Derek-Nzeribe-Haus-Collection-Realty

LXRY Q&A: Derek Nzeribe, President & Founder of Haus Collection Realty

What do you know about the luxury real estate market in Ottawa? It goes a bit under the radar, doesn’t it?

Well, that changes today. I had the privilege and opportunity to interview, Derek Nzeribe, President and Founder of Haus Collection Realty. Derek works directly with real estate developers around Ottawa to help sell their projects to the general public, investors, families, whomever.

I wanted to interview Derek because of his knowledge and insight on the luxury real estate market for Ottawa and surrounding areas around the capital city. He really sees luxury developments build from the ground up, literally, to help shape communities around them. Derek also works on everything from custom homes, townhome developments all the way up to boutique and major condo developments. He tailors his tactics and strategies to the scale of every project he works on.

Derek, from our point of view, is The Man From Manotick. Derek lives, golfs, boats, and works with a lot of home builders in Ottawa, Manotick, and the areas beyond.

I wanted to learn more about what he does at Haus Collection Realty, his thoughts on the real estate market in and around Ottawa, and a little bit more about The Man from Manotick himself. Enjoy the interview below.

About Haus Collection Realty

LXRY: Tell us about yourself and what you do at Haus Collection Realty?

My name is Derek Nzeribe and I am the president and founder of Haus Collection Realty. We are a brokerage firm specializing in pre-construction sales and marketing, working with developers around Ottawa and the surrounding area.

LXRY: What makes Haus Collection Realty different from other real estate marketing companies?

The big difference with our firm is that we are very lean.

We work specifically with what I like to call special projects. Things that require a lot of detail-oriented items in the sales and marketing process. Sometimes it becomes a very unique project that we’re trying to take to market whether it’s a very high price point, a very different style of build, a smaller project, or even, a custom home project. So there are a lot of different factors and a lot of moving pieces that may affect it, but we’re able to navigate very carefully.

LXRY: What else should we know about Haus Collection Realty?

One of the things, in terms of the whole concept behind an idea with Haus Collection Realty, is that we are very passionate about architecture, we are passionate about art, we are passionate about fashion. You know trendsetting, hard-hitting, and edgy. So, we have that outlook on things when we look at projects, but we’re also able to approach projects with a level of class and a level of sophistication that brings a lot of success to anything that we do get our hands involved in.

About The Luxury Real Estate Market Around Ottawa

LXRY: What do you think people should know about Ottawa Real Estate?

In Ottawa, real estate is different; different from any other major city in Canada. I do not think that it should be discounted. I think there are hidden values that a lot of people looking from the outside in don’t see until they are actually engaged with it and really looking into it.

LXRY: What kind of luxury real estate is there around Ottawa?

Luxury is a point of perspective, I find. There’s luxury real estate across the whole city, it just depends on somebody’s view on luxury is, for me, luxury is a lifestyle.

It’s having that ability to live and to play and have the amenities that you like having all around you. There’s a lot of luxury property around the city that offers this, whether it’s boating, golfing, kayaking, or outdoor sports. There are a lot of different factors and a lot of different nodes of the city, where you have access to many different things that complement your lifestyle in homes. I’d say Ottawa is peppered with luxury real estate in many different areas. It is hard to pick just one area and say that this is the luxury community. Price points do vary significantly when you go from one area to the next. Some of the highest price point areas in Ottawa are around the downtown core, but you have some rural areas like Manotick, that are showing very high numbers as well in terms of price points.

What is important to luxury real estate buyers around that part of Ontario?

I think it’s this lifestyle of having that ability to live how they want. It does not matter what their vices are, they have the ability to either jump on their boat from their own private dock or have a nice walk or even drive to the golf course and it’s right there, a few minutes away. It’s shops and restaurants and having your favorite restaurant is just a stone’s throw away from your front door. Those are things I think people value tremendously in Ottawa. You know the makeup of our City is very different from any other major city in Canada we’re actually one of the largest major cities from a landmass perspective. So, we have so much space that people have that elbow room to still be within the city of Ottawa and still have two or three acres of land that they use to relax and feel like they’re at the cottage. But also, 15-20 minutes later, being right in the heart of downtown having dinner so I think it’s a lifestyle that people want here.

LXRY: What do you wish more people would know about the luxury real estate market in Ottawa?

I wish more people understood the small things in the communities that really help to create what somebody would consider a luxury neighborhood and luxury property because those are the things that really make that property shine in its own respect.

About Derek Nzeribe

LXRY: What are your essentials for a good week?

My phone and my family. I think it’s key to work hard during the week, but I try to recharge on the weekend as much as I can. Sometimes there’s very little sleep, we have two young kids, so lots of coffee is also essential.

LXRY: What are your favourite luxury brands to sport?

I do love my Jaguar. I will always be a loyal Jaguar customer and fan. I love the simplicity of it. It’s an amazing car and it drives well. They’ve put so much thought and effort into engineering it, but haven’t overdone it with the bells and whistles, and it really comes down to how you feel when you’re behind the wheel. The feel, the responsiveness, and all of that. I remember the first time I drove one. That was the thing from the test drive that sold me. You can actually feel when you turn on sport mode; flick a few switches and you instantly have a completely different drive. I gravitate towards brands that are simple in application, but very true to what they do.

Apple is best in class at what they do. They have their iPhones, Macbooks. I probably have every Apple product there is. But they’re intuitive, they’re not complicated, not so many bells and whistles to it, you really understand how to use it. So to me, those are the brands that I like to jump in on wholeheartedly.

LXRY: What do you think is essential for a wardrobe?

A range of clothing. If you’re going to have a suit, make sure it’s tailored to fit well. You’re going to have your activewear and your golf attire, as well. Also essential is a good pair of formal shoes. My favorites are my Allen Edmonds’ dress shoes. You know now that more people are working from home, I think the attire has changed a little bit.

LXRY: Where are we likely to find you on a Saturday afternoon?

I’m either at home doing one of my many projects around the house or on the boat or at the golf course.

LXRY: What are you passionate about the most?

I would say the ingenuity of people having ideas that come together. Being mostly centered around the real estate world, I find so much motivation, when I see hope for the future of our industry. It’s interesting what people come up with. That’s why I work so we can do even better just by putting a little bit more thought into what we do and see where we can elevate things to the next level.

LXRY: What is something personally you would like to achieve in the next 12-months?

So personally, I would like to finish building my backyard fence at home first, but mostly, I’d like to travel. I’d like to go to a lot of the cities with the top real estate markets in the world over the next 12 to 18 months. Not being able to travel, but being able to connect with a lot of colleagues and counterparts throughout the world using different platforms. I’ve always been very active in terms of looking for inspiration in other markets outside of our local market to try and gain inspiration. Having feet on the ground there is just going to move things even further and create better connections and a more solid global network for us to work with. It also provides the ability to gain some valuable inspiration that can enhance our brand.

The Bottom Line

I wanted to thank Derek for his time to discuss his passions, his insight about the real estate market in Ottawa, Manotick, and beyond, and what he loves to do on a daily basis at Haus Collection Realty. Thank you again, Derek, and thank you, the reader, for your time as well.

To learn more about Derek Nzeribe, visit the Haus Collection Realty today.

Read More Canadian Luxury News and Stories