Judge a Developer by What Happens After Handover
A good launch tells you how a developer sells. It tells you almost nothing about how the developer behaves once the building is finished. That is the part you will live with, or rent out, for years.
Four things that show up after handover
- Defects. How quickly are problems found at handover fixed? Is there a clear process?
- Building management. Are common areas clean, lifts working, security reliable?
- Service charges. Are they explained clearly? Do they change a lot from year to year?
- Resale. Do owners in finished projects sell easily, and do buyers like the building?
How to check without trusting the brochure
- Visit a completed project by the same developer. Walk the corridors, the lobby and the parking.
- Talk to two or three owners or tenants. Ask what they would tell a friend.
- Ask for a few years of service charge history for that building.
- Look at how long units there stay listed.
A developer that treats finished buildings well is telling you what it will do with yours.
