Understanding Builder to Builder Residential Land Transactions

This research sought to understand housebuilders’ land market behaviours. It was based mainly on twenty in-depth interviews with leading housebuilders, conducted in April and May 2008. The research was primarily concerned with factors that shape land acquisition strategies and influence the decision to purchase, sell and/or resell plots of land. More specifically the research examined the transactions that take place between one developer and another rather those between developers and other landowners. It revealed that developers seek to control their exposure to market risk and uncertainty by managing their relationships with other actors in the development process, primarily landowners, planners and other developers. Developers perform most effectively where these relations are well managed and stable and suffer where they are badly managed or turbulent.

Researchers

  • David Adams
  • Chris Leishman
  • Lucy Cartlidge
  • Craig Watkins (University of Sheffield)

Timescale

March to June 2008

Funder

UK Department for Communities and Local Government

Publications

Adams, D., Cartlidge, L., Leishman, C., & Watkins, C. (2008), Understanding Builder to Builder Residential Land Transactions, Department for Communities and Local Government, London.