Platform01 Consulting Group delivers independent real estate advisory across all asset classes; grounded in hands-on investment experience, global project pedigree, and deep Saudi market intelligence. Our team has advised on over 100 real estate projects globally, including more than 15 district-scale developments, 8 of them in Saudi Arabia.
Introduction
Saudi Arabia's real estate sector is undergoing the most significant transformation in its history. Vision 2030's giga project pipeline spanning NEOM, Red Sea Global, Diriyah, Qiddiya, King Salman Park, and New Murabba is creating entirely new asset classes and development scales that demand advisory expertise of a different order. At the same time, the Kingdom's residential market, Grade A commercial office sector, hospitality pipeline, and industrial and logistics infrastructure are each responding to demographic shifts, tourism targets, and private sector investment that require rigorous, evidence-based analysis to navigate.
Platform01 Consulting Group delivers independent real estate advisory across all asset classes in Saudi Arabia and the GCC. Our team brings something that distinguishes us fundamentally from conventional advisory firms: we have not only advised on real estate, several of our senior professionals have worn the hat of the real estate investor themselves. That first hand understanding of how capital is deployed, how development risk is assessed, and how returns are ultimately realized informs every study, every model, and every recommendation we produce.
With over 100 real estate advisory projects completed globally, including more than 15 district-scale developments 8 of them in Saudi Arabia our team brings the depth of experience that complex, large scale, and multi-asset-class projects demand.
Advisory grounded in investment experience:
The most valuable perspective in real estate advisory is that of the investor. Platform01 brings both: advisors who have structured and evaluated transactions, and professionals who have made investment decisions with their own capital at stake. That combination produces analysis that is not only technically rigorous but commercially grounded in the realities of how real estate value is created, protected, and realized.
Our Real Estate Advisory Services
Platform01 provides a comprehensive suite of real estate advisory services covering the full project lifecycle from initial site assessment and market study through to financial close and development oversight. Each service can be engaged independently or as part of an integrated advisory mandate.
Real Estate Feasibility Study SERVICE 01 · All Asset Classes · All Project Scales |
A real estate feasibility study is the foundational document for any development or investment decision. It answers the fundamental question: should this project be built, and on what terms? Platform01 feasibility studies go beyond a simple financial projection they integrate market demand analysis, competitive benchmarking, development cost assessment, absorption modelling, revenue phasing, and risk-adjusted financial performance analysis into a single, coherent investment case. Our studies are built to the standard expected by Saudi development finance institutions, commercial lenders, PIF-linked entities, international joint venture partners, and investment committees, and are simultaneously designed as decision-support tools that the development team can use throughout the project lifecycle. We cover all asset classes: residential communities, hospitality projects, retail developments, office buildings, industrial facilities, mixed-use districts, and entertainment destinations. For large-scale or multi-phased developments, we build phased feasibility models that allow program and timing decisions to be tested dynamically. |
Highest and Best Use (HBU) Analysis SERVICE 02 · Land Assessment · Portfolio Optimization · Pre-Development |
A Highest and Best Use study determines the most financially productive, legally permissible, and physically possible use of a site and is one of the most strategically consequential pieces of analysis a landowner or developer can commission. Getting it wrong means leaving significant value on the table or committing capital to the wrong program entirely. Platform01 HBU analyses evaluate multiple development scenarios across competing asset classes, assessing each against current market demand, regulatory constraints, physical site characteristics, and financial performance metrics. We model the scenarios side by side, comparing NPV, IRR, capital intensity, and absorption risk, to identify the optimal development program and the conditions under which alternative uses might outperform. Our HBU work draws on deep Saudi market intelligence across all asset classes, allowing us to identify program configurations that are not only theoretically optimal but commercially executable in the current market environment. We have conducted HBU analyses for large urban parcels, coastal sites, giga-project adjacent land, industrial zones, and heritage district development sites. |
Development Advisory SERVICE 03 · Concept to Completion · Program Optimization · Operator Selection |
