Recent findings from the Family Business Report 2025 reveal that cash-flow management and economic uncertainty are the most pressing concerns for businesses in the construction and real estate sectors.
Current economic conditions like high unemployment, elevated inflation, and a relatively high cash rate are symptomatic of an unstable economy, leading to a volatile business environment.
But it’s not all bad news. Family businesses are in a unique position to find resilience in these dynamic conditions due to their agility and innovative mindset. They can move fast, make quick decisions and pivot in times of uncertainty.
Beyond this, they often have businesses built on shared family values – so when external conditions present challenges out of their control, common values and family unity can put them in a position to pull through.
How does today’s economic climate affect Real Estate & Construction?
- Capital intensity and payment delays: Construction projects require significant upfront capital. Economic instability can result in delayed payments, exposing contractors to financial risk.
- Inflationary pressures: Rising costs can erode margins, especially for projects priced before inflation surged, potentially resulting in losses.
- Solvency risks: Increased insolvency among subcontractors and suppliers can cause project delays and cost overruns.
- Cashflow strain: Navigating volatile conditions makes maintaining healthy cash-flow more challenging.
Lessons from the past
During Australia’s last recession, government intervention played a crucial role in supporting the industry through:
- Construction stimulus: Home builder grants, fast-tracked infrastructure programs, and major project acceleration helped stabilise employment and demand.
- Business support: Measures such as instant asset write-offs, temporary full expensing, accelerated depreciation, and payroll tax relief were introduced to stimulate investment and preserve liquidity.
To address these challenges, construction and real estate businesses should consider the following strategies:
Strategic actions for family businesses
1. Cash-flow management
- Implement robust forecasting tools.
- Negotiate better payment terms with clients and suppliers to improve liquidity.
2. Cost control and budgeting
- Ensure accurate job costing and proactive variance analysis to spot overruns early.
3. Risk management
- Strengthen debt management practices to reduce exposure to bad debts and insolvency risks.
4. Strategic advisory
- Optimise tax strategies to preserve cash during downturns.
- advice on leveraging government incentives and relief measures.
5. Compliance and reporting
- Stay up to date with changing tax laws and regulatory requirements to avoid penalties and ensure eligibility for support programs.
Family businesses have an advantage in this dynamic business landscape to use their agility and innovative mindset that will allow them to overcome challenges, turning them into opportunities.
Being grounded in shared values and common purpose can often allow them to emerge in a stronger position than before – despite this challenging economic environment.
We’re here to help
Our team leverages deep industry expertise to support the Real Estate & Construction industry in navigating economic uncertainty and building long-term resilience.
By partnering with our team, you gain actionable insights and hands-on support designed to help your business thrive, even in challenging economic conditions. Please reach out to our team of specialists for a conversation today.
Learn more about how our Family business consulting services can help you
