Luxury real estate, architecture & design in Asia

<img alt="The Four Seasons Private Residences in Bangkok's Chao Phraya Estate" src="/documents/10204/0/d6c0df658e5d593cbcb972f7254fe51502aa30d3.jpeg/d83de08e-a515-4a94-bfee-c94c91bf7780?t=1507285629375" style="width: 740px; height: 371px;" />Opulent, branded residential properties in Bangkok continue to capture the Hong Kong market, seeking relief from the Chinese SAR's high-density, exorbitant investment offerings.  The Four Seasons Private Residences Bangkok achieved sales of THB530 million (USD16 million) during a two-day exhibition at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong last month, reported Country Group Development, the Thai-listed company behind the project. Part of the sprawling THB32-billion (USD960 million) mixed-use scheme Chao Phraya Estate, the riverfront serviced apartments are “comfortably” on track for completion in Q4 2018. The robust take-up appears increasingly par for the course in the Thai capital. Earlier this year, a Hong Kong buyer snapped up the priciest penthouse atop the swanky 98 Wireless vertical development in Central Lumpini; penthouses in the 77-unit tower go for as much as USD18.8 million.  The Central Lumpini area posted the highest growth in average selling prices in the second half of last year, reaching as much as THB750,000 per square metre, Knight Frank Thailand noted. Yet somehow Bangkok feels like a bargain to property hunters from Hong Kong. <a href="http://www.property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/thailand-real-estate-relentless-expensive-and-highly-desira-13" target="_blank">More: Thailand real estate remains relentless, expensive, and highly desirable</a> Super-luxury condos in Bangkok can reach USD17,000 per square metre in the city.“USD18,000 per square metre gets you nothing in Hong Kong,” Andrew Gulbrandson, head of research at Jones Lang LaSalle Thailand, told the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/385c180a-3b16-11e7-ac89-b01cc67cfeec" target="_blank">Financial Times</a>.  The first roadshow in Hong Kong for the Four Seasons Private Residences brought in a record THB700 million in sales for Country Group in 2015. "Considering this was our fourth exhibition, clients’ enthusiasm, and interest from Hong Kong buyers remained significant, thanks in part to the recognition and confidence in the Four Seasons brand, but also due to our proven track record as a developer,” said Country Group CEO Ben Taechaubol.  Affiliations with brands have emboldened Thailand developers to justify premium price points. Units at the Ritz-Carlton Residences, for example, ask for anywhere between THB45 million and THB300 million. Spectacular views are guaranteed though — the 209 units are lodged between the 57th and 73rd floors of the MahaNakhon, the country's tallest skyscraper. Demand for property investments in Southeast Asia in general is at an all-time high. Transactions in completed investment properties in the region stood at USD61 billion in the first half of 2017, up 19 percent from the same period last year, Colliers International reported.

Bangkok's finest properties turn heads in Hong Kong

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/File+photo_TRES+2017_Delegates+networking.png/6df67e5e-3bb6-4b1c-ba39-bc6be60f5748?t=1507112484876" style="width: 1022px; height: 680px;" /> Mark your calendar right now! PropertyGuru, Asia’s foremost online property company, has announced the keynotes and guest speakers who will appear at the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit, which is set to take place on 7-8 November 2017 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. The C-suite event will gather more than 20 global experts, 40 industry leaders, and 100 delegates from around Asia to explore key topics such as property and technology (“Proptech”), the impact of China’s One Belt One Road (“OBOR”) initiative, and insights on the region’s evolving property markets. Interested parties are now invited to <a href="http://asiarealestatesummit.com/countries-Singapore/registration">register for the two-day conference</a> on the official website. With the theme “Connecting Asia: insights, innovation and evolving markets,” the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit will welcome keynotes from: Day 1: Proptech – the future of real estate <ul> <li>Dr. Liu Thai Ker, senior director of RSM Architects Planners & Engineers (Pte) Ltd and chairman, Centre for Liveable Cities</li> <li>Shailesh Rao, board director at JLL, and former vice-president at Twitter and managing director at Google India</li> </ul> Day 2: OBOR – what does China’s new Silk Road plan mean for you? <ul> <li>Tom Miller, author and senior analyst at Gavekal Research</li> <li>Rafiq Jumabhoy, executive chairman at Orkney Investments</li> </ul> A renowned architect-planner and educator, Dr Liu Thai Ker will deliver the opening keynote of the two-day Summit and share his wisdom on urban development and responsible city planning earned over years as chief planner and CEO of Singapore’s Urban Development Authority, where one of his main achievements was leading the re-evaluation of the Singapore Concept Plan ’91. Currently an adjunct professor of the School of Design & Environment and of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, and Nanyang Technological University, Dr. Liu was awarded in 2015 the Singapore National Day Award – The Distinguished Service Order, the Singapore Design Council – Golden Jubilee Award, and the Singapore Institute of Planners Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award. JLL board director Shailesh Rao serves as the Proptech keynote speaker on Day 1. The accomplished digital expert is behind the development of some of today’s most-used digital products, including Google Maps and Google Earth, as well as growing Google’s YouTube business, earning the prestigious Google Founder’s Award for his work. Rao’s successful stint at Twitter introduced him to the world’s emerging markets and consumers. Oxford-educated author and former journalist Tom Miller kicks off Day 2 with his keynote “One Belt One Road: China’s lion has woken – what this means for business across Asia.” The London-based Miller spent more than a decade studying and living in Beijing and has written two acclaimed books on China’s urban migration and New Silk Road empire. Rafiq Jumabhoy returns to the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit stage also on Day 2, following his participation in the Malaysia conference last August. With more than 35 years of experience in international real estate advisory and strategic planning, Jumabhoy is widely regarded as a pioneer in serviced apartments as an asset class. He is an honourary fellow at the National University of Singapore and was a main board member of Singapore Economic Planning Committee in the 1990s. Additional speakers to look forward to at the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit include: <ul> <li>Jack FitzGerald, founder of Disruptproperty.com, who is moderating a panel on disruptive technologies with: Hari Krishnan (CEO, PropertyGuru Group), Darvin Kurniawan (CEO, REIDAO), Julian Kwan (CEO, InvestaCrowd Ltd), and Dr John Leslie Millar (Chief Strategic Development Officer, Ananda Development)</li> <li>Chungha Cha, co-founder and chair of Re-Imagining Cities Foundation, who will lead a panel discussion on building smarter and more sustainable cities for the next generation</li> </ul> There will also be spotlight sessions featuring overseas experts who will provide on-the-ground and first-hand knowledge of: <ul> <li>Mongolia – with Oliver Nicholl, director of research at Asia Pacific Investment Partners</li> <li>Sri Lanka – with Roshan Madawela, founder and CEO at Research Intelligence Unit</li> <li>OBOR: project of the century – with panel moderator Winston Lee, regional head of new projects, PropertyGuru</li> <li>ASEAN markets outlook and opportunities – featuring Asia Property Award-winners and recipients of the coveted Real Estate Personality of the Year honour</li> <li>Country roundtable discussions – featuring judges from the Asia Property Awards series</li> <li>Women in REC: Rising through the ranks – with Cyndy Tan Jarabata (CEO and President, Tajara Hospitality), Emilie Röell (Founder, Doh Eain), Emeritus Prof. Chitra Weddikkara (Managing Director, QServe Pte Ltd), Kamolpat Swaengkit (Thailand Country Manager, DDproperty.com), and Sigrid G. Zialcita (Managing Director, Research, AsiaPacific, Cushman & Wakefield)</li> </ul> Chaired by Amarit “Aim” Charoenphan, CEO and co-founder of Hubba Co-Working Space and Techsauce.co, the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit 2017 is supported by Singapore’s No.1 property website PropertyGuru.com.sg; media partners Oxford Business Group, and PropertyGuru Property Report, Asia’s leading luxury real estate, architecture and design publication; supporting association RICS: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; and marketing partner Disrupt Property. The two-day PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit in Singapore is the flagship event of the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit 2017 conference series, which began in Malaysia last August and continued in Thailand in September. The Summit will be concurrently held alongside the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) gala dinner on 7 November, and the seventh annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final on 8 November, where the best in Asian real estate from more than 10 countries will be recognised at the black-tie finale event. Sponsorship and media partnership opportunities for the Summit are still available. For enquiries, contact <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or visit the official website: <a href="http://asiarealestatesummit.com/">AsiaRealEstateSummit.com</a> Join the conversation within Asia Real Estate Summit's social network on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/AsiaRealEstateSummit/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/GuruSummit" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/AsiaRealEstateSummit/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/13178602/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a> and share insights on today’s property sector.

Impressive keynotes at upcoming PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit 2017

<img alt="The iconic Semanggi Flyover in Jakarta. Indonesians were among the most optimistic respondents in the new PropertyGuru Regional Consumer Sentiment Survey. Andreas H/Shutterstock" src="/documents/10204/0/shutterstock_644547721.jpg/5a31478e-be70-4a24-9758-3f05b7edb9d2?t=1506583870941" style="width: 740px; height: 494px;" />Consumers in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand expressed a strong intention to purchase residential property in the latest <a href="http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/customer-service/press-releases/intent-to-purchase-property-remains-strong-across-" target="_blank">Regional Consumer Sentiment Survey</a> by Asia’s leading online property group PropertyGuru. The results, issued Tuesday, are poignant given that property affordability sentiments appear subdued across the foregoing markets. Respondents also showed a steady decline in the overall rate of satisfaction with the real estate climate. Five out of 10 respondents across the region are looking to buy a property in the next six months, the report stated. Indonesians emerged the most optimistic, with 60 percent of respondents evincing an intent to purchase property in H2 2017. Malaysians followed with 52 percent intending a purchase, along with Singapore (49 percent) and Thailand (43 percent). “Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing real estate markets in the world, with Indonesia demonstrating the strongest optimism in purchase intentions and affordability sentiment among the countries surveyed,” said PropertyGuru Group CEO Hari V Krishnan. A stable rupiah and a robust economic outlook elevated Indonesia’s optimism above the regional sentiment, noted the executive. The currency registered a strong showing against the US dollar following Bank Indonesia's (BI) reduction of the 7-day reverse repo rate last week.  "What is important for us, especially for the business sector, is rupiah is stable against the US dollar — not too strong and not too weak,” BI Deputy Governor Mirza Adityaswara told reporters in Jakarta earlier this month. While prospective home owners in Indonesia, as well as Malaysia and Thailand, indicated a preference for new property, Singaporean respondents were more open to resale homes. The city-state’s property affordability sentiment score stood at 29, unchanged from its H2 2016 marks. <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/propertyguru-asia-property-awards-singapore-2017-shortlists-urban-innovato-1" target="_blank">More: PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) 2017 shortlists urban innovators</a> “Even as the Singapore real estate market looks to recover in 2018, concerns with affordability are likely to continue to hobble the absorption of supply,” Krishnan said. Indonesia’s affordability sentiment score hovered at a regional best of 52, but it gained the same marks at the end of H2 2016. Only Malaysia increased its sentiment score, from 37 to 38, while Thailand dropped from 39 to 34. Despite a comparatively rosy prognosis for home ownership and affordability, Indonesians appeared slightly more dissatisfied with the general real estate climate. Sixty-three percent of surveyed Indonesians were satisfied with the real estate climate, compared with 65 percent in H2 2016. Most Indonesian respondents nonetheless predicted strong capital gains for property in the long term. In contrast, a staggering 32 percent of Singaporeans were dissatisfied with existing government policies relevant to the real estate sector. Malaysian satisfaction levels were relatively more positive at 36, topped by Thailand at 57. PropertyGuru conducted the survey with a stable of metrics that factored in external realities such as benchmark interest rates, perceived government efforts, and anticipated property prices in the next one to five years. The property portal <a href="http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/customer-service/press-releases/propertyguru-group-appoints-jeremy-williams-as-chi" target="_blank">recently appointed former CarTrade.com chief financial officer Jeremy Williams</a> as chief operating officer, leading strategic projects and managing the talent organisation across PropertyGuru's offices in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Krishnan called Williams a “rare find” in the region. “As we continue our rapid growth, he will greatly aid our quest for higher efficiency, for the business overall. We continue to develop our highly experienced executive team, and Jeremy is a strong addition to the Group.” Williams served as part of the founding management team at CarTrade.com, India’s leading auto classifieds company. The company raised USD230 million in institutional capital from Warburg Pincus, Temasek, Tiger Global, and other global names in investment during his tenure.

Home ownership remains a massive aspiration in Southeast Asia

<img alt="The Sunplay Club at Sunplay Bangsaray, an active lifestyle community for the over-50s" src="/documents/10204/0/TheSunplayClubXXXX.jpg/981c348d-48c2-4dc4-a3f1-4bdeef2d4db6?t=1506511604671" style="width: 740px; height: 370px;" />In an increasingly unstable and uncertain world of shifting political regimes, climate patterns and economic powers, many investors are finding themselves asking what constitutes real value.  <div>Most societies have historically measured worth in concrete financial statistics: in GDPs, stock indices, and all sorts of monetary projections. Yet the more these figures fluctuate, the more individuals seek to ground their portfolios in items of perceived long-term value, tangible or otherwise. </div> <div> </div> <div>The Kingdom of Bhutan was the first country to attempt to measure its prosperity by the general wellbeing of its inhabitants rather than economic prowess when it introduced Gross National Happiness (GNH), a rough measure of the quality of life of its citizens.</div> <div> </div> <div>More objective and more exhaustively researched is the World Happiness Report, a survey launched in 2012 that ranks satisfaction in 155 countries based on factors such as life expectancy and quality. Although nations that ranked high on the survey such as Norway, Iceland, and Denmark certainly had high GDP rates, the fact that they offer inhabitants a sense of security and comfort earned them the top slots. If a stable, prosperous future in a desirable setting is key to determining happiness, then surely investing in property is one of the best paths to achieving that aim. </div> <div> </div> <div>Although any form of investment has the potential to rise or fall, property has long been considered one of the most surefire paths to financial returns. In a region as fast-changing as Asia, where individual currencies and even governments are liable to change at a moment’s notice, a physical piece of property in a prime location such as Hong Kong, Singapore, or Bangkok has the potential for high gains with minimal risk. </div> <div> </div> <div>“It won’t be enough simply to have a ‘build it and they will come strategy,’” says Mark Clifford, executive director of the Asia Business Council. “We’re moving from a supply-constrained seller’s market to one where buyers have more choice, and more power. Good-value, well-designed and livable buildings are likely to command a premium.”</div> <div> </div> <div>Assessing the true value of property remains more art than science, but by taking some of these lifestyle benefits into account when making a purchase, it is possible to reap long-term rewards.</div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/in-thailand-empty-nesters-find-their-luxe-forever-ho-16" target="_blank">More: Why retirement real estate is now one of Thailand’s fastest-growing property segments</a></div>   <h3>1. Be aware of your surroundings</h3> <div>One of the most fundamental rewards of investing in property is gaining from others’ spending. When governments pour tax dollars into improving the fundamental infrastructure of a city, property owners in the vicinity usually enjoy the benefits without doing a thing. Although an apartment in Singapore may set you back an average of USD13,748 per square metre (based on a 2016 assessment by Global Property Guide), that sum entitles you to access to one of the best mass transit systems in the world, as well as pristine roadways and sidewalks. In a world where connectivity is king, it pays to spend a little extra to for easy accessibility to key areas of a metropolitan hub. </div>   <h3>2. Get back to nature</h3> <div>As Asia’s urban jungles grow ever denser, access to green spaces has become an increasingly important factor in daily quality of life. The presence of green spaces can bolster overall mental health and reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular morbidity, according to a 2016 report by the World Health Organization (WHO). It may even improve the outcome of pregnancy. “Mankind has a desire to be associated very closely with nature at all times,” says Professor Philip Cox, an Australian landscape architect whose firm, COX Architecture, is responsible for some of Asia’s landmark public projects. “Nature is the heart of quality of life itself.”  Whether you opt for a condominium near a city park or a weekend retreat near the beach, a property’s location has the potential to improve both wellness and overall happiness.</div> <div> </div> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/sunplay+bangsaray123.jpg/9edd2c1b-e9da-4363-ac3e-f73a1acf7ecc?t=1506568275351" style="width: 740px; height: 423px;" />  <h3>3. Seek out exclusive amenities </h3> <div>One of the prime lifestyle advantages in competitive Asian residential real estate markets is the sheer number of high-end amenities available at top-tier condominiums and villas. In a bid to stand out, many buildings go beyond mundane laundry rooms and lobbies. At premium places, investors can expect to find fitness centres stocked with the latest equipment, infinity pools lined with sun loungers, rooftop terraces, and even gardens designed by internationally renowned landscape architects. One could, of course, theoretically seek out gyms and pools elsewhere, but it is hard to match the satisfaction of having one in your own home. It almost goes without saying that being able to routinely exercise even with a demanding job is a boon for overall physical and mental health.</div>   <h3>4. Expect the highest standards </h3> <div>The standards of the hospitality industry have soared substantially over the years, especially in Asia. Though many associate personalised, thoughtful service with five-star hotels and resorts, privately owned residences around the region have begun to offer comparable concierges and cleaning staff to discerning tenants or owners. By purchasing a luxury property, you will guarantee yourself peace of mind, thanks to the 24-hour security guards with access to state-of-the-art surveillance technology, as well as a pristine living environment, courtesy of a small army of staff.</div> <div> </div> <div>“Asia has always been an attractive destination for luxury buyers, but the market is still underserved when it comes to safe, secure, high quality options, either for investment or as a place to live full time,” says Chris Delaney, managing director of Sunplay Asia. “There is always a market for the best.”</div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/a-guide-to-luxury-retirement-in-asia" target="_blank">More: A guide to luxury retirement in Asia</a></div>   <h3>5. Look beyond your four walls</h3> <div>When it comes to real estate, the age-old mantra has always been “location, location, location.” While that may hardly be the only determining factor of value, a building’s surroundings have a profound impact on the life its inhabitants lead. No individual can stay at home all the time, which is why proximity to theatres, museums, galleries, restaurants, nightlife, and other cultural institutions is such a plus. “People want entertainment,” says Kent Wertime, co-CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Asia-Pacific. “What people are looking is not only luxury, but enjoyment and leisure.” Whether you’re a parent looking for educational activities for the family or a single adult looking to live the highlife in a major metropolis, the right property can substantially increase the amount of culture you consume and opportunities to pepper your social circle with like-minded individuals who enjoy similar pursuits. </div> <div> </div> <div><img alt="The Heights at Sunplay Bangsaray combines 70 luxury residences with an outstanding range of on-site facilities" src="/documents/10204/0/TheHeights_Sunplay432.jpg/de7d7b0c-0e64-461e-b2ce-9ce78c3e70d2?t=1506568621037" style="width: 740px; height: 444px;" /></div> <div> </div> <h3>Investing well on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard</h3> <div>From the paradisiacal islands in the Andaman Sea to the vibrant Eastern Seaboard, Thailand has long been regarded as Asia’s premier resort property destination. Nowadays, many affluent investors not only look for luxury real estate in a prime location, but also require amenities that support an action-packed lifestyle.</div> <div> </div> <div>Whether for sport or fitness, personal development or health, relaxation or fun,  Sunplay Bangsaray — an active lifestyle community for the over-50s located on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard with stunning views of the coast — provides plenty of lifestyle options complemented by a full range of modern luxury facilities. The onsite Sunplay Club features a superbly equipped fitness centre, yoga studio, and large freeform swimming pool.</div> <div> </div> <div>Bangsaray is an emerging destination that offers a variety of activities and attractions for residents fond of watersports and physical activities, with 10 golf courses in the area, as well as multiple options for sailing, biking, running and hiking.</div> <div> </div> <div>For more information on one of the Eastern Seaboard’s most exclusive lifestyle communities, visit <a href="http://www.sunplay.asia" target="_blank">sunplay.asia</a></div>

5 ways a property investment can benefit your wellbeing

<img alt="View of the skyline of the Makati financial district and surrounding villages at sunset. ESB Professional/Shutterstock" src="/documents/10204/0/shutterstock_367987967.jpg/bd4a952f-0e8a-4875-bafa-36adb662e32d?t=1506425024562" style="width: 740px; height: 494px;" />Metro Manila suffers from such a lack of developable land in its established business districts that developers have turned their sights to the sea. Manila Bay is now the site of major reclamation projects, with reclaimed land already picking up in price by 30 percent per annum over the last five years, according to Colliers Philippines. Parcels in the CBD of Makati and Fort Bonifacio, two of the metropolis' biggest financial districts, have ballooned in price by 15 percent to 20 percent a year for the last five years. Is there still room for landed residential property within the crowding metro, somewhere with a front yard or a little bit of curb appeal perhaps?  There is ample reason to believe so. Leading property portal <a href="http://zipmatch.com" target="_blank">ZipMatch.com</a> has rounded out the best places where you can live right smack in the middle of Metro Manila but still feel insulated from the troubles of a populous megalopolis (and do some shopping around the corner).  <h3>9. Loyola Heights</h3> <img alt="Image credit: ZipMatch.com" src="/documents/10204/0/ZipMatch+listing_1453950501_3487_7909.jpg/4badf8d1-be01-496a-a426-ecbf73f1f0ca?t=1506423968719" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" /> Affordability score: 7.14 Plots in the district, anchored by swish Catholic institutions such as Ateneo de Manila University and Miriam College, fetch an average price of PHP84,615 (USD1,700) per square metre, while the average townhouses and detached homes set buyers back by PHP37.3 million. Rental yields in the area can reach 2.7 percent, with townhouse and detached home rentals averaging PHP60,000 a month.  <h3>8. Valle Verde</h3> <img alt="A Valle Verde listing on ZipMatch.com" src="/documents/10204/0/ZipMatch+listing_1480171777_8006_6050.jpg/fab33cbf-bb68-4c12-a1cf-90fa10b7b152?t=1506423417147" style="width: 740px; height: 555px;" /> Affordability score: 6.12 Valle Verde, a district in Pasig City so named for its proximity to the Valle Verde Country Club, has some of the highest rental yields for landed homes and townhouses in Metro Manila. With yields of 3.4 percent, average rentals of such properties could reach PHP120,000 a month. Lots sell for an average of PHP109,339 per sqm, with the average home available at around PHP52 million.  <h3>7. Ayala Heights</h3> <img alt="Image credit: ZipMatch.com" src="/documents/10204/0/Ayala+Heights.JPG/849c4387-7582-496c-b99c-d6f3cf50d5c3?t=1506423466539" style="width: 740px; height: 491px;" /> Affordability score: 6.02 The gated community, nestled next to the Capitol Hills Golf & Country Club, has plots selling for PHP116,473 per sqm on average. Expect to fork out PHP64.6 million for a townhome or landed house in the area, named after the country's oldest family of property developers. <h3>6. McKinley Hill</h3> <img alt="A McKinley Hill village. Image credit: ZipMatch.com" src="/documents/10204/0/McKinley+Hill+Village+by+Megaworld.jpg/d2e7624f-c9a2-4759-9318-c8836ef4a479?t=1506423914198" style="width: 740px; height: 555px;" /> Affordability score: 5.92 Townhouses and detached dwellings in McKinley Hill, a 50-hectare integrated township by local property developer Megaworld, offer rental yields of 5.2 percent, the highest in Metro Manila. With average lot prices going for PHP129,897 a sqm, you can get your dream townhome or house-and-lot here for PHP57.5 million on average. Alternatively, you can rent one for around PHP167,636. The embassies of Great Britain, Korea and United Arab Emirates are situated in the township, while a LEED Gold-certified building hosts many business process outsourcing (BPO) companies.  <h3>5. Ayala Alabang</h3> <img alt="The Alabang Town Centre. Image credit: ZipMatch.com" src="/documents/10204/0/Alabang+Town+Center.jpg/ee3fae21-6c3f-4ac7-b8ff-ef61acc2037f?t=1506423861306" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" /> Affordability score: 5.89 One of the more well-known upscale neighbourhoods in the country, the village of Ayala Alabang has some of the highest townhouse and house-and-lot rentals in the metro: around PHP198,154 for rental yields of around 4.6 percent. The average price of landed residential property hovers at around PHP75.6 million, with each square meterage of land going for PHP129,032. The community shops at the Alabang Town Centre and goes to high-end schools like De La Salle Zobel and PAREF Woodrose. <h3>4. San Lorenzo Village</h3> <img alt="Image credit: ZipMatch.com" src="/documents/10204/0/ZipMatch+listing_1438830582_7865_3257.JPG/b86aeb8a-61b5-49e7-b858-04d75405b3b4?t=1506423814436" style="width: 750px; height: 561px;" /> Affordability score: 5.87 With roots dating to 1954, the gated community of San Lorenzo Village is one of the more reputable neighbourhoods in Makati, the financial capital of the country. Shopping malls such as Glorietta and SM Makati are just across the street from the neighbourhood’s gated entrance. For around PHP157,950 you can rent a townhome or landed home in the area, for a rental yield of 3.3 percent. The average price of land in the area tops off at PHP119,231 per sqm, with units valued at an average of PHP140 million.  <h3>3. Bel Air </h3> <img alt="Image credit: ZipMatch.com" src="/documents/10204/0/listing_1465456893_8645_5650.jpg/aae0abd4-d77f-4e9d-9df9-99048d1d6c02?t=1506423756211" style="width: 740px; height: 416px;" /> Affordability score: 5.51 Lots in the Bel Air subdivision of Makati are, on average, priced at PHP175,000 per sqm. Landed residential properties in the area usually go for around PHP75 million or an average rental of PHP193,857. Rental yields may reach 3.1 percent. The community celebrated 60 years since its incorporation in May. <h3>2. Dasmariñas Village</h3> <img alt="Image credit: ZipMatch.com" src="/documents/10204/0/ZipMatch+listing_1482300189_5384_9605.jpg/ee2c4f53-b6b1-4cd4-b812-3ae0b89ee036?t=1506423706041" style="width: 740px; height: 505px;" /> Affordability score: 4.70 With average lot prices of PHP241,158 per sqm and unit prices of PHP236 million, Dasmariñas Village wears its exclusivity well. Rental yields in the village could go as much as 2.5 percent, with average rentals standing at PHP294,737. Single-unit houses in the village were reportedly the first to enjoy air-conditioning in the country in the 1960s. Several embassies are located in the area.   <h3>1. Forbes Park</h3> <img alt="Entrance to Forbes Park. Image credit: ZipMatch.com" src="/documents/10204/0/08734jfForbes_Park_Makati_Central_District_Buendia_MRT_Station_EDSA_Roadfvf_41.jpg/4ea2b477-06c0-41a0-ae08-848002a94f53?t=1506423538438" style="width: 740px; height: 555px;" /> Affordability score: 4.00 Forbes Park is home to many of Metro Manila’s alta de sociedad. Townhome or landed house rentals here go as high as PHP440,161, with rental yields of 2.6 percent. The average landed home here is purchased for PHP450 million, with land prices estimated at PHP283,944 per sqm. The Manila Polo Club is situated in the neighbourhood, as are the Manila Golf and Country Club. The Greenbelt and Glorietta shopping malls are popular stomping grounds for residents, while the Ayala Museum gives some cultured diversions.