Development advisory is the ongoing strategic support that keeps a project commercially aligned from concept through to completion. It is where the investment experience of the Platform01 team is most directly applied because the decisions made during development (program changes, timing adjustments, capital allocation, operator selection, product specification) have a direct and material impact on financial returns. Our development advisory services cover concept and program optimization, product mix and specification benchmarking, phasing and sequencing strategy, operator and brand positioning (for hospitality and retail assets), pre-leasing and pre-sales strategy, and development budget and schedule review. For district scale and mixed use developments, we provide ongoing advisory through each phase of the development program maintaining financial model integrity as the project evolves. Having advised on more than 15 district-scale developments globally, including 8 in Saudi Arabia spanning residential communities, mixed use destinations, hospitality districts, and commercial centers, Platform01 brings a perspective on district development complexity that few advisory firms in the region can match. |
Market Assessment SERVICE 04 · Demand Analysis · Competitive Benchmarking · Pricing Strategy |
A market assessment is the evidence base on which all real estate investment and development decisions should rest. Platform01 market assessments provide developers, investors, and landowners with a rigorous, current, and granular understanding of supply and demand dynamics, competitive positioning, pricing benchmarks, and market trajectory for a specific asset class and sub-market. We go beyond secondary data aggregation. Our assessments incorporate primary research market surveys, operator and tenant interviews, comparable transaction analysis cross-validated against authoritative secondary sources including GASTAT, CBRE, JLL, Knight Frank, and government program data. For hospitality assets, we model RevPAR benchmarks and hotel performance comparables. For residential, we track absorption rates and price-per-square-meter by sub market. For retail, we assess tenant mix, catchment area dynamics, and footfall drivers. Market assessments from Platform01 are designed to serve as both standalone advisory documents and the foundational market chapter of a broader feasibility study or investment memorandum. |
Financial Modelling for Real Estate SERVICE 05 · Investment Appraisal · Scenario Analysis · Lender-Ready Models |
Real estate financial modelling is a discipline that requires sector-specific expertise well beyond general financial modelling competence. The timing of cash flows, the treatment of construction drawdowns, the modelling of pre-sales or pre-leasing against development cost, the structuring of debt and equity, the calculation of developer profit on cost and profit on GDV these are technical elements that generic models consistently get wrong. Platform01's CFA and FMVA-certified analysts build real estate financial models that are architecturally correct, fully integrated across the development cash flow, revenue phasing, debt service, and return analysis, and built for the specific audience whether that is a development finance institution, a commercial bank, a joint venture partner, or the developer's own investment committee. Our models cover all major real estate financial metrics: development profit, profit on cost, profit on GDV, equity IRR, project IRR, NPV, payback period, DSCR, and LTC/LTV ratios. Scenario and sensitivity analysis is built in as standard — not as an afterthought. Models are fully documented, auditable, and structured for ongoing monitoring throughout the development and operational phases. |
Asset Classes We Cover
Platform01 advises across the full spectrum of real estate asset classes active in Saudi Arabia's market. Each asset class carries its own demand drivers, valuation methodology, operational model, and investment risk profile and our advisory is calibrated accordingly.
RESIDENTIAL Apartments & Villas Market demand, absorption modelling, product mix, pricing strategy, phasing | RESIDENTIAL Labor Accommodation Workforce housing, proximity to industrial zones, operational yields | HOSPITALITY Hotels & Resorts RevPAR benchmarking, brand positioning, operator selection, investment appraisal | HOSPITALITY Serviced Apartments Extended-stay demand, corporate vs leisure mix, management structure |
RETAIL Malls & Strip Retail Catchment analysis, tenant mix, anchor strategy, footfall benchmarking | OFFICE Grade A, B & Low Rise Corporate demand, leasing benchmarks, flex-space dynamics, KAFD context | MIXED USE District Developments Program optimization, phasing strategy, multi-asset-class financial modelling | INDUSTRIAL Industrial Plots & Warehouses Logistics demand, e-commerce drivers, MODON zone analysis, yield benchmarks |
ENTERTAINMENT Entertainment Destinations Qiddiya-adjacent demand, F&B and leisure mix, visitor economy modelling |
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District Development: Where Our Experience Is Deepest
District-scale development is the defining typology of Saudi Arabia's current real estate transformation. NEOM, Diriyah, Qiddiya, King Salman Park, New Murabba these are not conventional real estate projects. They are entire communities, economies, and urban systems being built from the ground up. The advisory complexity they demand is of a fundamentally different order from single-asset development.
