Kgn mayor warns wayward developers
NEWLY INSTALLED Mayor of Kingston Andrew Swaby has promised greater collaboration with players in the booming local real estate sector, but warned that they must conform to Jamaica’s building and planning laws.
“At the KSAMC, we know that we cannot be on the ground at all times,” Swaby told the opening ceremony at the RE/MAX inaugural Real Estate Conference and Expo on Sunday.
“So we want to f orge a collaborative approach with industry players to ensure that what has been approved is what is constructed and, by extension, is being advertised for sale.
“While I understand that the contract with your clients i s indeed important, as they set the parameters for how you engage with each other, I want to impress on you all to ensure that the terms of engagement would not breach any other law, in this case the Building and Planning Acts.”
Swaby said he has already started meeting with government and private-sector experts to iron out existing issues of the sector, and noted that real estate professionals play an important role in the conveyance process.
The mayor offered his full support to Jamaica’s real estate boom.
DEEPER UNDERSTANDING
The opening ceremony for the RE/MAX Conference and Expo, held under the theme ‘Invest in real estate, accelerate your wealth, was held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.
The three-day conference promises to be a melting pot of ideas from various players in the industry, and that amalgamation was evident on Sunday.
Twelve speakers were slated to contribute over the three days, with members of the public having free access to a variety of display booths showcasing the best of Jamaica’s real estate sector. Visitors included developers, as well as representatives from financial lending agencies and construction companies.
Speakers i ncluded Hannah Fletcher, RE/MAX Costa Rica regional director; Shauna Chin, vice-chairman, global Jamaica Diaspora Council; and Dionne Sinclair, vice-president, clinical operations and chief nursing executive at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
The conference will also feature investment and personal development coaches, and organisers say it is an opportunity for Jamaicans to gain a deeper understanding of the market. More than 1,000 persons turned out for the opening ceremony.
“Our mission is to help people and companies buy, sell, and rent real estate. And for most, their journey to achieving their real estate goals have multiple steps for which they need information, products and services from several entities to achieve,” explained Roger Williams, interim Group CEO of Spectrum Group, which acquired RE/MAX Elite Realty and RE/MAX Jamaica.
“With rapidly developing factors ranging from affordability to environmental sustainability to technological disruption, these steps are increasingly evolving. To make it easy for people to navigate this journey, we at RE/MAX decided to bring the knowledge and access required in a single place under one roof,” he noted, encouraging dialogue, ideas and encouragement among the gathering.
Williams told the conference that in an effort to serve Jamaica’s real estate market where the service is most needed, RE/MAX will be increasing its outlets islandwide.
“Up to a year ago, we really had two for the 15 years we have been in Jamaica; one in Kingston and one in Montego Bay,” said Williams. “In the last six weeks we have opened three new offices; one in Portmore, one in Drax Hall, and one in Shortwood Road, here in Kingston as well.”
“In the next four or so weeks we are going to be opening one in Negril. We are not stopping there. The developments have been creating opportunities all across the island. So in the next 12 months, we will be opening additional offices in Trelawny, St Mary and Manchester,” he said, noting that St Thomas remains another key parish of interest.