Anyone can commission a render. Very few organisations can point at a finished building, name the year it was delivered, and let you walk through it. In the Lagos market that distinction is the most reliable filter a buyer has.
Here is what to actually look for when assessing a developer's record.
Completed, not announced
Distinguish between projects a developer has delivered and projects it has launched. Both appear in marketing; only the first proves capability. Ask for the delivered list specifically, with dates.
Strongmas Development's delivered portfolio includes Strongmas Residence on Dele Adedeji, Lekki Phase 1, 4-bedroom smart terrace duplexes, sold out and handed over; The Omini on Akin Leigh Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, 1-bed, 2-bed and 3-bed penthouse apartments, sold out; Avions Court 1 at Abraham Adesanya; and Olive Mall on Adeniji Road, Lagos Island.
Range is a form of evidence
A developer that has delivered only one building type has proved one competence. A portfolio spanning terrace duplexes, apartment buildings, mixed-use schemes and commercial property has been tested against more conditions.
Olive Mall is a useful example of range, a three-floor, 715 sqm commercial building on Adeniji Road opposite Massey Children's Hospital, which is a materially different discipline from residential delivery.
Ask to speak to someone who lives there
The most informative conversation available to a prospective buyer is with an existing owner in a completed development. They will tell you about handover delays, snagging, service charges and building management, none of which appears in a brochure.
A developer confident in its delivery will facilitate that conversation. Treat reluctance as information.
Watch what is under construction now
Current sites show you present capability rather than past. Elysian Rise in Victoria Island is at eighth-floor slab, Kesbel Court in Lekki Phase 1 is at roofing stage, and Avions Court 2 in Ikota G.R.A. is approximately 90% complete.
Visit one. Fifteen minutes on an active site tells you more about a developer than an afternoon with the marketing material.