Platform01 has advised on more than 15 district-scale developments globally, with 8 completed in Saudi Arabia. Our Saudi district development experience spans residential communities in Riyadh's urban expansion zones, mixed-use hospitality and retail destinations, waterfront and coastal master-planned developments, commercial and logistics districts, and entertainment-anchored destination developments.
At district scale, the advisory mandate requires the integration of multiple asset classes into a single program balancing the risk and return profile of each component, sequencing phases to optimize cash flow, managing the interdependency between anchor uses and supporting facilities, and maintaining a single coherent financial model across a multi-year, multi-phase development program.
What district-scale experience means for your project:
Having advised on 8 Saudi district developments, Platform01 understands the specific challenges of the Kingdom's large-scale development environment: the land tenure and regulatory frameworks, the interface with PIF-linked entities and government development programs, the operator and brand selection process for hospitality components, the sequencing of infrastructure and revenue generating uses, and the financial modelling complexity of long horizon, multi-asset-class projects. That experience translates directly into faster, more accurate, and more commercially grounded advisory.
The Saudi Real Estate Market: Context and Opportunity
Saudi Arabia's real estate market is valued at USD 72.84 billion in 2026 and projected to reach USD 102.96 billion by 2031 — a 7.17% CAGR driven by Vision 2030's giga-project pipeline, demographic surge, and capital market reforms that are broadening institutional participation. Understanding this market — its sub-market dynamics, its institutional structure, its demand drivers, and its risks — is the prerequisite for any advisory that adds genuine value.
Residential
Saudi Arabia's residential market is being reshaped by a government target to increase homeownership to 70% by 2030 — supported by the Sakani program, REDF financing, and National Housing Company delivery targets. Demand is shifting toward mid-market apartments and mixed-use communities designed for younger demographics. Platform01 residential advisory covers market demand assessment, product specification benchmarking, absorption modelling, pricing strategy, and investment return analysis for apartments, villas, townhouses, and managed residential communities.
Hospitality
Saudi Arabia's tourism target of 150 million annual visitors by 2030 is creating one of the most significant hospitality investment pipelines in the world. Red Sea Phase 1 infrastructure has cleared the way for 50 hotels across 22 islands and 6 inland sites. Platform01 hospitality advisory covers hotel and resort feasibility, RevPAR benchmarking, operator selection framework, management agreement advisory, and investment appraisal for full-service hotels, resort complexes, boutique properties, branded residences, and serviced apartments.
Retail
Saudi Arabia's retail real estate market is evolving rapidly as entertainment and leisure spending increases, e-commerce changes the role of physical retail, and mixed-use developments create new retail formats. Platform01 retail advisory covers catchment area and demand analysis, tenant mix strategy, anchor tenant assessment, competitive benchmarking, and feasibility analysis for malls, strip retail, lifestyle centers, and integrated retail destinations.
Office
Riyadh's Grade A office market is experiencing sustained demand driven by corporate relocations, the RHQ program, and Vision 2030's business hub development. Grade A office supply reached 6.4 million sqm in Riyadh, and King Abdullah Financial District achieved high pre-leasing rates. Platform01 office advisory covers demand and absorption analysis, rental benchmarking, specification assessment, and investment appraisal for Grade A, Grade B, and low-rise office products.
Industrial & Logistics
Industrial and logistics real estate is one of the fastest-growing asset classes in Saudi Arabia, driven by manufacturing diversification, e-commerce growth, and Vision 2030's logistics hub ambitions. Platform01 industrial advisory covers demand analysis for industrial plots, warehousing, and cold chain facilities; MODON industrial zone benchmarking; logistics catchment analysis; and investment return modelling for build-to-own and build-to-lease industrial facilities.
