With residential markets in crisis throughout the world,
we recognise that the traditional drivers which have underpinned
residential development for the past decade are no longer relevant.
There is an increasingly important need to understand
residential’s role alongside other mixed use asset classes and as
part of regeneration schemes is increasingly important. Our clients
are now asking us how EC Harris can help them deliver
products that are differentiated but affordable, whilst also being
fundable.
Our approach
recognises the importance of understanding how to identify the
competitive edge, capturing knowledge and
using benchmarking skills and expertise in residential -
private. Sensitivity of ‘price points’ and saleability in
residential unit mix and sizing has never been greater and the
driving of design up to, but not beyond these thresholds is what is
now challenging clients in terms of development densities and
product types, unit specifications and internal layout
designs.
Alongside this, a new purchaser profile has emerged globally, less
dominated by investors and more by occupiers, which requires a more
enlightened view on pre-sales and de-risking. Our ability to model
the financial scenarios around build rates, non value added spend,
sales velocities, mix options, delivery sequencing and stop points
are now vital to gain the transparency which funders and investors
will be seeking as a prerequisite in the future.
We help clients respond to these challenging times by putting them
in better control of their decision making through procurement
engineering and implementing brand standards and development
control processes. We also continue to dominate in the direct
higher education, private operator and partnership based student
accommodation markets, where our approach to optimisation and
robust business planning combined with delivery certainty is
creating more opportunities for clients.