The Development
Playbook

Calculator T-09 / Available

A beautiful site still has to pass discipline.

Convert early acquisition judgement into a structured go, conditional-go, or no-go screen before the site absorbs too much time and capital.

Acquisition screen

Price

Maximum bid

KES 180.4m

Headroom to ask

KES 400,000

Deposit at risk

KES 18.0m

Land rate

KES 90,000 / m²

Conditions to clear

  • Approval timeline is slower than target and should be priced into the offer.

Decision output

Go / No-go

Proceed with conditions

Acquisition readiness score

65

The score combines price discipline, title, planning, access, utilities, market evidence, assembly, physical risk, and approval timing.

Title8 / 10 · weight 18%
Planning7 / 10 · weight 18%
Access6 / 10 · weight 12%
Utilities7 / 10 · weight 12%
Market8 / 10 · weight 18%
Assembly6 / 10 · weight 10%
Physical risk7 / 10 · weight 12%

Weighted quality

71 / 100

Timeline penalty

-6

Price penalty

-0

Cash exposed

KES 21.5m

Offer discipline

Do not let the site seduce the bid.

A site can be strategically attractive and still fail if price, control, title, or approvals are not aligned.

Go

Price is within the risk-adjusted bid and no major diligence category is weak.

Proceed with conditions

A defined issue must be cleared or priced before exclusivity, deposit, or board approval.

No-go

The site currently fails price discipline, approval risk, or core control tests.

Method note

The calculator starts with price discipline: supported residual value, risk buffer, and the asking price. It then overlays a weighted due-diligence screen across title, planning, infrastructure, access, market evidence, assembly, and physical risk.

Use the result as a meeting discipline tool. A conditional-go should become a list of clear evidence requests, negotiation points, or board conditions—not a quiet drift into commitment.

Questions / Method

The first discipline is saying not yet.

What should a site acquisition go/no-go test include?

It should combine price discipline with title confidence, planning fit, access, utilities, market evidence, assembly control, physical risk, and approval timing. A cheap site can still be a no-go if control or permissions are weak.

Why compare asking price to risk-adjusted residual value?

Residual value shows what the project can support before acquisition risk. Applying a bid buffer leaves room for due-diligence findings, approval delay, design development, negotiation friction, and market movement.

Does a high score mean I should buy the site?

No. The score is an initial screen. A binding decision still requires legal, survey, planning, valuation, environmental, tax, infrastructure, and commercial due diligence.

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