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You live in London on a daily basis, so where did the idea to start a business in Poland come from?
My family is emotionally connected to Poland, as my wife’s father was born and raised in Kraków. The idea to create Angel Poland came when the countries of Central Europe were joining the European Union. At that time, in a country of 40 million citizens, there was a lot to do and great opportunities were opening up. We were first enchanted by the historic city of Kraków, then by Wrocław, where we saw extraordinary potential in terms of implementing interesting projects along beautiful rivers and soothing greenery. This combination is something that reflects our philosophy, so we are fortunate to be able to combine these two things: we are in the heart of the city, but at the same time close to nature.
So how do you assess the potential of the Polish real estate market?
Poland is a country of many prospects. It is thriving, but if we talk about the broader real estate market, the housing needs of Poles are still not satisfied. There is a need for new apartments as well as other properties such as hotels. However, from the beginning we focused on the premium segment, which was something new in Poland twenty years ago. When we started our first projects, no one knew what the luxury real estate market could be. Today, after twenty years, we look with pride at what we have been able to create and how aware our clients are of their investments. The potential of the Polish market is still very high. Poland is a beautiful country with an amazing history and people so I am happy that we can share new ideas and bring our identity to them. However, when using its potential, one should always be sensitive to the surroundings of the planned investments: local communities and the spirit of history, which always has a special place in our projects.
What is “premium” in relation to Angel Poland Group’s investments?
Our business is based on four pillars that define both us and the properties we create, which we are proud to note are becoming a benchmark for other premium projects. These are location, the intention that our projects function as an integral part of the city, lifestyle and social responsibility. We are lifestyle creators and we develop our next projects from A to Z. We create concepts, we are their general contractor, we build long-lasting relationships with our clients, but we also manage already completed projects, including rentals, to provide them with comprehensive service and security for their investment at every stage. Our properties gain significantly in value, and we build for generations. This convinces our clients, motivates us and encourages further development.
So just building today is not enough to talk about premium?
We come to the most important one, because in our opinion, definitely not. I always emphasize that our greatest value is our people. This has led us, over the course of 20 years, to develop a new definition of “premium” that goes beyond the commonly accepted standards. To be sure of the highest quality of our investments, we created Angel Construction, which is the general contractor for our projects. We also established Angel Management, which manages the properties, keeping them in top shape for years to come so that their value constantly increases. The holistic approach is more than erecting a beautiful building and selling it. As a part of Angel Management, we also manage leases and comprehensively service our clients’ real estate portfolios. Our experience allows us to earn the highest profit for investors without the expense of their labor and the need to commit such valuable time. All this strengthens the mutual bond and trust. I am very happy that we have created such a relationship model. It is one thing to proclaim slogans about a comprehensive approach to construction, and another to confirm with your experience and past realizations the declared quality. This is the modern trend in the premium real estate market.
So who is the customer who chooses to purchase an Angel property?
As I mentioned earlier, our approach to real estate includes creating new communities. This makes us special to our customers, just as they are to us. We are extremely grateful that most of the customers who buy apartments in our properties come back for further investments. These are people who are aware that premium is the best form of capital investment. It is not only a secure investment, but also a guaranteed profit. For this reason, the demand in this market segment exceeds supply. In recent years, we have had global crises that only confirmed this fact. Inflation was rising at an alarming rate, money was rapidly losing value, and at the same time premium real estate recorded successive increases. A perfect example is one of the apartments in Kraków’s Angel Stradom, whose sales broke a record on the secondary market. Its owner gained more than 3 million PLN on the transaction. He bought it from us paying 30 thousand PLN per square meter, and after a year and a half sold it for 48 thousand PLN. Our customers are fully aware of the uniqueness of the Angel properties. On top of that, we guarantee them exceptional financing terms, as we are one of the few developers allowing 10/90 payment. Our relationship with our customers goes beyond just selling. We focus on their comfort. We provide real estate services in terms of management, but also in terms of rental, by which we make sure that investors’ capital is working all the time. We create great new places that are not only able to meet their requirements, but often surpass them. Our clients are our partners, who over the years have trusted our experience and confirmed that we offer the highest quality at every level of cooperation.
APG’s 20 years in business means two decades of experience, and what does your future look like?
Twenty years ago, we started with buildings and hotels that had an impact on the surrounding neighborhoods. We’ve learned a lot from each project and have always sought to expand our horizons, which translates into our valuable experience. I am excited about the next 20 years of APG. Expect at least as original, and innovative, high-end developments as OVO Wrocław, Krakow’s Angel Wawel, Angel Stradom and the Stradom House 12-14 Autograph Collection by Marriott luxury hotel, which opened in April this year. All the time we focus not only on creating unique living spaces that become an integral part of old Kraków and Wrocław. In the case of Wroclaw, we are currently developing our newest project – The Upper House by Angel, which is the culmination of our twenty years of experience in the premium segment, already considered the most prestigious and highly anticipated investment. The best architects of Angel Poland Group are working on it, in cooperation with internationally respected architectural studios. This makes us unique. Not only do we create exceptional living spaces, but we also create a new urban lifestyle centered around our investments. It is with the communities and the next generations in mind that we realize new unique projects.