Pillars of Growth
Organising chairman of the first Prestigious Developer Awards, KK Chua talks about his motivation behind hosting an event centred on honouring the best in the property industry
How did you get started in the property industry?
I have been in the property industry for more than 13 years. I started out as a real estate negotiator before opening up my own real estate agency. About 11 years ago, I was motivated to start investing in real estate because of my clients, who are serious investors. They would buy a few properties every year and make profits from the sale. As an investor, I get to reap the rewards from the appreciation in value as well as the positive rental yield from the properties.
What was the motivation behind organising the Property Insight Malaysia’s Prestigious Developer Awards (PIPDA) when there are already other property awards out there?
Unlike various overseas entities that organise the majority of property awards in Malaysia, we have a better understanding of our local developers and the market. By assessing developers based on their committed projects and track record, we highlight not just established developers, but also up-and-coming ones that have delivered on their promises to their customers. PIPDA is different from other awards because of its judging process. The winners are determined by the Malaysian Property Investors Association, our editorial board and the readers who voted on an online poll.
What were some of the difficulties faced during the organising of the event?
We received an overwhelming response to the awards. It was very challenging and difficult to determine the winner for each category, as the vote tally for some of them were quite close. However, as long as the developer received the most votes in its category, it would be declared the winner. The results were audited by HML & Co, a renowned local auditing firm.
What was the biggest take back from this event?
By organising this event, we have brought all the developers together. This networking opportunity does not happen often enough. Even though they may be competitors, they can still achieve synergy among them. A lot of good networking took place with the exchange of business cards, and I am sure some deals were also made. This will help developers become stronger and well-connected with their peers.
Is there a story behind the design of the award trophy?
The theme of the award ceremony and trophy was black and gold. The colours as well as the artistic and fluid design of the trophy were intended to reflect the commanding prestige of the awards in Malaysia.
Please share a tip with our readers as an insider of the property industry.
The one thing you should know is to invest as early as you can. Don’t look for the best property as there is no such thing. Don’t time the market. It is not about timing the market. It is about your time in the industry.