Have one gigantic house turned into four apartments. Martinette and Rob Derksen from Valkenswaard had this done, making 2025 a special year for them. “The municipality was grateful that we wanted to create living space,” says Martinette.
After a year of renovations, Martinette and Rob were able to return to their beautiful building in the center of Valkenswaard this spring. Two of the four apartments have been sold. Rob and Martinette keep the other two on the ground floor: as their own home and as a guest house.
“We bought the building forty years ago,” says Martinette. The couple lived there all that time. Martinette’s orthodontist practice was also here. “After forty years you start to love a house like that. All our children were born here. You built your life in Valkenswaard. We didn’t want to part with it. The idea arose to split it into four homes.”
Her husband Rob also loves the building. “Good friends said that you have to make sure that you are in your final destination in terms of living before you are seventy. We achieved exactly that. We really wanted to continue living there. That was only possible by splitting it up because the maintenance was too expensive. And it didn’t feel good either. It is far too large a space for just two people.”
Mayor Thijssen had the villa built in 1907. After his death, the house was purchased by one of the two founders of the Hofnar cigar factory. Rob and Martinette bought it from this family. There is another one on the ground floor fumoira smoking room. It was the tasting room to try out cigars. The ventilation grilles from that time are still in the ceiling.
There is a lot to consider when splitting. “You have to be persistent,” says Rob. “You need all kinds of permits and investigations. And you have to go to the notary. That is a long and complicated process.”
Martinette is glad they did it. “You no longer have the responsibility for such a property alone. That is very nice. We have an association of owners because that is part of an apartment complex. We have very nice buyers, so things are going well. We also really enjoy leaving something very beautiful for Valkenswaard.”
Martinette has some advice for anyone who is considering splitting the house: “Do it, but get advice from experts. Because there is something involved.”
In the last days of the year, Omroep Brabant has a series ‘The year of…’ This focuses on people for whom 2025 was an important year.
Piet and Lisette bought an apartment
Piet van Gompel and Lisette van Hoek bought one of the apartments. “We saw this house on the internet,” says Piet enthusiastically. “And we immediately made our move. We have some extra space here.”
They are both in wheelchairs. It was difficult to find something in Valkenswaard because it had to be adaptable. “They made the necessary adjustments for us, such as a ramp outside and an enlarged elevator.”
They moved in in April. “It’s a holiday here for us every day. We’re in a great place.”
