How do you decide which projects to list on UOWN?

We are pretty choosy when it comes to projects – quality over quantity! Our team sources deals through our network (including our parent company, the Parklane Group, and other developers). Here's a peek into our selection and due diligence process:

• Initial vetting: We look for projects with a strong business case – good location, realistic purchase price, solid demand for the end product (be it apartments, houses, hotel rooms, etc.), and an achievable exit strategy. We generally target developments where the expected return to investors is 10%+ per annum to ensure it's worthwhile. We also focus on deal sizes between £250k and £1.5m in funding needs, as those are sweet spots for our crowd.

• Developer track record: Who's behind the project matters. We prefer experienced developers or ones we know personally. If a third-party developer comes to us with a proposal, we check their background, past projects, and ensure they can deliver. In many cases, projects are co-developed with or sourced by the Parklane Group, which has 40+ years of real estate experience – that gives us (and you) a lot of confidence.

• Due diligence: We crunch the numbers ourselves – verifying the Gross Development Value (GDV) (i.e., what the property should be worth when completed), the build costs, the timeline, and any planning permissions. We consider market conditions in that area, potential sales prices or exit values, and even contingency plans (like 'could we rent it out if selling is slow?').

• Risk assessment: Every project has risks, but we ensure key mitigations are in place. For example, is there a buffer in the budget for overruns? Do we have independent surveyors lined up to monitor progress? Is the developer investing their own money (skin in the game)? We say no to projects that look too flaky or have razor-thin margins.

• Approval: Our investment committee goes over proposals. Only if we're comfortable putting our own money into it would we present it to UOWN investors. In fact, oftentimes UOWN (or Parklane) co-invests in the project alongside the crowd, aligning interests.

In short, UOWN curates projects. We don't just open the floodgates to anyone who wants to raise money. Generally, you'll see a handful of live projects at any time, not hundreds – that's by design. We want to maintain quality and give each deal the attention it deserves.