In property development, assembling a team of technical and strategic experts is only part of the equation. While professionals like planners, architects, and contractors lay the groundwork for your project, having a skilled financial and legal team ensures you can navigate the complexities of funding, legalities, and market positioning.
In this continuation, we explore the indispensable roles of Accountants, Lawyers, Real Estate Agents, Valuers, Quantity Surveyors, and Financiers—professionals who provide the financial insight, legal assurance, and market savvy to propel your project to success.
6. Accountant
Accountants are at the heart of your project’s financial structure, guiding you through key decisions that shape your development’s profitability. From determining whether to register for GST to advising on the best legal entity for your project—be it an LLC, LP, or Trust—accountants ensure that your structure aligns with your financial goals while remaining tax-efficient. These decisions need to be made before committing yourself to a particular path, as it can be difficult and costly to unwind once you’ve set things in motion.
By engaging a property-focused accountant early, you can optimise your tax liabilities, protect your profit margins, and ensure that every financial decision supports your overall development strategy.
7. Lawyer
A lawyer is your shield in the complex legal landscape of property development. Their expertise spans reviewing sale and purchase agreements, facilitating settlements, and ensuring that funding agreements from financiers are clear, favourable, and align with your project goals. They also meticulously scrutinise construction contracts and other critical documents to safeguard your interests and protect against potential liabilities.
That said, it’s important to remember that your lawyer is a backstop—not your first line of negotiation. As a developer, it’s critical to develop an understanding of key legal concepts yourself. This enables you to negotiate the best deal upfront, leaving your lawyer to refine and approve it. Ignoring these concepts makes it difficult to structure deals effectively and can lead to missed opportunities.
When it comes to property development, the buck stops with you. Ultimately, all liability rests with you as the developer, so you must take ownership of the process, read every document carefully, and fully understand what you’re committing to before signing.
8. Real Estate Agent
Real estate agents do much more than simply sell properties. They are instrumental in ensuring your development is marketed effectively, priced competitively, and positioned to attract the right buyers. A great agent brings access to an extensive database of potential buyers and can directly promote your property, accelerating sales and boosting market visibility.
Beyond sales, their market insights allow you to refine pricing strategies and meet buyer expectations, ensuring your development achieves maximum profitability while staying competitive.
9. Valuer
Valuers are a critical tool for assessing the current and future market value of your development. For many projects, a valuation report is essential for securing main bank financing. While first-time developers can greatly benefit from having a valuer undertake a report, experienced developers often take this process in-house. As a developer, you should have a deep understanding of your product and price point, enabling you to confidently assess your project’s value.
At ASAP Finance, we simplify this process by eliminating the need for external valuation reports. Instead, we conduct our own internal valuations using our extensive in-house sales data—leveraging insights from delivering over 1,000 houses annually. This approach not only reduces administrative burdens but also allows you to focus on progressing your development with fewer delays, creating a more streamlined and efficient experience from start to finish.
10. Quantity Surveyor (QS)
A Quantity Surveyor is the financial gatekeeper of your construction phase, overseeing labour and material costs to keep your project within budget. Their expertise helps prevent cost overruns while ensuring that resources are sourced efficiently.
At ASAP Finance, we take a milestone-based approach to streamline this process. For every project, we prepare a cost-to-complete schedule that outlines available funds and their release timelines. This scalable system can fund projects with up to 50 houses or more, all without requiring an independent QS. By simplifying cost management, developers can maintain financial clarity and momentum.
11. Financier
A good financier is more than just a source of capital—they are a strategic partner in your project. Building a strong, long-term relationship with a non-bank financier can be the key to unlocking opportunities and getting deals across the line that might otherwise fall through. Unlike traditional banks, where managers frequently change, long-term relationships with non-bank financiers can mean access to more leverage, flexible pricing, and preferred treatment.
Experienced financiers understand the intricacies of property development. They don’t just provide funding—they offer valuable guidance when challenges arise and can facilitate resolutions between contractors, engineers, and other stakeholders. Their insights and support can help keep your project on track and avoid costly delays.
Beyond competitive interest rates, the best financiers offer flexibility in their terms. Waiving pre-sale requirements or removing QS oversight, for example, can accelerate your timelines and reduce costs, giving you more freedom to execute your vision.
At ASAP Finance, we take this approach further by considering the broader picture of your project. With an in-depth understanding of property development, we help you navigate complexities, streamline processes, and unlock opportunities for growth—ensuring that your project reaches its full potential
Summary
In property development, the right financial and strategic team is just as critical as the technical experts who lay the foundation. With accountants, lawyers, agents, valuers, QS professionals, and financiers working together, you create a comprehensive support network that protects your project, maximises returns, and ensures its long-term success.
Whether your project is small or large, partnering with professionals who understand the nuances of property development is key to standing out in a competitive market and achieving sustainable growth.