Crimson permanent assurance

Crimson permanent assurance (from Monty Python).

A real-estate future metaphor.

 

 

Now, the building is sailing
 

The great humour of the Monty Python gave us a metaphor on what the human will and effort can do for moving a building (real-estate) from the past to the adventure of the future, conquering new worlds.

 

You can remember it clicking here.

 

 

It´s a joke, and no one wants to end like at the movie. But it´s inspiring.

a bubble ready to
 burst

 

Also from the Monty Python (The Meaning of Life), we have another metaphor for the "bubble burst" we have experienced at real-estate business, caused by greed of tasting everything without paying attention to excesive acummulation of fat (credit). It makes the organism (companies) beeing unable to continue life that way,.. and it creates some unpleasant circumstances for the society close to them. Here you have the link

 

At real life, we need to understand why  have we experienced that burst, and what we do need to do for facing the future.

 

It is my opinion that both things have more to do with changes at the society, than with excesive leverage (which, being true, is not the central issue).

 

Internet, and concerns about environmental issues are changing the way people likes to do everything. And this includes the way they want to experience the city (both its public and private domains).

 

Today internet allows people doing a lot of things independently on where they are. But the old real-estate business still tries to force people going to their old office, at the same place, without needing it for doing their job. And forcing time and money waste in commuting.  

 

Also at the commercial real-estate you can see troubles understanding the post-internet world. When people can do their purchases online, if you want them to go to your shop, you need to offer different things than the ones they have online, even more if you notice that your costs are bigger compared with your online competitors (they use less sqm, utilities, workers,...).

 

Something is happening also at the hotel´s industry. Just take a look to airbnb.com succeed.

 

And, on the public realm, you can see how Uber is changing the transportation means. Or the very less people that goes to public offices for their communications with the public administration (what means less sqm needed for that purpose).

 

There are a lot more of examples, but the trend is clear with those.

 

People is asking for a different way of using the sqm. And real-estate industry still tries to develop, sell and use those sqm in the old way.

 

And the problem worsen if you remember that buildings being built today will last for decades, having them designed for yesterday needs, not for tomorrow ones.

 

As people are moving themselves much more, we need real-estate to move with them. It´s clear that we can´t move the bricks, but we can offer the same roof for who needs it just at that place and this instant. That goal is not totally achieved by the coworking centres, but they are on the trend, and it´s for that they are growing very fast.

 

The second trend is the environmental one. It´s not only a matter of allowing the earth for being able to keep life at it (of course, essential). It´s also a matter of the way people enjoy their life at the city. They want less noise, cleaner air, natural indoors light, greener public domains, walkable streets,...

 

And, as internet makes them free for doing what they need to do without the need of staying at their old city, they will move themselves to the place that offers them the quality of life they want. Chains are broken now.

 

The good news are that need of roof when it rains, or air conditioning will be still there.

 

People will still need buildings and streets,.. (cities), but a different kind of them. Understanding that is the key. 

 

 

The blog I´m starting today wants to be focused on that. At future posts I will try to get deeper on different specific issues for understanding the trend.

And I appreciate your comments. As future is being created now, the more brains on that task, the better options of doing it properly.