Aprao presents… Aussie Experts

Siera Group is a boutique residential property developer and builder, established in Brisbane in 2014. They've developed more than 70 residential dwellings in key growth markets in South-East Queensland, and their current portfolio is comprised of a mix of luxury apartments and terrace homes.

In this episode, we discuss how far the development industry has come over the last 5 years, the biggest pain points facing developers today, how best to approach a relationship with technology, and what solutions are currently adding the most value. 

We're looking ahead to the next 5 years - what can we expect to see on the horizon, and how will property developers respond in order to stay ahead?

How can you efficiently de-risk your next development project?

In this episode, Aprao speaks to Clinton Arentz, Head of Lending at Trilogy Funds Group to discuss how lenders have adapted over the last few years and how developers can navigate these changes for the best outcome for their projects.

Trilogy Funds operates managed investment trusts holding assets across mortgages, direct real property and other financial assets on behalf of over 14,000 investors.

Topics covered in this episode include key credit enhancement strategies, Trilogy’s generalised funding parameters and a whole toolkit of knowledge developers can use when upskilling their financials.

How can you utilise the power of proptech to drive your development projects further?

In this episode, Aprao chats to Isaac Coonan from Proptech Brisbane about how developers can leverage Australian proptech companies. Isaac has extensive experience in building some of the country's leading innovation and tech communities with a particular focus and passion for the property technology cluster. 

This discussion includes some of the proptech companies developers should have their eye on in the market, helpful tips for how developers can keep ahead of trends in proptech and some key examples of developers who have leveraged this emerging sector to their benefit in the past.

Does the thought of a loan finance application stress you out? 

In this episode, we will touch on all the elements of how to make a successful construction finance application in this conversation with Matthew Royal, Co-founder Development Finance Partners. Prior to co-founding Airlisting.com & Development Finance Partners, Matthew was an Associate Director of Property Finance at BankWest, with an extensive understanding of the financial criteria and methodology used in assessing Property Development and Investment proposals.

Topics covered in this episode include what steps developers can take to reduce their risk and increase return on equity, common mistakes developers make when seeking funding and most importantly, how to avoid these errors.

How is technology changing the commercial property services industry?

In this episode, Julian Brockhurst chats to Luke Borg, a Senior Project Manager at Savills QLD. Having successfully managed the delivery of projects across various asset classes and for public, private and not-for-profit clients, Luke has led a range of projects from acquisition through to completion. This episode is full of insights into the exciting impact that technology is having on the commercial property landscape.

Topics covered in this episode include the significant changes to the commercial property services industry over the past five years, how technology can overcome the pain points in the sector and why innovation is so vital for driving the industry forward. What trends can we expect to see in the future?

Why are Accountants as important as Project Managers for developments?

In this episode, Julian Brockhurst speaks to Jayden Coulston, a Chartered Accountant at BDO Australia specialising in the areas of debt advisory and business restructuring with over 10 years of experience, about the common pitfalls developers can avoid by engaging with an accountant early on in a project. 

The topics covered include what to avoid when handling the finances around a development project, how developers can innovate and structure to gain a competitive advantage and the impact of innovative tech solutions on BDO.

How can we create smarter communities within the Australian development space? In this episode, Julian Brockhurst speaks to Kirsty Chessher-Brown on this issue in relation to Queensland.

UDIA Queensland is the largest urban development network of community creators in Queensland and topics covered in this conversation include how best to drive change within Queensland’s development industry to facilitate greener, smarter and more resilient communities, whether this be through advanced research methods or the development of effective policy. We also cover how to develop in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. What technology have UDIA noticed developers embracing?

Are you interested in the future of data adoption within the property sector? In this episode, we speak to Andrew Knight from the Tech Partner Programme and Data Standards at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, who takes us through the global RICS data standards, and what it means for the property and tech industry. Andrew is a highly experienced technology specialist with a strong commercial background working for the RICS, a global professional body in land, property, construction and infrastructure. 

Topics included in this webinar cover the evolution of innovation in the property sector, how the tech industry can be progressed in the real estate market, barriers to data adoption, the need for further digitisation in the industry and how collaboration within the sector could make this happen.

In this episode, Aprao speaks to Robert Sobyra, Director of Research & Digital at Construction Skills Queensland, about the increasing viability of digitisation within construction. Robert is responsible for driving CSQ’s research agenda, he is a leading thinker at the intersection of construction and skills and is a postgraduate researcher at the University of Queensland, with a special interest in regional economic growth.  

Topics covered in this episode include a high-level overview of the current construction market, such as the house building boom and its intersection with the material supply chain and the labour market shortage, as well as a detailed discussion about how we can adopt digital and technological solutions to streamline construction processes. Robert also talks about CSQ’s upcoming innovation research projects, including investigating virtual reality as a use case for training programmes.