In the sometimes-confusing and always-volatile world of real estate, more leading builders and developers are turning to Condoville Real Estate and its group of companies for clear advice, intelligence and trusted counsel.
During the pandemic, we have all been inundated by data. All our screens have been a seemingly non-stop barrage of charts and graphs as we follow numbers, trends and try to learn from science. The importance of data has never been clearer and it has been guiding policies and actions for nearly two years.
This focus on what we can learn from data is teaching us that this can translate beyond just the health-care and science fields to other industries. Real estate intelligence-gathering and data analysis are highly specialized skills, and the ability to obtain that information, understand its hidden meanings and clearly communicate those findings are rare attributes to set up any company for success. Attributes Condoville Marketing possesses in abundance and uses as its competitive advantage during the most volatile real estate market in history.
“Information is integral to what we do, and we possess information that is generally not out there,” says Shaminder Gogna, founder and president of Condoville in a recent interview with Dolce. “The project analysis is the biggest thing, and insight and market intelligence are key. As a result of our intelligence and data analysis, we initially were providing information for preconstruction buyers, but then we realized we were now able to help builders and developers because we had buyers for their projects.”
Having the insight to identify emerging real estate markets before they hit the front pages is perhaps Condoville’s biggest asset and one it shares in developing strategic partnerships with landowners, developers and builders. Its services also include consulting with regards to the building or community mix, pricing, design, branding and creating a memorable customer experience.
“We can understand where a specific market is going because we’re always speaking with people who want to buy in the area,” says Gogna. “Buyers of a project tell us what they want in homes, bedroom and bathroom mixes, specific amenities, so we have our ear on the ground, and that information and intelligence are very valuable to builders and developers.”
An ideal illustration is the Niagara Region, Ont., and Condoville’s role as the exclusive sales company for the new Riverwalk Niagara, a boutique luxury condominium of 51 residences priced from the mid-$600s, making it affordable living compared to the Greater Toronto Area, and with expanded GO Train service from Niagara, only 90 minutes from downtown Toronto.
“OUR VISION IS TO HELP PEOPLE MOVE FORWARD IN THE MARKET, AND BY DEVELOPING SPECIFIC SITES, WE’RE OFFERING A PATHWAY TO REAL ESTATE OWNERSHIP”
“Governments are investing heavily in this area, including a new quarter-billion-dollar hospital, and there is a tremendous livability standard in the area,” says Gogna. “Niagara is dramatically undervalued and will significantly increase in value in the next five years. Niagara is a new market, and we’re creating opportunities for landowners, investors and developers. We’re market driven and what we’re building, the market wants.”
This type of marketing intelligence is what is making Condoville one of the emerging leaders in providing innovative real estate solutions just five years after its founding, and it fits with Condoville’s vision to bridge the gap for a generation who doesn’t think they can afford real estate.
“Our vision is to help people move forward in the market, and by developing specific sites, we’re offering a pathway to real estate ownership,” says Gogna. “It’s all about designing suitable solutions to purchasers’ requirements across generations between baby boomers and Gen Zs.”
Gogna’s dynamic leadership and business acumen are a far cry from his days as a young child, where it is safe to say that his goals were a tad underwhelming. “When I was a young child, my goal was to be a teenager,” laughs Gogna. With degrees from Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Toronto, Gogna started in a brokerage setting as the sales manager of more than 100 sales professionals. After working in his family business for a decade, Gogna founded Condoville Real Estate as a group of companies that streamline the process and operations required to sell master-planned communities and/or low- to mid-rise buildings, also applying his considerable skills when designing, marketing or selling sites.
In working on behalf of its clients, Condoville’s upfront work includes a comprehensive Project Verification Plan. It consists of three elements, including a Feasibility Study, using Condoville’s extensive knowledge and understanding of planning policies and regulations, and the technical and financial realities of the land development process. It then moves to the Site Concept and Design phase, which aims to maximize density based on regulatory city requirements, while keeping in mind market absorption rates, resulting in an understanding of product types, unit mix planning and profit potential. Finally, there is an overall Project Analysis, whereby clients gain access to the Condoville team of professionals to ensure accuracy on all documentation and contract management. These deliverables include items such as construction budgets and site plans.
It is a thorough process, but an example of the market intelligence and data analysis Condoville Real Estate brings to its clients on every project. The result is a product that works for a marketplace, to the benefit of not only the developer or builder, but also the end-user. Gogna’s goals did change as he grew up and his innovative processes, experience and noble aspirations have made Condoville a success.
“I knew I was going to be in business and leave a mark, but how?” recalls Gogna. “If we’re able to provide transparency for real estate solutions, that’s how we leave a mark. If we can make an impact by creating living solutions for people in their market, then real estate ownership is a possibility.”