9 most expensive Metro Manila districts for landed homes and townhouses

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/blink_design36.jpg/66b5cfa6-85c8-4b31-a3de-df7ce30b3c20?t=1507264246772" style="width: 740px; height: 494px;" />They say you should never meet your heroes. However, it was an initial encounter in 2005 with legendary resort architect Bill Bensley which put Clint Nagata on the path of founding BLINK, one of Asia’s most distinctive hotel and resort design firms.  Nagata, who at that time was working as a corporate designer for US firm Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo, contacted Bensley while traveling Thailand on the off-chance that he could secure a meeting with the designer, who was already famous for turning out some of the most whimsical, flamboyant, highly personal five-star resort designs in the region.  He first encountered Bensley’s work through the American’s book, Paradise by Design, and had become enamoured with his escapist language and uncompromising approach to resort design, directing everything from planting schemes to table settings. He recalls his first visit to Bensley’s studios vividly. “I remember going into the basement and seeing a bunch of artists at work,” says Nagata. “The whole thing was just so creative. For someone working in the States, where we don’t have such bespoke design, it was very inspirational. The process, the sheer talent, I was taken in.” The pair became good friends and Bensley lent Nagata some back offices so that the 36-year-old Japanese-American, born and raised on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, could establish his own firm in Southeast Asia. Today, his acclaimed design practice employs some 85 people at offices in Bangkok, Singapore, New Delhi and Shanghai.  BLINK’s footprint stretches from the burgeoning cities of China to the pristine island shores of the Maldives, from mixed-use developments in Nairobi to boutique retreats in Istanbul. Its work for the Regent Phuket Cape Panwa saw the property pick up a Silver Award in the Hotel Space category at the 2013 Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards, while the classic lines of the Conrad Sanya Haitang Bay won the Hospitality Design Awards in 2012. <img alt="Viceroy Princes' Islands indoor pool" src="/documents/10204/0/Viceroy+Princes%27+Islands+indoor+pool.jpg/4765665e-262a-41c3-8186-34899e724aeb?t=1507267529890" style="width: 740px; height: 509px;" /> The breadth of clients and environments with which Nagata’s firm now works means that a signature BLINK style might seem elusive. But it is there in the strong sense of place retained for each project, in the utilisation of local materials, in daring to custom design that which can’t be found on the shelf, and in always using the local culture as a project’s starting point for design.  “I was taught that a sense of place is critical in creating successful projects,” says Nagata. “I find myself still to this day saying those words only with a different spin. Our role is to bring out the best in a location, but also to think about the brand and the owner. Often our clients are individuals with aspirations of opening hotels, personal projects, so we like to instil their tastes and likes into our design.” <div class="pull-quotes-container">I’ve always believed it’s not only about talent but timing, being in the right place at the right time</div>   One of those individuals is Wang Jianlin, owner of the world’s biggest private property group, Wanda, and China’s richest man. Jianlin provided BLINK with an early break when he commissioned the studio to work on the Conrad Sanya Haitang Bay in 2006, an opulent coastal resort which kick-started a fruitful relationship between BLINK and Chinese clients. “Throughout my career, I’ve always believed it’s not only about talent but timing, being in the right place at the right time,” he says. “And I’ve always felt like I’ve had that behind me.” <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/industrial-revolution-10" target="_blank">More: The industrial revolutionary rocking Hong Kong design</a> BLINK now has 10 projects across China including a palatial Hilton amid the natural surroundings of Fengxian outside of Shanghai, a Renaissance in Hailing which takes inspiration from the white sails of a traditional Chinese junk and others which are still under construction.  Nagata is now also looking to open a BLINK office in Berlin – the company is currently working on several projects in Germany – where he hopes to establish a stronger foothold in European markets. Asia, though, remains where he believes the world’s leading hotel projects are being carried out. “Asia is pioneering,” he says. “We’ve been fortunate that the market has been quite strong. Designers from all over the world are doing fresh projects here, which you now see reflected in other parts of the world.” <img alt="Fairmont Sanur bathroom" src="/documents/10204/0/Fairmont+Sanur+bathroom.jpg/f0059ba3-fb88-4482-b430-383bd32f3a29?t=1507267555069" style="width: 740px; height: 554px;" /> The Asian resorts which form most of BLINK’s portfolio are a far cry from Nagata’s roots. The son of fourth-generation Japanese American parents, he was brought up in Hawaii on Oahu’s North Shore, an area which during the 1980s was a byword for remoteness.      <div class="pull-quotes-container">There has been so much excess in the world that people are trying to do less</div>   “Being surrounded by so much beauty made me see things the way I do now,” he explains. “I look for simple forms and translate that.” For a resort he is currently working on in Vietnam, for example, Nagata has taken a humble type of black stone used locally for outdoor flooring, and brought it indoors in favour of the luxury finish you'd get from importing Italian marble. His reason is simple: “There has been so much excess in the world that people are trying to  do less.”  <img alt="Alila Salalah pool villa" src="/documents/10204/0/Alila+Salalah+pool+villa.jpg/da2ec34e-d908-467d-b9df-fb1c75279e8c?t=1507267562938" style="width: 740px; height: 370px;" /> This trend he feels is being reflected not just in materials, but also in the architecture of modern hotels and resorts, with clients increasingly preferring smaller spaces that can economically be furnished with custom fittings. “It’s not about creating the biggest room, but asking what that room is about, how it flows,” he explains. “With developers concerned about their bottom line, reducing size and maintaining quality has been well received.” Today, Nagata bases himself out of his Bangkok offices, where he says the quantity of skilled designers exceeds anywhere else in the region. “If you were to go to Singapore or even China you would see that a lot of the design staff are Thai,” he says, adding that Thailand’s largest city is also a convenient geographic base for someone whose work takes him to upwards of 30 cities around the world each year.  His 1,000-square-meter penthouse offices on the 30th floor of the prestigious Bangkok City Tower is a far cry from the operation which Nagata set up in Bill Bensley’s back rooms 12 years ago. “I started the firm with really not much of a goal except to create really nice resorts and hotels,” Nagata explains. “I had no idea we would do as well as we have.” This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.magzter.com/TH/PropertyGuru-International-(Thailand)-Co.,Ltd/Property-Report/Business/227304" target="_blank">Issue No. 142 of PropertyGuru Property Report Magazine</a>

Interviews Architecture & Interiors Oct 06, 2017

Meet the man designing some of Asia’s most outstanding resorts BY Oliver Irvine

<img alt="Lotte World Tower" src="/documents/10204/0/SIGNIEL+RESIDENCES+-+Copy.jpg/f8d5d60f-22cf-4751-8861-6ae796c8534d?t=1507090424303" style="width: 740px; height: 399px;" />Although Psy’s smash hit may have enhanced its fame, Seoul’s Gangnam neighbourhood hardly needed the portly K-Pop star’s endorsement to elevate its high society status. Long the domain of the A-list set in the South Korean capital, the leafy district south of the Han River is home to some of the city’s best hotels and restaurants as well as its most exclusive new residential developments, including the Signiel Residences inside the landmark Lotte World Tower, the world’s fifth tallest building. 1. Hyundai Card Cooking Library <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Cooking+Library+Ground+Floor++-+Copy.jpg/7d3f8dbd-4e7d-4b9b-9c93-2c30b23bd71f?t=1507090489118" style="width: 740px; height: 494px;" /> There are libraries and there are <a href="http://library.hyundaicard.com/index.hdc">Hyundai Card Libraries</a>: a series of exclusive literary hubs in Seoul that home in on design, music, travel and food. The Cooking Library opened in spring 2017 and is already sating the appetites of local and visiting foodies. Designed by leading Korean architects One O One, the building is based on a hanok (a traditional Korean home) and its cosy, cave-like spaces offer scope to immerse in over 10,000 culinary focused-books including the entire 971 awardees of the James Beard Foundation Awards, the most prestigious prize in the field of culinary literature. Additional draws, meanwhile, include an in-house deli, two kitchens provided for library users to cook recipes from the books, a small farm, an ingredients house where guests can mix and taste over 190 herbs, spices salts and oils and a one-table private restaurant, The Greenhouse, on the rooftop terrace. 2. Signiel Residences <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/signiel+residences.jpg/b60fd4d9-aadb-40a5-8d5d-1cdebdf31714?t=1507090584930" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" /> At 555 metres tall, the new <a href="http://www.property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/the-world-s-5th-tallest-building-is-also-south-korea-s-most-expensive-home">Lotte World Tower</a> is by far the most striking landmark on Seoul’s skyline. And things are equally attention-grabbing inside the towering structure with a host of draws, including luxury retail, the world’s highest swimming pool and the world’s highest glass-bottomed observation deck all among the draws. Naturally, luxury real estate is a key component of the project. Taking up the 42nd through 71st storeys of the tower, <a href="http://www.signielresidences.com/ko/main.do">The Signiel Residences</a> have units fetching at least KRW5 billion up to KRW30 billion (USD4.2-27million). Around 223 units are on offer, including two penthouses crowning the 71st floor of the building with a vantage point 320 metres above the city. <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/7-of-asia-s-most-spectacular-resort-residen-10">More: 7 of Asia's most spectacular resort residences</a> <h4>3. Park Hyatt Seoul</h4> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/park-hyatt-seoul-tenth-anniversary-bedroom+-+Copy.jpg/2ec694f1-c695-4feb-a88a-a15864815960?t=1507090685023" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" /> You expect a polished product from <a href="https://seoul.park.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html">Park Hyatt</a>, and the global brand’s outpost in Gangnam is no exception to the general rule. Handily placed near the COEX Mall, with its retail and convention centres, there’s a business-like efficiency to the property. Guestrooms and suites are done in simple, neutral tones with a smattering of artwork adding some judicious colour. Lavish spa-inspired bathrooms, meanwhile, add some wow factor. Measuring a third of the generously proportioned rooms, the bathrooms feature granite stone walls and full wall windows looking out over the city. <h4>4. Ryunique</h4> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Ryunique+-+Copy.jpg/863e4f0a-ae38-49a8-a71d-56f213156e63?t=1507090744455" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" /> Chef <a href="http://ryunique.co.kr/">Tae Hwan Ryu</a> is not averse to boldness – a character trait borne out by the bullish name of his Gangnam restaurant. The young maestro, however, has the chops to back up his bravado. In a city where simple, punchy delights such kimchi and barbecue hold sway, chef Ryu mines a subtler culinary seam. He spent eight years travelling the world and immersing in different food cultures and cookery techniques. And this time abroad is reflected in food with a strong French accent, but which also has references to Japan, Spain, Italy, Australia and Korea itself. Stand out dishes include the signature sushi plate, served on a large stone with pickled vegetables, cucumber foam, seaweed and green herb puree. <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/case-for-colom-8">More: 6 reasons Colombo is one of South Asia's best bets for investment</a> <h4>5. COEX Mall</h4> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/COEX+MALL+-+Copy.jpg/3ea5d486-036e-423d-a878-dedbfd37f9ad?t=1507090814665" style="width: 740px; height: 491px;" /> One of Asia’s high-class retail hubs, the streets of Gangnam are top heavy with upscale boutiques and international designer brand outlets. For a one stop shopping hub, however, there are few better destinations than the <a href="https://www.starfield.co.kr/coexmall/main.do">COEX mall</a>. Located underneath the Korea World Trade Centre, it is the largest underground shopping centre in the country. Gangnam’s legion of pretty young things (both male and female) flock here for international brand name stores. Other diversion, meanwhile, include a full aquarium, movie theatre, arcade and even a museum celebrating kimchi, Korea’s notoriously stinky fermented cabbage food staple. <h4>6.  Gangnam A5</h4> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/GANGNAM+A5+-+Copy.jpg/51dec1e3-0b5e-4723-8c07-8ad2c94b0b06?t=1507090873097" /> This striking housing development – which won the 2016 Korean Architecture Award – showcases the more egalitarian side of Gangnam. While the project is well located near the boutiques and upscale restaurants, it is offered as an affordable housing development whole offering amenities such as 1,600 parking spaces and community facilities. Characterising the project, which was overseen by famed Dutch architect Frits van Dongen, are the pitched, sloping roofs of the five tower block hybrids, housing residential units and private inner courtyards. Each of the blocks was carefully positioned to maximise the permeation of sunlight into the accommodations and the courtyards.

South Korea Neighbourhood Watch Oct 04, 2017

6 places putting the Seoul in Gangnam district BY Duncan Forgan

The Sunplay Club at Sunplay Bangsaray, an active lifestyle community for the over-50s In an increasingly unstable and uncertain world of shifting political regimes, climate patterns and economic powers, many investors are finding themselves asking what constitutes real value.

Most societies have historically measured worth in concrete financial statistics: in GDPs, stock indices, and all sorts of monetary projections. Yet the more these figures fluctuate, the more individuals seek to ground their portfolios in items of perceived long-term value, tangible or otherwise.

The Kingdom of Bhutan was the first country to attempt to measure its prosperity by the general wellbeing of its inhabitants rather than economic prowess when it introduced Gross National Happiness (GNH), a rough measure of the quality of life of its citizens.

More objective and more exhaustively researched is the World Happiness Report, a survey launched in 2012 that ranks satisfaction in 155 countries based on factors such as life expectancy and quality. Although nations that ranked high on the survey such as Norway, Iceland, and Denmark certainly had high GDP rates, the fact that they offer inhabitants a sense of security and comfort earned them the top slots. If a stable, prosperous future in a desirable setting is key to determining happiness, then surely investing in property is one of the best paths to achieving that aim.

Although any form of investment has the potential to rise or fall, property has long been considered one of the most surefire paths to financial returns. In a region as fast-changing as Asia, where individual currencies and even governments are liable to change at a moment’s notice, a physical piece of property in a prime location such as Hong Kong, Singapore, or Bangkok has the potential for high gains with minimal risk.

“It won’t be enough simply to have a ‘build it and they will come strategy,’” says Mark Clifford, executive director of the Asia Business Council. “We’re moving from a supply-constrained seller’s market to one where buyers have more choice, and more power. Good-value, well-designed and livable buildings are likely to command a premium.”

Assessing the true value of property remains more art than science, but by taking some of these lifestyle benefits into account when making a purchase, it is possible to reap long-term rewards.

More: Why retirement real estate is now one of Thailand’s fastest-growing property segments

1. Be aware of your surroundings

One of the most fundamental rewards of investing in property is gaining from others’ spending. When governments pour tax dollars into improving the fundamental infrastructure of a city, property owners in the vicinity usually enjoy the benefits without doing a thing. Although an apartment in Singapore may set you back an average of USD13,748 per square metre (based on a 2016 assessment by Global Property Guide), that sum entitles you to access to one of the best mass transit systems in the world, as well as pristine roadways and sidewalks. In a world where connectivity is king, it pays to spend a little extra to for easy accessibility to key areas of a metropolitan hub.

2. Get back to nature

As Asia’s urban jungles grow ever denser, access to green spaces has become an increasingly important factor in daily quality of life. The presence of green spaces can bolster overall mental health and reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular morbidity, according to a 2016 report by the World Health Organization (WHO). It may even improve the outcome of pregnancy. “Mankind has a desire to be associated very closely with nature at all times,” says Professor Philip Cox, an Australian landscape architect whose firm, COX Architecture, is responsible for some of Asia’s landmark public projects. “Nature is the heart of quality of life itself.” Whether you opt for a condominium near a city park or a weekend retreat near the beach, a property’s location has the potential to improve both wellness and overall happiness.

3. Seek out exclusive amenities

One of the prime lifestyle advantages in competitive Asian residential real estate markets is the sheer number of high-end amenities available at top-tier condominiums and villas. In a bid to stand out, many buildings go beyond mundane laundry rooms and lobbies. At premium places, investors can expect to find fitness centres stocked with the latest equipment, infinity pools lined with sun loungers, rooftop terraces, and even gardens designed by internationally renowned landscape architects. One could, of course, theoretically seek out gyms and pools elsewhere, but it is hard to match the satisfaction of having one in your own home. It almost goes without saying that being able to routinely exercise even with a demanding job is a boon for overall physical and mental health.

4. Expect the highest standards

The standards of the hospitality industry have soared substantially over the years, especially in Asia. Though many associate personalised, thoughtful service with five-star hotels and resorts, privately owned residences around the region have begun to offer comparable concierges and cleaning staff to discerning tenants or owners. By purchasing a luxury property, you will guarantee yourself peace of mind, thanks to the 24-hour security guards with access to state-of-the-art surveillance technology, as well as a pristine living environment, courtesy of a small army of staff.

“Asia has always been an attractive destination for luxury buyers, but the market is still underserved when it comes to safe, secure, high quality options, either for investment or as a place to live full time,” says Chris Delaney, managing director of Sunplay Asia. “There is always a market for the best.”

More: A guide to luxury retirement in Asia

5. Look beyond your four walls

When it comes to real estate, the age-old mantra has always been “location, location, location.” While that may hardly be the only determining factor of value, a building’s surroundings have a profound impact on the life its inhabitants lead. No individual can stay at home all the time, which is why proximity to theatres, museums, galleries, restaurants, nightlife, and other cultural institutions is such a plus. “People want entertainment,” says Kent Wertime, co-CEO of Ogilvy & Mather Asia-Pacific. “What people are looking is not only luxury, but enjoyment and leisure.” Whether you’re a parent looking for educational activities for the family or a single adult looking to live the highlife in a major metropolis, the right property can substantially increase the amount of culture you consume and opportunities to pepper your social circle with like-minded individuals who enjoy similar pursuits.

The Heights at Sunplay Bangsaray combines 70 luxury residences with an outstanding range of on-site facilities

Investing well on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard

From the paradisiacal islands in the Andaman Sea to the vibrant Eastern Seaboard, Thailand has long been regarded as Asia’s premier resort property destination. Nowadays, many affluent investors not only look for luxury real estate in a prime location, but also require amenities that support an action-packed lifestyle.

Whether for sport or fitness, personal development or health, relaxation or fun, Sunplay Bangsaray — an active lifestyle community for the over-50s located on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard with stunning views of the coast — provides plenty of lifestyle options complemented by a full range of modern luxury facilities. The onsite Sunplay Club features a superbly equipped fitness centre, yoga studio, and large freeform swimming pool.

Bangsaray is an emerging destination that offers a variety of activities and attractions for residents fond of watersports and physical activities, with 10 golf courses in the area, as well as multiple options for sailing, biking, running and hiking.

For more information on one of the Eastern Seaboard’s most exclusive lifestyle communities, visit sunplay.asia

In Depth Life & Style Sep 27, 2017

5 ways a property investment can benefit your wellbeing

There's more to life than money, and the same goes for buying real estate

BY Property Report

In Depth

5 ways a property investment can benefit your wellbeing

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Thailand+lead+image+2.jpg/fa21d8ab-ab6b-428e-ba4e-9fb5614f7802?t=1506489408522" style="width: 1081px; height: 549px;" /> For Australians, the phrase ‘the lucky country’ has strong resonance. The nickname, coined by author Donald Horne in his novel of the same name, has been used to describe the Antipodean nation’s weather, lifestyle and is often invoked to describe its good fortune from gold rushes to economic booms. Despite its roots Down Under, the description could just as easily be applied to Thailand: a nation whose spectacular natural attributes, incredible cuisine and long-established cache as one of the world’s most appealing places to live has enabled its property market to ride out storms and setbacks that might have floored those in other countries. “Thailand’s infrastructure, accessibility, and general reputation for being a laid-back leisure destination are still vastly superior to other neighbouring countries,” says Andrew Gulbrandson, research head at JLL Thailand. “While certain destinations within Thailand may become less popular, it’s difficult to envision a scenario where Thailand’s desirability as a place to invest substantially decreases.” Indeed, the country’s reputation for being Teflon-coated when it comes to deflecting troublesome news, events and economic tidings is as resonant as ever. In August 2016, bombs exploded in the tourist hubs of Hua Hin and Phuket while last October saw the passing of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the nation’s much revered monarch. This year has, by Thai standards at least, been relatively light on potentially seismic events. However, the military-run government, in power since a coup in 2014, preside over an economy that continues to be lacklustre. The economy will expand 3.3 percent a year on average from 2017 to 2019, according to the World Bank, the weakest among eight developing Southeast Asian nations. Given all this you could be forgiven for thinking that the country’s once-thriving real estate sector might be showing signs of lethargy, if not out and out fatigue. Not so, say analysts, experts and developers, pointing to booming demand for luxury property in the capital Bangkok and healthy interest from investors, both foreign and Thai, in popular secondary markets such as the paradise islands of Phuket and Koh Samui and the well-located beach resort of Hua Hin.    <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/what-you-missed-at-the-propertyguru-thailand-real-estate-summit-20-3" target="_blank">More: What you missed at the PropertyGuru Thailand Real Estate Summit 2017</a>   In Bangkok, growth in the condominium market remained strong last year. According to Knight Frank’s “Asia Pacific Residential Review”, published earlier this year, more than 52,000 new units were added in 2016 bringing the total to 435,805. But with demand at 315,393 units, the take-up rate recorded a three percentage-point drop to 72.4 percent. Contrastingly, take-up in the sub-prime and prime segments increased by more than four percentage points to 75.4 percent – indicative of the current rude health of the luxury residential market in the city. High-end condominiums are rising with the regularity of a ticking metronome. The striking MahaNakhon building – a mixed-use tower (Thailand’s tallest tower) that features leading international restaurants, hospitality and a luxury residential component with management by Ritz-Carlton – is the most noticeable manifestation of the ongoing penchant for new high-end real estate, while other new projects vie for the attention of super-rich investors. Prime central areas in the city are rising in price with properties selling for up to THB300,000 (USD8,421) per sq metre.  At super-luxe residential projects, such as the Ritz-Carlton Residences at MahaNakhon and 98 Wireless by respected Thai developer Sansiri, price tags are truly eye-watering. Units at the Ritz-Carlton Residences are priced from THB45 million to more than THB300 million while prices average about THB550,000 per square metre at 98 Wireless. Still, these asking prices pale in comparison with the city-record THB650,000 per square metre that was paid in March for the penthouse unit at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Residences, winner of Best Condo Development at the Thailand Property Awards 2016. Such opulence may not come cheap but strong uptake from buyers proves that there’s a market for it.  “Freehold ownership of Thailand’s tallest tower is truly a unique selling point,” says Kipsan Beck, managing director of MahaNakhon. “Buyers have indicated that they appreciate the design and specifications, mixed-use lifestyle benefits of having everything at their doorstep and the wide range of facilities and quality standards throughout.”    <div class="pull-quotes-container">Prices for new luxury units have risen to the point where it does not make sense for renters</div>   Developers and analysts are also reporting high levels of interest in luxury real estate elsewhere in the city’s central areas, even in the light of rocketing purchase prices and low to non-existent yield potential.  “Investors eyeing the luxury condo market should not expect any rental yield from new projects,” says Gulbrandson. “Prices for new luxury units have risen to the point where it does not make sense for renters.” The absence of any significant buy-to-let benefits (at least at the highest end of the markets) could be looked upon as a disincentive to buyers. So too could the surge in land values. These factors, as well as an expected glut of supply in the condominium market, meanwhile, has prompted some – including, most recently, Supachai Panitchpakdi, a former director-general of the World Trade Organization – to speculate about a possible property bubble. Experts, however, point to a range of advantages which bolster Bangkok’s reputation as a safe and stable place to invest.  Notably, the city still offers decent value for money. According to globalpropertyguide.com, property prices in the world’s top real estate markets like the US, UK and other Asian hotspots like Singapore and Hong Kong are between two to six times more expensive than Thailand.   <img alt="Hua Hin's proximity to Bangkok makes it a seriously convenient place for investors" src="/documents/10204/0/Thailand+templs.jpg/97cdbb82-6021-4c9a-817a-70df5c118609?t=1506487485611" style="width: 740px; height: 416px;" />   Analysts also point to the absence of punitive stamp duties for foreign nationals such as those found in Singapore and Hong Kong and the liquidity of developers and the selectivity of banks in approving mortgages as positive indicators. And, of course, also appealing are the perks that come from living in a city with myriad lifestyle benefits and easy access to the rest of Thailand and the world.  “Any suggestion of a bubble falls somewhere on the spectrum between ill-informed and irresponsible,” says Gulbrandson. “Bubbles can be created by many conditions, but most notably loose financing and massive speculative development, neither of which are present in the Bangkok market.” While Bangkok is by far the liveliest market in the country, sector conditions elsewhere in the tropical nation are also looking more promising than they have done for a while.  The sector in Phuket is beginning to pick up momentum after a soft few years where various ructions including the collapse of the Russian rouble, the worldwide slump in oil prices and the fallout from the UK’s Brexit vote took their toll on investor confidence.  Agents, however, are reporting an uptick in interest – especially in the resale market. And while there’s scant scope for new projects on the built up prime strip of coastline on the west of Thailand’s biggest island, inland areas such as Pasak and Kathu and quieter coastal enclaves such as Rawai in the south of the island are developing fast. Observers note a strong Thai flavour to the resurgence of the Phuket market, with home-grown developers and investors taking up the slack as interest from international buyers dwindles for the moment. “The positive response from the local market has been pleasantly surprising,” says Setthapol Boottho, executive director of MontAzure, whose Twinpalms Residences and Estates at MontAzure near Kamala beach are among the most exclusive of the new developments on the island.    <div class="pull-quotes-container">Many more experienced Thai investors realise the value of having a balanced property portfolio so they are looking further afield for better returns and capital appreciation</div>   The THB2.2 billion project, which is part of the larger mixed-use MontAzure development, comprises and condo and villas on one of the final plots of land on the island with direct beachfront access. “Thai buyers are far more discerning now in terms of design, quality and yield,” he adds. “Many more experienced Thai investors realise the value of having a balanced property portfolio so they are looking further afield for better returns and capital appreciation.” The high-end segment on Thailand’s star island is also expected to be boosted by the recent extension to its international airport, which increased capacity from 6.5 million to 12.5 million passengers a year.   <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/in-thailand-empty-nesters-find-their-luxe-forever-ho-16" target="_blank">More: In fast-aging Thailand, empty nesters find their luxe forever homes</a>   “The airport facility itself will be a vast improvement on the customer experience which is important in the luxury segment,” Setthapol says. “It also means that more destinations are accessible which should broaden the market across all segments – high end and mass market. These markets co-exist in many celebrated destinations like Hawaii, and Bali, where there are a variety of locations with different segment appeal.” Over on the east coast of the country, in popular destinations like Koh Samui and Hua Hin, investment opportunities also abound. Although complaints of overdevelopment in certain areas of Samui, as well as an oversupply in poorly-constructed developments, are founded, agents are reporting generous yields of between 6 to 14 percent on luxury property. The emergence of Lamai, the island’s second-largest resort area, and the fact that there is still plentiful room for quality new projects are among other factors fuelling optimism. “If certain development plans around the island do end up being confirmed and put into place then huge changes could be seen in specific areas with many new investment opportunities,” says George Willoughby of Form Realty. Despite a slight slowdown over the past few quarters, the market in Hua Hin remains relatively stable.    <img alt="Phuket continues to lure tourists and investors alike due to its winning combination of big city amenities and stunning tropical shores" src="/documents/10204/0/Thailand+beachs.jpg/7a5ddf22-316f-4ed3-b896-b76bbb3f4cc4?t=1506487552596" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" />   According to Knight Frank Thailand research, the total supply at Q1 2017 stands at 23,584 units, with no new projects being launched yet in 2017. Approximately 1,000 to 3,000 new units were launched over the past few years, but the research notes that future supply will grow at a slower rate, especially in the luxury segments as premium real estate in the coastal town becomes scarce.  The sector there is expected to expand, however, in the next three to four years thanks to the government’s plan to develop a high-speed rail connection from Bangkok to Hua Hin. Further encouragement to the real estate market nationwide came in March 2017 when Apisak Tantivorawong, minister of finance, said that the government was considering amending property legislation to allow investors to lease property for 50 years, with the option of renewing the contract for a further 49. Under present regulations, businesses are permitted to take out 30-year leases with the option of extending for another 30 years.  “That would be a real game-changer,” says Robert Krupica of leading Thai international law firm Hughes Krupica. “Foreign villa buyers would benefit immensely from the longer tenure and the longer lease terms will be very positive for mixed use and commercial developments where the asset can be amortised over a longer period.” To those unfamiliar with Thailand, its paradoxes may seem disquieting. However, with value for money, high quality developments continuing to enhance the sky-high appeal of its property market, it’s hardly surprising that the nation continues to ride out its storms.    <h4>Chiang Mai continues to struggle</h4> Thailand’s second-largest city has long been considered a poor relation to Bangkok and southern markets like Phuket when it comes to investment in real estate. And condo and housing supply in the northern capital remain weak despite new transport network development projects such as a second international airport and a 184-kilometre inter-city motorway between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. According to the Real Estate Information Centre (REIC), the monthly absorption rate of the low-rise housing supply in the city declined to an average of 3.6 percent in the third quarter of 2015, down from 5.3 percent. Samma Kitsin, director general of the REIC, says the ambitious transport plans will have minimal impact on the property market as the projects are unlikely to be completed in the near-distant future.   <h4>Phuket’s inland appeal</h4> Although its beachfront areas are undoubtedly Phuket’s hottest investment hubs, urban zones inland such as Phuket Town and Kathu District are increasingly on the radar for developers and investors. While beachfront property is undoubtedly attractive, it comes at a premium. Buyers can expect to shell out up to THB110,000 per sqm for some high-end condos on the island’s most prized stretches of shoreline. Prices per sqm are around half that inland, while improving road links to the airport and a host of new retail options further enhance the appeal of areas such as Kathu.  “We are seeing a lot of activity in Kathu District presently and that’s liable to be an ongoing trend due to the opening of new retail options such as Blue Pearl and the King Power duty free complex,” says Robert Krupica of Hughes Krupica.   <h2>What to buy</h2> <h3>Bangkok </h3> <h4>The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok</h4> <h4><img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/THE+RESIDENCES+AT+MANDARIN+ORIENTAL.jpg/8bfea135-0b05-4a4c-a413-11ed8c6077a7?t=1506658041113" style="width: 740px; height: 481px;" /> </h4>   Developer: MQDC Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Size: 128-165 sqm Number of units: 146 Price: USD10,026-15,750 per sqm Location: Charoenakorn Road Completion date: 2018 X-factor: Direct connection to BTS Gold line   <h4>749 Residence</h4> <h4><img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/749+%281%29.jpg/1005fbee-4f9c-4d54-b64a-9df6088bffb3?t=1506658078141" style="width: 740px; height: 639px;" /> </h4>   Developer: Pannaphat Development Co Ltd Size (avg): 155.76 sqm Number of units: 7 Price (avg): USD1.9 million  Location: Sukhumvit 49 Completion date: 2017 X-factor: Private parking spaces for 4-5 cars   <h3>Phuket</h3> <h4>Twinpalms Residences MontAzure</h4> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/TWINPALMS+RESIDENCES+MONTAZURE+%282%29.jpg/e563133c-0dd2-4482-9166-8d82517087b1?t=1506658151562" style="width: 740px; height: 444px;" />   Developer: MontAzure Size: 70-400 sqm Number of units: 75 Price: USD380,000-2.6 million Location: Kamala Beach, Phuket Completion date: 2018 X-factor: Beachfront landscaped gardens   <h3>Samui</h3> <h4>uniQue</h4> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/UNIQUE+%281%29.jpg/4d26bfc7-deea-49f9-b273-f4943ac68599?t=1506658215152" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" />   Developer: Q71 Development Co Ltd Size (avg): 100 sqm Number of units: 96 Price (avg): USD344,000  Location: Bho Phut, Koh Samui Completion date: 2017 X-factor: proximity to island pier and Fishermen’s Village   <h3>Hua Hin</h3> <h4>MahaSamutr </h4> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/MAHASAMUTR+%282%29.jpg/cfb31423-ea2a-4439-840f-d8d3d38928d4?t=1506658249696" style="width: 740px; height: 503px;" />   Developer: PACE Development Size: 447-587 sqm  Number of units: 80 Price: Starts at USD1.4 million Location: Soi 112 Huana Tuptai Road, Hua HIn Completion date: 2017 (Phase 1) X-factor: Asia’s largest lagoon   <h3>Chiang Mai</h3> <h4>The Sanctum</h4> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/THE+SANCTUM+%281%29.jpg/5c233828-c05c-427c-80b6-94dfd1511c15?t=1506658302268" style="width: 740px; height: 423px;" />   Developer: Sanctum Co Ltd Size (avg): 730 sqm Number of units: 6 Price: USD1.45-1.82 million Location: Hang Dong, Chiang Mai Completion date: 2017 X-factor: Sophisticated security features including biometric door locks and a nuclear fallout shelter   This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.magzter.com/TH/PropertyGuru-International-(Thailand)-Co.,Ltd/Property-Report/Business/" target="_blank">Issue No. 143 of PropertyGuru Property Report Magazine</a>