Mixed Use & Entertainment
The integration of residential, retail, hospitality, office, and entertainment into single district developments is the defining real estate trend of Vision 2030. Qiddiya, Diriyah, and King Salman Park represent entirely new entertainment-anchored real estate typologies. Platform01's mixed-use and entertainment advisory draws directly on our district development experience providing program design, phasing strategy, visitor economy modelling, and multi-asset-class financial analysis for the most complex development typologies in the Saudi market.
Our Engagement Process
Platform01 follows a structured engagement process that ensures every advisory deliverable is grounded in current market evidence, architecturally correct in its financial modelling, and practically useful as a decision-support tool.
1 | Scope Definition and Audience Mapping We begin by understanding the specific decision the study is designed to support — whether that is a go / no-go investment decision, a program optimization, a lender submission, a joint venture negotiation, or a board presentation. Scope, depth, and format are calibrated to the audience and the decision at hand. |
2 | Site and Regulatory Assessment We review the site's physical characteristics, location attributes, regulatory and zoning framework, infrastructure status, and development constraints. For HBU studies, this assessment forms the foundation of the permissible use analysis. For feasibility studies, it anchors the development program assumptions. |
3 | Market Research and Demand Analysis We conduct primary and secondary market research — comparable transaction analysis, operator and tenant interviews, sub-market benchmarking, and absorption rate assessment — using authoritative data sources and direct market intelligence. For hospitality, this includes RevPAR benchmarking and occupancy trend analysis. For residential, absorption rates and price benchmarks by sub-market. |
4 | Development Program Design and Optimization We work with the client's development team to define, test, and optimize the development program — product mix, GFA allocation, phasing, specification level, and operational model. For HBU studies, we assess multiple competing program scenarios. For development advisory, we provide ongoing program review as the project evolves. |
5 | CFA-Grade Real Estate Financial Modelling We build a fully integrated real estate financial model covering development costs, revenue phasing, cash flow, debt service, equity return, and sensitivity analysis. All major real estate metrics — profit on cost, profit on GDV, equity IRR, project IRR, DSCR, LTC, and LTV — are calculated and presented clearly. Models are built for ongoing monitoring, not single-use presentation. |
6 | Risk Assessment and Scenario Analysis We build a structured risk register covering market, development, financing, regulatory, and operational risks — with probability and impact assessment and specific mitigation strategies. Scenario and sensitivity analysis tests the project's financial performance across base, upside, and stress cases. |
7 | Delivery, Presentation, and Ongoing Support We deliver the complete study, present findings to the relevant stakeholders, and remain available throughout any subsequent lender review, investment committee presentation, or joint venture negotiation. For development advisory engagements, we provide ongoing support throughout the development program. |
The Platform01 Standard
Platform01 Consulting Group brings a combination of advisory credentials, investment experience, and Saudi market depth that is rare in the regional real estate advisory market.
Investment Experience — Not Just Advisory Credentials
Several members of the Platform01 team have served as real estate investors and developers in their own right — making the capital allocation decisions that most advisors only analyze. That first-hand experience of investment underwriting, development risk management, and return realization fundamentally changes the quality of the advice we provide. We understand what an investment committee is really looking for, because members of our team have sat on them.
This investor perspective is most visible in our financial modelling — where we apply the rigor and commercial realism that experienced investors demand — and in our development advisory, where we bring the discipline of investment return accountability to every program decision.
100+ Projects. 15+ District Developments. 8 in Saudi Arabia.
Numbers matter in real estate advisory because experience is cumulative. Each project adds a layer of market knowledge, a comparable data point, a tested methodology, and an understanding of how decisions play out in practice. Platform01's team has collectively advised on more than 100 real estate projects across residential, hospitality, retail, office, industrial, mixed-use, and entertainment asset classes — and has been directly involved in more than 15 district-scale developments globally, 8 of them in Saudi Arabia.
That depth of project experience means we can identify risks and opportunities that advisors with narrower track records miss, build financial models that reflect real development dynamics rather than textbook assumptions, and provide development advisory that draws on what actually works in the Saudi market environment.
11 Independent Industry Awards — 2025
Platform01's advisory quality has been independently recognized by Consultancy Middle East and the Global Project Management Group (GPMG) UK across eleven award categories — including a Real Estate Silver Award from Consultancy Middle East in 2025.
