Seoul’s residential market

I visited South Korea recently in connection with a valuer (called appraiser there) meeting and although this was not my first visit, I was nonetheless impressed with the generally high level of efficiency in the country. Hassel free, from the well organised public transport, to the high service levels in the hotel and retail sectors.

The smooth and efficient bullet train ride from Seoul to Gyeongju, covering about 400 kilometres in two and a half hours was also impressive.

Not so efficient, in my opinion however, is the housing market in Seoul. Possibly a bubble that will burst, if it does not deflate quietly (which is unlikely), or one that risks growing bigger and then bursting or deflating. Astute policy nudging and/or more in-depth, knowledge-based decision making by market participants are key to a smooth “landing”.

Greater Seoul has 20 million inhabitants and that is 40% of the population of the country, a rather high percentage for a capital city. The Korean Peninsula is mountainous.

The per capita GDP of the country is about RM60,000 (based on a conversion of 1:3) as compared with Malaysia's, which is about RM21,000. The average monthly household income in Seoul is RM12,000. In Greater Kuala Lumpur it is about RM6,000.

The average house price in Seoul is about RM1.4mil and this means that on average the house price is close to 10 times household income, and this is viewed with some consternation by Koreans. About 10 years ago the average house price was 6 times household income, also slightly elevated as measured based on a global long term benchmark for developed countries at three times.

Kuala Lumpur typically has house prices at a long term relationship of around 4 to 4.5 times annual household income, but in many hot spots, in the past few years, there has been a run up to more than 10 to 15 times when viewed from an average household. And it may surprise many, that despite frequent comparisons with high-end condominiums in Singapore, HDB flats in Singapore, that house the majority of households in Singapore, the relationship is only about three times.

Japan which neighbours Korea had a property bubble in the late 1980's and prices soared to close to 20 times annual household income, only to come down crashing, and 20 years later, most of the medium sized cities in Japan have a corrected and stable relationship of about five to six times but with the Tokyo suburbs closer to 10 times.

Net yields, the second driving fundamental in the housing market, in Seoul are nothing much to speak about, being about 2% per annum. In Kuala Lumpur yields have slipped below the 3% benchmark for the ubiquitous double story terrace house. This figure of 3%, in the hierarchy of property yields, is generally acceptable when capital appreciation possibilities are a possibility but when such possibilities dim then a higher return should be the order of the day.

My Valuer friends in Seoul opine that much has to do with “Chonsei” system in Korea that has led to the high house prices in Seoul, apart from a long, inordinate support for the construction industry that has now resulted in construction being a high 20% of GDP, and the other usual culprits of easy money and exceptionally low interest rates.

This system of owning houses for owner occupation and investment is predicated on rising house prices. Landlords, for example, rent out houses by getting the tenant to set aside in a finance company or bank a lump sum for rent over two years and take the interest as rent.

Interest, which in the past, and due to artificial constructs was high, has come down as the economy irons out these constructs as it modernises further. The landlords in the past were happy with this because their focus was on capital appreciation, which was sustained and high.

But of late, especially since the middle of the last decade, house prices have stopped rising. The market is now normalising and rents that drive values are taking hold and tying values to more normal returns. The process will continue further as the Koreans move inexorably towards a market where house prices are tied to household incomes and driven by rental returns.

The housing market in any modern economy is an important pillar. It is a store of household wealth and when it stalls or falls it has an impact, sometimes an outsized impact, on the economy.

In the United States, house prices went up (and was allowed to go up by design or mistaken notions) against governing fundamentals and are now on a downward trajectory to the detriment of the economy at large and the global economy. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal shows the pre-bubble average house price increase from 1988 to 2000 to be 3.6% per annum and it shot up to 10.4% per annum between 2000 and 2007, outstripping average household income increase.

The US Bureau recently revealed that median household income in the United States in 2010 fell to US$49,445, the lowest in more than a decade. In Malaysia, our country-wide compounded annual average house-price increase in the period 2000 to 2009 was about 5%, running neck to neck with household-income increases.

Regulators are obliged to cast a watchful eye on the housing market and know the driving fundamentals, and where and when needed, nudge the market through astute policy intervention.