Thailand real estate: relentless, expensive, and highly desirable

<img alt="Thailand has one of the world's highest proportions of seniors in a general populace. Glowonconcept/Shutterstock " src="/documents/10204/0/shutterstock_608051225.jpg/f36259c8-7eb0-477f-9251-cce0ba4ab5c1?t=1506168589446" style="width: 740px; height: 417px;" />Thailand is greying fast. The kingdom holds the highest share of elderly people of any developing nation in East Asia and Pacific, the World Bank reported. As it stands, 11 percent of the Thai populace, representing 7.5 million people, are aged at least 65 years. The figure in 1995 was 5 percent; by 2040, it will have increased to as much a fourth of the populace or 17 million people. In any other market, the vintage of a populace would be a bonanza to property developers. But this is Thailand, land of multigenerational households; to capitalise on the astronomical growth of its geriatric demographic, one has to fight against a tide of ingrained mores. As with many Asian countries, the notion of children booking their parents in retirement communities and nursing care homes was once unthinkable in the kingdom. If anything, empty nesters are loathe to leave their homes, many bequethed to them across multiple generations. Upwardly mobile children will simply hire private nurses and nursing aides as their caretaking proxies.  “Some people are getting around this by living in a condominium where they own units side by side,” said Kipsan Beck, managing director of the supertall MahaNakhon mixed-use project in Bangkok, at the first PropertyGuru Thailand Real Estate Summit. “But imagine that elderly people have some special needs. They need medical services on-call; they need slightly different furnishings from those for a 20- or 30-year old.”  Granted, the luxury senior housing market in the country remains “relatively small,” Jones Lang LaSalle reported in July. Slowly but surely, however, wealthy baby boomers are growing comfortable with the idea of active ageing, independent of family members. "Senior living in Thailand is a key growth sector that we will see over the next 10 years,” said Andrew Gulbrandson, head of research and consulting at Jones Lang LaSalle Thailand. Several consortia and joint ventures have made a headstart on such a captive market. In Chon Buri, the Sunplay Bangsaray project invites active retirees to live out their golden years in highly amenitised pool villas and condominiums alongside a 5,000-square-foot clubhouse. Along the beaches of Kamala in Phuket will rise MontAzure, a 454-rai mixed-use development whose central components include Kamala Senior Living, an upscale retirement community, as well as Thailand’s first Café del Mar.  Kamala Senior Living is  geared toward leisure-oriented, high-net-worth property seekers of a certain age. “These are active retirees who would like to enjoy their lives,” said Jonathan Umali, director of project and asset management at Hong Kong’s ARCH Capital Management, a lead investor in MontAzure. “There are activities organised for residents, so that they have something to do every day. It’s like being in a cruise ship.” <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/5-alternative-residential-real-estate-investments-in-thailand" target="_blank">More: 5 alternative residential real estate investments in Thailand</a> Locales far inland from Thailand’s famous beaches are getting their fair share of projects as well. Chiang Mai is being groomed as a catchment for a subset of seniors who prefer a more sedate alternative to Bangkok.  “There’s a few more people who use Chiang Mai as a rehabilitation place. There’s a lot of retiring foreigners,” noted Theerathon Tharachai, managing director for Sammakorn Public Company Limited.  That said, the kingdom's capital is also witnessing its first upmarket senior home projects, or at least those aware of the delicacy of balancing filial piety and independence in Thai society. Set to open in 2019 is Jin Wellbeing County, an integrated residential and healthcare complex located just within metropolitan Bangkok. A future section of the 1,400-unit condominium project will have dedicated quarters for visiting children. "They will be more or less mini-serviced apartment units…enough for those coming for the weekend,” said Jin Wellbeing County chief executive John Lee. “The places for the children will have the same amenities as those for the residents.” Such arrangement could take the guesswork out of accommodating the families of Western retirees, who are more familiar with the precocity of emancipation than their Thai counterparts. With a lifetime’s worth of attractions and bargain-bin basic living costs, Thailand continues to lure foreign retirees to its shores and mountains. The kingdom placed 12th on International Living Magazine’s 2017 Global Retirement Index, with top marks in its Entertainment & Amenities subindex.  The Thai government has gone great lengths to win over retiree-expatriates, a lifeblood of the touristic economy. In August, the Immigration Bureau began issuing 10-year visas to prospective retirees from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and US. “The government recommends to focus on other demographics by creating properties for the elderly, young workers and potential buyers outside Bangkok,” said Bhuthong Thongyai, director of entrepreneur development at the Thai Ministry of Commerce, in his keynote speech at the Thailand Real Estate Summit.  <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/thailand-sees-increased-demand-for-luxury-retirement-housi-2" target="_blank">More: Thailand sees increased demand for luxury retirement housing</a> Southeast Asian governments are by and large averse to undermining sovereignty over their lands though. Retirees in Thailand must eventually reckon with the fact that they will never get freehold on land and need to make do with leasehold terms that could not span two generations. Maximum leasehold terms for landed assets are capped at 30 years. “If you look back at how we’ve structured different investments, it’s making the client aware that there are some risks here, helping them understand that in Thailand some things are grey,” said Paul Ashburn, co-managing partner with BDO Thailand. "They should be prepared to take that risk to live their dream retirement." Quality healthcare is quite affordable in Thailand, relative to many Western countries, and to many foreign retirees, it is a perk that far outweighs the futility of land holdings in the kingdom. One of the world’s best-known medical tourism hubs, Thailand prides itself in universal healthcare coverage for citizens. True to form, high-quality nursing care is imbued into many of the foregoing senior home developments. The Thonburi healthcare group, for example, is investing THB10 billion (USD302 million) in the Jin Wellbeing County project, equipping the complex with on-site medical facilities. In the same breath, the project makes room for eventualities. Among other amenities, Jin Wellbeing County has plans to include rooms of worship to satisfy the spiritual needs of residents as they leave the mortal coil. “We’re not going to turn into a funeral home,” said Lee, who served as consultant to 10 hospitals in the Philippines, including the Manila Sanitarium. “But when there is a death we have to be ready. It’s not being morbid. It’s getting ready.”  There is little question that Thailand is a nation that will stand by its elders to the very end. The luxury retirement housing sector, however, clearly has some growing up to do. Only time would tell if this niche ends up becoming the rule rather than the exception to a real estate tableau that still skews young.

Why retirement real estate is now one of Thailand’s fastest-growing property segments

<img alt="Colonial building in Yangon. Sai Shang Kham/Shutterstock" src="/documents/10204/0/urban+heritage+lead.jpg/44b2220e-bbff-45e6-9fe2-d63465b86261?t=1505883808823" style="width: 997px; height: 598px;" />In the centre of Yangon, Shwedagon Pagoda stands as a gleaming symbol of Myanmar’s ancient heritage. So important is this holy structure that local building legislations ensure no high rises can be constructed within its environs for fear that its luminescent presence will be obstructed. But in recent months, an equally eye-catching, if more prosaic, element has been noticeable in the thoroughfares that pass the historic stupa. Dozens of banana-hued new buses are lined up waiting to play their part in a badly-needed public transport upgrade: a sign of modernity set against Shwedagon’s stately gilt.   While interest in the conservation of built heritage is growing in Southeast Asia, few of the region’s main urban centres can claim to have achieved a wholly successful balance between the often-clashing demands of moulding a modern city while integrating architectural traditions. And in no city in the region is this push and pull more delicately poised than in Yangon. Often cited as one of the last bastions of “Old Asia”, the city is known for its rambunctious markets, ornate temples and grand colonial architecture. As the biggest city in Myanmar and its commercial hub, however, it is also ripe for development, while its creaking infrastructure is in dire need of modernisation.   <div class="pull-quotes-container">Cities, like dreams, are made of desires and fears. But what marks the development of modern cities is sanitation and transport</div>   The question is how successfully the city can be shaped in the face of so many competing factors, and how planners can take on-board lessons from other regional hubs. “Cities, like dreams, are made of desires and fears,” says Luca Bonifacio an architect and visiting professor at Yangon Technical University, quoting the Italian journalist and author Italo Colvino. “But what marks the development of modern cities is sanitation and transport.” Nobody could argue that Yangon doesn’t have a long way to go on both these fronts. Private car traffic has gone from virtually non-existent to Jakarta-worthy jams in just a few years. Meanwhile, inadequate drainage creates widespread, filth-ridden flooding during the monsoon months. All the while countless historic buildings have succumbed to the wreckers’ ball as often hastily built modern condos devour the city’s built-heritage. “There’s a war in the city,” adds Bonficaio referring to the influx of new real estate projects. “Parts of the city are changing in a matter of weeks.” Yet despite these challenges, much of Yangon’s built heritage remains intact and is seen by many as an attribute that could be successfully integrated into the modern city – given the right kind of planning. “This is a crucial moment,” says Bonifacio. “Now is the right time to sit down and discuss what we want from the city.”   <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/this-exile-returned-to-myanmar-a-multimillionai-3" target="_blank">More: This exile returned to Myanmar and became a multimillionaire</a>   The new National League for Democracy-led Yangon regional government, has been keen to prove itself a better manager of the city than its military predecessors. Moves to halt rapid unlicensed construction have been introduced and, while plans to upgrade public transport have not been without starting glitches due to an initial shortage of buses, intent is positive. However, evidence of earlier lack of planning and foresight is all too easy to see.  Pansodan Street in the city’s downtown is home to admired heritage buildings including the impressive Italianate Lokanat Gallery building.  But lurking nearby is the concrete monstrosity of the Shwe Bank building: an ugly reminder of what money can buy under a corrupt regime. If such buildings serve one useful cultural purpose it is that many in Yangon are strongly aware of the benefits of preserving built heritage for social reasons – and not simply as a nostalgic nod to the architectural grandeur of colonial days.   <img alt="Yangon's historic Strand Hotel has just undergone a major refurbishment. Time will tell if the city itself will balance old and new as successfully" src="/documents/10204/0/urban+heritage+3.jpg/813fd942-5207-4c5e-83ce-7f0f483e4987?t=1505734473589" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" />   The independent conservation group Yangon Heritage Trust’s ambitious master plan for the city takes cues and heeds lessons from the examples of other historic hubs in Asia. The plans quote former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew who once noted: “We made our share of mistakes in our rush to rebuild Singapore. We realised we were destroying a valuable part of our cultural heritage.” The YHT offers a vision which demands strong government leadership now to tackle urgent modernisation challenges, as well as long term plans to develop an efficient public transport system, affordable housing, green spaces, development of underused government land and new uses for heritage buildings. Adequate health care, employment education facilities are part of the overall vision for a working modern city it notes: a plan for a city must be about more than just buildings. “Yangon doesn’t have to be a concrete museum frozen in time nor a soulless jungle of concrete and steel: there is a middle path that can transform it into a prosperous, regionally competitive and creative metropolis. Yangon’s residents can enjoy all the advantages of modern infrastructure while retaining the social and economic benefits of their unique and irreplaceable heritage,” the plan’s authors state. It is a glorious vision, but how realistic is it for Yangon -- or any other ASEAN city -- to achieve such ambitions? Dan Levin, director of South East Asia for BH architects, recently hosted a seminar in Yangon in which developers, government figures, heritage representatives and others met to discuss such goals. He believes the first challenge is funding, adding that public and private sector had to come up with solid business models, while government needs to introduce clear policies to encourage investment, as well as on land use, and heritage preservation. Levin added that planners should avoid new build, particularly high density, and essential new infrastructure in historic districts wherever possible. Yangon’s Central Business District should be allowed to move elsewhere – potentially to the other side of the Yangon River --  to relieve pressure off the historic core, he suggested, citing Vietnam as an example. “Ho Chi Minh City is building a new CBD across the Saigon River and developing new public transit systems - water bus and train,” he says.   <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/meet-the-man-who-is-reviving-yangon-s-crumbling-colonial-buildings" target="_blank">More: Reviving Yangon's crumbling colonial buildings</a>   Indeed, shining examples of how to integrate heritage into the modern cityscape are counterbalanced by cautionary tales throughout Southeast Asia. In Ho Chi Minh City, the implementation of major new infrastructure such as the city’s new metro system and an ongoing construction boom indicative of one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies is counterbalanced by what many see as careless destruction of historic architecture. Developers have scooped up swathes of land in the city’s central District One, with privately owned colonial villas and apartments and historic municipal buildings replaced by sprawling construction zones. There is no comprehensive survey of how many buildings have been demolished, but few are unaware of the aesthetic transformation that is underway. “It’s like losing the chicken that lays the golden egg,” local architect Ngo Viet Nam Son noted in a recent AFP report, referring to the fading of the city’s legendary period charm. This tug of war between heritage preservation and the development demands of the modern city is one that Singapore experienced earlier than other centres in the region.   <img alt="Older parts of Bangkok are getting a fresh injection of energy as hip businesses move into long-established shophouse communities" src="/documents/10204/0/urban+heritage+2.jpg/1e44a2b8-f689-4efa-8352-5424315bbc1e?t=1505734277000" style="width: 740px; height: 480px;" />   In the 1960s and 1970s, the city was faced with the problems of acute housing shortage, a rapidly expanding population and overcrowded slums, as well as the pressing need for rapid economic development. As such, urban renewal took precedence over heritage conservation to provide more housing and transform Singapore into a modern and efficient business centre. It was only later, faced with falling tourist arrivals, that the Singapore government recommended, among other things, to conserve Chinatown and other historic districts to woo visitors back. “Conservation is testament to our rich architectural, historical and cultural heritage,” reads the mission statement on the homepage of Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority. “Conserving these buildings also adds to the distinctive character and identity of our city.” Another regional city with a strong heritage component is Bangkok. Although gleaming skyscrapers characterise the main commercial core of Thailand’s capital, conservation groups are trying to ensure that the city’s older districts and its riverside area develop in a less dramatic, more organic fashion.   <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/golden-opportunities-lurk-in-myanmar-s-static-property-sector" target="_blank">More: Is Myanmar's gold rush over?</a>   Bangkok River Partners, a multi-partner organisation, aims to promote the integrity of the city’s historic and riverside districts by making them a hub for creative industries and restaurants, while ensuring that centuries-old communities retain their heart and heritage as the area is transformed into one of the city’s greatest assets. Numerous art galleries have sprouted in the area in recent times, as well as some of Bangkok’s hottest bars and restaurants – many of which are housed in traditional shophouse buildings. Also symbolic of the area’s flowering as a magnet for creative types are places such as Jam Factory, a multi-discipline space founded by famed architect Duangrit Bunnag, and the new Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC), which now occupies the 80-year old Grand Postal Building.   <div class="pull-quotes-container">Building new demonstrates a city’s wealth and progress. Also, it’s often cheaper than restoring and repurposing an old structure</div>   Experts say this example could be emulated in Yangon, which has a major river front area that is currently used as docks and mainly cut off from the public, but earmarked as a creative public space under YHT’s proposals. “Building new demonstrates a city’s wealth and progress,” says David Robinson, director of Bangkok River Partners. “Also, it’s often cheaper to pull down and build new than restore and repurpose an old structure. “Where we can offer inspiration to others is projects which demonstrate the real value of old buildings to small business, low cost residential and tourism.” Back in Yangon, the evening crowds filter into the bar at the Strand Hotel. The legendary pile recently underwent a major renovation, and the fresh look is a contemporary – and perhaps glitzier – twist on the original style implemented by the Sarkies brothers when they opened it in 1901. A stone’s throw from the hotel, weather-worn cargo ships ply the Yangon River, many laden with construction materials for the condominiums and towers about to alter the skyline. The contrast between new and old might be stark, but the challenge for those tasked with outlining the future of the city is ensuring that they are – at least – reconcilable.   This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.magzter.com/TH/PropertyGuru-International-(Thailand)-Co.,Ltd/Property-Report/Business/" target="_blank">Issue No. 143 of PropertyGuru Property Report Magazine</a>

