As Real Estate contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, takes the upward swing, stakeholders have begun strategizing on how bring the industry to digital speed. This idea was articulated by various interests within the built sector at the second edition of the Property Buyers’ Forum, PBF, oraganised by 3Invest Limited.

3Invest, a notable Real Estate advisory firm, in its support for the Global Social Media Week and its advocacy for a digital Real Estate space, opened this discourse at the Lagos edition of the Social Media Week. Currently, Real Estate is insignificant in the about 2% E-commerce contribution the nation’s GPD.

Speaking on the theme of the event “Building Your Property Ladder Through Social Media”, Chief Executive Officer of 3Invest, Ms. Ruth Obih submitted that digitalization is the way to go for Real Estate, saying; digital media should be engaged for market sustainability. “It not that engaging print or electronic media is a bad idea, the truth is that the digital space engenders sustainability and it is free. Social Media is free, even print and electronic media have embraced the reality of e-copies because as soon as newspaper hit the stand, it becomes “Suya” wrap the next day”, Ms. Obih explained, quoting the pope as saying “Internet… is something truly good. It is a gift from God”.

The 3Invest boss further took the audience through a number of digital applications and how they have helped 3Invest built its brand, advocated for the industry, as well as made work flow easy and accessible to the company’s associates across the globe. She however hinted that whatever platform Real Estate professionals find themselves using, they must understand that a digital plan is important and good content is the soul of social media.

Further testifying to the benefits of engaging digital marketing to sell Real Estate, Mr. Tunji Osinulu of ARM Properties attested that the use of online platform helped increased sale of their Award-winning Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate, confirming that “Over 70% of the sales we’ve made on Lakowe Lakes have come from our website”.

Also at the event promoted with the hashtag #SMWOwnAHome on Social Media, Managing Director, Alphamead Facilities and Management Services, Engr. Femi Akintunde also lend his voice on the need for industry stakeholders to welcome the digital trend. Engr. Femi who presented on “Online Benchmarking tools in Facility management” stated that Real Estate being a wealth creation asset, it is essential to Benchmarking. He hinted that with the FM online Benchmarking system, FM professionals can measure what their peers are doing across the world.

The PBF took its design a notch further this year hosting Mortgage, Wealth and Real Estate Employment clinics respectively. Explaining the new dimension the event, Ms. Ruth Obih said, “these clinics become imperative to buttress our position as a forward-looking brand. The Nigeria’s mortgage sector is receiving a boost and we expect the effects to dwindle down to create a new class of investors and a new army of workforce. Therefore, as a brand who have advocated for these over the years, we must be seen at the vanguard of matching our words with action; ensuring that there’s an informed pool of investors and an equipped army of workforce”.

Ms. Obih appreciated the trio of Diamond Bank Plc, ARM Properties and Jobberman.com for agreeing to sponsor and partner the dream of respectively.

Diamond Bank walked the attendees through the procedures for accessing mortgages in line with the recent developments Nigeria Mortgage Refinancing Corporation, NMCR and Lagos H.OM.S. Mr Raphael of ARM Investment delivered helpful tips to attendees on how to build wealth by conscious savings and strategic investing in the Real Estate.

The exhibitors at the event, some of whom are property developers, Include Grand Imperio, HFP Engineering Services, Property Mart, Alpha Mead Development Company, Rifeng and International Property Development Company all made presentations of their products and services to the excited audience who were mostly homebuyers and mortgage seekers

Some of the notable participants at the event were Mr Uzoma Dozie of Diamond Bank, Mrs Ayona Trimnell of Diamond Bank, Mr Athiel Greenidge, Director, 3Invest, Mr Tayo Sonuga, MD, Haven Homes, Mr Obi Asika, Chairman Social Media Week, Mr Weynmi Edodo of IPDC, Mr Brian of HFP production Factory, Ms Allie Morse of Lamudi, and Ajoke Ogunlaja of CMB amongst others

Property Buyers’ Forum is an annual event that’s designed by 3INVEST to connect home sellers and buyers. However because of its success at initiating conversations that can catalyse change within the Real Estate sector, there have been calls from various quarters for the event to be made a quarterly one, despite only being in its second edition.

3INVEST is one of Africa’s leading real estate brands with technology driven innovations that is changing the way real estate organizations operate in this 21st century. From anchoring the first syndicated real estate show on radio to convening the power brokers in the business for the annual Real Estate Summit, 3INVEST has built a reputation in the sector as the go-to company for commercial real estate services in today’s market.

2014-02-24