Risk Management of Small Real Estate Management Firms : The Study of Residential Real Estate Market in Zurich, Switzerland

Abstract: Real estate is believed to have oscillational patterns and lags from business fluctuation. Leading indicators and certain lags of each cycle enable some degree of forecasting possibility but in the same time increase risk of irrational expectation among real estate companies. Not only the risks from fluctuation and expectation, but also risks from business operation and services should be considered in their risk management. Real estate management company may have different types and degree of risk compared to individual investors. The management of risk of this business operation is also different between sizes of firms, scope of services, geographical location, etc. We hereby examined the risk management of small real estate management companies, operating and servicing in residential property market within Zurich, Switzerland. These specific investment and geographical areas are distinctive in terms of risk exposure and solutions as they have continuously strong demand, various attractive features and distinctive behaviors. Unlike a real estate investor, the real estate development company emerging within these compelling economic attributes is believed to have very low risk. After the semi-structured interview with some executive representatives of these small firms, the results have revealed high level of risk awareness and actively participation to mitigate all possible risks, notwithstanding low level. Even without a person who is specifically responsible for risk management, risk assessment and evaluation have been done exclusively by their executives facilitated by personal contacts and associated institutions.