Post 2008 Global Financial Crisis, most countries in the region, including ours, have taken policy measures targeted at the housing market as against mainly broad brush monetary policy measures of the past, to stamp out excessive speculation and keep the market tied or running not too far from underlying fundamentals. This no doubt requires constant monitoring of the market, and in particular, before and after any policy implementation.

On a broader perspective, the market should be allowed to function as a free market and any intervention kept to a minimum and only to iron out free market imperfections.

Elvin Fernandez believes in the free market and timely nudging by policy makers and key market participants to iron out any, and only where needed, imperfections in the system.

By The Star (by Elvin Fernandez)

Measures proposed to prop up housing sector

The Government has announced a slew of measures related to the property sector. While the real property gains tax (RPGT) was uppermost on the minds of both developers, consultants and property buyers, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak also proposed other measures to keep the momentum going for the sector.

Under the My First Home Scheme (MFHS) announced earlier this year, Najib proposed that the cap of houses for young working adults of aged 18 to 35 be raised from RM220,000 to RM400,000.

Najib, who is also the Finance Minister, also promoted the 1Malaysia People's Housing (PR1MA) scheme. While the MFHS is for those with a monthly salary of RM3,000 and below, the PR1MA scheme also comes under the broad category of affordable social housing.

“PR1MA will be the sole agency to develop and maintain affordable and quality houses, specifically for the middle-income group. It will be the developer for projects on land owned by the Government,” he said.

Several plots of government-owned land around Sungai Besi and Sungai Buloh will be used for this purpose. The Government will also identify areas in the vicinity of MRT, LRT and other public transport system to be developed by PR1MA for housing projects.

“PR1MA also welcomes the cooperation with the private sector to develop similar projects. In this respect, several private developers responded to the Government's call to provide affordable and quality housing. PR1MA will play a main role in ensuring that the distribution of the housing units be transparent and fair through an open balloting system,” he said.

Although much has been said about the build-and-sell concept, Najib brought this up once again in the budget.

To protect buyers from delay and abandoned project, the Government will encourage the construction of more houses using the build-then-sell concept.

Real Estate and Housing Developers Association Malaysia president Datuk Seri Michael Yam and Rehda national council member and branch chairman for Federal Territory N.K. Tong said the measures announced in the budget proposals encouraged homeownership among the poor and young working adults but discouraged speculation.

Yam said the slew of measures to promote ownership and to spearhead investment was heartening and showed that the Government was serious in keeping the healthy property market on an even keel.

“The measures announced is in line with the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). Under the ETP, the Government wants to raise the population of the Greater KL/Klang Valley from the current 6 million to 10 million. In order to do that, there is a need for housing,” Tong said.

“It will be difficult for private land owners to provide land for social housing in the city, or close to the city. It is good that the Government is providing land for this cause and, at the same time, having them located near the proposed new public rail transport.

“In this respect I would said that the budget is two-prong when it comes to home ownership helping people to have a roof over their heads, and to save for their future.”

Yam said the slew of measures to promote ownership and to spearhead investment was heartening and showed that the Government was serious in keeping the healthy property market on an even keel.

By The Star

RPGT increased to 10%

Under Budget 2012, it was proposed that a real property gains tax (RPGT) of 10% be applied to properties held and disposed of within two years.

Meanwhile a rate of 5% will be maintained for properties sold within the third, fourth and fifth years after purchase.

The current RPGT, imposed after Budget 2010, is 5% for all properties sold within the first five years of purchase.

However, consultants and analysts said the 5% increase in the RPGT, for units sold within the first two years after purchase, would have little impact on speculative activities in the property market and escalating house prices.

Property consultant CB Richard Ellis (M) Sdn Bhd executive director Paul Khong said speculative activities in the property market would only be slightly curbed by the RPGT increase.

“This latest RPGT increase is a small negative point to investors but not detrimental. Investors will be more cautious in doing their profit calculations.”

Khong hoped that there would be no more negative changes in the RPGT quantum within the next few years, and pointed out that many investors would be rushing to liquidate their positions prior to Jan 1, 2012 in order to enjoy the current 5% RPGT this year.

