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
Strong rumours of further curbs to private housing loans
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: The Monetary Authority of Singapore could be about to slash the Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR) for private residential properties in a further bid to moderate home prices, PropertyGuru understands. The move, which sources have indicated will be announced imminently,...
Continue Reading • 6 Mar 2013
Freehold Ultra Mansion sold en bloc for S$149m
By Shabnam Muzammil:Despite forecasts of subdued en-bloc sales in the aftermath of the recent property cooling measures, Ultra Mansion (pictured), a freehold residential development near Novena MRT station in prime District 11 has been sold through a collective sale for S$149.130 million, in a...
Continue Reading • 6 Mar 2013
Indian bank to buy up S'pore apartments
By Nikki De Guzman:In a bid to provide quality housing for its staff in Singapore, the State Bank of India (SBI) announced that it will invest in residential property in the city-state. According to reports, SBI will purchase at least 10 to 20 more apartment units to accomodate its...
Continue Reading • 6 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
Luxury tax unlikely to deter property investors
By Nikki De Guzman:The latest property tax hikes for Singapore’s luxury homes has drawn mixed reactions from analysts with some saying it is unlikely to turn investors away, reported the news portal World Property Channel.“If we look at it in absolute quantum, in thousands of dollars,...
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
Mortgage giants to form new securitisation firm
By Nikki De Guzman:In a bid to reduce the US government’s involvement in the loan market, mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will create a new company to securitise home loans, said the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).“The overarching goal is to create something of value...
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
New chapter to support property agents launched
By Shabnam Muzammil:A new chapter called The Real Estate Professionals Chapter, which forms part of the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees’ Union, was launched yesterday to look after the needs of property agents and boost professionalism in the industry, The Straits Times...
Continue Reading • 5 Mar 2013
New mixed devt to add buzz to Geylang
By Nikki De Guzman:Pavilion Square (pictured), a new freehold mixed-use development by Pollux Properties, is set to become the only shopping mall in the Geylang area for the foreseeable future. The project will comprise 42 apartment units within a single eight-storey residential block, designed...
Continue Reading • 5 Mar 2013
PropertyGuru invites public to take survey
By Nikki De Guzman: PropertyGuru, Asia’s leading property portal, is inviting the public to participate in its latest consumer sentiment survey that aims to gather general perception of Singapore's real estate climate. The Q1 2013 Property Affordability Sentiment Survey will run till...
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
Aussie banks face pressure to cut rates
By Shabnam Muzammil:Regardless of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) action in the coming months, the pressure on lenders to start reducing their variable mortgage interest rates is rising, The Herald Sun reported.Although the central bank is unlikely to slash its official interest rate at...
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
Housing prices yet to reach acceptable level: DPM
By Shabnam Muzammil:Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam recently told Bloomberg TV that home prices in Singapore were not yet at an acceptable level. Mr Shanmugaratnam noted that "some correction in prices will not be out of order". "We're still...
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
Berkeley Group opens first S'pore office
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: UK property giant Berkeley Group today opened its corporate office in the heart of Singapore’s new central business distrct – a plush space that includes a new 3,175 sq ft marketing suite at Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 2. The move to open an office in...
Continue Reading • 1 Mar 2013