The art of acquiring your ideal apartment

Across Sri Lanka, apartments have now grown to be a ubiquitous feature of the urban landscape, springing up in the hearts of cities as well as their suburban arteries. With this glut in supply, buyers are left with the difficult decision of narrowing down their choices and identifying which apartment matches most or all of their needs.

So how do they accomplish this? The first thing any apartment hunter needs to find is a good developer with a reputation for quality and deliverability. As General Manager – Engineering, Shaminda Hewapathirana, from eminent developer Prime Residencies continuously emphasises, it is vital that your chosen developer provides what they promise.

“There are a lot of developers in the country but not everyone deliver the product which they promise. While some may do this, others fail to meet this promise and surprisingly some  do not deliver anything at all,” said Hewapathirana further highlighting that Prime has taken 25 years to come to where they are now and their roots are wider, deeper and stronger today. ‘We take the full responsibility of protecting our customers and their hard earned money. We assure that anyone come to Prime is in safer hands. We have delivered 32 luxury apartment projects within a short span of 5 years which amounts to over 1800 individual units thanks to the loyal customer base who has kept their trust and confidence in us.

“We should always look to deliver what we promise. As a prospective buyer, that is the first thing we should consider – whether we are actually going to get what we are promised. There are many developers in the country that are incapable of doing this. To reach a particular level, you need deep expertise across the board, sound financing and inspired architects. But most of all, you need experience.”

Hewapathirana says the experience derived from multiple projects lends a developer the technical know-how required to understand and overcome many of the recurring challenges associated with constructing an apartment in Sri Lanka. These include delays that might crop up while seeking approval from external parties such as utility providers. Furthermore, experienced developers also provide prompt and dependable after-sales service since they appreciate just how important it is to build and maintain a reputation for reliability among current and potential apartment owners.

He stressed that ultimately a competent developer would provide the most important guarantee of the entire process – a high-quality product. An exemplary developer would achieve this through best practices governing the supervision of construction, selection of suitable building materials and maintenance of deadlines.

After nailing down a developer, the second crucial step for a prospective buyer is selecting a suitable location. This decision hinges on considerations such as travel, safety and convenience.

“That’s why our apartments are sold even before construction commences   because we are selecting good locations where there is minimum traffic and maximum convenience,” revealed Shaminda Hewapathirana.

The third most vital aspect that should be considered before investing in an apartment is perhaps the first thing that pops into anyone’s mind ahead of a prospective purchase – a suitable budget. This requirement links to the previously outlined goal of finding a fitting location and meeting other relevant necessities. This calls for careful planning instead of hasty spending which could result in a heap of wasted expenditure.

“Once these options are in place, you have to study and devise a proper architectural plan. You have to ensure that the plan is user-friendly and matches all your requirements. For instance, if you have three kids you may need three bedrooms. If you need your apartment as a studio or holiday home, then one or two rooms are enough but if you are going to live your entire life there then you may need a bigger apartment,” Hewapathirana asserted.

He said that you have to go through a similar process when gauging a property’s facilities, understanding just how much bang you are getting for your buck, whether your apartment offers features such as a gym, swimming pool, adequate parking, ample security, a backup power supply, high-speed internet and proper garbage disposal.

“The Prime Group fulfills all of these requirements. It offers the best locations, sturdy materials, expert engineering and quality assurance teams, knowledgeable external consultants and reliable after-sales service to meet the highest quality and safety standards available. Through this, we have built a strong reputation as a respected developer which delivers all that it promises.”

Prime, commenced operations 25 years ago, has seen its own unwavering principle of being ‘committed to create a better place on earth’ lead it to new and innovative frontiers of success. Last year the Prime Group was presented with the ‘Best Developer’ title at the ‘Property Guru’ Asia Property Awards in addition to being recognised as one of Sri Lanka’s 25 best companies to work for by the Great Place to Work Institute for 5 consecutive years. Prime was also recognised as one of the Most Respected Entities in the Country by LMD magazine for three years since 2016.