CONSULTANCY MIDDLE EAST (9 AWARDS) • Corporate Finance — Gold Category • M&A — Gold Category • Real Estate — Silver Category • Industrial — Gold Category • Strategy — Silver Category • Management Consulting — Silver Category • Healthcare & AI — Silver Categories | GPMG UK (2 AWARDS) • Top M&A Boutique 2025 (M&A Today) • Top Strategist GCC — Industrials, Healthcare & Technology 2025 (The Strategist) |
Team Credentials
Our advisory team holds qualifications from the top five global business schools — including London Business School and Columbia Business School, alongside elite institutions such as McGill University — and carries professional certifications that represent the highest analytical standards in finance and investment.
Abbrev. | Qualification | Awarding Body |
CFA | Chartered Financial Analyst | CFA Institute |
FRM | Financial Risk Manager | GARP |
CIPM | Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement | CFA Institute |
FMVA | Financial Modelling & Valuation Analyst | CFI |
ACCA | Association of Chartered Certified Accountants | ACCA Global |
Our team's professional backgrounds span global real estate investment firms, development companies, sovereign wealth fund advisory, multinational financial institutions, and tier-1 advisory firms including KPMG and BDO, in addition to the direct investment experience that distinguishes Platform01 in the regional market.
Locally Licensed and On-Ground in Saudi Arabia
Platform01 Consulting Arabia is a locally licensed management consulting firm registered and operating within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is not a remote consultancy arrangement, it is a licensed, on-ground entity with a team in Riyadh.
The Saudi real estate market moves at pace: zoning frameworks, DFI program criteria, institutional appetite, and sub-market conditions shift continuously. Our Riyadh presence ensures that every study we produce reflects current on-the-ground realities, not assumptions carried over from a previous engagement or sourced at a distance. It also means our team has the institutional relationships and regulatory familiarity that allow us to navigate the Saudi development environment on behalf of our clients, not just describe it.
An Unblemished Institutional Track Record
Documents prepared by Platform01 Consulting Arabia maintain an unblemished record with zero rejections from any global financial institution, local development bank, or sovereign fund on grounds of analytical quality or structural integrity. For real estate projects requiring REDF financing, DFI support, or joint venture partner confidence, that track record matters.
What Sets Platform01 Apart
Investment experience embedded in advisory — team members have made real estate investment decisions with capital at stake, not just advised on them.
100+ real estate advisory projects — spanning all asset classes across Saudi Arabia and the GCC
15+ district-scale developments — including 8 in Saudi Arabia, covering residential communities, hospitality districts, mixed-use destinations, and commercial centers.
All asset classes covered — residential (apartments, villas, labor accommodation), hospitality (hotels, resorts, serviced apartments), retail (malls, strip retail), office (Grade A, B, low rise), industrial, mixed use, district developments, and entertainment.
11 industry awards — from Consultancy Middle East (9) and GPMG UK (2), including Real Estate Silver Award from Consultancy Middle East 2025
CFA and FMVA-grade financial modelling — architecturally correct, fully integrated, and built for ongoing monitoring not single-use presentation.
Locally licensed and on-ground in Riyadh — real-time Saudi market intelligence and regulatory awareness across all asset classes
Lender and institution-ready studies — built to the standard expected by Saudi DFIs, commercial banks, PIF-linked entities, and international joint venture partners.
Arabic and English bilingual deliverables — where required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a real estate feasibility study and when do I need one?
A real estate feasibility study assesses whether a proposed development is commercially viable analyzing market demand, competitive supply, development costs, revenue projections, and investment returns to determine whether a project should proceed and on what terms. It is required by most development finance institutions and commercial lenders, and is essential for any developer, investor, or landowner making a significant capital commitment. Platform01 feasibility studies are designed both for institutional submission and as management decision-support tools throughout the development process.
What is a Highest and Best Use (HBU) study?
