join YourHostHelper?
After having solicited several concierge brands, YourHostHelper is the one that seemed to us both the most successful and above all the closest to the idea that we have of our profession.
The first asset and not the least, is that YourHostHelper takes care of everything! No more questions, doubts, fears.
Our values fit perfectly with the spirit and the concept of YourHostHelper, with the aim of satisfying the owner and the tenant.
Everything is managed, nothing is left to chance, precision and rigor are at the service of serenity on the owner's side, and the happiness of having spent a unique and flawless moment on the tenant's side.
What can we wish you the best in this new adventure?
The success ! Successful rentals for our owners, successful stays for our tenants and successful missions for us of course! And share around us and with as many people as possible our desire to satisfy and make people happier.
We would like to thank Claire and Anne-Claire for taking part in the interview game! We invite you to consult the pages of Claire and Anne-Claire's agencies to discover everything from their concierge services to the management of seasonal rentals. The entire YourHostHelper team once again welcomes them to the YourHostHelper network and wishes them all the best in this new entrepreneurial adventure.