The battle to preserve Asia’s urban heritage

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Vietnam+feature+lead+image.jpg/193d4265-acb3-4d46-a07b-ba5e35d98ac5?t=1504091080000" style="width: 1500px; height: 901px;" /> The rooftop bar at the Majestic Hotel has provided a prime vantage point onto the changing face of Ho Chi Minh City over Vietnam’s eventful last century. In the 1930s, the colonial hoi polloi drank daiquiris here as local coolies in conical hats laboured in the docks and the shipyards by the Saigon River. During the American War, hard-bitten scribes shared stories from the frontline and watched bombs explode across the skyline while Vietcong fighters laid low amidst the mangroves of the Thu Thiem peninsula directly opposite the hotel on the other side of the stream.   Contemporary patrons are treated to an equally surreal sight. The swampy jungle that once characterised Thu Thiem has been replaced by cranes, highways, shiny new structures and giant building sites.  This is the current visual manifestation of the Thu Thiem New Urban Area, a planned CBD that takes in everything from luxury residential property to amenities like museums, community centres and schools, a new national stadium and an observation tower that will be Vietnam’s highest building.  Further up from the Majestic, meanwhile, the historic Ba Son Shipyard has now made way for the chrome and glass fronted residential towers of Vinhomes Golden River, an eco-urban “city within a city” by titan Vietnamese developer Vingroup.  Change happens at a rapid pace in Southeast Asia, and nowhere more so than in Vietnam, regarded as one of the region’s most dynamic nations.  Indeed, Ho Chi Minh City is far from the only place in Vietnam that is experiencing a frenzy of evolution that is closely linked to the country’s thriving real estate market, a sector that has been in overdrive mode for several years now following a crash that temporarily brought it to its knees. “It’s a very buoyant time for the real estate market,” says Matt Powell, director at Savills Hanoi. “The sector has been performing well for several years now in terms of both quantity and quality. There is a wide range of high calibre developments in major centres such as Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi and some very attractive second home and resort properties in Central and South Central Vietnam in coastal cities such as Danang and Nha Trang.”   <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/look-up-to-homes-in-the-vietnamese-highlands" target="_blank">More: Here's a market vying for your attention in the Vietnamese highlands</a>   In the capital Hanoi, a string of upscale real estate projects has launched in recent times both in the heart of the city and at vast, privately built and managed “new towns” such as Ecopark, a grand, USD8bn private development being built on the eastern edge of Hanoi, and the multi-billion dollar Ciputra International City complex in the northwest of the city.  Elsewhere, Danang, Nha Trang and previously unheralded markets such as the holiday island of Phu Quoc and up and coming leisure enclaves like Quy Nhon and Ho Tram are reaping the rewards of booming interest in second home ownership from investors – both Vietnamese and foreign – and a remarkable upsurge in tourist arrivals, with a 25 percent year-on-year increase in international arrivals in Q1 2017. It’s a far cry from the doom and gloom – nay despair – of the years 2010-2013 when a property bubble perpetuated by wanton and often low-quality development, low interest rates and free-flowing credit lines burst in spectacular fashion. So, what has changed since then and what makes this boom more sustainable than the last? Several things say experts and developers.  “In the aftermath of the crash we have seen encouraging policies and laws for customer protection such as mandatory bank guarantees for residential development projects,” says Dung Duong of CBRE Vietnam. “There has also been removal of barriers for foreign investors and, most importantly, thorough consolidation of the property market to the extent that there’s a lack of supply in certain products.” Although widely optimistic about the fettle of the various markets in Vietnam, analysts are not gung-ho.  Indeed, Duong points to a slowdown in transactions in Q1 2017 and the fact that 2016 ended with a record number of new supply as indications that the country’s major centres could be facing the possibility of a glut.  In a report published in September 2016 leading real estate consulting firm Vinacapital noted an oversupply at the highest end of the market. It reported that at the end of Q2 2016 unsold inventory in this segment totalled nearly USD556m and concluded that this end of the market “may well have reached its capacity.”  Despite the prospect of a glut, nobody is yet talking about price correction: and certainly nothing in the range of the dramatic 30-50 percent drop in value witnessed in the wake of the previous housing crash.   <div align="center"><img alt="Twilight over the intersection of Pham Hung and Duong Dinh Nghe in Hanoi. Hanoi Photography/Shutterstock" src="/documents/10204/0/shutterstock_516780274.jpg/5ccf9823-8958-4c07-8ee0-de2bc6163cc1?t=1504176313758" style="width: 740px; height: 494px;" /></div>   In fact, the current overall picture seems remarkably rosy. Real estate in Vietnam saw a 12 percent increase in investment during 2016 compared with the year before. Greater market transparency and projected economic growth of 6 percent, like last year’s rate, add to the momentum.  In addition to more stringent government control of lending and interest rates, better quality of development and the removal of barriers to foreign ownership, many other attractive fundamentals are fuelling the feel-good factor. First off, property in Vietnam remains a remarkably good deal. The prices of prime real estate in Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s most expensive market, are – on average – just under USD5,000 per square metre, well below the going rate in regional rivals like Bangkok or Jakarta and light years from the eye-watering property prices in Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korean – countries where investor interest in Vietnam is particularly strong. In the second-home market, meanwhile, a luxury four or five-bedroom home on an 800- to 1,000-square-metre plot in Danang or Nha Trang might set investors back USD1m-USD2m. In other words, a steal. For the buy-to-rent investor, healthy yields of between 5-8 percent in the high-end segment represent another good reason to invest.    <div class="pull-quotes-container">Developers are building more selectively and smartly, serving demand with high quality products rather than inflating a bubble in the race for fast cash</div>   Throw into the mix major infrastructure projects such as mass transit systems in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, new airports in Danang and Phu Quoc and a strong, established government that seems unlikely to brook any dissention in the medium to long term future and you can see why Vietnam looks increasingly like a solid bet rather than an emerging market to investors. Some of the quiet confidence surrounding the market – even in the face of what looks like an impending glut in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi – is down to an overall maturation of the market. Developers are building more selectively and smartly: serving demand with high quality products rather than inflating a bubble in the race for fast cash.  As the top-end of the market appears to be heading for saturation, developers are turning their attentions to smaller, boutique, products aimed at Vietnam’s growing middle class. Another change since the dark days of the crash has been an increased focus on high calibre management and hands-on customer service.  “We strive to offer the best in customer service through product and service innovation,” says Chen Lian Pang, CEO of CapitaLand Vietnam. “We set up a dedicated customer relations department, which assists buyers in every step of the property purchase process ranging from payment procedures, handover of units to maintenance of developments.”   <div align="center"><img alt="Luxury buildings on the rise in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. melis/Shutterstock" src="/documents/10204/0/shutterstock_706069186.jpg/7701cebd-e7d9-485f-8b7c-57e083afc281?t=1504176477373" style="width: 740px; height: 494px;" /></div>   Another indication of lessons learn is the expansion of the green building market. The number of GB projects has, according to Melissa Merryweather, chair of the Vietnam Green Building Council, has been doubling annually for the last few years, with more than 100 projects either under GB certification or having completed GB certifications. Yet, although this represents significant progress, it is still a tiny fraction of the new and ongoing construction projects in the country. “With the speculative market so strong, many bigger developers feel they don’t need the advantages green building provides,” says Merryweather. “However, some canny, mid-range, smaller developers have realised it is very attractive to well-educated clients and they are using their investment as market leverage to increase sales to choosy customers.” While the luxury residential projects reshaping the skylines of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have captured the headlines in recent years, observers believe that the next big story to emerge from Vietnam will be the expansion of its second home destinations. With its favourable business climate (it has ranked top in the country’s Provincial Competitiveness Index for the last four years) and lifestyle perks that include world-class championship golf courses and easy access to one of Vietnam’s best beaches, Danang has long been on the radar of canny investors. This autumn the city hosts the APEC conference: an honour that will, experts say, present it with a golden opportunity for it to build its brand and attract a large flow of investment.     <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/novaland-ceo-named-vietnam-s-2017-real-estate-personality-of-the-year" target="_blank">More: Novaland CEO named Vietnam’s 2017 Real Estate Personality of the Year</a>   “Danang appeals to both local and foreign buyers for many reasons: the image of a young, dynamic and green city, the bright tourism prospects, the completed infrastructure with improved connectivity, wide variety of products, attractive sale policies with rental pool and guaranteed returns,” says Powell of Savills.  “Danang reminds me of Phuket about 20 years ago,” adds Hoi Cheung, co-founder of Hitchbird, an online wedding destination portal, and Hong Kong-based investor who purchased a villa at The Point Residences, adjacent to Danang Golf Club. “Although there is a rapid rate of development there is still quite a lot of available land and the current prices will remain attractive as a long-term investment bet. Plus, the property is attached to a golf course so it’s quite appealing as a rental property for golfers.”  With Danang and increasingly Nha Trang and Phu Quoc on the radars of second-home investors, other new locations are emerging as potential quarry.  “It is anticipated that six coastal regions (Khanh Hoa, Danang, Phu Quoc, Ho Tram, Halong and Quang Nam—will witness a huge wave of second home supply of more than 17,000 units in the next three years,” says Rudolf Hever, director of Savills Hotels, Asia Pacific. In Vietnam, rapid change has become a given in recent times. And with towering new condos about to flank virgin beaches and communities being freshly minded in previously uncharted parts of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, fresh perspectives will continue to be inevitable.     This story originally appeared on Issue No. 142 of PropertyGuru Property Report Magazine    <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/rip-tpp-what-s-next-for-asia-" target="_blank">More: What's next for Asia after TPP?</a>

Vietnam’s property market still booming — but for how long?

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/club+med+lead.jpg/82f595ff-435f-4ec7-b8f6-c7a41abbbcc6?t=1503476057159" style="width: 1500px; height: 884px;" />On the gilded coastline of France’s Côte d’Azur, historic glamour remains eminently palpable. The so-called “roaring twenties” can be experienced at Art Deco hotels such as the Hotel Belles Rives at Juan-les-Pins where former residents include author F Scott Fitzgerald. The famous stretch, meanwhile, is scattered with vintage villas and modern luxury piles that are testament to its traditional and enduring appeal as a destination for the international jet-set. Yet while France is widely recognised as the most venerable choice for those seeking a slice of the Mediterranean high life, other European destinations have long been giving it a run for its money. When Fitzgerald et al were living it up on the Riviera in the early part of the 20th Century, countries such as Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal were barely on the radar. Backward and feudal, these places were largely the preserve of peasants and bandits, certainly not moneyed international dilettantes.  How things change. Spain, Italy, Greece – and later Portugal – all benefited hugely from the explosion in package holiday tourism in the 1970s and 1980s, when the bucket and spade brigade from northern European nations flocked to their beach destinations. As awareness of their respective attributes grew, meanwhile, so too did the sophistication of their second-home markets, as canny investors hunted down potential quarry everywhere from the Algarve region in southern Portugal to the Greek islands. All these countries (and France) are still very much on the radar of speculators. Like Phuket and Bali in Southeast Asia, they have transcended their reputations as cheap and cheerful package holiday destinations to offer febrile territory for potentially-fruitful second-home investment.  And luring wealthy property investors from Asian countries such as China is now also seen as a lucrative goal for many of these markets. Various governments have introduced so-called “golden visa” schemes in a bid to entice buyers from abroad. These programmes offer fast-track residency for buyers and, in many cases, the appealing bonus of freedom of movement across the European Union’s 26-country Schengen area.  Aside from visa schemes, markets are bending over backwards to attract Asian investors, says Charles Pittar, CEO of Chinese international property website Juwai. “The property industry is leading the charge by marketing properties in Chinese and leading industry trips to China on fact-finding missions so they can better understand the market,” he says.   <img alt="While Andalucia in southern Spain is famous for its built-up resort areas, the region has charm in abundance in picturesque villages such as Mijas" src="/documents/10204/0/shutterstock_339275027.jpg/39fd43be-a048-4af1-bd37-9f953642a1ce?t=1503293776494" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" />   Much of the prime property market of southern Europe is driven by leisure. Wealthy buyers are often attracted to purchase second homes that offer easy access to at least one of three popular activities of the wealthy – golf, skiing or simply enjoying the delights of life on the coast. Many golfers are attracted to the Algarve in Portugal and Alicante in Spain, wealthy skiers hit the famous Alpine slopes of France, Switzerland and Austria, while Monaco and the Côte d’Azur region of France are among the best-known premium coastal markets.   <div class="pull-quotes-container">Most buyers are looking for a combination of lifestyle and financial returns in the form of capital gains and – for property they don’t occupy – yields</div>   But despite these varied perks, Asian buyers in these regions are concerned with more than simply leisure.  “Most buyers are looking for a combination of lifestyle and financial returns in the form of capital gains and – for property they don’t occupy – yields,” says Pittar, noting that strong links to China and the reassurance that compatriots consider the investment a good one make the purchase even easier.  “Having made their own investment, it is common for first-time investors to talk their friends into buying in the same area,” he adds. While the reasons to invest – strong returns, visa benefits and fantastic leisure possibilities – are clear, less obvious is where exactly to plump for a place in the European sun.  Buyers looking for stability would be well advised to look to Spain, France and Italy, according to Kate Everett-Allen, head of International Residential Research at Knight Frank LLP. Here, she says, “Finance is cheap, available on good terms but there are safeguards in place to avoid the boom-and-bust scenario evident post-2008.”   <img alt="Regarded by many as the world's most desirable ski destination, Courchevel 1850 in France offers premium property, plentiful powder, Michelin-starred restaurants and more" src="/documents/10204/0/shutterstock_437735995.jpg/851cece9-1274-4622-b33f-4867659397fc?t=1503293900612" style="width: 740px; height: 509px;" />   The diverse politics, economics and price-points of the European markets meant that each was affected differently by the financial crash of 2008. Similarly, each has recovered to varying degrees.  “Some second-home markets saw prices falls of 30 per cent to 50 per cent in peak-to-trough terms, although Europe’s prime markets were better insulated than the wider mainstream housing markets,” adds Everett-Allen.  One of the countries hardest hit by the crash was Portugal. But the country is proving attractive to Asian buyers, according to research by Juwai – and it’s not simply because of Portugal’s successful golden-visa scheme.  “Portugal is appealing to Chinese buyers who seek lifestyle benefits above big-city glamour and who prefer Europe over the United States,” says Pittar. “Chinese investors like Portugal for its low cost of living, old-world charm and Mediterranean beauty and affordable property.” The hub of Portugal’s prime property market is the Algarve. The southern coast is generously sprinkled with beaches, golf courses and gated resorts – offering security as well as luxury.    <div class="pull-quotes-container">The beautiful beaches and legendary nightlife of the Balearic island of Ibiza attract a younger but no less wealthy buyer</div>   Over the border in Spain, one of the main hotspots for buyers of luxury second homes has long been the Costa del Sol on the south coast, where golf, sun and sea can be enjoyed in equal measure.  Meanwhile, the beautiful beaches and legendary nightlife of the Balearic island of Ibiza attract a younger but – judging by the armada of super yachts berthed there – no less wealthy buyer. Prime prices here have outperformed the rest of Spain of late, rising by 10 percent from 2015 to 2016.  In France, too, markets catering to the pursuits of the wealthy are outperforming the rest of the country. “An oversupply of inland rural properties is holding average prices back, but in prominent international tourist areas, such as the ski resorts in the Alps and hot spots along the Riviera, prices are buoyant,” says Julian Walker, director at London-based portal InternationalPropertyForSale.com.    <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/asia-missing-in-eiu-s-list-of-the-world-s-10-most-liveable-citi-8" target="_blank">More: Asia missing from EIU's 10 most liveable cities ranking</a>   The French Riviera, or Côte d’Azur, has few rivals when it comes to fame, glamour and status. Aside from the glitz and buzz of celebrity-packed St Tropez and Cannes, attractive prime locations here include the exclusive Cap d’Antibes, Cap Ferrat and the quiet village of Mougins, popular with wealthy families thanks to its highly regarded international school. The peaceful peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap Ferrat boasts the world’s fifth most expensive street, Chemin du Sémaphore, where average prices were USD67,000 per square metre in 2015. France has also been dealt a lucrative geological hand in the shape of the Alps. Courchevel 1850 is one of the most sought-after ski resorts on the Continent with good infrastructure and facilities.  “Activity has been concentrated in the EUR1-4m (USD1.1-4.4m) bracket, though a few ultra-prime deals have taken place,” notes Savills in its 2016/17 Alpine Property Report. Despite the resort’s maturity, new developments are still appearing. For example, the Six Senses Residences Courchevel, which opened in 2016, offers extensive concierge and spa facilities and is the first branded resort in the area. Picturesque Méribel is also highlighted as a popular option.  “Prime new build apartments sell for around EUR15,000 per square metre,” notes the report. There are options for buyers looking for value, too. “Resorts priced under EUR5,000 per square metre include St Gervais, offering access to the Mont Blanc ski domaine, and Les Contamines.”    <img alt="Greece may not have had its troubles to seek in recent times, but the picture-postcard qualities of destinations such as Santorini mean it retains its appeal for investors" src="/documents/10204/0/shutterstock_634105301.jpg/a5c9e81b-af54-428e-bffe-b2b49a5d4f75?t=1503294021473" style="width: 740px; height: 310px;" />   Alpine investment opportunities are also abound in Italy, where the prime market has a proven track record of resilience. Political uncertainty in the country has however been so enduring that it’s something of a certainty. December 2016’s constitutional referendum, for example, saw voters reject mainstream political wisdom à la Brexit and Trump. But the Italian market is well accustomed to riding such turbulence, says Diletta Giorgolo Spinola of Sotheby’s International Realty.  “Italy has always had a lot of changes in government,” she explains. “Our stability is different than in other European countries. Politics do not affect our trophy assets.” One of these trophy assets is Costa Smeralda on the island of Sardinia. Here, EUR1m buys 50 square metres. “Portofino, perched on the cliffs of the Italian Riviera sits in second place (67 square metres), but compare this to less famous, but attractive and emerging destination such as Maremma (the coastal region of southern Tuscany) and Umbria (a rolling, landlocked region in central Italy) where prime prices are close to EUR6,000 per square metre, and EUR1m buys around 167 square metres of floorspace,” explains Everett-Allan. Italy’s best performing prime region last year was Lake Como, home to the likes of George Clooney. Here, prices rose 1.2 percent in 2016.   <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/student-accommodation-has-graduated-at-la-4" target="_blank">More: Student accommodation graduates at last</a>   The luxury market in Greece is also seeing a resurgence as buyers who might otherwise have considered Turkey look for somewhere more secure.  Research by property valuation firm Geotaxis in 2016 found that the prices of villas on the islands of Santorini and Mykonos have inflated faster than the prices of non-premium properties on the same islands. A luxury holiday home on Santorini averages at EUR10,800 per square metre while a luxury villa on Mykonos costs an average of EUR12,500 per square metre. Thanks to its sovereign debt crisis, however, Greece remains toxic for many Asian buyers – despite its EUR250,000 property investment threshold for a golden visa being the lowest in Europe. “Demand for Greek property is still low relative to its Mediterranean neighbours because of its political and especially economic turmoil,” notes Pittar. So, whether buyers want to take a risk with a bargain in Greece, hit the heights and vertiginous prices at a premium French ski resort or play it safe on the gated golf greens of the Algarve in Portugal, it’s clear that the prime second home market of Europe is as varied in terms of value, lifestyle and risk as it is in geography.   <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/the-risks-and-rewards-of-europe-s-golden-visa-schemes" target="_blank">Read next: The risks and rewards of Europe's golden visa schemes</a>

The Mediterranean is still the dream second-home destination for wealthy Asians

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/India+Duncan+resized+2.jpg/c814e7f9-9e03-45ea-a30e-e3c68e9a5bd2?t=1502165156424" style="width: 1499px; height: 831px;" />In the often-murky world of Indian real estate, short-term gain has traditionally been associated with more sustained damage to the country’s reputation as a place to invest. Land records in the vast nation are patchy and arcane. Analysts say that figures such as politicians, businessmen and non-resident Indians often use black money they haven’t paid taxes on to buy property, but put it in the name of their relatives or trusted employees. These transactions are known as benami, a Persian term meaning “no name”. Meanwhile, slack law enforcement and a culture of corruption at the highest levels of local government have resulted in frequently shoddy work by builders and developers and “white elephant” high-end projects where supply has far outstripped demand. With the government of prime-minister Narendra Modi now taking strong action against graft, with measures including a demonetisation initiative to render high valuation notes worthless and drive money from the “grey economy” into the mainstream, the sector is currently in the eye what appears to be a worrying looking storm.  Sales and launches at the end of 2016 plunged to the worst level since the global financial crisis in 2008, incurring a INR226 billion (USD3.39 bn) industry loss in the fourth quarter, according to a report by consultancy Knight Frank. Home sales in the last quarter of 2016 in India’s major cities – including Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi – crashed by 40 percent compared with the previous quarter. Launches of properties, meanwhile, fell by 45 in the same period. This is despite the fact that the fourth quarter, the festive season in India, is traditionally a busy time for home sales.    <div class="pull-quotes-container">The market is definitely in a kind of reset mode right now from being investor driven to end-user driven</div>   Analysts and realtors, however, believe that this particular blip will do more to energise and safeguard the market in the longer term than the decades of quick-buck profiteering that preceded it.  “The market is definitely in a kind of reset mode right now from being investor driven to end-user driven,” says Pankaj Kapoor, founder and managing director of Liases Foras, one of India’s leading independent real estate research firms. “It’s shedding the extra fat in the cost and assessing all the ways in which it can be more efficient. I’m very confident that after this period of metamorphosis, the Indian real estate sector will benefit and emerge stronger, healthier, transparent and stable.”  The Modi government has introduced a number of measures specifically targeted at regulating and bringing discipline to India’s chaotic real estate sector. These include central legislations including the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) 2016 and the Benami Transactions (Prohibitions) Amendment Act 2016, which essentially bans the use of substitute names to hide ownership. RERA, once implemented, will increase transparency, which in turn will bring back buyer confidence. The Act requires States and Union Territories to come up with governing rules. Developers as well as intermediaries will have to recalibrate the way they do business to be RERA compliant. And the real benefits would be that buyers will be ensured of a dedicated governing body, timely project completion and complete clarity on the project and amenities promised – something that hasn’t always been the case in the past.  Further significant reforms include a relaxation of FDI norms to increase the inflow of foreign capital and a Smart Cities scheme that will see major population centres in the country transformed into high-tech hubs. Also huge was the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) – better known as the “housing for all” initiative – with the stated aim of constructing two crore (20 million) houses for the urban poor by 2022. <a href="http://www.property-report.com/indias-smart-cities-mission-wants-to-transform-urban-areas-into-high-tech-hubs/" target="_blank">More: India’s Smart Cities Mission wants to transform urban areas into high-tech hubs</a> Despite the expected widespread impact of all of these reforms, as well as the major infrastructure projects that Modi has also made a signature of his rule, it is arguable that no one policy initiative has had quite as dramatic an impact as that of demonetization. On November 8, 86 percent of India’s currency was nullified in an effort aimed to clean out the cash supply for the black market. All 500 and 1000 rupee notes were instantaneously voided and a 50-day period ensued where people could redeem their cancelled cash for newly designed 500 and 2000 rupee notes or deposit them into bank accounts. The radical move was planned in secret as it was feared that if the black market caught wind of what the government was planning, ways would be found to rapidly unload illicit cash. As it was, the move caught vast swathes of the population by surprise. A few months on, long lines of people looking to exchange notes still spew out of the banks and sectors of the economy continue to struggle with the lack of readily available cash. The real estate sector immediately tanked following demonetisation. “It fell of a cliff,” says Dr Samantak Das, national director at Knight Frank India. However, analysts say that the dramatic – and intended – impact of the policy should not detract from what many see as a much-needed reckoning within the sector.    <div class="pull-quotes-container">Property has always been a major bastion of black money… [but the] demonetisation and the new benami transactions act will help tighten the screws</div>   “A lot of investors who were investing in projects with unaccounted for money and raising prices to book profits, will be eliminated from the system, which will cause much-needed correction,” says Savita Singh, partner at Khaitan & Co, one of the oldest and largest law firms in India.   “Property has always been a major bastion of black money,” adds Das of Knight Frank. “Overall the system is moving towards a new normal involving white money transactions. Demonetisation and also the new benami transactions act will help tighten the screws to ensure it’s more difficult to route black money into property.” All of India’s major cities – including Bengaluru, typically one of the country’s most resilient markets – witnessed a crash during the fourth quarter of last year. Although sales are expected to remain sluggish for the duration of 2017 as investors and developers adapt to the new reality, analysts and other experts believe that India’s real estate market will emerge cleansed and more attractive than ever in the not too distant future. And there appears to be empirical evidence to support these positive noises. The Indian government is doling out incentives for people to buy affordable homes. Earlier this year Prime Minister Modi extended subsidised loans for building or expanding homes in rural areas, as well as for the urban poor. Meanwhile, in its budget announced in February 2017, the government said it would grant infrastructure status to affordable housing opening up cheaper sources of finance to developers and additional avenues for developers to raise funds. The segment will now be given priority-lending status. According to experts, these incentives will help to focus established developers, previously known for their work on premium projects, on the real housing issues facing India. Given the tax incentives and other perks offered by the government, home buyers in this category can expect up to 10 percent benefit on pricing. “Currently the biggest factor affecting sales is the unaffordability of housing,” says Das. “House prices have increased significantly faster than the income level of homebuyers. Developers need to rethink the pricing, size and configuration of residential units in their planned projects.”  <a href="http://www.property-report.com/which-states-are-on-board-for-indias-most-consumer-friendly-property-law-yet/" target="_blank">More: Which states are on board for India’s most consumer-friendly property law yet?</a> Another positive has been the continued steadiness of India’s commercial office space sector, which has held strong while the residential real estate sector has headed south. This has largely been due to growing demand for office space leasing from flourishing sectors such as e-commerce, banking, financial services, information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services (ITES). The market has thrived due to local and international companies reviving their expansion plans, while the introduction of real estate investment trusts (REITs) have also made office assets an attractive proposition for investors. Even the tsunami of demonetisation has not been as destructive as some reports have suggested.  Although the secondary market, which deals with a significant amount of cash, has been decimated for now, projects undertaken by reputed developers in leading markets such as Mumbai, New Delhi and Bengaluru have remained more or less unaffected. This is because buyers who invest in such projects generally do so with the help of a home loan, with all transactions carried out through legal channels. “The real estate market in India has been bottoming out and it is widely believed that the market will soon start accelerating again, especially in the primary market,” says Anupam Rastogi, principle partner at Square Yards, a leading real estate advisory service for Indian property buyers. “Hence this is an ideal time to invest, both for end-users and speculators.”    <a href="http://www.property-report.com/asia-property-awards-2017-programme-revamped-to-include-14-markets/" target="_blank">Read next: PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards 2017 revamped to include 14 countries</a>

How Modi's grand anti-graft drive is rattling Indian property

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/vancouver+resized.jpg/1497ce2e-234e-40f4-b74d-701f41e44cfb?t=1501134449027" style="width: 1500px; height: 1000px;" /> When Chelsea Jiang, star of the hit reality series ‘Ultra-Rich Asian Girls of Vancouver’, announced she was hunting for a “cheap” CAD2 million (USD1.46 million) Vancouver property in a 2014 episode of the show, the local press guffawed. Since then though, house price rises have been no laughing matter in this part of British Columbia.  By June of last year, the average price of a detached home in Vancouver was nearly CAD1.6 million, up 40 percent in a year. Then came new taxes and a sudden crash. Vancouver’s housing market has endured a recent rollercoaster ride, terrifying realtors as angry residents say they are sick of being priced out of their own city. Meanwhile, many ultra-rich Asian buyers have moved on. Welcome to Vancouver’s high stakes property market: 2017 edition. After dawdling for months, under-pressure authorities initiated a 15 percent tax on foreign buyers in Greater Vancouver on August 2, reversing the market overnight. Just three homes were sold in West Vancouver over the following two weeks, city sales data showed, down from 52 a year earlier. During the same month, the average price of a home in the city fell 24.5 percent to CAD1.1 million. “The implementation of the tax on foreign buyers in Greater Vancouver had an immediate effect on the market,” says Brad Henderson, president and CEO of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada.  The key reason: Chinese buyers were suddenly scared off. A joint survey by Sotheby’s and the Chinese overseas realty website juwai.com found Chinese inquiries for Vancouver homes fell 81 percent in July, the same month the new tax was first announced, followed by a 78 percent drop in August when it came into effect. After decades of buying into what looked like assured capital growth in Vancouver, Chinese were far from happy. Beijing’s envoy in Vancouver, Liu Fei, complained to British Columbia officials that distraught Chinese students couldn’t afford the extra fees to complete on their new homes. Jing Li, a 29-year-old student, has even tried to lead a Chinese class action suit against British Columbia claiming the new tax violates Canada’s international agreements which state foreign residents must be treated no differently.   <a href="http://www.property-report.com/ghostbusters-target-canadas-chinese-buyers/" target="_blank">More: Are Chinese buyers being forced out of Canada’s market?</a>   Over the long-term though, Chinese buyers seem unlikely to end their love affair with the city, no matter how high taxes – and prices – soar. Vancouver is home to the largest Chinatown in Canada and one of the biggest by population outside of China – Chinese labourers were working here even before the city was incorporated in 1886. Today 43 percent of residents are of Asian heritage, according to Statistics Canada, more than any other city outside of Asia.  “The reality is that many foreign buyers, including those from China, have personal interests in living in Vancouver,” says Henderson. “This is the city their children attend school, it's where they already have family and friends, and it's the city they want to live in or retire to.”    <div class="pull-quotes-container">Vancouver is now ranked the third least affordable city in the world to live in after Hong Kong and Sydney</div>   Like in many cities feeling the effects of globalisation, Vancouver’s non-Asian majority say they are getting a bum deal. As growing numbers of exorbitantly priced houses sit empty, many poorer residents have been pushed ever further out of the city. Few days go by in Vancouver without a newspaper story bemoaning rogue real estate agents, many of them Chinese. Vancouver is now ranked the third least affordable city in the world to live in after Hong Kong and Sydney as “house prices rose the equivalent of a full year’s household income in a year” in the third quarter of 2016, according to a recent study by Demographia. Although heavy state subsidies given to home owners and a drastic under-supply of new property are considered key contributors to the red-hot property market, foreigners – particularly Chinese – have become the main target of real estate wrath.  Under pressure, the government has been forced to act. Outside of the much publicised 15-percent tax on foreign buyers, in November Vancouver became the first city in Canada to introduce a tax – albeit just 1 percent – on empty homes. After losing faith in the real estate industry’s ability to regulate itself, a new independent body has also been set up and rules have become tighter when assessing whether homes are owned by real residents, or not.   <a href="http://www.property-report.com/chill-out-foreign-buyers-vancouver-has-a-new-property-transfer-tax/">More: Chill out, foreign buyers – Vancouver has a new property transfer tax</a>   “As a whole it is much stricter now,” says Iven Tse, a Vancouver-based solicitor specialising in real estate and immigration. “There is some posturing from parties to be seen as even ‘tougher’ on foreign buyers.” Unsurprisingly, the immediate outlook for Vancouver’s property market remains a mix of doom and gloom and outright uncertainty. Although the steep drop-off in July and August has evened out, a bumpy readjustment is anticipated by most agents. Royal LePage has predicted an 8.5 percent slide in house prices in 2017.  Meanwhile, Chinese buyers have sought out the likes of Toronto and Seattle as the new North American markets of choice, says Colin Bogar, CEO of propertypassbook.com which pairs Chinese buyers with properties in 33 cities – including Vancouver – mostly in North America and Australia.  “If cities look to implement similar policies as Vancouver, that capital will move to more friendly markets in Southeast Asia, Europe or other jurisdictions in North America,” says Bogar. In an increasingly global real estate market dominated by growing numbers of middle and upper class Chinese, Vancouver has become a key litmus test. Seattle has started its own debate on taxing overseas buyers, Toronto is showing signs of major overheating and Australia has already placed restrictions on mortgages for foreigners.  Other cities are taking note, it seems, but avoiding the boom-and-bust market experienced in Vancouver is easier said than done.   <a href="http://www.property-report.com/seattle-is-the-new-vancouver-for-chinese-buyers/" target="_blank">Read next: Seattle is the new Vancouver for Chinese buyers</a>