HwangDBS Investment Management Bhd head of equities Gan Eng Peng also agreed that the latest RPGT increase was not an effective measure to curb speculative activities.

“To curb speculation, the RPGT should be higher than 10%,” Gan said.

Henry Butcher Marketing Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Tang Chee Meng also did not think that the latest RPGT increase would have a major impact on property sales.

“The Government is sending a message that it is serious in preventing an asset bubble and wants the property market to be more orderly. If the market is hot, an RPGT increase to 10%, for the first two years after purchase, will not really curb speculation,” said Tang.

A property analyst said the quantum of the RPGT increase was quite gentle.

“It is obvious that the Government does not want to dampen the property market. The marginal increase in RPGT is considered to be friendly and accomodative towards growth in the property sector,” he said.

Another research analyst concurred, and said the latest RPGT increase would help to slightly “cool off” demand in the property market.

“It would make investors think twice before “flipping” their properties within a short period after buying them,” she said.

“Our outlook for the property market next year is that of flat demand year-on-year. Rather than this gentle RPGT increase, investors should look at the central bank's policy on liquidity and ease of getting housing loans.”

KPMG Tax Services Sdn Bhd executive director Tai Lai Kok opined that the Government's move was fair.

“Any upside in tax revenue from the RPGT increase would be marginal. So, rather than to increase tax revenue, the Government's move is very focused towards curbing speculation in the property market,” said Tai.

Meanwhile, House Buyers Association (HBA) vice-president Brig-Gen (R) Datuk Goh Seng Toh said the latest RPGT increase was negligible.

“We think there will hardly be any effect in curbing escalating house prices. Certain developers do not allow buyers to sell within the first two years, when the house is still under construction. Also, many buyers only sell after the first two years, when their properties are completed.”

Goh added that the Government should not have a “one size fits all” RPGT rate. “The RPGT should be applied differently based on the type and price of the property.”

Meanwhile, Budget 2012 also proposed to increase the maximum price ceiling for houses under the My First Home (MFH) scheme to RM400,000.

Also, this improved scheme will be available to house buyers through the joint loans of both husband and wife beginning January 2012. Under the present MFH scheme, houses are priced within the RM100,000 to RM220,000 range.

The scheme is opened to private sector employees aged between 18-years old and 35 years old; drawing a monthly salary of not more than RM3,000. Property consultants said the Government's objectives under Budget 2012 were clearly to curb excessive property speculation and boost house ownership for lower-income groups.

Goh said while the improved MFH scheme would made it easier for those who qualify to obtain loans for properties priced at RM400,000 and below, it might also add pressure on the disposable household income of lower-income groups.

“Our household debt-to-income ratio is already high. Also, this might make it easier for property developers to increase the prices of their units from a lower price range to RM400,000 and buyers might actually end up paying more.”

Another property analyst pointed out that developers in the Klang Valley would still find it tough to cater to the RM400,000 and below price segment due to land and construction costs. “Nowadays, there are not many property launches at this (level of) pricing in the Klang Valley,” the analyst noted.

However, Mah Sing Group Bhd group managing director Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum welcomed the improved MFH scheme and said that property prices in reasonably well-located townships are currently in this price range.

“For example, we intend to offer beginner homes priced from RM390,000 onwards in our latest township M Residence@Rawang in the first half of 2012. For this price, buyers can get a 22ft x 70ft home with a 2,000 sq ft built-up in a location that is less than 30 minutes from Kuala Lumpur,” said Leong.

By The Star

Opportunities in secondary market

OPPORTUNITY may present itself for house buyers looking for properties in the secondary market especially in prime areas, with the property market going through a soft patch, dampening sentiments of speculators.

“We have not detected any downward trend in prices yet, in fact prices are still on an upward trend. However, sentiment may have been dampened by the anticipation of measures that the Government may take to curb speculative buying on properties,” property valuer, KGV-Lambert Smith Hampton (M) Sdn Bhd director Anthony Chua tells StarBizWeek.

He notes that the property sector has already seen a downturn in 2008, triggered by the United States subprime mortgage crisis following the 10-year cyclical nature of the global economy.



