Asia Pacific sees major growth in property investment
Property investment in Asia has witnessed significant growth recently and industry experts expect the increase to continue.In the Asia Pacific region, the largest markets are in Australia and China, while Japan is making a dramatic comeback after the disasters in March. Megan Walters, Head of...
Continue Reading • 19 Aug 2011
Geylang Serai redevelopment plan unveiled
The Ministry of National Development (MND) yesterday revealed its detailed plans for the redevelopment of Geylang Serai.Under the Master Plan 2008, Paya Lebar Central, where Geylang Serai is located, will be developed into a dynamic regional hub with a unique cultural identity. It will be a...
Continue Reading • 19 Aug 2011
Sales of private homes up 21.6%, DTZ says
Sales of private homes in the second quarter rose to 8,458 deals, up 21.6 percent from 6,958 in Q1, according to the latest DTZ report.Buyers from mainland China comprised the largest portion of non-Singaporean home buyers for the second quarter, snapping up 640 units in Q2 from 527 units in the...
Continue Reading • 19 Aug 2011
US mortgage rates drop to new lows
US mortgage rates slipped to the lowest level in Freddie Mac's weekly survey, with 30-year fixed-rate loans being offered at an average of 4.15 percent while 15-year fixed-rate loans dropped to 3.36 percent.The survey also includes mortgages made with minimal payment of fees and points to...
Continue Reading • 19 Aug 2011
BCA to host 2nd conference on green practices next month
The Building and Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA) will hold the second International Green Building Conference (IGBC) at the Suntec City Convention Centre from 13 to16 September 2011.Over 1,000 participants are expected to attend, including industry professionals and developers, as well...
Continue Reading • 19 Aug 2011
Pontiac Land launches two new luxury projects
Pontiac Land has launched two new luxury developments in Singapore.Located in Ardmore Park, Ardmore Residence is designed by Amsterdam-based UNStudio and comprises 58 units with a gross floor area (GFA) of approximately 3,300 sq ft.The second project is located at the intersection of Cuscaden and...
Continue Reading • 19 Aug 2011
MAS says Singapore's domestic money markets in working order
In an effort to address the recent market activities in the SGD Swap Offer Rate (SOR), a spokesperson from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) reaffirmed that interest rates in the country are market-influenced and declared the existing monetary policy position, announced in April,...
Continue Reading • 19 Aug 2011
Globally competitive local firms needed in Singapore
With rising inflation in Asia and sluggish global economic growth, it is vital for Singapore to have locally based, global competitive companies, said Teo Eng Cheong, Chief Executive of International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, in a report by The Business Times.“In the midst of all these...
Continue Reading • 19 Aug 2011
Chinese remain top foreign home buyers in S'pore
Chinese nationals have again emerged as the top non-Singaporean buyers of private homes in the second quarter, acquiring 640 homes in Q2, up 26 percent from 527 units in Q1 2011.According to a new report from DTZ, the proportion of acquisitions made by non-Singaporeans in the second quarter was...
Continue Reading • 19 Aug 2011
Jacqui Cuthbertson appointed as GM of Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Bangkok
Pan Pacific Hospitality Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UOL Group, has appointed Jacqui Cuthbertson as General Manager of Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Bangkok.Cuthbertson’s new role will have her overseeing operations at the 148-suite property, which is situated in the Petchaburi Road...
Continue Reading • 18 Aug 2011
Revamped Singapore City Gallery opens
The Singapore City Gallery, the only gallery that showcases the story of Singapore’s physical planning efforts, was officially reopened yesterday. Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for National Development, led the opening event.Now revamped with richer content and greater interactivity, the...
Continue Reading • 18 Aug 2011
Roxy Homes - one of Singapore's 50 fastest growing companies
Roxy Homes Pte Ltd (Roxy Homes), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Roxy-Pacific Holdings Ltd, has been included on the Fastest Growing 50 (FG-50) list, receiving its certification at this year’s FG-50 award ceremony.“We are honoured to be ranked for a second consecutive year in the...
Continue Reading • 18 Aug 2011
Cooling measures looming for China's smaller cities
China’s second- and third-tier cities are set to face their first set of property cooling measures, according to a report by Shanghai Securities News.The report revealed that the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has laid out five standards that will be used to implement the...
Continue Reading • 18 Aug 2011
Phuket property boom fuelled by Russians and Asia-based expats
Growing interest from Russian expats and expats working in Singapore and Hong Kong has boosted property sales in Phuket, according to the Bangkok Post.Meanwhile, property buyers from traditional markets such as the UK are still picking up the slack due to the impact of the global financial...
Continue Reading • 18 Aug 2011
Housing, employment are pressing issues amongst most S'poreans
Housing and employment are the main concerns of most Singaporeans, in their response to the recent National Day Rally speech delivered by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Singapore feedback unit Reach has received nearly 600 responses since Sunday’s speech, up 40 percent from last...
Continue Reading • 18 Aug 2011
UK mortgage fees up by average 17% since 2010
Latest figures from Moneyfacts.co.uk revealed that the average mortgage fee in the UK has grown by £151 over the past year.Currently, the average arrangement fee stands at £1,030, up 17 percent year-on-year from last year.Accord Mortgages posted the most expensive fee at £3,800,...
Continue Reading • 18 Aug 2011
Surge of US refinancing loans as mortgage rates hit bottom
More than 75 percent of mortgage loan applications in the US on 1 August came from homeowners hoping to refinance their loans, up from 60 percent in the spring, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).Refinancing even an average-priced home under the lowest rates is a positive...
Continue Reading • 17 Aug 2011
Sunway Velocity - A great lifestyle experience
Sunway City Bhd, one of Malaysia’s leading property developers, is set to launch an iconic master development close to the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC).Sunway Velocity, as it is called, offers integrated lifestyle features that will meet home, office, recreation, wellness, entertainment...
Continue Reading • 17 Aug 2011
Serangoon Garden Way residential site receives 16 bids
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has received a total of 16 bids in a public tender for a residential site at Serangoon Garden Way, with Sunmaster Holdings Pte Ltd and Garden Estates (Pte) Limited having jointly submitted the highest offer at S$105 million, or S$3,696.99 psm of gross floor...
Continue Reading • 17 Aug 2011
Analysts predict home price dip in Hong Kong
CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) has warned that Hong Kong property prices could fall by up to 20 percent if the global economic outlook remains gloomy.“We expect to see a correction of five to 10 percent in residential prices over the next 6-12 months. If sentiment continues to weaken, a correction...
Continue Reading • 17 Aug 2011