A Highest and Best Use study determines the most financially productive, legally permissible, and physically feasible use of a specific site. It evaluates multiple competing development scenarios across different asset classes and program configurations, comparing their financial performance to identify the optimal development strategy. HBU studies are typically commissioned by landowners before development decisions are made, by investors evaluating site acquisitions, or by developers reviewing program options. Platform01 HBU studies assess all credible use scenarios with full financial modelling for each.
What does development advisory involve?
Development advisory is the ongoing strategic support provided to a developer or investor throughout the development process. It covers program and product optimization, phasing and sequencing strategy, operator and brand positioning (for hospitality and retail), pre-sales and pre-leasing strategy, development budget review, and financial model maintenance as the project evolves. Platform01's development advisory draws directly on investment experience bringing the discipline of return accountability to every program decision.
Does Platform01 cover hospitality real estate specifically?
Yes. Hospitality is one of Platform01's core real estate advisory areas. We provide feasibility studies and market assessments for full service hotels, resort complexes, boutique hotels, branded residences, and serviced apartments. Our hospitality advisory includes RevPAR benchmarking and occupancy trend analysis, operator and brand selection frameworks, management agreement structure, and investment return modelling. Our work is informed by Saudi Arabia's rapidly evolving hospitality pipeline and the tourism targets driving hotel development demand across the Kingdom.
Can Platform01 advise on district-scale and mixed-use developments?
Yes and it is where our team's experience is deepest. Having advised on more than 15 district-scale developments globally, including 8 in Saudi Arabia, Platform01 brings direct experience of the program complexity, multi-asset-class financial modelling, phasing strategy, and institutional interface that district-scale development demands. Our advisory covers all components of a mixed-use district residential, hospitality, retail, office, entertainment, and infrastructure integrated into a single coherent financial and strategic framework.
What financial metrics does Platform01 include in real estate financial models?
Our real estate financial models include the full set of development and investment metrics: development profit, profit on cost (PoC), profit on GDV, equity IRR, project IRR, NPV, payback period, debt service coverage ratio (DSCR), loan-to-cost (LTC), and loan-to-value (LTV). Models cover the full development cash flow — land cost, construction draw-down, professional fees, finance costs, sales or leasing revenue phasing, and operational stabilization — over the full project horizon. Scenario and sensitivity analysis is standard, not optional.
Can Platform01 prepare real estate studies for REDF or other Saudi DFI submissions?
Yes. Platform01 prepares real estate feasibility studies and financial models structured for submission to Saudi development finance institutions including REDF, TDF, SIDF, and commercial lenders. Our studies are built to the analytical standard these institutions expect. DFI requirements and submission criteria vary by program and institution we advise clients on current requirements at the outset of each engagement and always recommend verifying directly with the relevant institution.
How long does a real estate advisory engagement take?
A standard real estate feasibility study typically takes six to eight weeks. An HBU study is generally six to eight weeks depending on the number of scenarios evaluated. Development advisory engagements are ongoing by nature and are structured around the project's development timeline. Market assessments typically require four to six weeks. Where timelines are compressed due to a financing deadline or investment committee schedule, we discuss what is achievable without compromising quality.
Conclusion: Advisory That Understands Both Sides of the Table
Real estate advisory is most valuable when it reflects how investors actually think not how analysts’ model. The difference between advice that sounds technically correct and advice that changes a decision is usually the depth of real-world investment experience behind it.
Platform01 Consulting Group brings that depth to every engagement. Our team has advised on more than 100 real estate projects, navigated the complexity of more than 15 district-scale developments, and made investment decisions themselves. We combine that experience with globally recognized analytical credentials, deep Saudi market intelligence, and the rigor that institutional audiences demand.
In a market as dynamic, ambitious, and consequential as Saudi Arabia's real estate sector in 2025 and beyond, the quality of advisory you commission is a direct determinant of the quality of your investment outcomes. Platform01 is built to be the advisory partner that serious developers, investors, and landowners in the Kingdom can rely on.
Disclaimer: This article is published for informational purposes. DFI requirements, program terms, market data, and eligibility criteria are subject to change. Always verify current requirements directly with the relevant institution or authority. Nothing in this article constitutes financial, legal, or investment advice. Market size and pipeline data referenced is drawn from publicly available third-party sources and is subject to revision.