Meet us, the Real People of FRIS. Discover our professional and personal service, which exceeds expectations, focused on making life easy for our clients to the best of our ability at every step, today and tomorrow.
About FRIS
Real People
Since 1923, family firm FRIS has grown to become one of the biggest independent managers of real estate in the Netherlands. FRIS is also a familiar name to tens of thousands of private individuals and companies in the greater Amsterdam region, thanks to our total service provision as an estate agent, property management specialist, research bureau, valuer and insurance broker.
FRIS consists of more than 87 employees – Real People – divided between four locations in Amsterdam and Zaandam. All these Real People know that personal attention, clear communication and a customer-focused internal structure form a solid foundation for motivated staff, satisfied customers and the success and further development of FRIS.
"We believe in personal service, tailored solutions and processes that make life easier for our clients."
Personal service and tailored solutions
We are a partner that provides a complete service and a point of contact for national and international parties in management, brokerage and the development/redevelopment of their buildings, including facilitating optimum returns. As a full-service real estate service provider, we are active from the initiative through to the implementation and execution of real estate projects. Thanks to our broad organisation and services, we offer an overall perspective on the entire real estate cycle.
Operational excellence, respectful customer service and marketing innovations are the factors that explain our success. We believe in personal service, tailored solutions and processes that make life easier for our clients. That's why, as Real People, we offer a total package of services and continually updated solutions. We know what we are doing and we make sure people and organisations who want to live, enjoy or perform optimally get the space and support they need.
Our history
Having started out in 1923 in Zaandam, in the space of just under a century, family firm FRIS has grown to become a respected name in the real estate business in the greater Amsterdam region and in property management throughout the Netherlands. Now in 2017, Hans Peter Fris, grandchild of the founder, is firmly at the helm of the organisation. He inspires a team of nearly 80 Real People, together with Marc Poelmann. Three generations of FRIS at a glance.
Marc Poelmann and Hans Peter Fris
The first generation: the foundations
Grandfather Wouter Fris laid the foundations for the company in 1923 on Provincialeweg in Zaandam, with an insurance office and a mortgage broking business. With sober and high-quality service provision, he won the hearts, loyalty and trust of ever more customers. In 1934, he therefore decided to open an estate agent's office in Zaandam. Moreover, Wouter saw that opportunities continued to increase in Amsterdam itself. In 1936, he opened a second estate agent's office on Prinsengracht. FRIS is known as a real people-for-people company, with a personal focus for real results and a positive feeling.
The first generation: the foundations
Grandfather Wouter Fris laid the foundations for the company in 1923 on Provincialeweg in Zaandam, with an insurance office and a mortgage broking business. With sober and high-quality service provision, he won the hearts, loyalty and trust of ever more customers. In 1934, he therefore decided to open an estate agent's office in Zaandam. Moreover, Wouter saw that opportunities continued to increase in Amsterdam itself. In 1936, he opened a second estate agent's office on Prinsengracht. FRIS is known as a real people-for-people company, with a personal focus for real results and a positive feeling.
The second generation: expansion
The second FRIS generation joined the company during the period of reconstruction after the Second World War. Wouter's son Piet Fris started work in 1948 and his other son Wouter Fris Jr. joined in 1950. Under their father's guidance, step by step they continued building the success and reputation of FRIS. In 1970, FRIS was one of the first companies in the Netherlands to go into investment broking. This naturally led to the creation of the real estate management department; "because who is going to make sure all that rent gets paid?". The company steadily prospered; FRIS grew to number no fewer than six branches. Until the house-building crisis of the late 1970s threw a spanner in the works. It meant downsizing. FRIS was one of the few to survive the crisis. Although four offices had to close, two remained open; on Weteringsschans in Amsterdam and on Westzijde in Zaandam. The company was healthy and displayed the agility to adapt to changing economic times. In 1984, an enterprising new department was set up, which is now known as FRIS Real Estate Management. In 1990, founder Wouter Fris was able to pass the baton to his sons Piet Fris and Wouter Fris with confidence. And just a few years later, the chapter of the third FRIS generation began.
The third generation: innovation and further growth
Enterprising, energetic Hans Peter Fris took over the management of the company from his father Wouter Jr. and his uncle Piet in the mid-90s. At that point, FRIS employed nine people. Hans Peter Fris started ambitiously with the new Commercial Property department. Within five years, FRIS had grown into a business with 30 employees. In 2000, Hans Peter acquired the firm B&F Property Management BV, adding the management of commercial buildings to FRIS's service portfolio. This activity is now known at FRIS as FRIS Investment Care.
In 2001, Hans Peter Fris decided that the company should not be a “middle of the road” business; he wanted to offer systematic added value. By better applying expertise in the consultancy work for the benefit of companies, public authorities and private individuals. This not only resulted in improved communication with clients, but also in the founding of the Research & Marketing knowledge hub in 2005. The number of clients and therefore the number of employees grew swiftly in parallel. Hans Peter Fris makes anti-cyclical investments in the professionalisation of the organisation, i.e. during years of recession. In 2014, the Research & Marketing department was renamed FRIS Research & Consultancy. In 2015, the FRIS Valuations department was launched. In 2016, Dyade Housing & Real Estate was added. In 2016, Marc Poelmann also became the formal joint owner of FRIS Investment Care.
After two generations, the sober, customer-focused and enterprising philosophy of grandfather Wouter Fris, with whom it all started, still defines the FRIS culture and hence its success – the genuine appreciation of its customers.