Reality check for REIT investors
After a difficult year, investors in real estate investment trusts (REITs) seemed to have swallowed a dose of reality on what they can and cannot deliver. It was a lesson learned the hard way. Once known for offering high capital earnings, the REITs sector has now lost its shine, as...
Continue Reading • 30 Nov 2009
Latest financial review of HLH published
HLH Group Limited (HLH) is a real estate property and investment developer, which engages in research, biotechnology, agriculture and development activities. The company provides civil engineering and general building services across its residential, commercial and industrial property development...
Continue Reading • 30 Nov 2009
Australia and Israel are the best performing property markets
Australia's property market came out as one of the leading performers in Q3 2009. It trumped most of the housing markets in the major economies, according to the latest ranking conducted by Global Property Guide.According to the report, the housing market in Australia recorded a solid price...
Continue Reading • 30 Nov 2009
Two properties offered to investment players
Two properties have been offered to players in the property investment sales market. One is a six-storey commercial property called Boon Building, located at 61 South Bridge Road, and an industrial site at Kaki Bukit Avenue 4, which can be found through the reserve list of the government.The site...
Continue Reading • 26 Nov 2009
The issue of dollars and home loans
Property buyers were recently advised to be careful in their anticipation to fulfill their Singapore dream of purchasing a private unit.Earlier this month, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) provided two scenarios wherein the private property sector could likely falter. Lately, after...
Continue Reading • 26 Nov 2009
New measures for real estate industry won’t affect property prices
Industry players said that new measures by the government to improve the standards of the real estate industry will not affect the prices of homes. The government has just finished collecting data and gathering suggestions for new regulatory guidelines for the industry. The new measures will...
Continue Reading • 26 Nov 2009
Strong sales recorded at Marina Bay Suites preview
A one-day preview at the Marina Bay Suites project resulted in invited home buyers grabbing most of the 90 units released for sale at the average selling price, which ranges from $2,200 to $2,500 per square feet (psf).About 81 units were sold yesterday at the 221-unit, 99-year leasehold...
Continue Reading • 26 Nov 2009
PropNex supports public feedback to raise professionalism standards
The Ministry of National Development released today its findings on public feedback for a more regulated property industry, and PropNex Realty, one of Singapore’s leading property agencies, supports most of the feedback given.“Indeed, most of the Government’s findings were not...
Continue Reading • 25 Nov 2009
Speculative activity fell in Q3, says DTZ
Property consultancy firm DTZ said yesterday that there was little speculative activity taking place in Q3 this year.In a report, DTZ said that the proportion of sub-sales declined 13 percent in the third quarter from 16 percent in the previous quarter.Sub-sales, which signify the re-sale...
Continue Reading • 25 Nov 2009
Aussie economy lures offshore property investors
The resurgent economy in Australia has lured many foreign commercial property investors. Many have bet the rebound will underpin the competitiveness of the market amid the surging local currency.Two German firms, asset manager Commerz Real and property fund manager Deka Immobilien, are...
Continue Reading • 25 Nov 2009
HDB upgraders sidelined as home prices surge
The number of HDB upgraders engaged in private home transactions has declined as property prices continue to increase and mass-market launches weaken.In contrast, private home dwellers are purchasing more homes as the economic condition improves, keeping the real estate industry afloat.Buyers...
Continue Reading • 24 Nov 2009
MI-REIT gets its way after disagreements
MacArthurCook Industrial REIT (MI-REIT) employed security guards to keep the peace at a meeting of unit holders yesterday which was marked with strong cynicism. However, no violence broke out other than the usual dash for the buffet line.Several participants at the meeting agreed to...
Continue Reading • 24 Nov 2009
3rd attempt for Pine Grove owners to engage in en bloc sale
Several homeowners at the Pine Grove estate located along Ulu Pandan Road are on their third attempt since 2005 to sell their homes through an en bloc sale.The minimum reserve price for the 660-unit estate is $1.33 billion.Owners stand to pocket an average of $2 million per unit depending on...
Continue Reading • 24 Nov 2009
Subsales for Q2 and Q3 among the highest since 1995
The number of subsales in the second and third quarters of 2009 is among the six largest quarterly figures since 1995. This reflects the upsurge in the subsale activity, which led the Singapore government to announce measures on September 14 to control property prices.The completion of a number...
Continue Reading • 23 Nov 2009
Property agent doubles earnings in one month
About 5,719 privately-owned houses were sold in the third quarter, surpassing the previous record in the second quarter of 2007, which only reached 5,129 houses.Because of the new trend, many of the real estate agencies are showing a good performance and more people are getting into the real...
Continue Reading • 23 Nov 2009
Deals and mergers
The troubled mortgage firms in Dubai, Amlak and Tamweel, would welcome additional injection of government funds, as they hope to complete an expected merger by March, said the chairman of Tamweel.The largest telecoms company, Deutsche Telekom, is in search for a partner for its mobile...
Continue Reading • 23 Nov 2009
Worldwide strategy in the midst of turbulence
Several years ago, before the eruption of the sub-prime crisis, global strategy and globalisation became common buzzwords to managers. Some disputed that these strategies were beneficial for them, while a few aspired to augment their firms’ international coverage and scope, trying to become...
Continue Reading • 20 Nov 2009
Australian property market losing its appeal
The property market in Australia has become less compelling for funds seeking high returns due to the rapid asset price recovery and high taxes. According to a leading executive at LaSalle Investment Management, there are more attractive options in Singapore and Japan.Ian Mackie, Chief Investment...
Continue Reading • 20 Nov 2009
Slide in commercial rents leveling off
The decline in prime office rents in Orchard Road, City Hall and Shenton Way are leveling off, going by mid-Q4 figures from Cushman & Wakefield.The property consultancy firm observed that the monthly prime office rents in the Shenton Way area dropped just 0.8 percent in the first...
Continue Reading • 20 Nov 2009
Inflation rate to increase in 2010
The inflation rate is expected to increase next year as the Housing Development Board (HDB) increased its property values.Singapore revised its consumer price index (CPI) inflation forecast from 1 to 2 percent to 2.5 and 3.5 percent.This is in connection with the recent revision of the...
Continue Reading • 20 Nov 2009