The new normal for Vancouver real estate

<img alt="The TPP trade deal has been divisive among politicians and the public alike" src="/documents/10204/0/shutterstock_306196799.jpg/60602db4-9e39-4381-ad47-b20e94f4022e?t=1500615782375" style="width: 3008px; height: 2000px;" />Bernie Sanders reproached it, Hillary Clinton was ambivalent towards it, and Donald Trump vowed to exit the US from it throughout his ultimately successful bid for the presidency. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a sweeping trade pact that would have given 11 Pacific Rim nations greater market access to the US and vice-versa, is dead. Trump withdrew the US out of the deal only three days into his presidency. In a US political climate where Trump’s promises to safeguard industries and lure back manufacturing jobs from overseas struck a huge chord with voters in the nation’s disgruntled heartlands, the TPP has taken on the status of a bogeyman. Originally struck between Singapore, New Zealand, and Chile, the trade deal’s prospectus promised several benefits, albeit indirectly, to the housing markets of its members. It offered gains to industrial, office, and retail markets, conflating wealth creation with a greater demand for residential real estate. Its mooted benefits extended far beyond mere economics. It also promised to advance the defence and security interests of member nations embroiled in territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. <a href="http://www.property-report.com/whats-next-for-real-estate-in-mekong-river-countries-if-tpp/">More: What’s next for Mekong River real estate if TPP fails?</a> Indeed, the collapse of the deal is set to leave a power vacuum that could see Beijing taking on a leadership role in trade liberalisation. Uninvited to the TPP, China is proposing an alternative, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Experts say that the TPP would have boosted housing markets in Japan and the deal’s other Asian signatories: Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia. “There would be an indirect impact on ASEAN residential markets because of increased investment in the region,” says Henry Gao, associate professor of law at Singapore Management University. “There would be an influx in foreign direct investment (FDI) from multi-national corporations and they would need residential property for their senior executives.” While the TPP would have boosted service-oriented markets like Singapore and Japan, manufacturing economies like Vietnam were set to be its biggest winners.   <div id="pull-quotes-container"> </div>   “All the manufacturing sectors, especially textile and apparel, were going to be TPP’s biggest beneficiaries as there’s a lot of trade already with US companies,” says Stephen Wyatt, country head for Jones Lang LaSalle Vietnam. “We’ve already started to see an increase in US companies setting up business in Vietnam in the expectation that the TPP would go through. If more FDI comes into Vietnam there would be a knock-on effect for the real estate industry, from industrial to office to residential. One leads to another.” In contrast, the RCEP may prove downright predatory to Southeast Asian countries, given China’s manufacturing clout. In identifying the deal’s possible downsides, Gao points to a 2010 free trade agreement with China where ASEAN nations hit a USD8.5 billion trade deficit in 2012, ending years of surpluses. “If you are a resource-rich country like Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, you might benefit more from the RCEP because the duties for your exports to China, a big resource consumer, would be reduced,” he says. “If you’re a mainly manufacturing economy like Vietnam and Thailand, you will need to reduce tariffs on goods from China, which is more effective in manufacturing industrial products, so you might lose out.” The RCEP appears to offer more superficial tariff concessions to goods and services than the TPP. The China-led RCEP would also set a weaker agenda in terms of intellectual property rights, labour standards, and other rules of trade than the TPP, which outlined “high quality standards” as a stipulation for member countries. Still, many observers point out that trade barriers are better overcome than retained. “The deal would be a positive signal that trade liberalisation will continue,” says Richard Barkham, global chief economist at CBRE.  The RCEP could transmute eventually into a broader agreement: the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP). “Achieving FTAAP would be supportive of real estate markets and a positive signal for the development of Asia,” adds Barkham. “Anything that boosts gross domestic product also supports the housing market.” Critics of the TPP have long bemoaned its flaws. They say it propagates labour rights abuses in countries like Vietnam and Malaysia and disproportionately benefits big corporations. Its weak rules of origin allegedly benefit China and other non-signatory countries. Whatever its downsides, supporters of globalisation will hope an alternative to TPP manages to withstand the rising isolationist mood in the west. <a href="http://www.property-report.com/on-vietnam-real-estate-there-are-opportunities-and-the-opportunity-is-now/" target="_blank">Read next: There are opportunities in Vietnam real estate and the time is now</a>

RIP TPP: What's next for Asia?

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/DPS1.jpg/903aa3c7-d536-4cd3-b0d2-b29890925d95?t=1500978160642" style="width: 2479px; height: 1653px;" /> The condominium was just six blocks away from work. For Ryan Azares, 32, quality analyst at a California-based business process-outsourcing (BPO) firm in Cebu City, that was the clincher. “It is so near that I usually just walk home,” says Azares, who bought the 20-square-metre unit off-plan after leaving his hometown of Butuan on the island of Mindanao three years ago. “When you look at traffic, people don’t want to spend a lot of time trying to commute from one place to another.” Such ability to buy time has become symptomatic of resurgent wealth in the Philippines. With a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.8 percent in 2016, one of the highest in ASEAN, the country is reclaiming its status as a “tiger-cub economy”.  Inexpensive labour, exported in the form of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and BPO services in the Philippines itself, is the major backbone of this prosperity.  Residential real estate prices in the Philippines grew 2.2 percent year-on-year in Q3 2016, according to the central bank’s residential real estate price index (RREPI). Capital values rose 5.9 percent year-on-year in the same period to PHP161,900 (USD3,200) per square metre, according to Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) Philippines.  This vibrancy is also being felt in the luxury residential property sector. Ayala Group, the country’s oldest conglomerate, is building the 68-storey Park Central Towers, an apartment complex with unit prices ranging from PHP32 million to PHP477 million per unit.  Rental yields for high-end Philippine homes have been in the range of 7 percent to 9 percent over the past few years, says Sigrid Zialcita, managing director for Asia Pacific research at Cushman & Wakefield. “Sales take-up for these types of projects outpace take-up for mid-end condo units and rents are still on the up and up.”   <div class="pull-quotes-container">Residential real estate is slowing down in terms of price growth because the boom has gone on for three to five years now </div>   In the years since the financial crisis of 2008, property providers have diluted both prime housing stock and clogged the supply pipeline. The Philippines remains a seller's market, but the boom has created a lot of competition. Five to 10 years ago, many high-end projects used to sell out in pre-sales within one to two years of launch. Now developers are finding it takes the full building period of four to five years to sell all units in a project, according to Antton Nordberg, head of research at KMC Savills. “Residential real estate is slowing down in terms of price growth because the boom has gone on for three to five years now,” he says. “Developers are trying to get rid of their current inventories. The market slowdown doesn’t mean that it will bottom off though. It will just slow down from the highest curve of a few years ago.”  Developers are gradually rebalancing their pipeline to include more low-end projects. Century Properties Group announced last year that it would be teaming up with Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp for a project aimed at first-time homebuyers. Many other big developers have also been going downmarket, and targeting the PHP3-million average where there is more room to grow.  Overall, around 600 new projects are underway in the country, data from leading Philippines property portal ZipMatch.com shows. But while half will be situated in Metro Manila, markets elsewhere are growing feverish. Residential property prices declined in Metro Manila by 0.2 percent in Q3 2016, but they rose in areas outside the National Capital Region (AONCR) by 4.9 percent, according to the RREPI.  One of the most exciting housing markets of late is that of Davao City, bailiwick of President Rodrigo Duterte, its former mayor. Amid an influx of capital flows from Manila-based developers, local real estate giant Damosa Land Inc has been holding its own, reportedly selling out five of the seven towers in its new SeaWind condominium project in the city.  “The long-term play in Davao is good,” says Ricardo Lagdameo, vice-president of Damosa Land, stressing that buying sentiment had been on the upswing even before Duterte assumed the presidency. “Prices are much lower than Metro Manila and Cebu, but those of Davao have increased quite noticeably. A couple of years ago, there was really a shortage of supply. It started at 40 percent of supply to demand. By 2018, we might see that rise to 80 percent.” Duterte, a self-described country boy, appears dead-set on shaking up the traditional Manila establishment, in part by making an infrastructure play for the provinces. One of the stated aims of his economic growth agenda is to decentralise and decongest Metro Manila by pushing for more investment in provincial hubs like Davao. Such a policy, say experts, will benefit the real estate sector and provide new avenues for property developers.     <a href="http://www.property-report.com/diversification-nation/" target="_blank">More: A look at the Philippines’ emerging secondary real estate markets</a>   With positives come negatives, however, and concern has been expressed about the synergy required to realise the phenomenal surge in supply in major regional hubs.   “Construction delays could end up becoming a huge hurdle to overcome in the coming years,” Zialcita says. Despite misgivings about the capabilities of the nation’s construction sector, secondary markets are continuing to show a lot of potential. Like Davao, Cebu is another city riding high on a wave of investment. The metropolis in the Visayas island group showed price growth of more than 8 percent in the second half of 2016.  Azares, who bought his unit in the city’s tony Lahug neighbourhood for PHP1.2 million, expects the condo to make an exit at around PHP2 million. “I think it’s going to appreciate even more,” he said. “Cebu is in a real estate boom.” While the unit is currently for end use, he plans to invest in another within five years and lease one of his apartments out through AirBnb.   <div class="pull-quotes-container">There won’t be any severing of relationships with the US. Those BPO contracts will be honoured </div>   Naysayers might see myopia in such plans, taking into account the current protectionist-nationalist rhetoric spilling out of the US, the biggest source market of the BPO industry. New US President Donald Trump has threatened to levy exorbitant taxes on American firms outsourcing work overseas. Experts, though, believe that it is far too early to ring the alarm bells on the country’s relationship with one of its strongest allies. “My take on it is that there won’t be any severing of relationships with the US,” says Lindsay Orr, chairman of JLL Philippines. “Those (BPO) contracts will be honoured. All that’s going to happen is that there won’t be such a dependence on the US. Doors are opening to China and Russia. I look at it more as an opening up of a relationship to other countries.” Indeed, Chinese buyer sentiment is showing an uptick. In the fourth quarter, the Chinese made 43.8 percent more buying inquiries in the Philippines than in Q4 2015, according to Chinese property portal Juwai.com.  Foreign ownership laws still however remain a thorny issue for expats in the Philippines. The Duterte administration has discussed upping foreign ownership caps to 70 percent, all the way through 100 percent in future freeport economic zones.    Long a lifeline for the Philippine economy, OFW remittances seem to be under siege from the crude oil price downturn in the Middle East. Demand for middle-class properties in the Philippines usually stem from Filipinos working in oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.    <a href="http://www.property-report.com/further-education/" target="_blank">More: 6 reasons why Quezon City is one of Manila’s most dynamic hubs</a>   “Of course, there is a danger that spending power will diminish, but these things don’t happen so drastically,” Orr says. “Admittedly, overseas workers’ remittances contribute to about 30 percent of the take-up of new condominiums, particularly in the low to mid-priced sector.”  Counteracting the oil price downturn is the appreciation of the US dollar, which stands to benefit the Filipino diaspora in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia, The greenback traded at USD1 to PHP50 in November, the weakest showing for the Philippine peso since 2006.  Observers have noted that this depreciation against the US dollar may strengthen the purchasing power of overseas Filipino families.  What the coming period will look like for the market in The Philippines is a matter of perspective. Some experts have predicted a slowdown in growth while others believe that rapid urbanisation, increasing employment by the BPO sector, surging OFW remittances and growing real estate investments will continue to fuel a thriving sector.  Analysts, however, are united on the view that the glut of supply coming online will likely put the brakes on the years of unbridled boom.  “A massive amount of inventory is being turned over this year and next, and with it we suspect growth will continue, but perhaps not at the breakneck speeds we’ve been accustomed to,” says Kyle Wiltshere, CTO of Zipmatch.com.  As uncertainty mounts around the world in these turbulent political and economic times, the likes of Azares have set contingencies in case of job loss. He hopes to set up a small business with his father in Butuan. His apartment in Cebu, too, is a source of comfort. Indeed, property ownership is proving to be a salve and a form of security for a huge number of newly affluent Filipinos.  “I’m ready for anything,” says Azares. “I guess people are like that; they always find secondary sources of income.”   <a href="http://www.property-report.com/propertyguru-philippines-property-awards-2017-winners-hope-for-a-green-future/" target="_blank">Read next: PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards 2017 winners hope for a green future</a>

Keeping up with the Philippines, land of property opportunities

Architecture & Interiors

Meet the man designing some of Asia’s most outstanding resorts

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Design+Focus+resorts+lead.jpg/4f9f2c07-be50-4590-ae28-5a96d9f76638?t=1503476715389" style="width: 1500px; height: 814px;" /> Travellers have long looked towards Asia – with its shimmering azure waters and near-limitless selection of palm-fringed white-sand beaches – in their search for paradise. Intrepid hippies put the area on the map as a tourist destination in the 1960s. The intervening years, meanwhile, have seen rustic bamboo beach shacks edged out by a growing phalanx of upscale hotels and resorts. Indeed, these days it is just as likely to be high-powered investors making for the region’s resort destinations as singlet-wearing backpackers and other holidaymakers.   Countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines, can ably cater to the most demanding of buyers, with sumptuous properties ranging from secluded island hideaways to palatial residences with easy access to first-class restaurants and highly developed transport infrastructure. Investors who are as keen on powder snow as granules of sand are equally well catered for. Japan has come into its own as a winter-sports destination, with the legendarily consistent supply of fresh snow in the northern island of Hokkaido matched by an ever-expanding portfolio of après-ski options. For those searching for a home away from home in regional hubs, meanwhile, urban hotel residences are on the rise. In fact, the growing number of metropolitan options has been one of the key trends in the resort residence market over the past couple of years. The upcoming Four Seasons Private Residences on the banks of the Chao Phraya river is one of the most highly anticipated developments in Thailand’s capital Bangkok, while the Residences at Mandarin Oriental have proved popular for their dead-central locales in Asian cities such as Taipei and Macau.    <div class="pull-quotes-container">It is little wonder that demand has spiked across Asia as investors seek to capitalise on their potential for both personal and financial gain</div>   Another interesting progression has been the emergence of China as a real player in the resort residences sector. The southern island of Hainan has long been touted as the nation’s luxury playground and the new Sanya EDITION is as opulent as you might expect, while other options in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai are as appealing as anything on the country’s coastline.  With this allure in mind, it is little wonder that demand has spiked across Asia as investors seek to capitalise on their potential for both personal and financial gain.  The benefits of resort property ownership are aplenty. Unlike with a condominium or an independent villa, the tedious logistics can easily be delegated to either the resort itself or a third-party management company – a boon for investors with limited time on their hands. Upon arrival, residents are treated to the same warm welcome and high-end amenities as a resort guest, with the bonus of additional privacy and familiarity. Though many residences come equipped with state-of-the-art kitchen facilities, it never hurts to have myriad dining options nearby, not to mention other perks such as state-of-the-art fitness centres and spas.  Many of the more extravagant villas also cater to extended families. For instance, at Andara Resort & Villas in Phuket, the privately owned six-bedroom Villa 3A features an in-house bar, spa room, and billiards area for adults, as well a private cinema and games for kids.  As appealing as a private bolt-hole may be, most investors getting in on the action are doing with the hope of netting a considerable profit. Luxury resorts tend to boast in-demand locations to match their stature. In the case of Villa 3A at Andara Resort & Villas, the property’s advantageous perch on a cliff overlooking Kamala Beach means it is unlikely to decrease in value. Similarly, the privately-owned Mansions, lavish two to five-bedroom residences at the Bulgari Resort Bali, sport a private funicular leading from the vertiginous bluffs of Uluwatu directly down to the Indian Ocean.    <div class="pull-quotes-container">Property values may rise and fall, but internationally recognised hospitality labels have a cachet that transcends the whims of a volatile market and adds value even to remote locales</div>   The initial investment may have been staggering, but these assets represent a stable, long-term investment due to their limited availability and prestigious names. In fact, hospitality titans such as Ritz-Carlton have begun marketing über-luxe residences that are independent of any resort, but still hope to take advantage of the brand’s respected reputation for exemplary service, design and décor. Property values may rise and fall, but internationally recognised hospitality labels have a cachet that transcends the whims of a volatile market and adds value even to remote locales. Ultimately, resort residences offer the utmost in comfort and a high level of security of return on investment. Of the many options around the region, here are some of the finest.     <h3>1. Amanpuri</h3> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Villas+5+and+6+Aerial_High+Res_12961.jpg/0a8be6c4-4aac-4c45-a741-9b4dccbeef17?t=1503290816817" style="width: 740px; height: 555px;" />   Location: Thailand   With private residences available in 20 countries around the globe, Aman Resorts has long been a leader in the market. Self-professed “Aman-junkies” possess a cult-like loyalty that most hospitality brands could only dream of, and the Aman Residences come with a host of benefits, including a private chef, housekeeper, and access to all resort facilities and babysitting and concierge services. While the villas at Amanoi in Vietnam may be stunning, the Amanpuri Villas at the brand’s flagship property in Phuket offer access to Pansea Beach, a private beach with a coral reef just offshore. These properties seldom hardly ever come up for resale, but Villa 5, a 3,464-square-metre four-bedroom with a 21-metre infinity pool overlooking the Andaman Ocean, is currently up for grabs.   <h3>2. Six Senses Con Dao</h3> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Ocean_View_4_Bedroom_Pool_VIlla_3_%5B6600-ORIGINAL%5D.jpg/741c41d9-4e37-4598-bd73-5be53994d3d8?t=1503290899044" style="width: 740px; height: 494px;" />   Location: Vietnam   Even as the popular beaches across the region have grown increasingly overrun, the Con Dao archipelago in southern Vietnam has remained almost supernaturally serene. Only 6,000-odd inhabitants eke out a living across this 15-island chain, leaving visitors free to survey unspoiled coral reefs and bays in near solitude. The residential villas at the Six Senses Con Dao epitomise barefoot luxury and range in size from 540-square-metre three-bedrooms to sprawling four-bedrooms situated on a 2,000-square-metre plot surrounded by manicured foliage. Most impressive of all, The Hill Retreat Villa has its own wine cellar, entertainment room, two swimming pools, and five bedrooms.   <h3>3. Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai</h3> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Four+Seasons+Resort+Chiang+Mai.jpg/d06a7ff6-3685-4786-ab2c-5466bb38c4f2?t=1503291494579" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" />   Location: Thailand   When it comes to service, few names in hospitality can match the weight of Four Seasons. The brand’s famous attention to detail extends to any guests renting these two- to four-bedroom residences. The Family Residence comes loaded with board games and an LCD flat-screen TV, while the Spa Residence has its own treatment room for those seeking R&R in complete privacy. Most impressive of all is the four-bedroom Owner’s Residence designed by starchitect Bill Bensley and outfitted with a four-metre swimming pool with outdoor Jacuzzi and a wine room. Rare Thai artefacts and artworks adorn the walls and the living room has a view of the resort’s waterfall. A private chef, butler, and army of expert housekeeping staff are on-hand whenever the owner or a renter chooses to visit.   <h3>4. Niseko Annupuri Residences</h3> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Niseko+Annupuri+Residences.jpg/e44ba2ae-3739-44c4-b98f-470677e3030c?t=1503291437460" style="width: 740px; height: 555px;" />   Location: Japan   The mountains of Hokkaido offer unbeatable conditions for winter sports. When the snow melts and the après-ski revellers depart in summer, Niseko offers abundant trekking options, as well as a steadily growing culinary scene that takes advantage of the region’s pristine seafood and produce. Small wonder, then, that these 19 ski-in residences housed on plots of up to 2,700 square metres are in such high demand. These modern chalets ensconced by birch and pine forest blend contemporary design touches with classic alpine style.   <h3>5. The Peninsula Shanghai</h3> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/1102-LivingRm-1a-01.jpg/58a0fe9c-687f-4297-ad36-9d9ae139c6a0?t=1503291360725" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" />   Location: China   Nestled among the historic baroque facades of the Bund lie the first Peninsula Residences, 36 Art Deco apartments with decorative touches by French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. With hand-tufted wool carpets, ebony and mahogany furnishings, private elevators, LED televisions, and an exceptionally curated collection of original works of art in each three- and four-bedroom residence, these posh pads make a serious statement. As if that weren’t enough, owners can hop over to The Peninsula Residences Club House for a splash in the 15-metre pool or a workout at the fitness centre. To further gild the lily The Peninsula Shanghai itself features half a dozen restaurants and lounges, a world-class spa, and superlative extras like a fleet of BMW 7-series limousines and Rolls-Royce Phantoms for cruising around town.   <h3>6. The Sanya EDITION</h3> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/B_0011.jpg/c2022d20-e933-45bd-a726-a49ff8159f5c?t=1503291298731" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" />   Location: China   For its Asia-Pacific debut, this slick hotel pulled out all the stops with features like a cerulean artificial sea pumped with 37,854 litres of purified saltwater each day where guests can go kayaking, paddle boarding, or cruising while sipping Champagne. Ownership of one of the 37 private residential villas entitles you to access to everything from a kids’ area stocked with bumper cars and a rideable train, to discounts on in-house eateries serving everything from Asian-fusion tapas to Cantonese classics to Balinese beachside barbecue. The Jing Villas, which range in size from 530 square metres to 813 square metres, all come with ocean views and spacious gardens. Though the asking price of CNY28 million (USD4.6m) to CNY110 million (USD15.9m) might deter some, an in-demand location right on Haitang Bay ensures that these are likely to appreciate quickly.   <h3>7. Alila Dalit Bay Sabah</h3> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Alila+Dalit+Bay+-+One+Bedroom+Courtyard+Villa.jpg/84026ecd-112e-4cf9-b81f-e98bf5afe861?t=1503291095691" style="width: 740px; height: 314px;" />   Location: Malaysia   For nature-lovers, it’s hard to top the location of these 74 private villas in Malaysian Borneo on a lush five-hectare plot overlooking the Mengkabong River. Beyond the gardens lies one of the most biodiverse rainforests on the planet, while Mount Kinabalu, the region’s mightiest peak, is a scenic hour-and-a-half drive from the resort. Though the project will not be completed until the first quarter of 2018, viewings are already available and many of these are likely to be snapped up by then. Local woods, tribal items, and woven rattan add to the rustic chic vibe in these one- and two-bedroom villas, which start at around USD1 million.   <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/6-luxury-student-digs-to-make-you-cool-for-sch-12" target="_blank">Read next: 6 luxury student digs to make you cool for school</a>

7 of Asia's most spectacular resort residences

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/industrial+revolutionary+lead.jpg/49216f16-286a-4d80-80f3-a3b6ef2ba34b?t=1502189825000" style="width: 740px; height: 409px;" />Hong Kong was quite a different place when Michael Young arrived little over a decade ago. Back then the founder of Michael Young Studio, a multi award-wining industrial design powerhouse, was one of only a handful of world-class designers in the harbour metropolis: a stranger who showed up with a stray dog to set up shop in what was fast becoming one of Asia’s most stylish cities. As Hong Kong transformed, he adapted. Young and his team have helped shape a new wave of product design in a rapidly evolving market. It’s a success story that he attributes in part to his love of novelty. “I just like to change, I like to jump about,” says Young as we chat in his atypically spacious loft-style studio in Sheung Wan district, a space so broad and bright it could only have been acquired years ago. Although the area has become one of Hong Kong’s hippest neighbourhoods, it retains a certain old-school frisson. Young’s studio is just a few floors above a bustling market where shoppers sift through dried fish, traditional Chinese medicine and preserved sea creatures in some of the city’s oldest shops. Sheung Wan’s nostalgic, streetcar-lined main avenue is a fitting home for Young who has built the reputation of his firm on his penchant for lending a learned touch to cutting-edge products.  <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/architect-annabelle-selldorf-on-her-first-venture-in-taiwan">More: Architect Annabelle Selldorf on her first venture in Taiwan</a>  Born in Sunderland, northeast England, Young studied product and furniture design at Kingston University in London on the cusp of the 1990s. His studies were anchored in the fundamentals of fine art and craftsmanship and his appreciation for classic design elements is evident. Inspired by the likes of legendary Italian designer Achille Castiglioni, Young is a minimalist whose most striking creations are often fresh spins on essentials – a chair manufactured at a smart-phone factory using recycled metals, for instance. Or a sleek aluminium shelf engineered to appear weightless by using joints typically reserved for woodwork. Young landed in Asia when he moved to Taiwan in 2004. His shift took place just before the advent of devices like the iPhone revolutionised the region’s manufacturing sector. The development ushered in a whole world of new products – phones, watches, sound systems, reimagined retail and living spaces – waiting to be designed for a massive emerging generation of young and hungry consumers. “I remember thinking ‘whoa, this is totally cool’,” recalls Young. “We do a lot of work for Chinese companies to try to figure out what this new generation of young Asians want. They demand comfort and ease of life and place more importance on user interfaces as opposed to how something actually works.”  <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/singapore-s-plant-whisperer-on-why-green-walls-are-now-a-thing" target="_blank">More: Singapore’s ‘plant whisperer’ on why ‘green walls’ are now a thing</a>  This knowledge informs his elegant, pared-down style. As a self-described pragmatist, this trend in Asia towards ease of use and efficiency seems to suit him. Young approaches manufacturing with the same utilitarian zeal underpinning his design. He prides himself on his ability to find the right factory for each product and relishes navigating China’s sprawling industrial landscape to bend its innovation potential to his will. He recalls spending six hours in a taxi in Inner Mongolia trying to track down a particular workshop.    <div class="pull-quotes-container">It doesn’t matter whether you live in Shanghai, New York, Tokyo or Kathmandu… the language of design is global</div>   Young’s familiarity with Asia has made his services highly coveted among Asian and western companies alike. His foreign clients have numbered multinationals including Coca-Cola, and his firm, which also has a studio in Belgium and a creative team in France, has designed interiors for high-end European retailers like Iittala, a Finnish glassware company that recently opened up a flagship store in Taipei. “The language of design is global,” he says. “It doesn’t matter whether you live in Shanghai, New York, Tokyo or Kathmandu. Anyone who likes design is on the same page.”  <a href="http://property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/improvised-jazz-inspired-this-singapore-architect-s-freeform-designs" target="_blank">More: Improvised jazz inspired this Singapore architect's freeform designs</a> Despite his overall utopian approach, Young draws strong inspiration from elements of Asian art. He loves the ornate, mathematical features found in ancient Chinese architecture, while an entire wall of his studio is dedicated to random objets d’art from around the region including a Japanese Kendo sword and an embroidered theatrical costume he bought in Bangkok. The rest of his studio, conversely, is a study in ordered cool. But then Young does have a skill for compartmentalising. He reserves a set amount of his creative bandwidth for fine art projects, which make the rounds in European galleries and museums. This is the flip side of his hyper-functional product design; a space to explore the strangeness and materiality of his adoptive surrounds. He scoured Chinese factories to find one that would agree to blow up moulded aluminium using a gas reaction – a process he says has never been commercially applied – to make the Oxygen Chair as part of his Metal Rock sculpture series. These are limited edition objects that don’t have mass-commercial value, but they keep his design team questing for radical new ideas. “My design is meant to help companies make a product that stands out in the market, but my vision is really to design things that satisfy my own curiosity,” Young says. “It’s a no-brainer, really. I just like to put my DNA into everything. I do it my way and see what happens.” <a href="http://www.property-report.com/lighting-up-a-high-tech-phuket-hideaway/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Read next: Lighting up a high-tech Phuket hideaway</a>

