The Real Estate Awards have been a complete success. Held last Tuesday, these awards recognize the work of the promoters of the Region, professionals who, as indicated by the president of Apirm, José Ramón Blázquez, stand out for “their commitment to design, quality and sustainability”.
–What value does the Association of Real Estate Developers have for the Region?
–The Association plays a very important role in the Region. We cannot forget that all economic activity needs land to develop, and that developers always take care of turning it into an urban area. Our work begins with urban planning, that is, dealing with the land and its transformation until it becomes a site, suitable for building. Secondly, we are the ones in charge of building the houses, a process that ends with their delivery and financing, but which supposes the adoption of important risks and a very professional management to precisely achieve a quality product that people can afford. We also take care of attracting investments to our Region, which are so necessary for the development of our economy.
«There has been an evident increase in quality in promotions in recent years»
The Association of Promoters brings together the main professionals in the sector. Together we contribute our experience and knowledge to improve our cities and the housing market. The population is having serious difficulties in accessing a home. Therefore, we try to identify the barriers they have and make the necessary efforts and proposals to eliminate them. With regard to the sector, we help developers in this task, maintaining a close relationship with the different administrations, making regulatory proposals to improve the general situation, in a continuous attempt to simplify and speed up procedures, which today are too complicated and slow. We are organized in commissions to try to improve the different fronts in which we work: urban planning, the environment, residential tourism, housing… We also accompany the promoters to the different town halls in which they work, taking an interest in their situation, since we are a regional organization.
–Last Tuesday they held the Real Estate Promotion Awards. What are you trying to highlight with these awards?
–We value the quality of the work carried out and reward a job well done. Despite the difficulties and the high costs and uncertainties faced by developers, being the third cheapest Autonomous Community in Spain, but sharing the same costs, we see that a product of the highest architectural quality is being built, sustainable and with magnificent comfort features.
What would you highlight from this year’s winners?
–I would highlight the evident increase in quality that has occurred in developments in recent years, which is manifested in refined designs, care for sustainability and energy efficiency, and their high level of comfort. In the personal acknowledgments I want to highlight the professional and human quality of the winners, people who fight for the sector, demonstrating a commitment to the Region well above the usual.
–What benefits does Apirm bring to its associates?
-I want to highlight the magnificent atmosphere that reigns in the association. In it, the best professionals work together in a very difficult environment through regular meetings and the creation of commissions in the different areas of work. In addition, associates have updated and complete information at all times, while they have the help of the entire business and sector world.
On the other hand, we actively work with the different administrations. We try to improve the processing of licenses by signing professional office agreements, we legally help associates and we propose much-needed regulatory improvements to improve the efficiency of processing and reduce costs. We care about continuous training, so we hold forums on topics of interest, and we try to coordinate with the other professionals that make up the sector (builders, architects and quantity surveyors, engineers, registrars…). We organize ‘networking’ events, such as the Real Estate Cover, which is a work lunch with associates and relevant people in this field. We are also concerned with defending the sector on issues that affect it significantly, such as the problem of flooding areas that we are currently experiencing. In short, we defend it on all fronts, which unfortunately are many.
–How do you assess the situation of the sector in the Region?
-The sector is healthy and with very professional companies working in it. We move in an increasingly demanding environment. The regulations are very complex and the risks are high, which requires continuous adaptation and improvement of our companies. In the residential sphere, there is a very important demand for housing that we must be able to satisfy, but there are also great difficulties to overcome on the supply side that mean that there is less housing than necessary and that the high costs motivate its price be elevated.
Here we find ourselves with little land and at a high price, because the local administrations delay approvals a lot and impose very high charges for its transformation, with very high construction costs due to the new construction requirements. This undoubtedly improves the product, but makes it more expensive. Professionals face today’s high construction costs, a shortage of skilled labor and excessive taxes that account for 26% of the sale price. I believe that real estate developers play a very important role for our economy because they are the first link in the chain. They are dedicated to improving the urban planning of our municipalities. As I have mentioned, all economic development needs a land and its proper transformation and quality of the project will depend on whether the different uses can be implemented.
The execution of these residential projects generates a very important wealth for our population: 2.5 direct jobs per home to which we would have to add indirect and induced jobs and 26% of taxes for the public coffers. These homes will allow young people to emancipate themselves and form their home, which has a significant effect on the birth rate. They are also responsible for creating industrial, commercial and logistics spaces that compete in European and world markets, attracting significant investment. In recent years we have had clear examples of this. For all these reasons, I can affirm that promoters play a fundamental role in our society and in our economy.
– What challenges do you face this year?
-The challenges are many and varied. We can say that we have to increase the supply of housing and develop land for different uses at an affordable cost. At this time, it is worth highlighting the solution to the problem of flood zones, which involves the withdrawal of the current cartography and the elaboration of a new one that reflects the real risks; the reduction of taxes; the improvement of procedures of all kinds, with special attention to environmental files; the stabilization and reduction of construction costs, currently through the roof; the lack of specialized labor, and, of course, the approval of the general plans of the municipalities. With regard to young people, we would like to extend the line of guarantees for new construction developments, and thus increase the offer for them. As you can see, the challenges are important and numerous, and I have left many in the pipeline. We are working on all of them.
#José #Ramón #Blázquez #Muñoz #contribute #experience #improve #cities