Hong Kong home sales still in decline
Home sales in Hong Kong dropped for the 10th consecutive month in October, falling 50 percent year-on-year as buyers delay purchases.Transactions in October fell to HK$22.5 billion (S$3.7 billion), while sales of residential units declined 2.2 percent from September, according to the city’s...
Continue Reading • 3 Nov 2011
HDB unveils roadmap for better living
The Housing & Development Board (HDB) has officially unveiled its first roadmap for better living in HDB towns, which is focused on three major aspects: sustainable, well-designed and community-centric towns.Speaking at the Housing Board Awards 2011 at Marina Bay Sands yesterday, HDB CEO, Dr...
Continue Reading • 3 Nov 2011
Barclays extends buy-to-let lending in the UK
Barclays PLC has raised its cap on loan-to-value (LTV) on buy-to-let mortgages from 60 percent to 75 percent, in an effort to increase its presence in the home loans market. The announcement came as a response to growing activity in the buy-to-let market, on the back of increased demand from...
Continue Reading • 3 Nov 2011
Asia-Pac Reits can survive challenges ahead: S&P
Asia Pacific real estate investment trusts (Reits) are in a good position to survive the tough challenges ahead, according to Standard & Poor’s (S&P). With diversified funding sources and sound balance sheets, the global ratings agency believes that Reits in the region have become...
Continue Reading • 3 Nov 2011
Ascott Reit's manager given accolade
Ascott Residence Trust Management Limited (ARTML), the manager of Ascott Residence Trust (Ascott Reit), has been named the Best Investment Fund Manager (South Eastern Asia) at the inaugural World Finance Real Estate Awards.“We are indeed honoured to have been recognised for our track record...
Continue Reading • 3 Nov 2011
Parc Vera condo sees healthy take-up
Around 143 units have been snapped up at Parc Vera as of Monday, with an average price of about S$800 psf.PropertyGuru understands that the majority of buyers are HDB upgraders. Nearly 80 percent are Singaporeans while the rest are permanent residents (PRs) and foreigners.Located at Hougang...
Continue Reading • 2 Nov 2011
Trivelis oversubscribed by 3 times
Trivelis, a new Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) project in Clementi, has received a total of 2,877 applications as of Monday, according to a report in The Straits Times.Located along Clementi Avenue 4, Trivelis is the first DBSS project in the area, comprising 888 three-, four- and five-room...
Continue Reading • 2 Nov 2011
Home sales unlikely to surpass 2010 record
With uncertainties in the global economy affecting housing demand, private home sales in Singapore may come close to 2010’s record high but are unlikely to exceed the figure, according to many experts.The number of private homes sold in the first nine months of this year reached 12,301...
Continue Reading • 2 Nov 2011
HK homes face rising negative equity
The rising number of homeowners in Hong Kong with apartments valued below their mortgages may further affect sentiment, which is already hurt by the global downturn and government measures, according to Barclays Capital Research.Approximately 1,653 mortgages suffered “negative equity”...
Continue Reading • 2 Nov 2011
Naka Island resort opens in Thailand
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced the grand opening of The Naka Island, an exclusive all-villa island getaway located just minutes from Phuket.“The Naka Island is an enchanting escape from the everyday offering privacy, romance and a host of unforgettable experiences amidst an...
Continue Reading • 2 Nov 2011
Accor unveils its first budget hotel in Japan
Accor, an international hotel operator, has unveiled its first ibis economy hotel in Japan — ibis Tokyo Shinjuku.“ibis Tokyo Shinjuku will bring in a fresh sensation to the economy hotel industry in the country’s capital. As Accor’s leading economy hotel brand, ibis has...
Continue Reading • 2 Nov 2011
Property companies recognised for high standards
Three local companies, CapitaMall Trust, Keppel Land and Ascendas Reit, were recognised for their high standards by the Asia Pacific Real Estate Association (APREA) at the recent APREA Best Practices Awards 2011.CapitaMalls Trust was declared the overall winner in the Mature Markets category,...
Continue Reading • 1 Nov 2011
Singapore's new home loans fall 3.5% in Q3
Approvals for new home loans in Singapore have continued to decline in the third quarter, as the current status of financial markets have caused lenders and borrowers to become wary.The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) noted that approximately S$12.41 billion in new housing loans were...
Continue Reading • 1 Nov 2011
2 more residential sites go en bloc
Two more residential sites were put up for collective sale yesterday, taking the total value of properties launched for en bloc sale in October to approximately S$5 billion.The tender for the first site, Laguna Park, is being handled by Knight Frank and has a reserve price of S$1.25 billion,...
Continue Reading • 1 Nov 2011
St. Regis Hotel opens in Tianjin, China
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of The St. Regis Tianjin, an impressive new landmark in Northern China.“We look forward to offering our discerning guests access to the distinguished St. Regis legacy with the highest expression of personalisation, refined elegance...
Continue Reading • 1 Nov 2011
SingLand's Q3 profit up 13% to S$56.6m
Singapore Land Ltd (SingLand) has announced that its net profit for the third quarter climbed 13 percent year-on-year to S$56.6 million. Revenue for the quarter rose 16 percent to S$172.4 million, mainly attributed to higher progressive sales of trading property and a boost in revenue from Pan...
Continue Reading • 31 Oct 2011
Buyers in cautious mood, say property analysts
Several property players have expressed their views on the Q3 property statistics released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).Last week, the URA reported that prices of private residential properties in Singapore grew only 1.3 percent in Q3, lower than the two percent growth in Q2.It was...
Continue Reading • 31 Oct 2011
Developer sentiment down in Q3
Property players’ sentiment weakened in the third quarter, with the residential and office sectors likely to fare worse over the next six months, according to a report in The Business Times.In the latest survey jointly conducted by the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Real Estate...
Continue Reading • 31 Oct 2011
PropertyGuru nabs 4 industry awards
PropertyGuru.com, Asia’s leading property portal group, has bagged four consecutive awards from three renowned organisations - Marketing Magazine, OPP and Red Herring.Marketing Magazine named PropertyGuru the favourite media platform for property buyers in Singapore, while OPP bestowed...
Continue Reading • 31 Oct 2011
China developers vexed over tighter lending standards
The number of new property-related loans in China has continued its downward trend in the third quarter, coupled with the capital strains experienced by realty firms, revealed the People’s Bank of China (PBOC).For the first nine months leading to 30 September, new property-related loans...
Continue Reading • 31 Oct 2011