The industrial revolutionary rocking Hong Kong design

<div><img alt="evo Vieux-Montréal and evo Centre-Ville" src="/documents/10204/0/18+-+Double+occupancy+-+View+cropped+resized.jpg/76a20651-7798-4443-b9db-139f7455f0ac?t=1501756010066" style="width: 1500px; height: 716px;" />Shipping off to university was once a rite of passage marked by a certain communal hardship. Students around the globe bonded while bemoaning inedible cafeteria slime, cramped corridors, and brick-hard beds wedged into closet-sized rooms.</div> <div> </div> <div>Yet as higher education evolves, these drab, utilitarian accommodations are swiftly becoming a thing of the past – at least to students with parents in higher income brackets. </div> <div> </div> <div>Many of the top universities across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia are swapping outdated dorms for swanky living options that more closely resemble private apartments than the grot-holes of yore. </div> <div> </div> <div>State-of-the-art gyms, mod lounges, plush furnishings, giant TVs, and spacious rooms flooded with natural light are de rigueur at the top options.</div> <div> </div> <div>Eco-conscious students can take comfort in the fact that a number of new residences, such as those at Sontag and Pomona Halls at Pomona College in California, come with LEED Platinum Certification from the US Green Building Council. Sports lovers can enjoy exceptional recreational facilities, such as the swimming pool, beach volleyball court, and private lake right by select residences at Florida Gulf Coast University. </div> <div> </div> <div>Those with sophisticated tastes will find plenty of perks to choose from, like the super-sweet suites at ICON at The University of Waterloo, which come tricked out with 42-inch flat screens, granite countertops, and cutting-edge kitchens.</div> <div> </div> <div id="pull-quotes-container"> </div> <div> </div> <div>Much of this switch has to do with the fact that education has become a big business, one that grows more global by the year. A degree from a prestigious, internationally recognised university carries a cachet that institutions in developing nations cannot hope to match. </div> <div> </div> <div>Universities around the globe are eager to take their pick of high-achieving, high-spending international students and the competition to snag top contenders grows more fierce by the year. To stand out, many institutions and developers are seeking to raise the standard of student living. </div> <div> </div> <div>For instance, cafeteria food at many schools has gone from the butt of cruel jokes to comparatively refined cuisine. At Cornell University, students dine on locally harvested produce and sustainably raised meat from the school’s Farm to Fork programme, while students at Stanford University choose where they’d care to dine from 30 different eateries. At some point, it was only logical that dorm rooms and student apartments would undergo a similar overhaul to lure starry-eyed undergraduates.</div> <div> </div> <div>The most impressive properties tend to be privately run residences near top universities in the UK, US and Canada, many of which have private financial backing. These posh pads offer the panache of a proper apartment, with a social side to help make learning that bit more enjoyable. At all nine UK projects run by Vita Student, incoming inhabitants arrive to find their beds made and a team of beaming assistants ready to help them with their luggage. </div> <div> </div> <div>It’s a welcome that students a generation or two would never have dreamed of, but as institutions continue to raise the bar it’s one that might someday become the norm.</div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://www.property-report.com/this-is-why-the-appeal-of-british-property-will-carry-on/" target="_blank">More: Why British property has such enduring appeal</a></div> <div> </div> <h2>1. evo Vieux-Montréal and evo Centre-Ville</h2> <div><img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/19+-+Single+King.jpg/10959b4f-1c3e-450d-84d4-4a9471771684?t=1500636032000" style="width: 740px; height: 490px;" /></div> <div> </div> <div>Location: Montreal, Canada</div> <div> </div> <div>If <a href="http://evomontreal.com" target="_blank">these high-rises</a> are more reminiscent of hotels than anything John Belushi might have rampaged through in Animal House, that’s because that’s precisely what they used to be. A top-to-toe refurbishment converted them into some of the plushest student digs anywhere. The list of upscale amenities is enough to tempt even thriftier families to splurge. Keeping fit is a breeze with a heated indoor pool, 24-hour gym with up-to-the-minute equipment, and a yoga studio, while the kitchens look like they could’ve been plucked from a Food Network studio. Centre-Ville offers urbanites the benefit of a downtown location, while Vieux-Montréal is set in a more scenic, tree-lined area with direct Metro access. </div> <div> </div> <h2>2. Dean Clarke Lofts</h2> <div><img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Dean+Clarke+Lofts+CGI+View+1_0.jpg/45d06db9-78a3-476d-91c7-d41bb2c49067?t=1500636145000" style="width: 740px; height: 500px;" /></div> <div> </div> <div>Location: Exeter, United Kingdom</div> <div> </div> <div>Not only do students at Exeter University benefit from living in one of England’s most historic and picturesque cities, they also have the option of living in these uber-hip accommodations. Incorporated into Dean Clarke House – a listed landmark and one of Exeter’s most important historic buildings – <a href="http://collegiate-ac.com/uk-student-accommodation/exeter/dean-clarke-lofts" target="_blank">the lofts</a> have been converted into high-spec living spaces generously proportioned to allow plentiful space for studying and relaxing. Duplex-style layouts in many of the apartments up the hipster factor, while trimmings such as leather sofas and full size hob ovens also push the boat out in terms of luxury. </div> <div> </div> <h2>3. Luxe I & II Waterloo</h2> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Lounge1.jpg/f162ecd3-113f-43cc-ae31-a97d992b42cf?t=1500636449000" style="width: 740px; height: 513px;" /> <div> </div> Location: Ontario, Canada <div> </div> <div><a href="http://luxewaterloo.ca" target="_blank">These upscale abodes</a> right near the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University live up to their name with perks like a sauna, yoga room, fully-loaded gym, and even a rooftop patio complete with a fire pit for those long, chilly Canadian winter nights. While freshmen in the past might have spent months stressing over whether or not they would get along with their new flatmate, a special selection service here aims to pair up compatible incoming classmates. It’s just one of a number of features designed to make this a social space. The recreation centre here stays open 24/7 and includes Ping-Pong, billiards and poker tables.  </div> <div> </div> <h2>4. Nido West Hampstead</h2> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Nido.jpg/52d74218-6ddc-4098-ae4d-6fd0fb861164?t=1500636513000" style="width: 740px; height: 309px;" /> <div> </div> <div>Location: London </div> <div> </div> <div>With London housing already at a premium, more and more students are all too happy to turn to top-tier alternatives stuffy old dorms. <a href="http://thenidocollection.com/locations/london/residences/west-hampstead" target="_blank">The Nido Collection</a> offers a number of student residences from Glasgow to Cambridge, but this one in West London’s Hampstead Heath neighbourhood has attracted a particularly loyal following. Its location a leisurely 10-minute stroll from Oxford Circus, 24-hour concierge service, cosy lounge spaces and free Wi-Fi may help account for its continuing popularity. A small army of housekeepers will tidy up private rooms for a modest fee or the shared spaces in the en-suite apartments at no extra cost. </div> <div> </div> <h2>5. Simmons Hall, Massachusetts Institute of Technology</h2> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/000898.jpg/75d9a5d0-0bcc-49d7-8e60-2972e93fece5?t=1500636278000" style="width: 740px; height: 492px;" /> <div> </div> <div>Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts</div> <div> </div> <div>Home to more than 100 colleges and universities, including some of the country’s most prestigious, Cambridge and Boston also boast some of the most noteworthy student residences. The Student Village at Boston University comes with a peerless view of the skyline, while a stay at Harvard University’s fabled Hurlbut Hall may set students back by as much as US$10,000 a semester, but it comes with handsomely furnished rooms, many of which have fireplaces. <a href="http://simmons.mit.edu" target="_blank">MIT’s Simmons Hall</a> offers a cutting-edge modern design, an on-site eatery with vegan and organic options, and recreational extras including a ball pit for when students need a break from the books. </div> <div> </div> <h2>6. The Stay Club</h2> <img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/camden-17.jpg/f7e8f044-c108-4260-8e72-f2cf2cbc45c6?t=1500636353000" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" /> <div> </div> Location: London <div> </div> <div>Everything about <a href="http://thestayclub.com">The Stay Club</a> – from the breezy, informal name to its selection of sought-after private residences – encapsulates the new school PBSA in the UK capital. There are now three clubs in London, in Willesden, Camden and Colindale. All adhere to a similar design template with clean lines, artfully scuffed wooden floors and dazzling white interiors. Apartments are furnished to a high standard and common areas are just as enticing. Extras at the three London residences include sky lounges, gyms, study areas, and on-site cinemas.</div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://www.property-report.com/asian-investors-are-at-the-forefront-of-a-uk-student-housing-building-spree/" target="_blank">Read next: Asian investors are at the forefront of a UK student-housing building spree</a></div>

6 luxury student digs to make you cool for school

Perched above a coral cove on Koh Samui, Samujana is one of the Thai island’s most celebrated real estate developments.

Aimed exclusively at the luxury end of the market, it is best known for its spectacular location, which allows for some of the island's most jaw-dropping vistas. Also notable are its personalised service and high architectural ideals courtesy of award-winning designer Gary Fell of Gfab Architects.

Since the completion of phase two in 2015, Samujana has become popular not only with savvy investors but also as an enviable venue for upscale family holidays, intimate parties and even as a celebrity bolthole.

While each of the 27 villas are desirable, Villa 28 is one of the stars of the show. From the boats on the horizon to the beauty of its immediate surroundings, the six-bedroom property boasts some of Koh Samui's best views. It was for this reason that British software company owner John Chartres made the decision in 2015 to invest in his own slice of paradise at Samujana.

Tell us a little about your background and your previous experiences with property investment.

I spent most of my formative years in the Royal Air Force before leaving in 1990. Since then I’ve primarily worked in programming and founded a software company, which works with very large retail opticians mainly in the US. That success has allowed me to buy a few properties and a boat.

Two of the residential properties in the UK are in West Sussex, which is convenient as the boat is docked at Brighton Marina. Obviously, a boat is not an investment, you’re just spending a lot of money that you’ll never see again! Still, I’ve invested at both ends of the spectrum, so hopefully my properties don’t become boats.

The air-conditioned 'sea view lounge' provides a cool retreat from the Samui sun

Why did you decide to invest in Thailand?

My relationship with Thailand started about 12 years ago. My wife and I fell in love with the culture and the food. My wife loved going to detox retreats, especially Kamalaya on Koh Samui. I went along a couple of times and just about coped: if nobody mentioned colonic irrigation!

The general manager at Kamalaya told us that a friend of his was managing a resort on the island and we should look. We went up to Samujana on the same day and I remember being absolutely wowed by the villas and the views.

We didn’t go there with the intention of spending USD4m, but by the time we were sat back at Kamalaya the decision had been made. We can occasionally be impulsive, but there wasn’t even any coffee, never mind alcohol, served at the retreat, so it wasn’t a question of us being intoxicated. We just thought it was the right time and basically said “why not”?

More: Asia’s 15 Best Resort Residences in 2015

Did you buy Villa 28 solely as a lifestyle investment or were you already thinking about the potential rental yields?

There was never any intention to rent it out. It was to be used as family holiday home. It’s only when we went to a cocktail party at one of the villas and got chatting to another owner that we realised the types of rents we could achieve. He told me that we could probably fetch anywhere up to USD3,500 a night and, well, I thought that sounded good.

I think our property is slightly different to some of the others in that we’ve made some notable bespoke additions, such as the high-tech games room. Guests are now specifically seeking out our villa because of the facilities we offer.

There have even been a few celebrities stop by, including a very famous Chinese actress and model. Wealthy Chinese clients now very much want to stay where these celebrities have visited.

Each of the six master bedrooms also boasts stunning sea views

Would you say you’ve designed the interior to suit your tastes as well as those of your guests?

My wife is a natural interior designer. She spends her life pulling out pages from magazines. While we haven’t employed interior designers, we have hired great craftsman to create a unique setting.

We’re not trying to copy a certain brand, but there’s been an eye on who’s staying there. Many of our guests don’t necessarily always want to be out in the sun, which is why is why we wanted to ensure the property was kitted out with the latest gadgets and tech. If guests have had too much of the heat, they can lock themselves away and watch the latest movies in the home cinema.

More: 6 royal reasons to live, invest and play in Hua Hin

What do you think is the villa’s standout feature?

The view from the dining area. In fact, the view from anywhere in the villa. Wherever you sit there’s a stunning view.

I also think that the personalised service and the privacy sets it apart and makes it better than a stay at any hotel. A hotel room is essentially just a bedroom and, unless you want to eat from your lap, you typically must go the restaurant, which you share with everyone else, to eat. If you’re a wealthy businessman or a celebrity – or you’re with someone you shouldn’t be with – you probably want privacy, and that’s what you get at Samujana. You’ve got the kitchen, the staff (maids, butlers and the gardeners) and if you want to self-cater you can. There’s nobody looking in on you.

State-of-the-art fittings including rain showers and oversized bathtubs are present in the nine bathrooms within the villa

Had you explored investing in overseas property elsewhere, and do you have plans to expand your portfolio?

Before buying the villa at Samujana we’d taken a trip on a catamaran to the British Virgin Isles with some friends. They were looking seriously at buying property in the Caribbean and we were involved in that for a while. We also looked at Ibiza, so that we could have the boat nearby and stay in a villa when we wanted to use it, but I never found anything suitable in Ibiza or the Caribbean. Looking ahead, there’s no plans to invest in other properties again anytime soon. For now, the villa on Koh Samui – and the new boat – is all I need.

Read next: Why luxury real estate in Thailand remains a solid investment

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/visions+of+paradise+lead+3.jpg/691f500e-0425-42b1-993d-d9fa290f33e5?t=1502164541396" style="width: 1499px; height: 644px;" /> Perched above a coral cove on Koh Samui, Samujana is one of the Thai island’s most celebrated real estate developments. Aimed exclusively at the luxury end of the market, it is best known for its spectacular location, which allows for some of the island's most jaw-dropping vistas. Also notable are its personalised service and high architectural ideals courtesy of award-winning designer Gary Fell of Gfab Architects.  Since the completion of phase two in 2015, Samujana has become popular not only with savvy investors but also as an enviable venue for upscale family holidays, intimate parties and even as a celebrity bolthole.  While each of the 27 villas are desirable, Villa 28 is one of the stars of the show. From the boats on the horizon to the beauty of its immediate surroundings, the six-bedroom property boasts some of Koh Samui's best views. It was for this reason that British software company owner John Chartres made the decision in 2015 to invest in his own slice of paradise at Samujana.   <h3><img alt="Sitting at the highest point of the estate, the villa's infinity pool offers unparalleled views of the island and ocean" src="/documents/10204/0/945A0891_2_3_4_5_6_tonemapped.jpg/e679e7ff-d8ef-43b1-8607-39e205459c17?t=1501488776376" style="width: 740px; height: 494px;" /></h3>   <h3>Tell us a little about your background and your previous experiences with property investment.</h3> I spent most of my formative years in the Royal Air Force before leaving in 1990. Since then I’ve primarily worked in programming and founded a software company, which works with very large retail opticians mainly in the US. That success has allowed me to buy a few properties and a boat. Two of the residential properties in the UK are in West Sussex, which is convenient as the boat is docked at Brighton Marina. Obviously, a boat is not an investment, you’re just spending a lot of money that you’ll never see again! Still, I’ve invested at both ends of the spectrum, so hopefully my properties don’t become boats.    <img alt="The air-conditioned 'sea view lounge' provides a cool retreat from the Samui sun" src="/documents/10204/0/945A1029_30_31_tonemapped.jpg/c2b7ffd6-c280-41be-8f9b-c7569df8358c?t=1501488788787" style="width: 740px; height: 494px;" />   <h3>Why did you decide to invest in Thailand?</h3> My relationship with Thailand started about 12 years ago. My wife and I fell in love with the culture and the food. My wife loved going to detox retreats, especially Kamalaya on Koh Samui. I went along a couple of times and just about coped: if nobody mentioned colonic irrigation!  The general manager at Kamalaya told us that a friend of his was managing a resort on the island and we should look. We went up to Samujana on the same day and I remember being absolutely wowed by the villas and the views.  We didn’t go there with the intention of spending USD4m, but by the time we were sat back at Kamalaya the decision had been made. We can occasionally be impulsive, but there wasn’t even any coffee, never mind alcohol, served at the retreat, so it wasn’t a question of us being intoxicated. We just thought it was the right time and basically said “why not”?  <a href="http://www.property-report.com/asias-15-best-resort-residences-in-2015/" target="_blank">More: Asia’s 15 Best Resort Residences in 2015</a>   <h3>Did you buy Villa 28 solely as a lifestyle investment or were you already thinking about the potential rental yields?</h3> There was never any intention to rent it out. It was to be used as family holiday home. It’s only when we went to a cocktail party at one of the villas and got chatting to another owner that we realised the types of rents we could achieve. He told me that we could probably fetch anywhere up to USD3,500 a night and, well, I thought that sounded good. I think our property is slightly different to some of the others in that we’ve made some notable bespoke additions, such as the high-tech games room. Guests are now specifically seeking out our villa because of the facilities we offer. There have even been a few celebrities stop by, including a very famous Chinese actress and model. Wealthy Chinese clients now very much want to stay where these celebrities have visited.    <img alt="Each of the six master bedrooms also boasts stunning sea views" src="/documents/10204/0/IMG_8014-retouched.jpg/77428302-f560-42f4-9253-f8eb6d33bab2?t=1501488891776" style="width: 740px; height: 493px;" />   <h3>Would you say you’ve designed the interior to suit your tastes as well as those of your guests?</h3> My wife is a natural interior designer. She spends her life pulling out pages from magazines. While we haven’t employed interior designers, we have hired great craftsman to create a unique setting.  We’re not trying to copy a certain brand, but there’s been an eye on who’s staying there. Many of our guests don’t necessarily always want to be out in the sun, which is why is why we wanted to ensure the property was kitted out with the latest gadgets and tech. If guests have had too much of the heat, they can lock themselves away and watch the latest movies in the home cinema. <a href="http://www.property-report.com/6-royal-reasons-to-live-invest-and-play-in-hua-hin/" target="_blank">More: 6 royal reasons to live, invest and play in Hua Hin</a>   <h3>What do you think is the villa’s standout feature?</h3>   The view from the dining area. In fact, the view from anywhere in the villa. Wherever you sit there’s a stunning view. I also think that the personalised service and the privacy sets it apart and makes it better than a stay at any hotel. A hotel room is essentially just a bedroom and, unless you want to eat from your lap, you typically must go the restaurant, which you share with everyone else, to eat. If you’re a wealthy businessman or a celebrity – or you’re with someone you shouldn’t be with – you probably want privacy, and that’s what you get at Samujana. You’ve got the kitchen, the staff (maids, butlers and the gardeners) and if you want to self-cater you can. There’s nobody looking in on you.   <img alt="State-of-the-art fittings including rain showers and oversized bathtubs are present in the nine bathrooms within the villa" src="/documents/10204/0/945A1149_50_51_52_53_54_tonemapped.jpg/a2eca52f-c21b-4cc1-91f7-df189910893f?t=1501488759404" style="width: 740px; height: 494px;" />   <h3>Had you explored investing in overseas property elsewhere, and do you have plans to expand your portfolio?</h3> Before buying the villa at Samujana we’d taken a trip on a catamaran to the British Virgin Isles with some friends. They were looking seriously at buying property in the Caribbean and we were involved in that for a while. We also looked at Ibiza, so that we could have the boat nearby and stay in a villa when we wanted to use it, but I never found anything suitable in Ibiza or the Caribbean. Looking ahead, there’s no plans to invest in other properties again anytime soon. For now, the villa on Koh Samui – and the new boat – is all I need. <a href="http://www.property-report.com/why-luxury-real-estate-in-thailand-remains-a-solid-investment/" target="_blank">Read next: Why luxury real estate in Thailand remains a solid investment</a>

Thailand At Home Jul 31, 2017

See paradise in this plush Koh Samui hideaway

We caught up with investor John Chartres to discuss the joys of seclusion, celebrity guests and... colonics on the island

BY Liam Aran Barnes

Awards

News

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/IPA+2017_Low-res_Group+Photo.jpg/d1407111-3449-4e8a-a350-c0fbacb11898?t=1507865866531" />Confetti everywhere! The PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards 2017, presented by Kohler and supported by the country’s leading property site Rumah.com, concluded its third annual gala ceremony on Thursday night (12 October) at the Fairmont Jakarta, with a record number of design and special awards were presented Agung Sedayu Group sweeps the competition with 17 wins – including Best Developer – and six Highly Commended accolades, the most for any developer. “We don’t know what to say but thank you for this honour. We’ve been on this stage to receive so many awards tonight and we’re grateful. This proves that one can be the biggest developer in the country and also a leader in quality development. Thanks to the hard work of our team,” said Alexander H. Kusuma of Agung Segayu Group, upon collecting the last of their 17 trophies from chairman of the judges Hendra Hartono, CEO of PT Leads Property Services Indonesia. His advice to other Indonesian developers who would want to win one of the coveted PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards in the future? “Know you customers,” he said at the backstage interview. “We’ve spent very long months getting to know our customers and what they want. If you have the trust of customers, you can be the best developer for them.” One of the highlights of the night was when Michael Widjaja, group CEO of Sinar Mas Land, was honoured as the 2017 Indonesia Real Estate Personality of the Year. The pioneer of ‘smart digital cities’ in Indonesia was unable to personally accept his award due to an unexpected medical emergency. Agung Sedayu Group, along with other main domestic winners such as best boutique developer PT Supermal Karawaci, are now headed to Singapore to represent Indonesia at the seventh annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final on 8 November to be named one of the ‘best in Asia’.   THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS & HIGHLY COMMENDED: 3rd PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards 2017   DEVELOPER AWARDS Best Developer WINNER: Agung Sedayu Group   Best Boutique Developer WINNER: PT Supermal Karawaci   RESIDENTIAL AWARDS Best Luxury Condo Development (Jakarta) WINNER: Langham Residence by Agung Sedayu Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: Regent Residences Jakarta by PT. Kencana Graha Optima   Best High End Condo Development (Jakarta) WINNER: District 8 Apartment by Agung Sedayu Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: Arzuria by PT Arzu Utama Realty HIGHLY COMMENDED: Casa Grande by PT Pakuwon Jati Tbk HIGHLY COMMENDED: South Hills by KSO Duta Regency Karunia MKP (part of Century Properties Group Indonesia) HIGHLY COMMENDED:  Wang Residence, developed by Citicon Propertindo and designed by PT Ong and Ong   Best Mid Range Condo Development (Jakarta) WINNER: Gold Coast Sea View Apartment, developed by Agung Sedayu Group and designed by PT Ong and Ong   Best Affordable Condo Development (Jakarta) WINNER: U Residences – Tower 3 by PT Supermal Karawaci HIGHLY COMMENDED: Breeze Tower – Bintaro Plaza Residences by PT. Jaya Real Property Tbk HIGHLY COMMENDED: JKT Living Star by PT Sindeli Propertindo Abadi   Best Housing Development (Jakarta) WINNER: Jakarta Garden City (Cluster River Garden) by PT. Modernland Realty Tbk   Best Housing Development (Greater Indonesia) WINNER: Green Orchid Residence by PT. Bumi Nusantara Megah HIGHLY COMMENDED: habitat setiabudi by Vigourland   COMMERCIAL AWARDS Best Office Development WINNER: District 8 Office Complex by Agung Sedayu Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mangkuluhur City Office Tower 1 by PT. Kencana Graha Optima HIGHLY COMMENDED: Millennium Centennial Center by PT Permata Birama Sakti HIGHLY COMMENDED: Noble House by Golden Flower Group   Best Retail Development WINNER: Pakuwon Mall by PT Pakuwon Jati Tbk   Best Luxury Hotel Development WINNER: Langham Hotel Jakarta by Agung Sedayu Group   Best Mid Range Hotel Development WINNER: Hilton Garden Inn by PT Supermal Karawaci HIGHLY COMMENDED: Hotel Mercure Pantai Indah Kapuk by Agung Sedayu Group   Best Mixed Use Development WINNER: District 8 Mixed Use by Agung Sedayu Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: TBS by Asiana Group   DESIGN AWARDS Best Luxury Condo Architectural Design WINNER: Langham Residence by Agung Sedayu Group   Best High End Condo Architectural Design WINNER: Wang Residence, developed by Citicon Propertindo and designed by PT Ong and Ong HIGHLY COMMENDED: Arzuria by PT Arzu Utama Realty HIGHLY COMMENDED: District 8 Apartment by Agung Sedayu Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: South Hills by KSO Duta Regency Karunia MKP (part of Century Properties Group Indonesia)   Best Mid Range Condo Architectural Design WINNER: Gold Coast Sea View Apartment, developed by Agung Sedayu Group and designed by PT Ong and Ong   Best Affordable Condo Architectural Design WINNER: JKT Living Star by PT Sindeli Propertindo Abadi HIGHLY COMMENDED: Biz Lofts @ U Residence by PT Supermal Karawaci   Best Housing Architectural Design WINNER: Mandarin Residences by PT Bali Ragawisata   Best Luxury Condo Interior Design WINNER: Langham Residence by Agung Sedayu Group   Best High End Condo Interior Design WINNER: District 8 Apartment by Agung Sedayu Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: Arzuria by PT Arzu Utama Realty HIGHLY COMMENDED: South Hills by KSO Duta Regency Karunia MKP (part of Century Properties Group Indonesia)   Best Affordable Condo Interior Design WINNER: U Residence – Biz Lofts by PT Supermal Karawaci HIGHLY COMMENDED: JKT Living Star by PT Sindeli Propertindo Abadi HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Venetian at Kingland Avenue by PT. Hong Kong Kingland HIGHLY COMMENDED: U Residence – Tower 3 by PT Supermal Karawaci   Best Housing Interior Design WINNER: Mandarin Residences by PT Bali Ragawisata   Best Retail Architectural Design WINNER: PIK Avenue by Agung Sedayu Group   Best Office Architectural Design WINNER: Sequis Tower by FARPOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED: District 8 Prosperity Tower by Agung Sedayu Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: District 8 Treasury Tower by Agung Sedayu Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: Knowledge Hub at Digital Hub, BSD City by Sinar Mas Land HIGHLY COMMENDED: Millennium Centennial Center by PT Permata Birama Sakti HIGHLY COMMENDED: Noble House by Golden Flower Group   Best Luxury Hotel Architectural Design WINNER: Six Senses Resort Uluwati Bali bby PT. Cahaya Warna Prima HIGHLY COMMENDED: Langham Hotel Jakarta by Agung Sedayu Group   Best Mid Range Hotel Architectural Design WINNER: Hotel Mercure Pantai Indah Kapuk by Agung Sedayu Group   Best Serviced Apartment Architectural Design WINNER: District 8 Oakwood Premier & Studios by Agung Sedayu Group   Best Landscape Architectural Design WINNER: Millennium Centennial Center by PT Permata Birama Sakti HIGHLY COMMENDED: District 8 Mixed Use by Agung Sedayu Group HIGHLY COMMENED: JKT Living Star by PT Sindeli Propertindo Abadi   Best Luxury Landscape Architectural Design WINNER: Mandarin Residences by PT Bali Ragawisata   SPECIAL AWARDS   Special Recognition in CSR WINNER: Agung Sedayu Group   Best Universal Design Development WINNER: District 8 Mixed Use by Agung Sedayu Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: Millennium Centennial Center by PT Permata Birama Sakti HIGHLY COMMENDED: Sequis Tower by FARPOINT   Best Green Development WINNER: Sequis Tower by FARPOINT HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mangkuluhur City Office Tower 1 by PT. Kencana Graha Optima HIGHLY COMMENDED: Noble House by Golden Flower Group   Special Recognition for Public Facility WINNER: Kalijodo Park WINNER: PT Pembangunan Kota Tua Jakarta WINNER: Simpang Susun Semanggi   Special Recognition in Corporate Headquarter Design WINNER: Bank Mandiri WINNER: Grha Unilever WINNER: Menara Danamon   BEST OF INDONESIA CATEGORIES Best Condo Development (Indonesia) WINNER: Langham Residence by Agung Sedayu Group   Best Housing Development (Indonesia) WINNER: Jakarta Garden City (Cluster River Garden) by PT. Modernland Realty Tbk   PUBLISHER’S CHOICE Real Estate Personality of the Year WINNER: Michael Widjaja, Group CEO, Sinar Mas Land   For more information about the PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards, email <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or visit: <a href="http://www.AsiaPropertyAwards.com/indonesia-property-awards/">AsiaPropertyAwards.com/indonesia-property-awards/</a>

Here are all the winners from the 3rd PropertyGuru...

