Thursday, 3 May 2018

New challanges to real estate project management



Real Estate - Challenges of Project Management with
Maharera, DCR 2034 and, stakeholder dynamics

MAHARERA will be completing one year of confusion and, DCR 2034 four years. We need to exercise project management techniques by adapting deviations in standard practice. Business alignment to project management techniques is now well set approach. Stakeholders in real estate business premise, government, neighborhood, developers, customer and consultants have or are updating their approach very fast. This is posing difficult times for project management professionals to align standard practices as they need adjustments every now and then. Good management does not guarantee that there will be no problems but, it ensures that one is prepared to handle them better.
1.       Stakeholder analysis:
Talking about developers who are promoters of project and major risk takers, are now fast changing the ways they made money or, made the money work. Projects are either higher capitalized now or, are collaborative. Reducing the front loading of projects at the cost of sharing profits now work better in lower, middle and higher middle income group projects. Redevelopment projects have mass management skill, higher capital as well as collaboration requirements. You must have experienced Collaborating with landlords, marketing consultants and executing agencies at various levels.
·         Collaboration is desirable but one finds it difficult to achieve as, sharing liability of delivery comes with the package.
·         You will succeed in collaborative development if interests are resolved and, shareholder management is taken care of.
2.       Planning – Financial & marketing
Planning had never been so dynamic, desirous and serious before. Yet, one needs to understand difference between estimate and forecasts. You must have had time/ cost estimate and, sales forecast. Also one needs to understand different types of estimates, their limitations and use. One need to understand that estimate, does not guarantee anything but, better management decision making. It is heartening to see that planning has taken an approach for closure by completion. i.e. delivery and handover from the previous payment milestones or, cost approach. Your funds flow has become more stressed under the escrow and limitation/ certification regime. Certification and, release have become successor of payment from customer. This is giving importance to “delivery” approach. Time, cost and Project risks differentiation is thinning. Hence risk impact has become more sensitive and demands response to be specific.
·         Plan for release of funds rather than receipt. Estimate and calculation of working capital demand needs to be acceptable as well as sufficient.
·         Plan what you are confident. Not what can tweak numbers. Integrating sales forecast, funds flow and, construction management.
·         Plan risk management for completion with responsibility matrix focused.


3.       Contract Document
Today becoming more responsible and for a long period for defect liability, it is obvious to transfer responsibilities proportionately to all the people who are making business in the process. Right from developer company, to vendors and executing agencies to consultants. All need to share the responsibility of Promised delivery. It’s no more one year defect liability, its five years and, Good Delivery. It’s not far off when consumers shall be approaching different regulatory or judiciary for Quality deficiency also. Hence, contract document has to specify “Quality acceptance criteria” for customer contract as well as material supplier and execution agency contract.
·         Sharing responsibility makes you better link to get collaborated with. Accept it.
·         Quality is unwritten condition of timely and as promised Delivery. Write it.
4.       Delivery – Product, governance
Someone asked me when to book profit in a real estate project. Apart from an accountant or tax consultants view point; I feel when the delivery is accepted in completion and closure of sale agreement. Till then, receipts should be treated as advance, i.e. liability. More or less, one need to understand this in its essence and spirit that, business is complete when delivery of promised and, compensation of the same has taken place. Phased projects have a new focus emerging – governance and maintenance. Governance is the activity for which a promoter has to carefully draft and observe policies suitable for the customer segment, product and life style that is promoted by the project amenities. The subject requires in-depth study of the customer segment culture, post purchase behavior and, life style change related issues.
·         Long term maintenance – Select material, executing agency/partner carefully.
·         Governance – Develop social entrepreneurship if in redevelopment or phased project.
Project management of Phased projects is exposed to such new challenges that are yet to be streamlined for standardized practices.
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