Keppel gains firmer foothold in Sri Lanka
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Singapore’s Keppel Group has successfully acquired a 60 percent stake in a property unit that will build a 260-unit luxury residential development in Colombo, Sri Lanka (pictured).According to media reports, Keppel and Sri Lanka-based CT Holdings formed Keppel CT...
Continue Reading • 10 Dec 2012
URA awards Thomson Road white site at S$492.5m
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: A white site located at Thomson Road/Irrawaddy Road (pictured) has been awarded to a consortium led by Hoi Hup Realty after it submitted the top bid of S$492.5 million.This translates to S$17,562.32 psm on the gross floor area (GFA) of 28,043 sq m, according to the Urban...
Continue Reading • 10 Dec 2012
Aussie borrowers advised to shop around
By Romesh Navaratnarajah:Four million mortgage holders in Australia have been urged to shop around for the best loans after the central bank’s rate cut brought fixed loans down to their lowest levels in three years.The rates of one- to three-year fixed-rate loans fell below that of standard...
Continue Reading • 7 Dec 2012
Singapore tops quality of living in Asia: survey
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Singapore has once again topped the list for quality of living across Asia, a position it also held last year, based on the latest Mercer survey.The study, which serves as a guide for multinational firms and other organisations that compensate employees when assigning...
Continue Reading • 7 Dec 2012
Punggol EC site receives S$162.1m top bid
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: A 99-year leasehold site slated for executive condominium (EC) development at Punggol Field Walk/Punggol East (pictured) received the top bid of S$162.1 million from Sing Holdings when its public tender closed yesterday, said the Housing and Development Board (HDB). The...
Continue Reading • 7 Dec 2012
S'pore home prices to rise 8% by 2017: study
By Romesh Navaratnarajah:A number of analysts have predicted a drop in Singapore’s home prices due to a large supply of land coming onstream and tighter monetary policy from the US Federal Reserve. But a study by Credit Suisse that was reported in The Business Times predicts that prices...
Continue Reading • 7 Dec 2012
Demand for overseas property heats up in China
By Romesh Navaratnarajah:China’s strong economy has boosted overseas property investments among Chinese nationals and overseas developers are keen to take advantage of the growing market.Next year’s Shanghai Real Estate Expo, taking place at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre from 15 to...
Continue Reading • 7 Dec 2012
Brazil property gaining interest
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: With Brazil’s economy expected to grow at an annualised rate of four percent or more next year, the local property market will become one of the most sought-after assets with prime land sites seen as a favoured investment choice, revealed Knight Knox International....
Continue Reading • 7 Dec 2012
Major facelift planned for Civic District
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: In a bid to transform Singapore’s Civic District into a world-class arts and cultural hub, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will engage consultants to help revitalise the district’s appeal by enhancing pedestrian connectivity and creating public...
Continue Reading • 7 Dec 2012
Appetite for Msia homes still hot: PropertyGuru
By Farah Wahida:Demand for Malaysian properties among buyers and investors in Singapore continues to grow due to skyrocketing housing prices in the city-state, according to PropertyGuru, Asia's leading property portal. “The comparatively low cost of purchase and maintenance is a driving...
Continue Reading • 6 Dec 2012
Malaysia Property Show returns to Singapore
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Showcasing the latest residential projects from Malaysia, PropertyGuru, Asia’s leading property portal will once again organise the Malaysia Property Show (MPS), taking place this weekend (8 to 9 December) at Orchard Hotel, Singapore.The exhibition will feature...
Continue Reading • 6 Dec 2012
President awards top designers, projects
By Romesh Navaratnarajah:The prestigious President’s Design Award 2012 has honoured four designers and nine projects this year for their contribution towards improving the way of life among Singaporeans. Now in its seventh year, the awards presented by President Tony Tan Keng Yam were...
Continue Reading • 6 Dec 2012
Sysma to acquire 100% interest in De Paradiso
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Sysma Holdings Limited plans to acquire a 100 percent stake in De Paradiso Development, a private Singapore investment holding company that owns two sites at Serangoon. The proposed acquisition will entitle the company to full ownership of the sites, with a price...
Continue Reading • 6 Dec 2012
S'pore luxury home prices stabilise
By Romesh Navaratnarajah:Prices of upmarket homes in Singapore and China have now stabilised after a six-month decline, according to Jones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) Q3 Residential Index.Buying interest helped to stabilise luxury home prices in Singapore, which picked up from correcting the last...
Continue Reading • 6 Dec 2012
Hotel style EC three times subscribed
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: CityLife@Tampines (pictured), a new executive condominium (EC) has received overwhelming response from buyers with over 1,600 e-applications for its units during the period of 29 November to 5 December.Marketed as Singapore’s first luxury hotel-style EC, the...
Continue Reading • 6 Dec 2012
Iskandar Malaysia an investment haven?
By Farah Wahida: Iskandar Malaysia (scale model pictured) is set to become a top investment hotspot for Singapore companies as the region offers good prospects for them, said Datuk Wan Abdullah Wan Ibrahim, Managing Director and CEO of UEM Land Holdings.While the majority of companies initially...
Continue Reading • 5 Dec 2012
UK mortgage fraud to spike in 2013
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Mortgage fraud in the UK is expected to rise significantly in 2013 and could hit the highest level since 2009, noted global information service firm Experian. 43 out of every 10,000 loan applications are expected to be fraudulent next year, a 13 percent jump from this...
Continue Reading • 5 Dec 2012
China home in middle of road demolished
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: A five-storey residential block in China (pictured) which made news worldwide for oddly standing in the middle of a new road, has been demolished after the remaining residents finally accepted the government’s compensation of 260,000 yuan (S$50,874), according to...
Continue Reading • 5 Dec 2012
TA Corp tapped to build Dairy Farm condo
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: Tiong Aik Construction, a wholly-owned unit of TA Corporation, has been awarded a construction contract to design and build a new condominium development at Dairy Farm Road, reported The Business Times.The S$116.7 million contract was awarded by Bukit Timah Green...
Continue Reading • 5 Dec 2012
Martin No.38 wins another accolade
By Romesh Navaratnarajah: The multi-award winning Martin No.38 by SC Global Developments has won the prestigious Presidents Design Award 2012, its fourth major award since completion earlier this year.Commenting on the award, Simon Cheong, Chairman and CEO of SC Global, said: “To receive...
Continue Reading • 5 Dec 2012