Sinar Mas Land group CEO to be honoured at PropertyGuru...

<img alt="File photo: PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards founder and managing director Terry Blackburn presents an award in Myanmar in June 2017" src="/documents/10204/0/File+Photo_MPA+2017_Terry+Blackburn.jpg/6ba8fe1a-614e-462a-9cd4-5ade7ca255f7?t=1507020434202" style="width: 3840px; height: 2560px;" />PropertyGuru, Asia’s foremost online property company, has announced that the inaugural PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka) domestic gala dinner will take place at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo on Thursday, 12 July 2018. Following the positive reception of Sri Lankan companies that participated in the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka) 2017 competition held in Singapore, the domestic gala dinner will be a celebration of Sri Lanka’s finest developers and their achievements in real estate. Sri Lanka, which currently enjoys growing interest from foreign investors as the local government ramps up infrastructure development in key locations, joined the esteemed PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards series for the first time in 2017, with nine developers making the shortlist for domestic accolades and sending representatives to the Awards’ Grand Final event in Singapore in November. The newly announced 2018 local edition in Colombo will create more opportunity for Sri Lankan developers to participate in the competition that recognises real estate excellence via a fair, transparent and ethical awards system. Nominations are now open for eligible entries in the Developer, Development and Design categories and will be accepted until 11 May, with the official shortlist to be revealed in the first week of June. The Sri Lankan gala dinner will also present special awards in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development to deserving companies as part of PropertyGuru’s own CSR mission. Dr Nirmal De Silva, co-founder and CEO of Paramount Realty, and chairman of the judging panel, said that the enthusiasm shown by local developers to participate in the 2017 PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka) competition in Singapore signalled a new era for the property sector. “I have been impressed with the design, functionality and processors put in place by local developers. It is evident that we are reaching world-class standards in the local real estate sphere,” he said. “It would be honour to finally hold our domestic awards gala event to show the world that Sri Lanka is truly committed to quality development and innovation.” <a href="http://www.property-report.com/detail/-/blogs/propertyguru-asia-property-awards-sri-lanka-shortlists-the-country-s-best-developers-of-20-1" onclick="window.open(this.href, '', 'resizable=no,status=no,location=no,toolbar=no,menubar=no,fullscreen=no,scrollbars=no,dependent=no'); return false;">More: Sri Lankan developers are headed to the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final 2017 event in Singapore</a> De Silva is again joined on the judging panel by Stephanie Balendra (Director, SB Realtors (Private) Limited); Roshan Madawela (Director and Founding CEO, Research Intelligence Unit); Emeritus Prof. Chitra Weddikkra (Managing Director, QServe Pte Ltd); and Steven Mayes (Managing Director, JLL Sri Lanka). The same members served on the 2017 panel. According to Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, the programme for the Sri Lankan local edition will include more than 20 categories – up from this original 13 categories in 2017 – covering various segments to represent the best real estate on the entire island.  "Since 2005, the Asia Property Awards series has been widely recognised across the region for its prestige and credibility, as well as lavish black-tie gala events,” Blackburn said. “With Sri Lanka holding its own domestic edition, we are providing local developers an established and trusted platform by which industry standards are benchmarked, and a venue to network with peers and colleagues. We hope that more developers will see the value of this platform and we look forward to our event in Colombo in 2018.” Even though there will be a domestic gala ceremony in Colombo, winners from Sri Lanka will still represent the country at the eighth annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final in Singapore at the end of the year to compete for more regional accolades and be named the ‘Best in Asia’. The PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka) 2018 is supported by official portal partner PropertyGuru.com.sg; official portal partner in Sri Lanka, Lankapropertyweb.com; media partner PropertyGuru Property Report; and official supervisor BDO led by Sri Lanka managing partner Sujeewa Rajapakse. For more information about the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka), email <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or visit the official website: <a href="http://www.asiapropertyawards.com">AsiaPropertyAwards.com</a>

Inaugural PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka)...

<img alt="File photo: Sheldon Fernandez, country manager at PropertyGuru.com.my, the official portal partner of the Awards, presents Tropicana Corporation Berhad one of its 8 trophies at the 2017 gala dinner" src="/documents/10204/0/APA-MY+2017_Sheldon+Fernandez+gives+an+award+to+Tropicana+Corporation+Berhad.png/b68a7127-1c1f-46d7-ae57-eb6e230e7f7f?t=1506584844327" style="width: 1019px; height: 673px;" />The 2018 edition of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) is set to arrive early on Thursday, 26 April and is scheduled to be held at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur. The event will also celebrate the fifth annual gala dinner of the prestigious ceremony in recognition of Malaysia’s best developers, projects and design. Nominations for the awards programme are now open. There are categories for outstanding developers, residential and commercial properties, and architectural and interior design across various segments. Special awards also await developers that, in the past year, have shown exemplary initiatives in sustainable development, green building, universal design, and corporate social responsibility. Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, says: “We are pleased to return to Malaysia for our fifth edition to celebrate the best in the local property sector. The fact that we continue to receive top quality entries every year is testament to the underlying strength of the sector. We remain optimistic for Malaysia’s real estate industry and the opportunities the Asia Property Awards can bring to deserving developers.” He says that the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards has continued to be the hallmark for excellence in the Malaysian property development industry, with quality entries coming from conglomerates and emerging boutique developers. Reflecting market conditions “Over the years the awards scheme has been expanded to reflect Malaysian market conditions and priorities, adding categories for the best mass market, mixed-use and universal design developments, as well as categories for prime investment destinations,” he adds. “We are certainly open to giving recognition for different property segments and locations as much possible as the awards evolve.” Eighteen companies made the final shortlist in 2017 with Selangor-based Tropicana Corporation Berhad bagging the most number of wins of eight golden trophies across a range of categories, including Best Developer and Best Condo Development (Malaysia) for Tropicana Residences, in addition to several special awards. <a href="https://youtu.be/NGWI2HtfEXc" onclick="window.open(this.href, 'PropertyGuruAsiaPropertyAwardsMalaysia2017', 'resizable=no,status=no,location=no,toolbar=no,menubar=no,fullscreen=no,scrollbars=no,dependent=no'); return false;">Watch: Best moments from the 2017 PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) gala dinner</a> A total of 26 winners and 11 Highly Commended honourees were named in the last edition, including Property Report’s Malaysia Real Estate Personality of the Year Glen Chan of Pacific Star Development Ltd. The awards are presented annually at a three-hour, black-tie gala dinner, which has over the past two editions become a royal affair with the presence of the Guest of Honour, Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Besar Seri Menanti, Tunku Ali Redhauddin ibni Tuanku Muhriz, chairman of PropertyGuru Malaysia. Looking and moving forward Despite the slowdown in the domestic real estate market that is undergoing consolidation and is currently plagued with concerns of oversupply, returning chairman of the judges Prem Kumar, executive director of Jones Lang Wootton, says the point of recovery is “looming somewhere in the horizon, even if it’s not yet in sight.” Kumar believes that during a period when the property market is not performing at its best, a lot rests on Malaysian developers’ shoulders to produce better quality projects. “These will steer the sector and the country in the right direction. Growth in the real estate industry is extremely important, and as such, maintaining the highest standards, aside from incorporating aspects such as sustainability, lifestyle elements, among others, has become extremely crucial.” He adds: “This is the true test of perception towards any award. It is indeed enthralling to assess more innovative entries year after year. This is definitely the way forward.” Fair, transparent and credible judging process Together with the independent panel of experts, Kumar will deliberate on the 2018 nominations over the next few months, leading up to the local site visits, and the final judging and tabulation. The entire process is once again supervised by BDO, the world’s fifth largest accounting and auditing firm, to maintain fairness, transparency and credibility. PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) nominees are evaluated based on strict criteria set by the independent judging panel, with the final shortlist will be revealed at the end of March. A new Malaysia Real Estate Personality of the Year will also be named by the editorial team of Property Report magazine to honour an individual who has left an indelible mark in the Malaysian property sector. Representatives from eligible companies and developments can submit their completed entry forms for the 2018 competition until Friday, 23 February. As always, there is no fee to enter in any category. The terms and conditions for the awards system are available on the website: <a href="http://www.asiapropertyawards.com/tc/">AsiaPropertyAwards.com/tc/</a> Sponsorship and partnership opportunities are open. For more information about the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia), email <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or visit the official website: <a href="http://www.asiapropertyawards.com/malaysia/">AsiaPropertyAwards.com/malaysia/</a>

2018 PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) takes...

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Asia+Property+Awards_trophies.jpg/f9393bb1-3284-4f3c-a606-85b072fe10cc?t=1506487852153" style="width: 960px; height: 540px;" />The PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) 2017, presented by Kohler and supported by the country’s No. 1 property site PropertyGuru.com.sg, have revealed the official shortlist of nominees comprising the year’s best and most inspired projects that define the urban landscape in Singapore today. More than 20 developments from 16 companies and joint venture firms have made the final stage of the country’s most prestigious real estate competition, with GuocoLand Singapore leading with 12 nominations – the most for any developer. GuocoLand’s projects inside the integrated development Tanjong Pagar Centre earn nods in multiple categories, including outstanding office, retail, hotel and condominium development and design. The entire project, which has direct access to the Tanjong Pagar MRT, is the site of Wallich Residence, a Best Luxury Condo Development nominee that was inspired by famous botanist Dr Nathaniel Wallich, a pioneer in establishing Singapore’s reputation as Asia’s ‘Garden City’. Successful ventures ‘Sustainable Development’ nominee EL Development is tied in second place with eight nods. A number of its official entries are competing with each other, namely in the categories for Best Private Condo Development, Best Private Condo Architectural Design, and Best Condo Landscape Architectural Design. Tied in second place with eight nominations is boutique developer Lian Beng Group Ltd for the company and its joint ventures, followed in third place by last year’s two-time winner QingJian Realty, with seven nominations for its affiliates and subsidiaries. Known for forming successful joint ventures in Singapore and overseas, Oxley Holdings Limited receives six shortlists in the office and hotel categories, as well as the new award for Best Industrial Development, a nomination it shares with JV partner Lian Beng Group. The partners also share a nod in the special award for their corporate social responsibility initiatives. Now in its seventh year, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) competition returns to recognise the finest in Singaporean real estate, which – despite slowing down in recent years due to government-led cooling measures and having a lower number of transactions or launches compared with previous years – still leads the ASEAN region in green building, sustainable design, and technological and architectural innovation. Staying ahead of the game “Increasing globalisation and Internet exposure have no doubt added to the competition amongst Singaporean developers and in doing so, raised the standard across the region,” said chairman of the judges and renowned architect Minkqee Tan, chief designer at MINKEE Architects Pte Ltd. “We’re excited to see that developers are plying their trade with more thoughtful products and are forced to embrace innovations and new features in order to stay ahead of the game. Concept, design, pricing, green features, world-class amenities, quality of construction, creativity and originality, plus unique selling points, are all considerations for the judges.” Tan is joined on the independent panel of judges by respected industry experts: Alexander Karolik Shlaen (CEO, Panache Management); Robert Greg Shand (Greg Shand Architects); Lim Wenhui (Partner, SPARK Architects); Clement Ong (Head of Strategic Planning and Investment, Banyan Tree Group); Benedict Lim (Managing Director, Real Estate Transaction, Ernst & Young Corporate Finance Pte Ltd); and Natalie Breen (Real Estate Legal Leader & Partner, PwC Legal International Pte Ltd). Under the strict supervision of trusted awards supervisor BDO, the panel selected the final shortlist following a six-month nomination and judging process that included actual site inspections and intensive panel deliberations. Market slowly rebounds All 25 competition and special awards shortlists were decided by the panel, with the exclusion of the 2017 Singapore Real Estate Personality of the Year award, which will be chosen by editors of PropertyGuru Property Report magazine and the winner announced before the gala dinner. “This is an exciting time to celebrate the success of Singapore’s best developers as the market slowly rebounds due to increasing local and foreign demand. With this strong shortlist, we look ahead to the future of the domestic property sector that gives importance to sustainable and green amenities to suit the needs of consumers. It is our hope that consumers look to this year’s finalists to aid them in making informed and confident decisions,” said Hari V. Krishnan, CEO of PropertyGuru Group. Shortlisted developers are now gearing up to attend the black-tie gala dinner on Tuesday, 7 November, at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands, where Winners and Highly Commended companies will be named. Exclusive ceremony The gala dinner and presentation ceremony is exclusive for shortlisted nominees, taking place alongside the two-day PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit (7-8 November) and the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final (8 November), where delegates and regional nominees from around Asia will gather to honour the best in Asia’s real estate sector. The seventh annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) 2017 is supported by title sponsor Kohler; co-sponsors Regus and Mitsubishi Electric; official portal partner PropertyGuru.com.sg, Singapore’s No. 1 property site; media partners Southeast Asia GLOBE, Oxford Business Group, Realestate.com.kh, Indesign Media Asia Pacific, and PropertyGuru Property Report, Asia’s leading luxury real estate, architecture and design publication; supporting association European Chamber of Commerce Singapore; and official supervisor BDO, the world’s fifth largest auditing and accountancy firm led by executive director Roger Loo and manager Jan Weidlich. THE FULL SHORTLIST OF NOMINEES: PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) 2017 DEVELOPER CATEGORIES Best Developer <ul> <li>WINNER will be revealed on 7 November 2017 during the gala dinner</li> </ul> Best Boutique Developer <ul> <li>Lian Beng Group Ltd</li> <li>Pollux Properties Ltd</li> <li>TEE Land Limited</li> </ul> DEVELOPMENT CATEGORIES Best Luxury Condo Development <ul> <li>Spottiswoode Suites by Spottiswoode Development Pte Ltd (a JV between Lian Beng Group Ltd and Centurion Properties Pte Ltd)</li> <li>Wallich Residence by GuocoLand Singapore</li> </ul> Best Private Condo Development <ul> <li>High Park Residences by CEL Development</li> <li>Parc Riviera by EL Development Pte Ltd</li> <li>Queens Peak by HY Realty (Dundee) Pte Ltd</li> <li>Stars of Kovan by Property Enterprises Development (S) Pte Ltd</li> <li>Symphony Suites by EL Development Pte Ltd</li> </ul> Best Executive Condo Development <ul> <li>iNz Residence by QingJian Realty (Choa Chu Kang) Group Pte Ltd</li> <li>The Visionaire by QingJian Realty (Sembawang) Group Pte Ltd</li> </ul> Best Landed Development <ul> <li>Belgravia Villas by Fairview Developments Pte Ltd (a unit of the Tong Eng Group)</li> </ul> Best Retail Development <ul> <li>Tanjong Pagar Center (TPC) Retail by GuocoLand Singapore</li> <li>Stars of Kovan by Property Enterprises Development (S) Pte Ltd</li> </ul> Best Office Development <ul> <li>Guoco Tower by GuocoLand Singapore</li> </ul> Best Hotel Development <ul> <li>Novotel Singapore on Stevens, Mercure Singapore on Stevens by Oxley Holdings Limited</li> <li>Sofitel Singapore City Centre by GuocoLand Singapore</li> </ul> Best Industrial Development <ul> <li>Mandai Foodlink by Wealth Property Pte Ltd (a JV between Lian Beng Group Ltd and The Legacy Industrial (Mandai) Pte Ltd)</li> <li>Solaris @ Kallang 164 by Soilbuild Group</li> <li>T-Space by Goldprime Land Pte Ltd (a JV between Lian Beng Group Ltd and Oxley Holdings Limited)</li> </ul> Best Mixed Use Development <ul> <li>Le Quest by QingJian Realty (BBR) Group Pte Ltd</li> <li>Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease</li> <li>Stars of Kovan by Property Enterprises Development (S) Pte Ltd</li> <li>Tanjong Pagar Centre by GuocoLand Singapore</li> </ul> DESIGN CATEGORIES Best Luxury Condo Architectural Design <ul> <li>Spottiswoode Suites by Spottiswoode Development Pte Ltd (a JV between Lian Beng Group Ltd and Centurion Properties Pte Ltd)</li> <li>Wallich Residence by GuocoLand Singapore</li> </ul> Best Private Condo Architectural Design <ul> <li>Kingsford Waterbay by Kingsford Property Development Pte. Ltd.</li> <li>Parc Riviera by EL Development Pte Ltd</li> <li>Stars of Kovan by Property Enterprises Development (S) Pte Ltd</li> <li>Symphony Suites by EL Development Pte Ltd</li> </ul> Best Condo Interior Design <ul> <li>Le Quest by QingJian Realty (BBR) Group Pte Ltd</li> <li>Kingsford Waterbay by Kingsford Property Development Pte. Ltd.</li> <li>Parc Riviera by EL Development Pte Ltd</li> <li>Stars of Kovan by Property Enterprises Development (S) Pte Ltd</li> <li>Wallich Residence by GuocoLand Singapore</li> </ul> Best Retail Architectural Design <ul> <li>Stars of Kovan by Property Enterprises Development (S) Pte Ltd</li> <li>Tanjong Pagar Centre (TPC) Retail by GuocoLand Singapore</li> </ul> Best Office Architectural Design <ul> <li>Guoco Tower by GuocoLand Singapore</li> <li>Oxley Tower by Oxley Holdings Limited</li> </ul> Best Hotel Architectural Design <ul> <li>Novotel Singapore on Stevens, Mercure Singapore on Stevens by Oxley Holdings Limited</li> <li>Sofitel Singapore City Centre by GuocoLand Singapore</li> </ul> Best Condo Landscape Architectural Design <ul> <li>High Park Residences by CEL Development</li> <li>Kingsford Waterbay by Kingsford Property Development Pte. Ltd.</li> <li>Parc Riviera by EL Development Pte Ltd</li> <li>Symphony Suites by EL Development Pte Ltd</li> <li>The Visionaire by QingJian Realty (Sembawang) Group Pte Ltd</li> </ul> Best Commercial Landscape Architectural Design <ul> <li>Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease</li> <li>Tanjong Pagar Centre by GuocoLand Singapore</li> <li>T-Space by Goldprime Land Pte Ltd (a JV between Lian Beng Group Ltd and Oxley Holdings Limited)</li> </ul> SPECIAL AWARDS CATEGORIES Special Recognition in CSR <ul> <li>Lian Beng Group Ltd</li> <li>Oxley Holdings Limited</li> </ul> Special Recognition in Sustainable Development <ul> <li>EL Development Pte Ltd</li> <li>Lian Beng Group Ltd</li> </ul> Best Green Development <ul> <li>iNz Residence by QingJian Realty (Choa Chu Kang) Pte Ltd</li> <li>Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease</li> <li>Tanjong Pagar Centre by GuocoLand Singapore</li> </ul> Best Universal Design Development <ul> <li>iNz Residence by QingJian Realty (Choa Chu Kang) Pte Ltd</li> <li>Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease</li> </ul> BEST OF SINGAPORE CATEGORIES Best Condo Development (Singapore) <ul> <li>WINNER to be selected from Condo category winners and announced during the gala dinner on 7 November 2017</li> </ul> Best Housing Development (Singapore) <ul> <li>WINNER to be selected from Housing category winners announced during the gala dinner on 7 November 2017</li> </ul> PUBLISHER’S CHOICE Real Estate Personality of the Year <ul> <li>WINNER to be announced by Property Report magazine editors before the gala dinner on 7 November 2017</li> </ul> For more information about the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore), email <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or visit: <a href="http://www.asiapropertyawards.com/singapore/">AsiaPropertyAwards.com/singapore/</a>

PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore) 2017...

