Could you help me out please and answer...where do you need help in your property business most right now? I'll share ideas in due course to help you!

Quick temperature check. How many sites are you realistically assessing each month? Be honest. This isn’t judgement. It’s just interesting signal. Hit the poll below 🦾 Development is a numbers game. I’m genuinely curious where people sit, especially as what we’re building is designed to help if you want to increase that number.

Our industry, like many others, has felt tough for a while. I tend to define it as “post-Truss”. Since then, confidence has wobbled, costs have risen, sales periods have lengthened, and there hasn’t been a huge amount to celebrate. So when something genuinely positive happens, it’s worth sharing. The CGI attached is a scheme of 9 apartments in Hitchin. Practical completion is due this Spring. And here’s the bit that made me smile.... 8 of the 9 units are under offer before completion. Every developer reading this will know how rare that is. The usual pattern I see is: - 1 or 2 under offer at best - A nervous launch period - Buyers wanting to see bricks and mortar before committing Which is understandable. Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions most people ever make. But 8 pre-sold before completion? That’s a strong signal. It tells me: - Good product still sells - Sensible pricing matters - Location and specification still count - Confidence is there, selectively This isn’t blind optimism. The market is still disciplined. Buyers are still cautious. Lenders are still measured. But when the fundamentals are right, deals get done. For anyone feeling the weight of the last couple of years, this is proof that well-conceived, well-priced schemes are moving. Sometimes we need to celebrate the wins. Who else is seeing signs of confidence returning? PS. the developer we supported on this scheme with funding isn't in this room yet, but I'm working on that!

A developer/investor contact of mine is looking to sell a property in Wokingham. Planning permission was granted last week for the conversion and addition to the existing building to provide a 72 apartment scheme. Several office blocks in the immediate vicinity have been successfully converted to residential projects. The property was sold on a STPP contract which has now expired and the indications are that the purchaser no longer wishes or is unable to proceed. There is a requirement for 22 affordable apartments. The price for the existing two-storied approx. 2,000m2 office building will be around £4m which means a value of around £56k per plot, which can be supported in a viability assessment. Lots more info plus plans, planning documents etc. for an interested purchaser/developer. Best wishes, Russ

Hey all, I have recently started following a really interesting chap called Benedict Evans. As I reviewed a slide dec of his this morning I was fascinated by a stat about Data Centres, and the building of them. According to Benedict and to the source (US Census) data centre construction in the US is set to overtake office construction. @Vish Medtia without putting you on the spot (sorry if I am) I know you have mentioned data centres and it is clearly an opportunity for the whole industry. I would welcome your thoughts and anyone else's! From my POV I will now be seeking lenders who will, or who, have supported data centre construction in the past 12 months. As well as who is preparing to support it. In truth, I haven't heard too much noise about it, but that's probably because I haven't been listening. That is about to change. Links to Benedict as well if you want further info.... https://www.ben-evans.com/presentations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aMTu4TtF04