As South Africa moves into spring and the country’s lodges, hotels, guest houses and game reserves prepare for the busy summer holiday period, Sandton-based Rode & Associates is drawing attention to its valuation and advisory work for the hospitality and eco-tourism sector. The firm provides independent, certified valuations for market and insurance purposes, and it links that work to a set of specialised services for hospitality properties, wildlife and conservation land that few valuation practices offer under one roof.
October is a natural point for owners and operators in this sector to take stock. Many are finalising budgets for the peak season, reviewing insurance cover before the summer storm months, considering upgrades or expansion, or weighing whether to buy or sell a property. Each of those decisions depends on knowing what the underlying assets are worth.
Valuing more than bricks and mortar
A hospitality business is rarely a single asset. A lodge or game reserve can include land, buildings and improvements, furniture and contents, vehicles and equipment, artworks and, in the case of reserves, the wild game itself. Rode & Associates values all of these. Its valuation work covers retail, commercial, industrial and residential property, plant, machinery, equipment and technical assets, fine art and antiques including contents, and other general and specialised assets.
The firm states that it specialises in the hospitality industry, including hotels, B&Bs, lodges and game reserves. For a number of years it has linked its valuation services to ecology management for game reserves and agricultural farms, assisting with conservation management and responsible, sustainable development. These services include wildlife consulting, including the valuation of wild game, environment management, and eco-tourism and general development advisory.
For owners, this means Property valuations can be considered alongside the value of the other assets that make the business work, rather than in isolation. That is particularly useful when a property is being sold as a going concern, when a reserve is restructuring its holdings, or when an insurer needs a complete picture of what is at risk.
Insurance, risk and the summer season
Valuations for insurance purposes are a core part of the firm’s work. Rode & Associates also offers risk survey analysis, including pre and post risk surveys that involve a full inspection of the risk to be insured, as required by insurance underwriters. Its risk assessments cover the spread of fire, flooding exposure and incident preparedness, and it provides risk mitigation services such as action plans, risk management guidelines, emergency response procedures and occupational health and safety guidance.
For hospitality operators heading into summer, when guest numbers rise and many parts of the country move into their rainy season, an up-to-date valuation and a clear view of risk can help ensure that cover reflects current replacement costs and that staff are prepared for incidents.
Buying, selling and business valuations
The successful purchase or sale of an asset depends on its true value. Rode & Associates guides clients through these transactions with in-house valuations, independent advice on where to buy or sell (whether through agents, brokers or auction houses), condition reports where required, and an online sale service for certain assets. The firm notes that confidentiality is maintained throughout.
Where an entire business is changing hands, the firm’s business valuation service carries out an in-depth analysis of the operation, covering financial and other relevant information, and uses the market approach, income approach or asset approach, or a combination of these, to arrive at fair value. Its business valuation division also values intangible assets such as brand recognition, goodwill, trademarks and customer lists, which can be significant for an established hospitality brand.
Grounded in research and market evidence
Sound valuations depend on reliable evidence about the South African property market. Rode & Associates links its clients to its Rode Reports and Time Series, available through Rode Media. The subscription zone includes the Rode Report, the Rode Retail Report, Rode Property Trends and the Rode Time Series in Pro and Lite versions, alongside news coverage across the industrial, office, residential, retail and mixed-use sectors.
These property reports give owners, investors and advisers a way to place an individual asset in its wider market context. Consistent property data helps explain why a value has moved, supports discussions with lenders and insurers, and gives decision-makers a clearer basis for planning.
A single partner for the full asset life cycle
Rode & Associates describes itself as more than a valuation company. Beyond valuations, it offers asset management consultancy covering a Life Cycle Management Programme and a Maintenance Management Programme, including setting up or updating a Financial Asset Register with bar coding and optional RFID tracking. It also provides compliance services for GRAP 103 Accounting Standards for Heritage Assets, and it has worked on projects with heritage sites such as museums that must comply with standards including GAAP, GAMAP and IFRS.
The firm also runs a mining consultancy team covering valuations for financial reporting and insurance, project evaluation, feasibility studies, capital project estimates and risk management. Its team has undertaken valuations and advisory work for private, listed and government organisations, and the company is a certified Level 2 BEE company.
The firm’s view is that clients prefer to work with a single company that can manage valuations, buying and selling consultancy and asset management together, particularly when confidential information is involved. For a lodge owner or reserve manager, that can mean one point of contact for property, contents, wildlife, risk and insurance questions.
Planning ahead of the peak season
With the December holidays approaching, hospitality and eco-tourism businesses that want independent figures in place before the season starts can contact the Rode & Associates team now. Owners considering a sale, a refinance, an insurance review or a change in how they manage their assets can discuss their requirements and the type of valuation or advisory service that fits.
More information on the firm’s valuation, advisory and consulting services is available at https://rode.co.za/
About Rode & Associates
Rode & Associates is a South African valuation, advisory and consulting firm based in Sandton. It provides independent and certified valuations of fixed and movable assets for market and insurance purposes, including property, plant and machinery, fine art and antiques, businesses and intangible assets. Its wider services include GRAP 103 heritage asset compliance, asset registers with bar coding and RFID, risk survey analysis, buying and selling consultancy, mining consultancy, and hospitality, wildlife and eco-tourism advisory. The firm is a certified Level 2 BEE company and serves private, listed and government organisations.
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Rode & Associates
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +27 86 122 4488
Website: https://rode.co.za/
