How SIERA created a trustworthy brand in the Gold Coast off the plan apartment market

For developers in the off the plan apartment space, brand is everything.

Brand isn't just how many press releases you send out or how many record sales you make. True brand power is built on a legacy of delivering quality projects.

Some developers focus their brand on the level of architecture they bring to the market, some on the exclusivity of their product. For others, it's the human element of developing.

While being an established builder and developer of high-end apartments, townhouses, and luxury homes in Brisbane's inner-ring, Siera Property Group had to ensure their strong reputation for delivering quality projects transferred to the off the plan apartment market on the Gold Coast.

SIERA’s approach has never been about the bells and whistles, it has always been about well-designed projects, in a good location, and understanding the desired lifestyle requirements of their future residents. 

Rather than having a string of projects on the Gold Coast they could point to, Siera's approach was more customer-facing, putting a face behind the brand.

SIERA Managing Director Brent Thompson, who is also on the board of the UDIA QLD Board of Directors, knew the importance of his role as the developer.

Since launching Tapestry on Chevron Island back in early 2022, Thompson is regularly onsite at the display, speaking to both prospective buyers and those who have purchased in the project ensuring these purchasers understand what sets SIERA apart when it come to the detail and delivery of each project.

Thompson knew the importance of humanizing the process.

"Ultimately, people you don't know are putting faith in you that you're going to build them their home," Thompson says.

"It's important that they feel both comfortable and confident you'll deliver on what you've promised. That's the biggest hurdle when it comes to working in off the plan development. The more transparent a developer can be, the more faith buyers will have in your product."

While having a strong brand to support off the plan sales is important, the true value lies in building a brand that consistently delivers and exceeds residents' expectations—both at settlement and long after. A brand that goes beyond the transaction not only adds lasting value to residents but also contributes positively to the communities in which these developments are built.

John Lightbody, Senior Project Leader at BDA Architecture, who has been collaborating with developers on the Gold Coast for the past 13 years, shared that it's rare for a developer to come along that you are genuinely invested in beyond your role as the project architect.

SIERA engaged BDA following their purchase of Chevron Island, bringing a clear vision for what they wanted to achieve.

"The passion from the team was evident from the very first meeting," Lightbody said. "While first-time multi-residential developers might delegate these types of discussions or rely on local representatives, Brent and his team were fully engaged from the start."

The project needed to be distinctive and make a significant mark, and everything SIERA did leading up to the site purchase, from conducting extensive research across various suburbs to profiling potential buyers, played a key role in their success.

Lightbody emphasized that they had a strong understanding of the Chevron Island area and wanted to ensure every design element was connected to HOTA (Home of the Arts), reinforcing the concept of Chevron Island as an extension of this cultural hub.

Lightbody believes SIERA’s background in Brisbane provided them a solid platform to develop on the Gold Coast.

"The team is very much into urban design coming from Brisbane. They picked a few Brisbane projects and wanted to bring that level of community to the Gold Coast."

"It's a very creative pocket of surfers, and they really wanted to drill in and focus on that in the first instance, then it was about delivering really high-quality facilities, with the view residents would really be able to make the most of, and proudly show off to guests.

SIERA’s second project, Pipis in Bilinga, was secured with plans ready for a 19-apartment development on The beachfront Golden Four Drive.

Ellivo Architects Associate Director Matt Martoo said it was clear in the early conversations with Thompson following the site purchase how genuine the team was about creating something special.

"While there were already plans for the 11-level tower, the SIERA team came in and made some tweaks to make it more in keeping with their brand and what they wanted to be known by," Martoo said.

"The majority of the changes were in the amenity, where they carved out more space to create something even more aspirational than what was drawn up before."

Read more: "An opportunity not to be missed" Why Siera Property Group couldn't say no to Pipis Bilinga

SIERA now has both its Tapestry project on Chevron Island and its Bilinga beachfront development Pipis under construction, with both slated to complete in 2025.

They have another approved project in Surfers Paradise, just off Northcliffe Beach, which they will be hoping to launch later this year.