Hi again, it's Freddy, the founder of Mindelo Apartments. I wrote this so I could share my story with you in more detail, and explain why I think we could be a good fit.
In January 2014 I followed my heart, and arrived in Mindelo. For the first time my arrival here would not be for a short vacation. A few months earlier I said goodbye to my office job, where I worked I at a Mortgage company. Both my parents were born and raised in Mindelo, but left Cape Verde for better opportunities in The Netherlands.
I felt it was time for me to experience life in Cape Verde, and I wanted to contribute in some way to the country's development. In 2010 I created the Sonvela Foundation, which motivated me even more to make the move a few years later. A decision I will never regret.
Airbnb
I actually started in the Holiday Apartment Rental 'sector' by chance. My first plan for a company in Mindelo was a tour company. I already had plans for different tours and routes, when my mother's friend told me about her apartment she used to rent out. I created my profile on Airbnb, and within two weeks of arriving in Cape Verde I received my first reservation!
Here we are 5 years later, and I've collected over 200 reviews on Airbnb, the big majority very positive travel experiences of people I was lucky to host. Not always in my own managed apartments, as in the case of Sissi's B&B on the island of Santo Antão. Sissi and I have a partnership that has lasted over 5 years now.
Booking
As an Airbnb host working with many different home owners I could not find the consistency I needed. I started working with Hospitality professionals such as B&B owners. I set up and managed Booking.com accounts, creating strategies that would bring growth to the owners. Katy Morais, one of my partners, today has over 300 (!) reviews on Booking, with a 9 review score.
Following the success of working with Katy, other people wanted to work with me to grow their business. I currently work with many different partners in Mindelo, Paúl and Ponta do Sol using a variety of platforms.
Partner
One of my former partners in the Holiday Rental business introduced me to the opportunity of selling his apartments. It was only later, when my own website started to attract more visitors, that I really got interested in this. Through a friend I got in touch with Helena Fortes, a true professional in the Real Estate business in Mindelo. Helena has many years of experience, and has done a impressive number of deals in her carreer in Real Estate.
With Helena as my main partner, I can focus on my work online. Creating more visibility for the website, getting the converstation started with people interested in buying opportunities. As soon as we've figured out what you are looking for, and what could be interesting Helena steps in. She arranges the visits to see the locations, and takes care of all paperwork.
Not long after meeting Helena, we were involved in our first deal together. It was not easy getting everything organized, but she did a great job. Not only was the buyer very happy at the end, but I was also satisfied with her work and decided to focus on her as my main partner in Real Estate.
Thanks to Helena's connections I can offer plots of land, apartments and houses across the islands of São Vicente and Santo Antão.
Property Management
In case you are interested in purchasing a property on São Vicente or Santo Antão, but you don't live on one of these two islands, we're happy to manage your property for you. We have different plans for your needs. You might be interested in using the place as a Holiday Rental, or just looking for a company to take care of maintenance or administrative tasks.
With properties purchased to serve as Holiday Rentals, I like to set up a long-term strategy with the owners which will allow a large part of the initial investment to be earned back in rental fees in just a couple of years.
Top Opportunities:
Paúl, Santo Antão:
800 m2 lot
Mindelo, São Vicente:
Copacabana Laginha - T3 apartment
Morabeza Deluxe - T3 apartment
Hi, I'm Freddy, the creator of the MindeloCaboVerde blog. Thank you so much for reading! Please feel free to message me if you have any Real Estate questions. I'm happy to help you out where I can.