Home-builders see post-flood increase in business this year
The Home Builder Association expects the value of its member firms' new business to come in at Bt12 billion this year, following a drop in demand in the final quarter of last year.
Last year’s market was about Bt11 billion, below the association’s target of Bt11.5 billion mainly due to the severe floods and rising fuel prices, president Patchara Tantayanyoun said yesterday.
The association expects the market value among its member companies will be about Bt12 billion this year, as many customers that delayed making decisions during the floods will now press ahead with their plans.
The overall home-building market is worth Bt60 billion a year.
Meanwhile, average prices are tending to increase in line with the economy, she said.
To boost the segment of the market dominated by its members, the association’s policy for 2012-2013 remains focused on raising standards for housing that is more acceptable to potential purchasers, she added. The main plank of the policy involves lifting professional standards and public awareness of home-building. The association will focus on developing its members’ potential, particularly as regards development of standards and quality of service to give buyers the utmost satisfaction.
It will establish a home-building professional development programme concentrated on training, development and know-how.
Besides the association’s members, other home-builders will have the chance to join the programme so that the standard of the whole industry can be lifted.
Moreover, Patchara said, the programme would help prepare home-builders and increase their competency on the international stage as the 2015 implementation of the Asean Economic Community fast approaches.
The association also plans to develop a database related to home-building business. This will include more intensive academic work, particularly consumer analysis on how best to meet public demand, and joining with organisations such as the Real Estate Information Centre and the Government Housing Bank to undertake research.
Another main policy objective is to increase awareness of home-building, she said, adding that while the association had always striven to achieve this, it needed to take further action through marketing activities and campaigns like “Home Builder Focus” and the “Home Builder Fair”. It will also communicate with the public to provide a better understanding of the sector with academic articles covering such matters as knowledge of home-building, construction materials and financial issues.
“Our policy remains one of paying the main attention to consumers, particularly through communications and building awareness of home-building, which we have done very well [to date].
“The share [of the overall market] and sales of each of our members have increased. We have also seen the development of each company into something more professional. We will continue these efforts, together with a variety of offers,” Patchara said.