<img alt="File photo: Terry Blackburn, Hendra Hartono and Steve Melhuish at the PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards 2016 gala dinner" src="/documents/10204/0/IPA+2016_Red+carpet.png/731ccba6-4ce0-4263-80c3-74f3a39734c5?t=1506322036676" />The PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards, supported by the country’s leading property site Rumah.com, have announced the final shortlist competing for honours in real estate following six months of nominations and judges’ deliberations. Agung Sedayu Group takes the lead with 19 shortlists, with nods for Best Luxury Condo Development (Jakarta) for Langham Residence, and multiple nominations for the mixed-use project District 8, which is also shortlisted in the new category for Best Universal Design Development for being open to all kinds of visitors regardless of gender, size or age. Several projects within the exciting District 8 project are competing in various architectural and interior design categories. District 8 Prosperity Tower and District 8 Treasury Tower are even facing each other in two win the Best Office Architectural Design trophy. Agung Sedayu’s nearest competition is boutique developer PT Supermal Karawaci, which earns six places in the shortlist for its mid-range and affordable condominium projects in the capital. Meanwhile, PT. Kencana Graha Optima and sister company PT Cahaya Warna Prima return to the competition with four nods, vying for honours in the luxury condo, hotel, office, and green development. Other nominees to watch out for include FARPOINT, PT Permata Birama Sakti, PT Ong and Ong, and PT Sindeli Propertindo Abadi. Each company collected four places in the shortlist. Best concepts and designs With strong contenders in the design, residential and commercial categories, the 2017 edition is gearing up to become the most suspenseful awards competition yet in its three-year history. “This year’s Indonesia Property Awards have attributed to the best concepts and best design properties,” said chairman of the independent judging panel Hendra Hartono, CEO of PT Leads Property Services Indonesia. “Many of our judging panel members have a strong background in architecture or are interior design experts, and we’re confident with our final shortlist.” Hartono said that with Indonesia’s status as the fourth largest economy in Asia, the country’s large population is an enormous captive market and has massive buying power to fuel the real estate sector. “Despite certain challenges such as economic slowdown, overheated property prices and luxury tax implications, Indonesia’s real estate sector continues to produce world-class projects as the Indonesia Property Awards inspire innovation among developers,” he said. The independent judging panel announced that 20 deserving companies and more than 30 current developments have made the official shortlist. Returning nominees In addition to new entrants, a number of previous Winners or Highly Commended projects that endured further construction and have met this year’s eligibility criteria – such as Sequis Tower, PIK Avenue, U Residence, Arzuria, Six Senses Resort Uluwati Bali and Regent Residences Jakarta – have returned to compete for more recognition at the Awards. The shortlisted companies and projects will compete in 36 competition categories, with Winners and Highly Commended distinctions handed out at the black-tie gala dinner on Thursday, 12 October, at the prestigious Fairmont Jakarta ballroom. 'Smart digital city’ leader  Special recognitions will also be presented during the much-anticipated gala ceremony, including a new award for the best public facility, plus the 2017 Indonesia Real Estate Personality of the Year award as chosen by editors of PropertyGuru Property Report magazine – the sole accolade not given by the judging panel – which will be presented to Michael Widjaja, group CEO of Sinar Mas Land, for promoting ‘digital ecosystem’ in real estate and leading the way in ‘smart digital city’ development. “The finalists in Indonesia certainly deserve the recognition as they showcase the best talent, innovation and design in the domestic real estate sector,” said Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards. “Indonesia is one of PropertyGuru’s most vital and important markets and the Indonesia Property Awards remains instrumental in encouraging better quality projects year after year with the mission to elevate industry standards for the benefit of consumers.” The third annual PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards 2017 is supported by title sponsor Kohler; co-sponsors Regus and Jotun Indonesia; official portal partner Rumah.com, Indonesia’s leading property site; official hotel venue Fairmont Jakarta; media partners Liputan6 and PropertyGuru Property Report, Asia’s leading luxury real estate, architecture and design publication; and the awards’ official supervisor BDO, the world’s fifth largest auditing and accountancy firm led by Indro Tjahjono, partner at BDO Indonesia. THE SHORTLIST OF NOMINEES 3rd PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards 2017 DEVELOPER CATEGORIES Best Developer <ul> <li>WINNER will be revealed on 12 October 2017 during the gala dinner</li> </ul> Best Boutique Developer <ul> <li>PT Supermal Karawaci</li> </ul> RESIDENTIAL CATEGORIES Best Luxury Condo Development (Jakarta) <ul> <li>Langham Residence by Agung Sedayu Group</li> <li>Regent Residences Jakarta by PT. Kencana Graha Optima</li> </ul> Best High End Condo Development (Jakarta) <ul> <li>Arzuria by PT Arzu Utama Realty</li> <li>Casa Grande by PT Pakuwon Jati Tbk</li> <li>District 8 Apartment by Agung Sedayu Group</li> <li>South Hills by KSO Duta Regency Karunia MKP (part of Century Properties Group Indonesia)</li> <li>Wang Residences by PT Ong and Ong</li> </ul> Best Mid Range Condo Development (Jakarta) <ul> <li>Gold Coast by PT Ong and Ong</li> </ul> Best Affordable Condo Development (Jakarta) <ul> <li>Breeze Tower – Bintaro Plaza Residences by PT Jaya Real Property Tbk</li> <li>JKT Living Star by PT Sindeli Propertindo Abadi</li> <li>U Residences – Tower 3 by PT Supermal Karawaci</li> </ul> Best Housing Development (Jakarta) <ul> <li>Jakarta Garden City (Cluster River Garden) by PT Modernland Realty Tbk</li> </ul> Best Housing Development (Greater Indonesia) <ul> <li>Habitat setiabudi by Vigourland</li> <li>Green Orchid Malang by Green Orchid Malang</li> </ul> COMMERCIAL CATEGORIES Best Office Development <ul> <li>District 8 Office Complex by Agung Sedayu Group</li> <li>Mangkuluhur City Office Tower I by PT. Kencana Graha Optima</li> <li>Millennium Centennial Center by PT Permata Birama Sakti</li> <li>Sequis Tower by FARPOINT</li> </ul> Best Retail Development <ul> <li>Pakuwon Mall Extension by PT Pakuwon Jati Tbk</li> </ul> Best Luxury Hotel Development <ul> <li>Langham Hotel Jakarta by Agung Sedayu Group</li> </ul> Best Mid Range Hotel Development <ul> <li>Hilton Garden Inn by PT Supermal Karawaci</li> <li>Hotel Mercure Pantai Indah Kapuk by Agung Sedayu Group</li> </ul> Best Mixed Use Development <ul> <li>District 8 Mixed Use by Agung Sedayu</li> <li>TBS by Asiana Group</li> </ul> DESIGN CATEGORIES Best Luxury Condo Architectural Design <ul> <li>Langham Residence by Agung Sedayu Group</li> </ul> Best High End Condo Architectural Design <ul> <li>Arzuria by PT Arzu Utama Realty</li> <li>District 8 Apartment by Agung Sedayu Group</li> <li>South Hills by KSO Duta Regency Karunia MKP (part of Century Properties Group Indonesia)</li> <li>Wang Residences by PT Ong and Ong</li> </ul> Best Mid Range Condo Architectural Design <ul> <li>Gold Coast by PT Ong and Ong</li> </ul> Best Affordable Condo Architectural Design <ul> <li>Biz Lofts @ U Residence by PT Supermal Karawaci</li> <li>JKT Living Star by PT Sindeli Propertindo Abadi</li> </ul> Best Housing Architectural Design <ul> <li>Mandarin Residences by PT Bali Ragawisata</li> </ul> Best Luxury Condo Interior Design <ul> <li>Langham Residence by Agung Sedayu Group</li> </ul> Best High End Condo Interior Design <ul> <li>Arzuria by PT Arzu Utama Realty</li> <li>District 8 Apartment by Agung Sedayu Group</li> <li>South Hills by KSO Duta Regency Karunia MKP (part of Century Properties Group Indonesia)</li> </ul> Best Affordable Condo Interior Design <ul> <li>JKT Living Star by PT Sindeli Propertindo Abadi</li> <li>The Venetian at Kingland Avenue by PT. Hong Kong Kingland</li> <li>U Residence – Biz Lofts by PT Supermal Karawaci</li> <li>U Residence – Tower 3 by PT Supermal Karawaci</li> </ul> Best Housing Interior Design <ul> <li>Mandarin Residences by PT Bali Ragawisata</li> </ul> Best Retail Architectural Design <ul> <li>PIK Avenue by Agung Sedayu Group</li> </ul> Best Office Architectural Design <ul> <li>Digital Hub – Knowledge Hub by Sinar Mas Land</li> <li>District 8 Prosperity Tower by Agung Sedayu Group</li> <li>District 8 Treasury Tower by Agung Sedayu Group</li> <li>Millennium Centennial Center by PT Permata Birama Sakti</li> <li>Noble House by Golden Flower Group</li> <li>Sequis Tower by FARPOINT</li> </ul> Best Luxury Hotel Architectural Design <ul> <li>Langham Hotel Jakarta by Agung Sedayu Group</li> <li>Six Senses Resort Uluwati Bali by PT Cahaya Warna Prima</li> </ul> Best Mid Range Hotel Architectural Design <ul> <li>Hotel Mercure Pantai Indah Kapuk by Agung Sedayu Group</li> </ul> Best Serviced Apartment Architectural Design <ul> <li>District 8 Oakwood Premier & Studios by Agung Sedayu Group</li> </ul> Best Landscape Architectural Design <ul> <li>District 8 Mixed Use by Agung Sedayu Group</li> <li>JKT Living Star by PT Sindeli Propertindo Abadi</li> <li>Millennium Centennial Center by PT Permata Birama Sakti</li> </ul> Best Luxury Landscape Architectural Design <ul> <li>Mandarin Residences by PT Bali Ragawisata</li> </ul> SPECIAL AWARDS CATEGORIES Special Recognition in CSR <ul> <li>Agung Sedayu Group</li> </ul> Best Universal Design Development <ul> <li>District 8 Mixed Use by Agung Sedayu</li> <li>Millennium Centennial Center by PT Permata Birama Sakti</li> <li>Sequis Tower by FARPOINT</li> </ul> Best Green Development <ul> <li>Mangkuluhur City Office Tower I by PT Kencana Graha Optima</li> <li>Noble House by Golden Flower Group</li> <li>Sequis Tower by FARPOINT</li> </ul> Special Recognition for Public Facility <ul> <li>Kalijodo Park</li> <li>Jakarta Old Town Revitalisation Corporation</li> <li>Simpang Surun Semanggi</li> </ul> BEST OF INDONESIA CATEGORIES   Best Condo Development (Indonesia) <ul> <li>WINNER to be selected from Condo category winners and announced during the gala dinner on 12 October 2017</li> </ul> Best Housing Development (Indonesia) <ul> <li>WINNER to be selected from Housing category winners announced during the gala dinner on on 12 October 2017</li> </ul> PUBLISHER’S CHOICE Real Estate Personality of the Year <ul> <li>Michael Widjaja, Group CEO, Sinar Mas Land</li> </ul> For more information about the PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards, email <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or visit: <a href="http://www.AsiaPropertyAwards.com/indonesia-property-awards/">AsiaPropertyAwards.com/indonesia-property-awards/</a>

PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards 2017 shortlist:...

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/Thailand+Property+Awards+2017_Group+Photo.png/c3d754fb-87ce-4daa-b334-e149fb14bf4d?t=1505534117358" />This year’s PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards 2017 has concluded and boasted a very strong shortlist of nominees. Ananda Development won its first-ever Best Developer trophy in the competition’s 12-year history for pioneering its “urban technology ecosystem” strategy to build better urban living solutions. For winning the top prize, Ananda Development was gifted with 10,000 Royal Orchid Plus bonus miles by official airline partner THAI Airways International. Other co-sponsors were JLL Thailand and Crystal Lagoons. Meanwhile, two former Best Developer title holders returned to stage to receive the ‘Best of Thailand’ awards: Charn Issara Development for Best Housing Development (Thailand); and Major Development for Best Condo Development (Thailand). The country’s ‘retail queen’ Supaluck Umpujh, chairwoman of The Mall Group, and the visionary behind such iconic shopping centres including The Siam Paragon, The Emporium, and The EmQuartier, was honoured as the 2017 Real Estate Personality of the Year by the editors of PropertyGuru Property Report magazine for her contributions to the country’s retail and lifestyle real estate segment. Mrs. Srisuda Wanapinyosak, Deputy Governor for International Marketing Asia and South Pacific of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, keynoted the ceremony attended by more than 500 senior industry guests and media. Thirty-nine categories were handed out on Friday evening (15 September) at Plaza Athenee Bangkok (a Royal Meridien hotel) to more than 100 recipients of Winner trophies or Highly Commended certificates to celebrate the finest real estate in Bangkok, Samui, Hua Hin, Khao Yai, Phuket and the Eastern Seaboard. Full list of Winners and Highly Commended at the 12th PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards 2017: DEVELOPER AWARDS Best Developer WINNER: Ananda Development   Best Boutique Developer WINNER: D’Well Grand Asset Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Apus Development Group Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Issara United Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Riviera Group   DEVELOPMENT AWARDS Best Ultra Luxury Condo Development (Bangkok) WINNER: MARQUE Sukhumvit by Major Development Public Company Limited   Best Luxury Condo Development (Bangkok) WINNER: Ashton Residence 41 by Ananda Development HIGHLY COMMENDED: Park24 by Proud Residences Co., Ltd.   Best High-Rise High End Condo Development (Bangkok) WINNER: THE LINE Phanon – Pradipat by Sansiri PLC HIGHLY COMMENDED: Chewathai Residence Bang Pho by CHEWATHAI PLC. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Knightsbridge Prime Sathorn by Origin Sathorn Co., Ltd.   Best Low-Rise High End Condo Development (Bangkok) WINNER: FYNN Sukhumvit 31 by FYNN Development Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Issara Collection Sathorn by Charn Issara Viphapol Co., Ltd.   Best High-Rise Affordable Condo Development (Bangkok) WINNER: Niche Pride Thonglor Phetchaburiby Sena Development Public Company Limited HIGHLY COMMENDED: Chewathai Phetkasem 27 by CHEWATHAI PLC. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Metro Sky Prachacheun by Property Perfect PCL   Best Low-Rise Affordable Condo Development (Bangkok) WINNER: D’Mura by D’Well Grand Asset Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Miti Condo by One Living Development HIGHLY COMMENDED: Moniiq Sukhumvit 64 by Sankyo Home (Thailand) Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Niche ID Sukhumvit 113 by Sena Development Public Company Limited HIGHLY COMMENDED: Niche MONO Sukhumvit 50 by Sena Development Public Company Limited   Best Housing Development (Bangkok) WINNER: The MARQ by Enrich Villa Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: ARNA Ekamai by D’Well Grand Asset Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Chewarom Rangsit – Don Mueang by CHEWATHAI PLC.   Best Residential Development (Samui) WINNER: Oasis Samui by Cascades Estate Company Limited HIGHLY COMMENDED: New Nordic Water World Koh Samui by New Nordic Group Co., Ltd.   Best Housing Development (Phuket) WINNER: The Pavilions Phuket Residences by LS Pavilions HIGHLY COMMENDED: Utopia Naiharn by International Property Advisory Co Ltd   Best Condo Development (Phuket) WINNER: X2 Vibe Phuket Bangtao by Millstone Company Limited HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Pavilions Phuket Residences by LS Pavilions HIGHLY COMMENDED: Twinpalms Residences MontAzure by MontAzure   Best Housing Development (Hua Hin) WINNER: Falcon Hill by Falcon Hill Development Limited HIGHLY COMMENDED: [email protected] Mountain, Hua Hin by Sansara Development Ltd   Best Condo Development (Hua Hin) WINNER: Veranda Residence Huahin by Veranda Resort and Spa Co., Ltd HIGHLY COMMENDED: BLU by Issara United Co., Ltd HIGHLY COMMENDED: [email protected] Mountain, Hua Hin by Sansara Development Ltd   Best Housing Development (Khao Yai) WINNER: Baan Sita Wan by Charn Issara Development PLC   Best Luxury Condo Development (Eastern Seaboard) WINNER: Knightsbridge The Ocean Sriracha by Origin Sathorn Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: City Garden Tower by Global Top Group   Best High End Condo Development (Eastern Seaboard) WINNER: The Riviera Wongamat Beach by The Riviera Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: Del Mare Bang Saray Beachfront Condominium by Apus Development Group Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Dusit Grand Condo View by Dusit Pattaya Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Riviera Jomtien by The Riviera Group   Best Affordable Condo Development (Eastern Seaboard) WINNER: Dusit Grand Park Condo by Dusit Pattaya Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Aurora Pratumnak by DJP Land & House Co., Ltd.   Best Housing Development (Eastern Seaboard) WINNER: X2 Pattaya Oceanphere by Habitat One Co., Ltd.   Best Office Development WINNER: FYI Center – For Your Inspiration Workplace by Golden Land Property Development PLC   Best Mixed Use Development WINNER: MontAzure by MontAzure   DESIGN CATEGORIES   Best High-Rise Condo Architectural Design (Bangkok) WINNER: THE LINE Sukhumvit 101 by Sansiri PLC   HIGHLY COMMENDED: Knightsbridge Prime Sathorn by Origin Sathorn Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Park24 by Proud Residences Co., Ltd.   Best Low-Rise Condo Architectural Design (Bangkok) WINNER: Ashton Residence 41 by Ananda Development HIGHLY COMMENDED: FYNN Sukhumvit 31 by FYNN Development Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Issara Collection Sathorn by Charn Issara Viphapol Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Miti Condo by One Living Development HIGHLY COMMENDED: Venio Sukhumvit 10 by Helix Company Limited   Best High-Rise Condo Architectural Design (Resort) WINNER: Andromeda Condominium by Apus Development Group Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: City Garden Tower by Global Top Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Riviera Jomtien by The Riviera Group HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Riviera Wonamat Beach by The Riviera Group   Best Low-Rise Condo Architectural Design (Resort) WINNER: BW Premier Collection BluPhere Pattaya by Habitat Group Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Aurora Pratumnak by DJP Land & House Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Blue Ocean by AD House Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: [email protected] Mountain, Hua by Sansara Development Ltd HIGHLY COMMENDED: Twinpalms Residences MontAzure by MontAzure   Best Housing Architectural Design WINNER: Issara Residence Rama 9 by Charn Issara Development PCL HIGHLY COMMENDED: ARNA Ekamai by D’Well Grand Asset Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Primary V by Krungthep Pattana CMS Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: X2 Pattaya Oceanphere by Habitat One Co., Ltd.   Best Condo Interior Design WINNER: FYNN Sukhumvit 31 by FYNN Development Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: BW Premier Collection BluPhere Pattaya by Habitat Group Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Moniiq Sukhumvit 64 by Sankyo Home (Thailand) Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Park24 by Proud Residences Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Runesu Thonglor5 Condominium by W-Shinwa Co., Ltd. Best Housing Interior Design WINNER: The Primary V by Krungthep Pattana CMS Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jaytiya Private Pool Villas Residence by Jaytiya Property Co., Ltd HIGHLY COMMENDED: [email protected] Mountain Hua Hin, Thailand by Sansara Development Ltd   Best Retail Architectural Design WINNER: 949 Neighborhood by Pannaphat Development Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: Diamond Plaza by One Group Development   Best Condo Landscape Architectural Design WINNER: Park24 by Proud Residences Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: BW Premier Collection BluPhere Pattaya by Habitat Group Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: FYNN Sukhumvit 31 by FYNN Development Co., Ltd.   Best Housing Landscape Architectural Design WINNER: [email protected] Mountain Hua Hin, Thailand by Sansara Development Ltd HIGHLY COMMENDED: The MARQ by Enrich Villa Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Primary V by Krungthep Pattana CMS Co., Ltd.   Best Retail Landscape Architectural Design WINNER: 949 Neighborhood by Pannaphat Development Co., Ltd.   SPECIAL AWARDS Special Recognition in CSR WINNER: Sansiri PLC WINNER: Sena Development Public Company Limited WINNER: The Riviera Group   Special Recognition in Sustainable Development WINNER: MontAzure by MontAzure WINNER: Suppagarn Real Estate Co. Ltd WINNER: The Riviera Group   Best Universal Design Development WINNER: THE LINE Phanon – Pradipat by Sansiri PLC HIGHLY COMMENDED: ARNA Ekamai by Dwell Grand Asset Co., Ltd. HIGHLY COMMENDED: MontAzure by MontAzure HIGHLY COMMENDED: [email protected] Mountain Hua Hin by Sansara Development   Best Green Development WINNER: FYI Center – For Your Inspiration Workplace by Golden Land Property Development PLC   BEST OF THAILAND AWARDS Best Condo Development (Thailand) WINNER: MARQUE Sukhumvit by Major Development Public Company Limited   Best Housing Development (Thailand) WINNER: Baan Sita Wan by Charn Issara Development PLC   PUBLISHER’S CHOICE Real Estate Personality of the Year WINNER: Supaluck Umpujh, Chairwoman, The Mall Group   For more information about the PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards, email <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or visit: <a href="http://www.asiapropertyawards.com/thailand-property-awards/">AsiaPropertyAwards.com/thailand-property-awards/</a>

12th PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards 2017: Full...

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/TPA+2017_Shortlist_Jaime+Rivera.jpg/91633283-5f4b-47df-93e2-7b3d21bbeeb2?t=1505277206867" style="width: 896px; height: 600px;" />Award-winning water innovation multinational company Crystal Lagoons is a co-sponsor of the 12th annual PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards 2017, the kingdom's biggest and longest-running real estate awards programme. The company's first project in Thailand was the <a href="http://www.property-report.com/guinness-world-record-holder-sets-up-huge-turquoise-lagoon-in-hua-hin/">MahaSamutr ultra luxury country club</a> located in Hua Hin, Thailand, which was recognised at last year's gala dinner. The global firm entered the Southeast Asian market via its first man-made crystalline lagoon project located in Treasure Bay Bintan, first announced in 2014, according to Jaime Rivera, the company's regional director for Southeast Asia. Crystal Lagoons’ leading-edge innovation provides an eco-friendly and stunning turquoise lagoon, which aims to enhance any property that surrounds it. In addition to a country award received by MahaNakhon with its crystal-clear lagoon, two further accolades were presented during the South East Asia Property Awards 2016 hosted by PropertyGuru in Singapore last year. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/5167090?trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Acompany%2CclickedEntityId%3A5167090%2Cidx%3A3-1-3%2CtarId%3A1456842248285%2Ctas%3Acrystal%20lagoons">Crystal Lagoons </a>is an international innovation company, founded by scientist <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernandofischmann/en">Fernando Fischmann</a>, which has developed a patent-protected technology that allows the construction and maintenance of unlimited-size crystal clear lagoons at very low costs. For more information about the 12th annual PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards 2017, visit the official website: <a href="http://www.asiapropertyawards.com/thailand-property-awards/">AsiaPropertyAwards.com/thailand-property-awards/</a>

Crystal Lagoons joins the 12th PropertyGuru Thailand...

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/TPA+2017_REP_Supaluck+Umpujh_Pic.png/c02b45b1-a3af-4ab7-b53d-73fa93088824?t=1505276455595" style="width: 1035px; height: 729px;" />The Mall Group’s trailblazing chairwoman has been named the 2017 Thailand Real Estate Personality of the Year. Supaluck’s The Mall Group is the developer behind six world-class shopping centres in Thailand, namely The Siam Paragon, The Emporium, The EmQuartier, The Emsphere, BLÚPORT, BLÚ Pearl, and Bangkok Mall. “This award means our dedication and determination, to make our visions a reality, has not only paid off, but is also recognised,” said Supaluck in a statement. “It is also the encouragement we needed to continue to contribute to our nation the best way we know how, by leading the retail industry to a future that delights everyone who enters our doors.” Chosen by the editorial team of PropertyGuru Property Report magazine, the Thailand Real Estate Personality of the Year is one of the top special awards that will be presented during the twelfth anniversary gala dinner of the PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards on 15 September at the Plaza Athenee Bangkok (a Royal Meridien hotel). “Supaluck Umpujh has consistently demonstrated over an illustrious career, which has spanned more than three decades. Working alongside her father and six siblings, our 2017 Personality became the driving force behind the family firm over the following 20 years, taking the reins in 2005. The business has produced iconic projects have transcended their initial purpose and are perceived to be tourist destinations in their own right," the editors of Property Report said. "With millions of overseas tourists flocking here to shop every year, Bangkok is now considered a regional shopping mecca on par with Hong Kong and Singapore. It’s fair to say that there aren’t many individuals who have shaped the city’s retail sphere in the way Supaluck has done.” For more information about the PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards, visit the official website: <a href="http://www.asiapropertyawards.com/thailand-property-awards/">AsiaPropertyAwards.com/thailand-property-awards/</a>

Thailand’s retail queen Supaluck Umpujh to be named 2017...

<img alt="" src="/documents/10204/0/APA+Mongolia+2017_Launch_22AUG2017_1.jpg/5a6846e2-830a-4312-8471-1c95af4a6474?t=1503399920599" style="width: 1200px; height: 899px;" />The PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, the region’s biggest and most prestigious real estate awards programme, has formed a new partnership with MGL International LLC, organiser of the local Mongolian Property Awards, to recognise domestic developers and showcase their achievements on a regional platform. A press conference was held in Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday (22 August) – with panelists Terry Blackburn (Founder and Managing Director, PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards) and Enkhtur Lkhagva (Founder and Chairman, MGL International LLC) – to encourage Mongolian developers to take part in the region’s premier property tilt. Mongolian developers are set to compete at the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Mongolia) on 7 November 2017 in various domestic categories that cover the residential and commercial segments as well as design. Domestic winners from Mongolia will then advance to the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final the following evening on 8 November, as 17 Asian real estate markets celebrate their successes with industry peers from all over the region. Both black-tie gala ceremonies will take place at Singapore’s Sands Expo and Convention Centre, where more than 400 key senior figures from Sri Lanka to Greater China will be in attendance. Hari V. Krishnan, CEO of PropertyGuru Group, said: “Because of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, consumers are empowered to make confident property decisions, whether they’re first-time buyers, expat renters or serial investors. Property knowledge is essential in our culture at PropertyGuru. We wish the Mongolian domestic entrants the best as they compete and advance to the Grand Final in Singapore.” Dubbed the ‘<a href="http://www.property-report.com/a-new-city-is-rising-in-mongolia-and-its-being-built-for-the-future/">Asian Wolf</a>’ by some economists, Mongolia has an emerging property sector with a reported 12 percent rental yield in prime areas such as Ulaanbaatar, the country’s growing capital, according to PropertyGuru Property Report. Whilst still largely economically dependent on its Chinese neighbour, Mongolia has welcomed in recent years more inbound investments from other cash-rich nations such as Singapore. New urban districts are even being <a href="http://www.property-report.com/a-new-city-is-rising-in-mongolia-and-its-being-built-for-the-future/">planned or proposed</a> to provide alternatives to Ulaanbaatar, where half of the Mongolian population currently live. “Our capital city of Ulaanbaatar hosts a diverse residential market. The strongest segment today is the mass market,” commented Zundui Bayaraa, CEO of MGL International. “However, majority of residents here still live in traditional dwellings known as ‘ger’ districts where coal and wood are burned for heat, or in housing that are not well connected to permanent infrastructure. There is definitely high demand and potential growth for our housing market.” Mr Zundui believes that the domestic property sector is encouraged by rising wages and massive government-sponsored access to mortgage financing. There is also possibility for better real estate policies as Mongolian president-elect and <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40541606">property tycoon Khaltma Battulga</a> assumes his role and tackles on reforms that may impact the <a href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/martial-arts-khaltmaa-battulga-expert-sworn-in-as-mongolian-9019650">revival of the country’s economic growth</a>. “In the past, the property sector developed consistently due to supporting programmes implemented by the government. Supply and demand will depend on government policy as well as involvement of local and foreign construction and development companies,” said Mr Zundui. “The time has come for local developers to become more innovative, as they are facing a new era of competition. I believe that Mongolian developers and projects should gain recognition across Asian markets in general. It is important that they will now be evaluated and recognised by a trusted and respected regional platform such as the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards.” Entry submissions for Mongolia categories are open until 22 September 2017. There is no fee to enter. Nominations from the public are welcome and can be sent to: <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>. An independent judging panel for the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Mongolia) 2017 to deliberate on the eligible nominations and conduct site visits, has been elected, comprising: Christopher de Gruben, managing partner, FRGS, MRICS; and Batgerel Batsaikhan, broker owner, RE/MAX Platin Mongolia; and Enkhmaa Badrakh, head of Cooperating Association of NAR. BDO, the world’s fifth biggest accountancy and auditing firm, is the official supervisor of the Awards. Celebrating its landmark 12th year, PropertyGuru’s premier awards series has gone Asia-wide in 2017, with Mongolia, Sri Lanka, India, Laos, the Maldives and South Korea earlier announced as new markets joining the renowned awards series that already holds domestic gala events in Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia. Following the expanded new configuration of the grand final programme, categories for Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau will also be incorporated into the two-night ceremony in Singapore. The two gala events will each begin with a two-hour international networking cocktail reception, followed by the opening remarks and speeches, four-course dinner, and the awards ceremony proper. Alongside the gala dinner, PropertyGuru’s C-suite conference – the two-day Singapore Real Estate Summit 2017 – will be held at the same venue in the daytime. “It has been an exciting journey for the Asia Property Awards after joining PropertyGuru last year. Our expanded awards scheme is a tribute to the strength of the Asian real estate industry and a validation of their achievements,” said Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the Awards. “Fair judgement and transparency of process are at the heart of the Awards and we’re delighted to introduce the awards system to Asia’s rapidly growing property markets. As we explore new countries for the platform, we will ensure that the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards truly is the region’s benchmark for the finest real estate developers, developments and design in the region.” Presented by title sponsor Kohler, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards 2017 is supported by co-sponsors Regus and Mitsubishi Electric; official portal partner PropertyGuru.com.sg; official portal partner in Sri Lanka, Lankapropertyweb.com; official South Korea newspaper Korea Economic Times; media partners Oxford Business Group, Southeast Asia GLOBE, Realestate.com.kh, and PropertyGuru Property Report; and official supervisor BDO. For more information about the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, visit the official website: <a href="http://www.AsiaPropertyAwards.com">AsiaPropertyAwards.com</a>

PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards 2017 forges partnership...

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1. Be aware of your surroundings

2. Get back to nature

3. Seek out exclusive amenities

4. Expect the highest standards

5. Look beyond your four walls

Investing well on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard

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Tell us a little about your background and your previous experiences with property investment.

Why did you decide to invest in Thailand?

Did you buy Villa 28 solely as a lifestyle investment or were you already thinking about the potential rental yields?

Would you say you’ve designed the interior to suit your tastes as well as those of your guests?

What do you think is the villa’s standout feature?

Had you explored investing in overseas property elsewhere, and do you have plans to expand your portfolio?

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