Rullion's Blog

Unless the government deliberately sets about injecting money into housing development and other construction activities to boost the economy, 2013 construction landscape will be as dull as that of 2012.  Nigeria’s construction sector has almost ground to a halt along with its real estate market that is suffering an unprecedented glut. As much as experts want to be optimistic about the market’s prospects this year, most still believe that an economic recovery is required for buoyancy to return to the property market, writes BENNETT OGHIFO Players in the nation’s construction and housing sector are simply treading water to keep afloat. The situation is so frustrating that everyone is awe-struck, and has taken the wind out of the sail of real estate brokers who find themselves in a binder over the economic downturn. The property market closed last year with sector operators hoping there would be some slight improvement in the market at the dawn of the New Year. Instead, the supply o...

I like to think of building plan thus: Every idea starts with the gift of imagination! However, it has been proven that even the shortest pencil is better than the longest memory. Imagination needs to be captured otherwise it becomes a thing of the past. They are the first tangible thing that depicts the picture of the buildings we have imagined. Without them, we cannot fully capture or see the reality of that beautiful four bedroom duplex with a swimming pool and a lovely garden or the 100,000sqm of parking space with tons of convenience stores meeting the needs of various individuals.  They are the graphical representation of what a building will look like after construction and also helps in the process of evaluating the cost of erecting such a structure. In most countries, it is customary to obtain a permit or approval from appropriate authorities and Nigeria is not an exception. A Building plan approval is necessary before construction can commence.  ...

With the downturn in the economy and a smaller pool of active home buyers and sellers,  competition in real estate is fierce . What can you do, as a new or inexperienced real estate agent, to set yourself apart from the crowd and generate a steady stream of leads continuously? Some top concerns include: Which segment should I devote more time to?  The market is huge and I am not able to focus. How do I get my name out  in the community without spending thousands of dollars? How do I market effectively on a  very, very small budget ? How do I create a marketing message  that differentiates me and generates leads? How can I set myself apart  from the hundreds of other agents that I compete with in my area? What exactly does a real estate agent have to do  to find prospective clients for his business? Source: Tricia Andreassen