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The creative spirit

I’ve been asked many times why I love developing. As much as I love the financial freedom it brings, the thing I love most about this hobby turned lifestyle, is the creative spirit it allows to flow through me.  

Whether I’m developing a single-level home, a high rise development or a multi-unit subdivision site, I love bringing an uninviting piece of dirt to life and creating something that the inhabitants and visitors will enjoy for years to come. When I turn on that magic button to turn dirt into cash it’s my Eureka moment.

I truly believe we all have a creative spirit within us and everyone should have an opportunity to allow this spirit to flow to its maximum capacity. Some people’s creative spirit comes to life when they are gardening, for others it is through the arts, and for others it is in design.

An architect friend of mine had a client, who at the young age of 60 discovered she could sculpt. She produced her first bronze sculpture of a bust at 61 and till her very late days she was exhibiting one person exhibitions at well-known art galleries. That is what it is all about, discover your latent creative spirit and let it blossom into a successful property development business just like I did fourteen years ago.

For me it flows in the developing of land, and I love every bit of it. But as much as I love my work I couldn’t do what I love if it didn’t offer the financial rewards. Without them it would be a nightmare rather than a dream come true.

Doing something you love and having the financial reward that comes with it, gives you the freedom to keep doing what you love.

What breed is a developer?

If you ask most people the question “what does a developer do?” They would answer “they build buildings and sell them for a profit.”  While this is true of some developers there are others who can’t build themselves as they do not hold a builder’s licence. Although they are not interested in the building side of things, they can still bring a project to fruition.

All developers have certain skills. They investigate potential sites and the areas surrounding them. They research the relevant councils and demographics. All developers need to engage and manage a myriad of qualified consultants and professionals.  

A developer who completes the whole development cycle, is at the top of the food chain when it comes to starting from a piece of dirt, creating a building that is sold to the right demographics, and all the while keeping in mind there must be a financial profit at the end. A developer encapsulates all of these things.

This development process also involves ensuring the project is marketed correctly and successfully, having created the right type of product for the right type of demographic in the right area. The developer needs to maximise the sale price without compromising quality. This can be done by negotiating the cost intelligently and making sure the right sales and marketing consultants are engaged.  As you would have begun to see, developers also require good people skills.  If, after reading this, you are thinking you only have a few of the necessary skills to become a developer, don’t worry.  All of these skills can be developed as you go through the process and where you may be weaker in one area, you can engage a consultant who is strong in that particular area. Remember, that overall, a developer needs to be a go-getter and a well-rounded individual who can see outside the box. He or she must also be solution orientated.