Developers seek to innovate and raise the bar yet stay true to core principles

By THARMINI KENAS  tharmini@thestar.com.my

The StarProperty.my Awards Night 2018 saw acclaimed property developers sharing their thoughts and outlook for the future. The developers want to be innovative and raise the bar but at the same time they have to stay true to core principles in their projects.

According to Malaysia Land Properties Sdn Bhd (Mayland) sales and marketing senior manager Mayline Chua, home-seekers look for great value and location as well as a place they can call home.

To Mayland, understanding buyers’ needs and creating developments that provide carefully designed interiors are important when it comes to promoting healthy living.

(Centre right) Sime Darby Property Bhd chief operating officer of township development Datuk Wan Hashimi Albakri W.A.A Jaffri and chief operating officer of integrated development Quek
Cham Hong (centre left) showcasing their trophies.

Banking on unique aspects of developments
“A company that looks for long-term sustainability when designing products, aside from marketability and branding, will produce unique developments,” said Marimo Land Sdn Bhd director and chief development analyst Ken Teo.

Apart from providing the latest in the industry to make a project unique, the developers focus more on the needs and wants of potential buyers.

“We emphasise place-making – creating a place which is conducive, beautiful and serene that people want to be associated with,” commented GuocoLand Malaysia Bhd group managing director Datuk Edmund Kong.

“Apart from market differentiation, we also focus on technology. We have electric cars, electronic despatch boxes and apps for communication,” Kong added.

For Ayer Holdings Bhd group chief executive officer Eugene Khoo, market research lights up the way for the creation of unique products.

“In the planning stage, we do the research and understand what the market dynamics are. Once we get the feedback from our target audience, we will try to incorporate the things that people are looking for,” said Khoo.

(eighth from left) UEM Sunrise Bhd general manager Ashraf Othman, general manager Ir.Lye Chien Yung, Anwar Syahrin and sales and marketing general manager Everlyn Khaw posing for a photo with team members to celebrate their multiple victories.

Keeping family and sustainability close at heart
Despite the advancement of technology, the developers decided to go back to basics when crafting a home for the future generations, namely focusing on the family and returning to nature.

Said Kong: “Home is where the heart is. People are always emotionally attached to the place they live in. When we look at multi-generational homes, we are looking at the needs of the people who live there.

“What do they want? People are not just looking at typical facilities such as playgrounds, function rooms and swimming pools. What is missing today is a place that encourages people to mingle and interact,” he added.

Tanjung Bintang Sdn Bhd (Berinda Group) group managing director and chief executive officer Frank S.K. Goon said: “For sustainable development, you need the four elements that people must have to survive – air, earth, water and sunlight. It would be to your advantage if you could make use of these four elements naturally.”

AME Development Sdn Bhd marketing director Cheryl Lim reckons that a well-planned master development with integrated facilities should be built at the initial stage.

“This development should not only be useful to current operators but also to sustain future ones,” she said.

Wow-ing the potential homebuyers
With booming numbers of developments in the market, it is crucial for developers to keep wow-ing their potential homebuyers.

According to M101 Holdings Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seth Yap, what makes a project exceptional is the culture incorporated into the buildings.

“We have different people from different regions and continents coming together to construct a building that represents the cultures and values of various areas. So both the hardware and software make it a wow development,” he said.

SkyWorld Development Sdn Bhd executive director and chief operating officer Lee Chee Seng said buyers look for three main criteria: A strategic location with amenities and good connectivity; quality product and workmanship; as well as innovative design and practical layout with space optimisation.

According to Ideal Property Group chief operating officer Simon Ong Eng Chye, buyers will look for a comprehensive and all-round development.

While most have seen land shortage as an issue of modern life, some developers have decided to turn it into an opportunity to encourage people to enjoy the outdoors.

Sunsuria Bhd chief operating officer Simon Kwan shared that they have created a lot of amenities in the surroundings of their developments such as a park, jogging tracks and outdoor gym to encourage people to move around the open spaces.

On a starry night when many distinguished developers are celebrated and many promising visions are shared, it would seem that the future of the industry is as bright as ever.