Survey: 75% feel Malaysian property too pricey
By Farah Wahida: The majority of Malaysians (75 percent) feel that properties in the country are expensive, according to results of PropertyGuru’s latest Property Affordability Sentiment Survey which polled over 900 Malaysians. Additionally, three in every four believe the government...
Continue Reading • 11 Mar 2013
China's property investments up almost 23%
By Shabnam Muzammil: Property investments in China increased 22.8 percent year-on-year to CNY667 billion (S$132.87 billion) in the first two months of 2013, said the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). This translates to a decline of five percentage points from the same period last...
Continue Reading • 11 Mar 2013
Aussies holding on to homes longer
By Shabnam Muzammil: Australian homeowners are adopting a wait-and-see approach to selling their homes in the hope that prices might rise, reported RP Data.Figures show that Australians are holding on to their largest investment for at least 25 percent longer compared to 10 years ago. The average...
Continue Reading • 8 Mar 2013
Is US ready for micro apartment living?
By Shabnam Muzammil: A 300 sq ft “micro apartment” can provide all the space needed by an individual, said Californian developer Smartspace. Providing all the basic necessities without taking up too much space, its small apartments (pictured) are going at US$1,600 (S$1,993.65)...
Continue Reading • 8 Mar 2013
Indonesia's luxury home prices surge
By Nikki De Guzman:Luxury residential properties in Jakarta and Bali saw the highest growth in prices last year, according to Knight Frank’s price growth index.The capital Jakarta took top spot as luxury home prices there rose 38 percent in 2012 compared to the previous year, followed by...
Continue Reading • 8 Mar 2013
Ascott opens first Citadines in Malaysia
By Nikki De Guzman:The Ascott Limited (Ascott), CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, has opened its first Citadines-branded property in Malaysia.Citadines Uplands Kuching (pictured) in Sarawak comprises 215 stylish apartments ranging from studios to two-bedroom units that...
Continue Reading • 8 Mar 2013
Mayor launches London database
By Andrew Batt: The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson (pictured), has launched a new database detailing Greater London Authority (GLA) land assets as he continues to push for greater amounts of public land to be released for development, accelerating the number of homes being built in the capital...
Continue Reading • 7 Mar 2013
No pain in Spain as foreign property buyers return to the market
By Andrew Batt: Hot off the heels of, and in contrast to, last month's figures which revealed a three percent decline in the overall number of property transactions done in Spain in 2012, the latest data from the General Council of Notaries has revealed a substantial 28.4 percent jump in the...
Continue Reading • 7 Mar 2013
UK 140 home portfolio up for sale
By Andrew Batt:Property investors are being offered a unique opportunity to acquire a portfolio of 140 investment properties in the United Kingdom.Real estate agent Allsop is offering the residential investment opportunity which features a substantial number of homes throughout the Northeast of...
Continue Reading • 7 Mar 2013
Stronger returns seen for London residential property
By Shabnam Muzammil: Returns on residential investments in London continue to surpass the inflation rate as well as returns on commercial real estate, according to the latest IPD UK Annual Residential Property Index. In 2012, returns on portfolios comprising private...
Continue Reading • 5 Mar 2013
China home prices may fall 10% on curbs
By Nikki De Guzman:Housing prices in China could drop by up to 10 percent across major cities over the next three to six months, according to Raghav Bhandari, Asia-Pacific analyst at research firm CreditSights.This after home prices in tier one cities like Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen climbed...
Continue Reading • 5 Mar 2013
Greater London project to be showcased in Singapore
By Shabnam Muzammil: UK developer Barratt Homes will introduce its latest project Queensland Terrace (pictured) to buyers and investors in Singapore, at an exhibition at The Regent Hotel next weekend (16 - 17 March).Located in Islington, a neighbourhood in Greater London, the 375-unit...
Continue Reading • 5 Mar 2013
Luxury Dubai devt sold out
By Nikki De Guzman:The super-prime The Address Residence Sky View project in Dubai by UAE-based developer Emaar Properties' has sold all of its units according to investors who bought there.“We bought properties in the project for Dh2,600 (S$880.48) psf,” said one investor who...
Continue Reading • 4 Mar 2013
A-mei's former pad sets new sales record
By Nikki De Guzman:A luxury apartment formerly owned by Taiwanese pop singer Chang Hui-mei or commonly known as A-mei (pictured) has been sold for NT$345.2 million (S$14.6 million), setting the highest record price on Taiwan's real-value home registration website, according to media...
Continue Reading • 4 Mar 2013
Malaysia, Thailand emerging real estate havens
By Shabnam Muzammil:Property in South East Asia is becoming popular with investors from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, according to Arno Maierbrugger, Editor-in-Chief of news portal Investvine. He noted that GCC countries are facing too much liquidity and a property supply glut...
Continue Reading • 4 Mar 2013
Philippine property continues to show strong demand
By Nikki De Guzman: Over 150 units were sold at PropertyGuru’s second Philippines Property Show (PPS) held at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre in Singapore recently.The exhibition, which showcased some of the most luxurious properties in the country, also featured educational seminars on...
Continue Reading • 4 Mar 2013
New property technology debuts in Australia
By Nikki De Guzman:A new technology called Property Exchange Australia that promises to speed up real estate transactions was launched at the recent Australian Institute of Conveyancers (AIC) conference in Hobart, Tasmania."Instead of what we do now, where we physically go along to a...
Continue Reading • 4 Mar 2013
Thailand Property Show this weekend
By Andrew Batt: Thailand property buyers will get the chance to learn more about some of the kingdom’s best property investment opportunities at PropertyGuru’s Thailand Property Show this weekend. The event, which will take place at Orchard Hotel on Saturday and Sunday...
Continue Reading • 1 Mar 2013
Luxury home tax unlikely in HK: experts
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Although Singapore has announced tax hikes on high-end investment homes, Hong Kong is unlikely to follow suit, noted analysts and reported by the South China Morning Post. According to Jennifer Wong, tax partner at KPMG China, the private housing market in Hong Kong...
Continue Reading • 27 Feb 2013
Malaysian HNWIs to double in three years
By PrimeResi: The number of high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) in Malaysia is set to double over the next three years, growing from 32,000 currently to 68,000 in 2015, according to a report in the New Straits Times. Net worth will increase from its current US$140bn to US$330bn in the same time...
Continue Reading • 27 Feb 2013