Is Sintra Developments a totally independent company?
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Yes. Sintra is a property development agency that works directly for our clients to help them achieve the best outcomes from their projects.
While Sintra has built a network of tried and true industry experts including town planners, builders and architects, we’re always independent of them and seek out the best value for our clients every time. |
We’re in contact with many real estate agents who keep us informed of new sites coming up. However we negotiate for our clients in a similar way to a buyer’s agent and we do not receive fees or commissions from these professionals for any business we may generate.
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What type of clients do you have?
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Our clients range from young single men and women or couples to middle-aged people and retirees. They may be time poor or simply need Sintra’s expertise with the project management. They may already own a site but aren’t sure how
to develop it. Many people want to generate cash flow over a relatively short period of time, while |
others want to increase equity quickly so they can invest in other projects.
Some of our clients love the satisfaction of creating new premises from scratch and others want to be actively doing something with the property rather than ‘holding and waiting’. |
Why do you specialise in Brisbane and its surrounds?
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Brisbane is Australia’s third largest capital city. The area covered by the Brisbane City Council is one of our fastest growing municipalities. The Council’s recent Brisbane Economic Development Plan 2012-2031 states that “With growth from today’s $114 billion economy to an expected $217 billion by 2031, Brisbane is on track to become one of the world’s most prosperous cities.”
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Brisbane has the advantage that many of the houses are movable, which means you can do more with existing properties. Also the typical size of a development means you don’t need to have loads of cash to take on a project.
Sintra Developments focuses on Brisbane central suburbs where the best returns tend to be located but can also work out of Brisbane, in areas such as Gatton and Ipswich. |
Is Sintra licensed?
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Yes, Sintra holds several licences related to project
management, construction and real estate. Marco Mendes has an Advanced Diploma of Building and Construction (Management) as well as a Project Managers licence (Builder – Project Management Services) and a Builders licence (Builder - Low Rise and Builder – Open Site Supervisor) with the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). |
These licenses can be verified on the QBCC website.
In addition, in Queensland, a real estate agent needs to hold a full real estate licence and Marco’s licence can be confirmed on the Office of Fair Trading OLD website. |
What if I live in another state, or even overseas? |
That is not a problem and, in fact, many of Sintra’s clients don’t live in Brisbane. We keep our clients well informed via email, phone, and site visits if they want to come to Brisbane.
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We’ll also send photos and regular updates.
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What if I know nothing about developing property? |
Sintra will take care of everything from
council approvals to design and fittings. As a Sintra client, if you want to learn about the process, Sintra is also happy to guide you and inform you every step of the way. |
Is there a good or bad
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There is no good time or bad time for property development. If the feasibility study is done correctly and conservatively, a property development can be successful in any economic
environment. |
Sintra will always take into account the current market conditions when doing a feasibility study. For
example, we’ll factor in longer selling times if the market is slow, or factor in higher buying prices for the site when the market is hot. |
How much money do I need to get started? |
Many people think they would not have enough money to be a property developer. But small value-add projects and site developments in Brisbane do not require a huge amount of start-up funds.
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Often our clients find that their equity and salaries will be sufficient for their first development.
And then many will take on further developments after their first one is successful. |
What ongoing commitments
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There are two types of ‘commitment’.
There will be financial commitments throughout the development which Sintra will work out with you upfront. |
The other is the time or emotional commitment. Depending on the services you want Sintra to provide, we can do some or all of the work for you. That way you’ll never have to, say, leave your own job early for an on-site meeting with the builder to resolve something. Sintra will do it for you.
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Can I save costs by doing some things myself? |
You can choose to do some things yourself if you prefer. But we find that if Sintra project manages the development completely from start to finish, this often results in better overall outcomes.
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This is because each stage of the development is connected, so if one step is delayed that will affect all of the other steps.
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Are you currently looking at any sites I may be interested in? |
Yes, we’re always liaising with agents and keeping on top of the real estate market so there may already be a site for sale that will work for you. But Sintra will not rush to recommend a site just because there is one on the market.
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We’ll take the time to find out exactly what you are looking for and seek out a site specifically for you.
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If I already own property how do I know if it can be developed? |
Simply call us and we’ll be happy to give you some advice about your property.
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How long will my project take to complete? |
It depends on the type of development. Typically a new construction, splitter or slider will take around
12-24 months, from finding a site through to selling the developed offering at the end. A renovation would usually take less time. |
Townhouse sites depend if they are purchased with an existing DA or not. If they already have a DA, it will be about 12 months and without a DA around
18-24 months. |
How will I know whether to sell or rent the property? |
This will depend on your objectives. If you want to make a profit quickly and move on to something else, you may prefer to sell as soon as the development has been completed.
If the new property will contribute better to your financial aims by providing a solid rental return for years to come, plus provide equity to invest in other projects, you may wish to hold on to it. |
Some clients start off thinking they want to take one course of action and change their mind during the development. That is what Sintra is there for. We’ll help with changes in strategies and always work with you to achieve the best outcome.
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