Elderly Chinese couple living in the fast lane
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: An apartment building in China (pictured) oddly stands in the middle of a new road as one of its owners refused to sell their home to the government, claiming that the compensation was not enough, according to media reports. Luo Baogen and his wife are still occupying...
Continue Reading • 29 Nov 2012
British developer unveils ambitious project
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Property values in London will likely surge due to an expected undersupply of new homes in the capital. In fact, Savills Research predicts an overall shortfall of 50,000 new units by 2016. In the city’s central district of Victoria, prime property prices will...
Continue Reading • 29 Nov 2012
US housing market continues road to recovery
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Housing prices in many major US cities rose in September with Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city index posting a three percent increase from the same month last year. Prices in the July to September quarter also climbed 3.6 percent compared to last year. Over the...
Continue Reading • 29 Nov 2012
Half of UK's wealthiest own more than one home
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Property ownership remains a top priority for many millionaires in the UK, with 49.9 percent of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) owning more than one property, according to Skandia’s ‘Millionaire Monitor’ Report 2012.The report also revealed that more...
Continue Reading • 28 Nov 2012
Ascott ups presence in Qatar
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: CapitaLand’s serviced residence unit, Ascott Limited, has expanded its presence in Doha, Qatar with the opening of the 229-unit Ascott Doha (pictured), reported The Business Times.“We see strong demand for serviced residences in Qatar...Our first serviced...
Continue Reading • 27 Nov 2012
British hotel investment showcased in Singapore
By Andrew Batt:Singapore has seen a wide range of overseas property investment opportunities this year. One of the more unusual – British hotel room investments – is aiming to tempt Singaporean property buyers and investors with a property exhibition this weekend.Hever Hotel and...
Continue Reading • 23 Nov 2012
British man fined for untidy home
By Andrew Batt: A British homeowner has been fined £2,000 (around S$3,900) by his local council after failing the upkeep of his property (pictured).Neighbours of Philip Gunwhy in the English city of Worcester started to make complaints in 2008 when his property started to look like a...
Continue Reading • 23 Nov 2012
Online property sales surge across Russia
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: With Russians now the second biggest Internet users in Europe, online property sales have also increased significantly.According to a report by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Russia accounts for 2.8 percent (59,700,000) of the world’s Internet...
Continue Reading • 22 Nov 2012
Take a look at the UK's best home
By Andrew Batt: A striking residential property (pictured) in Brynna, South Wales, has been officially recognised as the best house in Wales and joint best in England at the What House? Awards 2012.It boasts an 88-acre ‘back garden’, while the location – Rhondda Cynon Taff -...
Continue Reading • 22 Nov 2012
Spain to offer residency with property purchases
By Andrew Batt: Foreigners who invest in Spanish property worth more than US$200,000 (S$244,646) will be offered residency status as the beleaguered country attempts to boost sales of its unsold homes.Trade Ministry secretary Jaime Garcia-Legaz told reporters that the plan, which is expected to...
Continue Reading • 20 Nov 2012
Growing demand for luxury property in Thailand
By Romesh Navaratnarajah:More buyers from Asia are snapping up luxury residences in Thailand, pointing to a vibrant property market in one of the region’s most popular holiday destinations. “Around 60 percent of our property purchases come from Asian buyers,” said James Knowles,...
Continue Reading • 16 Nov 2012
Titanic star's oceanfront home for sale
By Romesh Navaratnarajah:Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio is reportedly selling his oceanfront home (pictured) in Malibu, California for US$23 million (around S$28.2 million). The actor had earlier made the home available for rent at US$150,000 (S$183,827) per month for a stay of under six...
Continue Reading • 16 Nov 2012
Myanmar's tallest building taking shape
By Andrew Batt: Details of what will be Myanmar’s tallest building - a luxury residential development - have been announced.The Mandalay Golden Wings Construction Company has started work on a 34-storey apartment complex on land near Inya Lake that was the former home of the Industry...
Continue Reading • 16 Nov 2012
Japanese condo project to launch in Singapore
By Cheryl Tay:Tokyo’s Parkhouse Shinjuku project (pictured) by Mitsubishi Jisho Residence (MJR) will be launched in Singapore, with the Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) International Project Sales team (Singapore) led by Doris Tan as its exclusive marketing agent.The project exhibition will be held...
Continue Reading • 14 Nov 2012
China to build 6 million subsidised homes next year
By Cheryl Tay:In line with efforts to address the housing needs of its growing population, China will build six million state-subsidised homes next year, reported The Straits Times.According to Housing Minister Jiang Weixin, they have been “making good progress in construction of social...
Continue Reading • 14 Nov 2012
S'pore remains biggest foreign investor in Iskandar
By Cheryl Tay:The Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) announced that Singapore’s cumulative investments in Iskandar Malaysia (pictured) increased by more than a third in the first seven months of 2012.According to a report by The Business Times, the country’s cumulative...
Continue Reading • 12 Nov 2012
The Shore @ Malacca River - Exclusive waterfront living, Play where you live
After the successful launches of 222 Residency, 288 Residency & Viridian Cheras Idaman in Kuala Lumpur, Kerjaya Prospek Group is now embarking on its first mixed development in Malacca - The Shore @ Malacca River (pictured), a freehold luxury mixed development that houses three towers...
Continue Reading • 9 Nov 2012
MIPIM Asia kicks off in HK
By Romesh Navaratnarajah:The MIPIM Asia Sustainable Property Expo, considered the largest property expo in the Asia Pacific, kicked off yesterday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.The three-day event which ends tomorrow is showcasing projects by hundreds of exhibiting companies...
Continue Reading • 8 Nov 2012
What Obama's win means for US property buyers
By Andrew Batt: America has voted and Barack Obama has won, but what will the vote mean for the increasing number of overseas property buyers and investors from Southeast Asia who are looking stateside?‘Don’t count on the election to boost housing’ screamed the headline on one...
Continue Reading • 7 Nov 2012
Prime London prices get a boost
By Andrew Batt: Whilst average U.K. property prices are falling, prime central London property prices continued their rise in October according to the Knight Frank Prime Central London Sales Index.October saw another month of positive growth in the prime central London residential market, with...
Continue Reading • 7 Nov 2012