Monday, July 7, 2014

Builders intensify presence outside Bogotá

Restriction in the capital and other towns pulse leads the industry to diversify portfolio.

The difficulties of the last two and a half to develop real estate projects in Bogotá, free housing program of the government and the major push they are having the big and middle cities, years have created a kind of 'migration' of firms Bogota construction to those destinations, a phenomenon that continues to increase significantly.

Dane figures from March show that in places like Barranquilla, Medellin, Bucaramanga and Neiva was growth in the licensed area above the main city of the country.

Both sectors Guild representatives of some of these firms explain that given the size and ability of companies traditionally 'cachacas' strategies have achieved the goal of these opportunities.

Sandra Forero, Executive President of the Colombian Chamber of Construction (Camacol) indicates that different regions came with a very interesting dynamic for the growth of the country and the same local situation, allowing the entry of other players.

He adds that in these cities the local government sector and believe you have been welcomed to firms Bogotá and other places, because they know that this activity generates development, employment and beyond lay bricks, since having serious projects and integrals, make the cities are transformed.

Edgar Garcia, manager of Plan Bolívar Construction, explains that the main push factor for that was the plan of free government housing, because it has opened further to allow space in these markets, brought business in other segments of the population and in mixed use (commercial and office centers as anchor housing projects).

For example, he explains in Ibague has been seen that there is possibility of second home for people of Bogotá or who want to have a building for retirement, a phenomenon also observed in neighboring towns to big cities and so far is discovering.

"With our free housing percentage of sales almost doubled compared to what was being done," said the manager.

STRATEGY WORKED

The president of Ospinas Andres Arango, since 2003, in the mortgage post-crisis of the late 90s and early first decade of the century saw the need to not concentrate the entire operation of a use or purpose and in a one city.

Eleven years after the vision has paid off in the current environment, because in his view, when the firm sets foot in a city is to stay. "If relationships are built with the authorities, with the unions and customers, and there is a chance the mall first opens and then uses expand," he adds.

This firm is to build a new shopping center in Cucuta and opens its doors in September Bocagrande Plaza shopping center, which also will have 120 apartments for third, a Hyatt hotel of 251 rooms and 74 apartments on this brand, furnished and decorated with standards of this chain.

Meanwhile, Amparo Polanía, president of the Colpatria Construction, notes that through a third unit construction projects have been undertaken in Neiva, Monteria and Buenaventura.

DIFFICULTIES OF EXPANSION

The arrival of large construction Bogota to other cities has had some own barriers to growth.

For example, in some cases there have been difficulties with the supply of materials, because they are markets that are not used to high volume operation. Furthermore, the lack of qualified personnel has also made ​​it necessary to bring people inside to new projects.

For Bolívar Construction, approximately 30 percent of the workforce is employed in the region in which efforts are made.

Also, the size of contractors and suppliers has also been a barrier, as institutions such as offices and notaries public instruments that are not used to this movement of paperwork and not have the infrastructure for it.

"These are cities that are used to sell 1,500 units a year and suddenly they can rise to 4,000 or 5,000," says Edgar Garcia, manager of planning this firm.

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