From this weeks presentation from Tim Peisley, we learnt aboutEstate Master and is specifically focused on the developer and investors, providing accurate valuations and feasibility reports that support their projects to be successful. Here the information generated by spreadsheet is easily to functional and understood by the clients. Also meaning these tested features saves quite a bit of time working through formulas . Other interesting functions of Estate Master help the property projects through various stages of developments, including:
1. Development Feasibility: that assist on the financial outcome of the development.
2. Development Management: manages development projects from start to end.
3. Corporate Consolidation: property portfolio.
4. Hotel Feasibility: Model revenue and expenses on hotel models.
5. Investment Appraisal: calculate property value and return rates.
Before choosing Estate Master, developers look at some of the key qualities of this software…
the software is becoming to industry standard from its adaptability and efficiency, used by 1000 companies and 10,000 users internationally. For example, valuers, property consultants, fund managers, property developer, and governments. It is easier to adapt and use than spreadsheet which means clients can use the excel functions/ calculations in easy understandable ways. Also consistency, transparency and efficiency are the strong element to allow sharing information between peers that minimises errors through strict discipline and test models to ensure the efficiency of the software. In addition, reducing risks through sensitivity and probability analysis to make more reliable predictions.
Further information on EM Functions…
- Ability to store unlimited cash flows
- DF, DM and IA
- Easily retrieve and export cash flows
- Create unlimited portfolios for your organization and projects
- Run unlimited comparison or consolidated reports for your portfolios
- Additional security for upper managements
- Can convert into Excel or Word document.
For more information: www.estatemaster.net
Pros and Cons
An important asset in this software is the feasibility analysis. It gives the managers/ owners the key tools to assist decision-making processes. Particularly the scenario analysis, sensitivity and probability analysis help to make the final decision on investment and managements decisions. It provides information on whether the project is acceptable or should be rejected. We primarily look at time value of money, percentage of investment returns, cover of expenses, potential growth rates .
On the other hand, these analyses need to update accordingly due to external influences such as an up or downward growing economy or government policy changes. Which means the managers have to identify the likely fluctuations and adjust to the real world as the software can not keep up to date with these changes it self.
Will Estate Master software stand the challenge of time?
I found an interesting longer term supporter of Estate Master and have been giving some feedbacks to the software. Stephen Philp is the Head of Capital Transactions at Colonial First State Property has been using Estate Master for the last four years. With over AUD$15 billion of combined funds and assets under management, Colonial First State Property is one of Australasia’s leading property fund managers. Mr Philp is a current user of the Estate Master DF and Estate Master DM models for property development feasibility and development management. He believes the popularity of Estate Master within the property industry is because it is so easy to use. “I think that is one of the key factors to why the market has adapted to it so readily. The people that we deal with understand it. It takes into account the more complicated things that have come into the development industry like GST and stamp duty, other equity and hybrid type debt structures.
“If our client uses the same calculation model it has a distinct advantage over starting from scratch every time because there’s always the possibility of human error in calculations. I can transfer files across to another party for them to review and vice versa. It provides streamlining between various groups that use the Estate Master software.”- Says Stephen Philp
Related articles
- Estate Master (isabelljohnson.wordpress.com)
- Top tips on starting out in property development (theformationscompany.com)
Information Technology and Property 