Asia links to London helicopter crash
By Andrew Batt:Yesterday’s helicopter crash in central London which killed two people and injured 12 involved a new development which had exhibited in Southeast Asia.Fog is thought to have been a contributing factor to the accident which happened when a helicopter, attempting to land at the...
Continue Reading • 17 Jan 2013
Singaporeans are top London buyers
By Andrew Batt: Singaporeans were the number one overseas buyers of new-build London property in 2012.New research from Knight Frank revealed that buyers from the city-state accounted for 23 percent of all transactions in the sector, only marginally behind the 27 percent of purchases made by UK...
Continue Reading • 17 Jan 2013
Singapore cooling: What would you do?
By Andrew Batt: Opinion is divided as to whether the latest round of property cooling measures in Singapore will have the desired effect of “ensuring a stable and sustainable property market".Some analysts are predicting a slowing of both transactions and prices, while others believe...
Continue Reading • 16 Jan 2013
Singapore cooling: Expect big rental boost
By Shabnam Muzammil:Singapore’s private rental market is expected to thrive in the aftermath of the property cooling measures introduced last Friday. Experts predict that a large number of property hunters, especially permanent residents (PRs) and foreigners will shift towards renting...
Continue Reading • 16 Jan 2013
Govt finalising singles policy
By Romesh Navaratnarajah:National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan revealed that his ministry is now in the final stage of revising the policy that will allow singles to acquire new HDB flats solely for owner-occupation, reported The Straits Times.“We aim to get it implemented this...
Continue Reading • 16 Jan 2013
Singapore cooling: Commercial property offers some opportunities
By Cheryl Tay: Although the latest round of cooling measures focuses mainly on residential property, the rules affecting industrial property which were introduced for the first time last week have no doubt stirred investors. To discourage short-term speculative activity which can distort prices...
Continue Reading • 16 Jan 2013
Bank of Thailand: No need for property cooling measures
By Andrew Batt: The Bank of Thailand yesterday ruled out the implementation of cooling measures to dampen speculation in the kingdom’s property market.Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul told the media there were currently no irregularities in the property market, adding that increasing demand...
Continue Reading • 15 Jan 2013
30% spike in new private home sales
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Singapore recorded a stronger than expected month for new private home sales in December 2012, with 1,410 units sold last month. This is a 30 percent increase from the previous month which saw 1,087 private homes sold, and a whopping 123 percent hike compared to a year...
Continue Reading • 15 Jan 2013
Singapore cooling: Mortgage loans could drop up to 20%
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Singapore’s broad range of new property curbs is an indication that the government is willing to trade off economic growth for social issues, said DBS Chief Executive Piyush Gupta (pictured).The official forecast for GDP growth this year is between one and three...
Continue Reading • 15 Jan 2013
Singapore cooling: Khaw grilled over EC scheme
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: In Parliament yesterday, MPs questioned National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan about the executive condominium (EC) scheme and whether the government will review the EC policy and implement tighter measures to regulate the market.Mr Khaw shared that ECs are still...
Continue Reading • 15 Jan 2013
Closing date for Jurong West site tender pushed back
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: The closing date for a residential site tender at Jurong West Street 41 (Parcel A) has been extended to give developers enough time to prepare their respective bids, taking into consideration the new wave of property cooling measures announced last Friday. The Urban...
Continue Reading • 14 Jan 2013
Singapore cooling: Your views
By Cheryl Tay and Shabnam Muzammil: Two days after the government's slew of property cooling measures came into effect, the general view from members of the public is that the policies are quite helpful, but not for everyone.To get a better understanding of how the curbs will impact home...
Continue Reading • 14 Jan 2013
Buyers showing strong interest in Battersea Power Station
By Andrew Batt:Battersea Power Station (pictured) will begin sales in Singapore this week on the back of selling more than 600 of the 800 units which form part of the first phase of the iconic London project.Rob Tincknell, Chief Executive Officer of Battersea Power Station Development Company,...
Continue Reading • 14 Jan 2013
Singapore cooling: Malaysian property to boom
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Malaysian real estate may see a surge in interest from buyers and investors in Singapore following the city-state’s fresh measures to cool its bubbling property market, according to one consultant who expects a wave of Singaporean investors into Malaysia. Gavin...
Continue Reading • 14 Jan 2013
Singapore cooling: Property measures spell danger
By Romesh Navaratnarajah:Singapore’s sweeping package of property cooling measures to curb rising home prices not only applies to foreigners buying properties in the city-state, but has gone one step further to include permanent residents (PRs) and citizens.Introduced last Friday, this is...
Continue Reading • 14 Jan 2013
Singapore cooling: No drop in overseas demand
By Andrew Batt: The introduction of Friday’s additional cooling measures appears to have done little to quell demand for overseas property investments from Singaporeans.Developments from the United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia and Thailand were exhibited at events in the city state last...
Continue Reading • 14 Jan 2013
New cooling measures for Singapore
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Singapore has introduced new property cooling measures which are set to take effect tomorrow. The government's aim is to control on-going speculation in the property market. This is the seventh and most extensive round of tightening measures and include higher buyer...
Continue Reading • 11 Jan 2013
Johor to restrict foreign property buyers
By Farah Wahida and Romesh Navaratnarajah: In an effort to tackle rising housing costs in Johor, the state government will soon review the conditions and procedures for foreigners to own properties within the state, particularly in Iskandar Malaysia.The State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN)...
Continue Reading • 11 Jan 2013
Bright year ahead for China property
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: China properties are expected to remain attractive this year, according to Henderson Global Investors. The country’s resilient property prices and transaction volumes last year had surprised many investors. In particular, the rebound in home buying activity in some...
Continue Reading • 11 Jan 2013
A bull housing market in HK
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Home prices across 50 major estates in Hong Kong rose 22 percent in 2012 and is expected to increase further by 10 percent in 2013 despite recent cooling measures introduced by the authorities, said Ricacorp.In 2H2012, average prices of units at major housing projects...
Continue Reading • 11 Jan 2013