Real Estate and Property Awards 2020

27 Real Estate & Property Awards 2020 BUILD Aug20531 ounded in 2015, Intro Crowd have been on a mission to make the housing market accessible to everyone. Utilising their bespoke online platform, the company enables the purchase of strategic land across the UK. They pool the resources of qualified investors to purchase selected sites and then sell the land to a housing developer. Primarily focusing on what is known as Strategic Land, undeveloped greenfield land that is located close to or within an existing settlement with a need for new housing, the firm selects this area due to there being no existing development, environmental implications, good road access and access to local amenities. Additionally, it also enables it to be sustainable in nature, which is generally what house builders are looking for in new sites. The team at Intro Crowd is small but experienced. Founded by Gregory Baker, the internal planning team is headed by Land and Planning Director Christopher Merriman, who has 25 years of experience working in residential property. He selects the sites based on a range of criteria including the location, sustainability, environmental issues and the local planning picture. Once the site is fully funded through Intro Crowd’s platform, Christopher takes it through the planning process with the local authority. The company’s mission is to change the housing market. They want to see a market that is accessible to everyone. Many first-time buyers and young people are priced out of the market and it is a struggle, if not an impossibility, for them to become property owners. It has led to the rise and need of affordable housing. Once they have purchased the land, Intro Crowd is in a position to choose to sell to developers who will construct affordable housing and help to bring an end to the housing crisis across the country. Gregory Baker (Founder and CEO) explained: “We specifically focus on bridging the gap between the number of homes available in the UK versus how many homes are needed. There is a severe housing shortage across the country and Most Pioneering Strategic Land Investment Company – UK First-time buyers in the UK are in a difficult position compared to the generations that came before. Property ownership is an unattainable dream for many young adults, but Intro Crowd have found a way to give a boost to the market, and are pushing for greener, more affordable housing through the pioneering use of their bespoke online platform. F particularly a shortage of genuinely affordable homes too, and we want to change this. To make this housing shortage more complicated, there is also a lack of suitable land being identified for development, and particularly for smaller developers, and we hope to increase the number of sites being identified for development.” As well as striving to provide genuinely affordable homes in the UK, Intro Crowd focus on greener methods of construction. Currently, most homes are built using methods that have been around for decades and are no longer sustainable. “As we enter into this new decade,” Gregory Baker said, “we’re pushing for the use of more sustainable materials that are widely available in the UK rather than sources overseas, and also the use of modular construction to speed up development.” The company is keen to hunt out the most strategic land that is ripe to be developed. They look for areas where there is a clear demand for future housing or a need for space for amenities that accompany it. In addition, strategic land can be defined by its ease of access. For example, land near to key roads, or land used primarily for utilities and public or private infrastructure. Such sites are usually within or beside locations that may be put to future residential use, and Intro Crowd are experts at identifying these prime locations. The business model is pioneering, inventive, and effective. Whereas a single investor may not have the cash to put towards large land investments, Intro Crowd unify the financial might of many behind a clear vision for a greener, more affordable future. If you are interested in the future that Intro Crowd is working towards, you can find out more information on how to become involved and invest at their website, www.introcrowd.com . Company: Intro Crowd Contact: Matthew Baker Website: www.introcrowd.com This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. This article does not amount to an invitation or inducement to buy or sell an investment nor does it solicit any such offer or invitation in any jurisdiction. In all cases, readers should conduct their own investigation and analysis of the data in the article. Readers are strongly encouraged to seek independ- ent legal and financial advice when considering an investment in strategic land. All statements of opinion and/or believe contained in this article and views expressed and all projections, forecasts or statements regarding future events represent Intro Crowd's own assessment and interpretation of information available as at the date of this article. No responsibility or liability is accepted by Intro Crowd for reliance on the contents of this article