As highlighted in our recent research report, we are repeatedly seeing something concerning in the Channel Islands’ already thin investment market.
Deals falling through. Significant price negotiations.
Not because of pricing. Not because of wider market conditions.
Because of poor property management.
Purchasers are now scrutinising every aspect of a building, far beyond a basic survey — has future capex been planned out years in advance, maintenance records, compliance documentation, compartmentation surveys, service charge reconciliations, occupier satisfaction and ESG credentials.
And when they find gaps?
They renegotiate. Or they walk.
In a small market like the Channel Islands, this matters enormously. There are not hundreds of deals a year. Every abortive sale costs time, money and reputation for both parties.
There is a long standing joke in the industry that property management is the least glamorous part of surveying. No headlines, no ribbon cutting, no “deal of the year” awards. But it is increasingly clear that it is one of the most important when it comes value retention.
The lesson for CI property investors: proactive management is not a cost centre. It is value protection. The work you do (or do not do) during ownership directly affects what you realise on exit.
If you are considering selling in the future, the time to get your house in order is now, not when the buyer’s surveyor starts asking questions.
