4 features new developments in Sydney need post-COVID-19

Although the world has not recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s safe to say that Australia is currently living in a post-COVID-19 world. With the majority of restrictions removed and the country slowly returning to normalcy, people are now moving on with their lives. Even though the threat of COVID-19 in Australia has subsided, the behaviour and needs of companies and people have changed. People have now altered the way they work, live and travel while companies have started to review how and where they expect employees to work. This evolution in human behaviour and corporate needs has overturned what is needed from new commercial and residential home developments in Sydney.

When the needs of these new developments change, property developers must take notice. They should use the needs of prospective tenants and owners to change what their properties contain and how they are built. This won’t only help in the attractiveness of their properties to tenants and buyers, but also aid in their profitability as people are more willing to pay a premium price for a home or business space with all of the amenities that they want and need.

In this article, we’ll identify and discuss four features that property developers need to consider when constructing new home developments in Sydney. Bear in mind that these features aren’t meant to be revolutionary or surprising, and many developments likely contain them already, however, by identifying them, property developers will understand the importance of including them in future developments.

4 features every new home development should have in Sydney

Concierge services

Concierge services in apartment developments have become important for providing residents with support. During the pandemic, residents became needier and required more help with simple tasks as fear of contracting the virus spread and more people were working from home. Collecting deliveries, liaising with tradespeople and arranging use of the building’s facilities suddenly became more complex and difficult for some residents. This is where concierge services became important and relied on. This reliance has not eased up and now, with residents highly valuing concierge services.

Why do property developer need to know this? A concierge needs a front desk in the lobby of the apartment building – a feature that not every development has.

Larger kitchens

In the height of the pandemic, dine-in and takeaway service at restaurants were closed and more people were forced to cook and entertain at home. Even as the pandemic in Australia eased, the Government implemented a restriction on the number of people allowed in a group booking. This forced people to move restaurant experiences for large groups to their homes. With this, came a greater interest and appreciation in at-home cooking and for spacious kitchens. 

It is unlikely that this ‘want’ will change anytime soon as more homeowners are cooking and entertaining at home.

Home offices

It’s well-known that the majority of companies allowed their employees to work from home unless it was absolutely necessary that they be at work. But, did you know that many companies continued to allow their employees to work from home even when the cases in Australia drastically reduced? Companies discovered that allowing employees to work from home did not only save them money (they no longer need to spend money on a large commercial space), but it also made employees more productive.

For this reason, residents now require a dedicated home office space. Many residents have previously resorted to using their living areas, bedrooms or dining rooms. However, this proved to be distracting and uncomfortable for many. It’s safe to say that a dedicated home office space will be an extremely attractive feature to residents, especially since it seems that working from home is here to stay. 

Outdoor living areas

It’s no secret that Australia is home to beautiful weather. The pandemic taught many people stuck at home that outdoor spaces should never be undervalued as it quickly became the best spot to enjoy in a home or apartment. Whether you are developing a new home or apartment complex, ensure that you invest in the outdoor living area and its landscape. A rooftop garden, terrace or patio will now be one of the most popular and sought after features of prospective residents.

COVID-19 turned many things in the world upside down, including property development. We hope that by identifying these newly popular features, property developers are better able to determine what is attractive to prospective residents and what will make their developments profitable.