FROM DIRT TO DEALS
S T R A T E G I E S & T O O L S F O R D E V E L O P I N G P R O F I T A B L E B U I L D I N G S
A focused 5 day property development master program that takes you through the complete cycle
from raw land to an income producing asset, using a practical, real world approach.
Why This Master Program?
Property development is a step by step journey. When you follow the right process you minimise risk, secure funding, and deliver profitable buildings. This 5 day master program, based on the 6 PROCSA stages, takes you through the complete development cycle from raw land to an income producing asset. Each stage includes practical exercises so you walk away with tools, strategies, and templates you can immediately apply to your own projects.
About SoundRock & Your Facilitator
Sound advice built on a rock solid foundation
At SoundRock, we do not just build developments. We build value. With over three decades of experience in property development, leasing, and strategic project management, SoundRock Integrated Property Solutions is a trusted name in delivering commercial, retail, industrial, and residential projects across South Africa.
Our expertise spans the full development lifecycle, from site identification, feasibility and funding, through design, construction, leasing, and asset management. Every project is approached with precision, innovation, and a clear focus on profitability and sustainability.
We work alongside investors, developers, and financial institutions to turn concepts into thriving assets, ensuring that each project not only meets expectations but exceeds them. At SoundRock, our philosophy is simple: Integrate. Innovate. Deliver.
You will be guided by Mark Berman, Owner and Managing Director of SoundRock, who brings decades of hands on development and leasing experience into the room.
The 5 Day Journey
Day 1 – Site Selection & Due Diligence
Get the fundamentals right by choosing the right site and understanding every risk before you commit.
Identifying the right site: location, visibility, access
Ownership and title deed checks
Land claims, servitudes, and restrictions
Services availability: water, sewer, power, roads
Demographics and market analysis
Property valuation and comparable sales
Town planning: bulk, zoning, FAR, coverage
Offer to Purchase (OTP): structuring suspensive conditions
Practical: Build a due diligence matrix and OTP conditions precedent
Day 2 – Concept & Feasibility
Turn a good site into a viable development concept supported by solid numbers and leasing logic.
- Preparing a professional feasibility model
- Appointing the right professional team
(architect, quantity surveyor, planner, engineers) - Yield calculations: bulk rights, GLA, unit mix, parking ratios
- ROI, IRR and NPV explained in practice
- Leasing strategies as feasibility gatekeepers:
- Retail: 80% minimum pre let with signed offers and board approvals
- Industrial: long term leases with committed tenants before financial close
- Residential: pre sales, rental absorption or guarantees depending on product type
- Designing for efficient property management
- Practical: Prepare a feasibility study and leasing strategy
Day 3 – Design Development & Approvals
Move from concept to approved design while aligning with leasing, regulatory and risk requirements.
Moving from concept to design development drawings
Incorporating leasing requirements into design layouts
Municipal approvals: rezoning, SDP, building plans
Environmental, heritage and traffic impact processes
Engaging specialist consultants (EHS, traffic, services, ESG)
Practical: Map an approvals process and identify red flag risks
Day 4 – Procurement & Funding
Structure procurement and funding so the project can actually be built and financed on bankable terms.
- Procurement strategies: open tender, negotiated, design and build
- Funding structures: equity, mezzanine, senior debt
- Risk allocation and securities (guarantees, collateral, bonds)
- Achieving financial close and satisfying funding conditions
- Practical: Build a funding stack and procurement strategy
Day 5 – Construction, Leasing Implementation & Exit
Control delivery on site, implement leasing, and plan for a clean exit or long term hold.
Construction monitoring, reporting and cost control
Tenant coordination and leasing implementation
Handover to management: SLA’s, manuals, CoC’s, approved plans, warranties, municipal approvals
Exit strategies: hold, refinance, or dispose
Final practical submission: each participant presents a mini development proposal
Certificate awarded on completion
The PROCSA Stages
The program is structured around the recognised PROCSA stages so that everything you learn aligns with how real projects are initiated, designed, funded, built, and managed.
