The Property Development Process

It’s great to find a forum dedicated to property development. I have already made a few small contributions, so allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Michael Yardney and my company Metropole Projects is currently involved in 80 development projects for clients from all around Australia.

I have been involved in proeprty for over 30 years and in property development for about 20 years. I speak at conferences all around Australia and in Asia on property development.

I’m not telling you this to boast – I don’t need to impress you. It is to help you understand my credentials when I post.

I also write a monthly newsletter on property investment and development read by over 10,000 investors each month – you can subscribe at http://www.metropoleprojects.com.au
You can also see some of the services we offer to investors and budding developers there

To assist budding developers I would like to outline the development process in what is going to be a long post: –

Developers follow a sequence of steps from the moment they first conceive a project to the time they complete the physical construction and begin ongoing asset management.

While the sequence may vary slightly, usually the development is broken up into the following elements:-

coming up with the idea
refining it
testing its feasibility
negotiating contracts
making a formal commitment
constructing the project
completing the project and finally
managing the new project.

While the process varies from project to project in essence the steps are as follows: –
1. Pre Purchase
Here you look for a block of land with potential for development. At this stage you should already have your finance in place so that you know your limits.

You should also have a team of consultants organised who can advise you as to the project’s viability. These should include a development manager who can coordinate the whole process or individually -a solicitor, an architect, a surveyor a town planner and estate agent to advise honestly on end values and marketability.

2. Concept stage
You find a potential site – now you must come up with a concept for it. What can you put on it? How many units? How big? What restrictions are there?

To find out what can be built on the block you need to assess the local council’s policy towards development and see how many new dwellings can be put on the block. At Metropole we tend to have these documents in our office but they are generally available over the internet at the local council’s web site, or in hard copy form from their front desks.

You should also assess what the market wants in that area and what would sell or lease well. It is important to design and build a project that is marketable.

You must also undertake a detailed analysis of the neighborhood character as an important consideration of town planning is keeping the neighborhood character.

Then you put pen to paper and do some sketches allowing for setbacks, driveways and private open space (as required by council and the planning scheme). Next place garages and parking spaces and leave room for turning circles to drive out in a forward motion as required by council. The land that is left over after all of this will determine how many units and of what size can fit on the block.

Next comes some number crunching in a feasibility program. Include time scales, all costs including consultants and construction costs as well include likely end sale values and the profit margin you want. This will enable you to work out what the land is worth to you.

If it is a viable development we would consider putting an offer in for the land.

3. Purchase
At this stage you buy the land at a price that allows you to make a commercial profit. Decide in which entity you will get the best asset protection and the best tax advantages.

4. Town planning / Development Approval
Your architect draws up plans that fit in with the planning regulations and accords with the local council’s development guidelines. Due to the increasing complexity of the development process, a surveyor and town planner are often involved at this stage. This stage may take up to 10 months before you get a development approval.

5. Working Drawing and documentation.
Once the DA has been achieved your architect and engineer document the working drawings to allow you to get a building permit (called a Construction Certificate (CC) interstate.) This stage takes 2 – 3 months.

6 Pre Construction
At this stage we obtain quotes from builders and bank approval for the development loan.

7 Construction
Finally you get on site to build your project, paying the builder progressively at the completion of each stage using draw downs from our bank loan. This stage can last 6 – 12 months depending on the size of the project.

8. Completion
The project is leased or sold

Michael Yardney
Metropole Properties
http://www.metropole.com.au