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External communications play a vital role in the success and reputation of a residential estate.
Estate Living’s Chief Executive Officer Louise Martin shares the importance of crafting an external communication strategy that showcases the value, facilities, services, and environment of an estate. She also highlights why developing external relationships is vital for the success of any estate.
Lack of marketing and communication negatively affects property values
Developers invest millions into marketing when development is first launched, but in many cases, this stops when the development is handed over to the Homeowners Association. This is a huge mistake because without a marketing budget, post-development, it becomes difficult to maintain the value of the development, bring in buyers, make sales, and build the value of the community.
There are many beautifully located, great communities where the homeowners are happy, but without a strategy to tell investors and buyers about it, sales decline, and inevitably property values end up declining.
‘While word of mouth is fantastic in a small, concentrated area, it certainly does not do the job of a proper marketing campaign. Homeowners are not running around trying to bring in other homeowners, that is not their job or responsibility. Estates should not be treated as a secret gem or hideaway, a proper sales strategy supported by a good communication strategy is key,’ points out Martin.
A good communications strategy has become even more important with the rapid increase in housing estates and sectional titles across the country. “Our industry has become incredibly competitive, and buyers and investors are spoilt for choice. Estate management must put budget aside, to maintain the value of their community,’ advises Martin.
Be socially responsible
It is very important for estates to look beyond the gate and to be socially responsible when it comes to surrounding communities. The results speak for themselves – where estates are working with the community for the benefit of the greater area you see an overall improvement in the quality of life not just for the individuals living in the community, but also for the individuals who are servicing those communities and those who live close to the estate. In the long term, involvement in the surrounding communities adds value to the community and to the property prices in the estate.
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Martin says: ‘Look at the amazing work that has been done by the Broadacres Drive Association, of which Dainfern Estate is a member. The entire area has been cleaned up and the lives of all the people that work in that space have been improved. If you think about how interconnected estates are, especially in high-density areas like Johannesburg, imagine how much could be achieved if everyone had the same approach.’
‘Another great example of working together with the community is the Thesen Island development. When the estate was originally built, a white wooden picket fence was placed around each property. This fence became part of the architectural guidelines and so they employed the local community to produce these wooden fences, and they are still doing so today.’
Stakeholder engagement and clear communication to benefit all
Depending on the location of your estate, engaging with stakeholders can mean a lot of different things. Most commonly though it involves working with many NGOs and small company initiatives that focus on keeping streets clean, mowing lawns, and looking after the precinct. These kinds of initiatives play a big role in the upliftment of an area, and they help reduce urban decay, which brings business back into the area and creates job opportunities.
When it comes to service providers and residential estates there is a lot at stake when you’re putting service providers into your community and how those service producers are managed. It is important to follow protocol, to have a clear process when tendering, and a fair process that gives everyone an opportunity.
‘For me, the huge opportunity of residential estates is this – over the last 30 years we’ve learned so much about how to live and how to create these communities. It is time for us to take that knowledge and understanding and to share it with our communities so that they too can see the benefits of what a structured, well-run collective effort can bring to our quality of life.
‘Ultimately, investing in external communication, community engagement, and stakeholder collaboration is key to the long-term success and value of any estate,’ concludes Martin.