He, however, says house prices in Malaysia were not impacted extensively at that time.

“I would be more inclined to say that prices appreciation in the near future would be moderate. However, I think there will be a technical correction by next year. If you read the signs now, there might be a correction coming soon,” he said.

“Its about time for a correction. Hopefully we will not experience a drastic correction this time as sales data of new properties built by prominent developers are still enjoying brisk sales. The demand for houses and the savings of people are still there,” he says.

Chua says property prices in the secondary market is still stable especially in established areas and mature townships like Petaling Jaya, while properties outside the vicinity of Klang Valley have not seen any significant uptrend in price, excluding prominent locations like Bukit Tinggi and Penang.

Speculation is rife that the authorities may end the stiff competition seen among banks by maintaining a certain margin for banks, putting a stop to interest-rate slashing by banks to attract more customers for their banking loans.

A local research-house analyst says that although this may be beneficial for banks, ultimately it would squeeze the pockets of consumers in the interest of banks.

He adds that Bank Negara was also keeping a close eye on mortgage loans to see whether a cap on the loan to value ratio (LVR) for second mortgages is necessary.



“Any raise in the LVR would further dampen demand for properties, and right now its exceptionally hard to predict what the authorities are going to do next to further regulate the property market, as these speculated actions are all double-edged swords that the authorities need to carefully play around with,” he says.

Meanwhile, Henry Butcher Malaysia Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Tang Chee Meng expects property prices to hold firm for the next six months but that all depends on how external factors like the eurozone crisis and the faltering US economy will fare in the near term.

“The market has softened a bit with demand weakening since April, and it would be an additional concern for the property market if loans are given based on an individual's net income compared with the currently used gross income standard,” he says.

“People are just concerned and everyone is adopting the wait and see stance before acting. Buyers are more cautious and selective to make sure that the properties they buy are priced reasonably,” he says.
According to data provided by the National Property Information Centre, the country recorded more than 134,000 transactions in the residential property sector during the first half of 2011, an increase from 108,000 transactions recorded in the previous corresponding quarter.

More than 929,000 property transactions worth RM253.19bil were recorded in the market from 2009 till now, including 214,000 transactions worth RM64.75bil for the first half of the year.

Recently, research houses have also started to downgrade the property market, with the most recent being RHB Research which says that the positive catalysts for the sector is scarce.

It expects the property market to continue underperforming the broad market with the weakening ringgit and lower expected returns from properties, coupled with a less bullish sales target next year as the research house sees further downside risk to gross domestic product growth.

“On the physical market, although foreign buyer content in the Malaysian property sector is small, the weakening ringgit does suggest that the expected return from property investment is getting lower from the foreign perspective. This will diminish the relative attractiveness of Malaysian properties to foreigners,” it says.

It says more bargaining opportunities can be found in other countries such as Hong Kong and Singapore as property prices have start to retrace.

By The Star

Real property gains tax: Gradual impact

The existing rate is not effective in curbing speculation and could jeopardise the ability of the low- and middle-income groups to buy houses, says Najib

Kuala Lumpur: The impact from the real property gains tax (RPGT) hike, a move to curb speculation in the property market, will be gradual.

RPGT is a tax on properties sold less than five years after they are bought. Only the profit from the sale of a property is subject to RPGT.

It has been doubled to 10 per cent for the first two years and will remain at the previous level of 5 per cent in the third, fourth and fifth year. There will be no tax on gains after the fifth year.

RPGT exemption on a residential property is given to both husband and wife on one residential property each, once in a lifetime.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his 2012 Budget speech said that the existing rate of 5 per cent is not effective in curbing speculative activities and could jeopardise the ability of the low- and middle-income groups to buy houses.

These changes, he said, are low enough not to affect genuine property owners and will curb speculative activities.

Chairman of the Property Management, Valuation and Estate Agency Division of the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia Adzman Shah Mohd Ariffin said that the move will deter future sales of property within two years of purchase. With prices stabilising and should they sell fast, they will not be able to make a killing.

"But, for those who bought a property three years ago, the price appreciation would have been much higher than the 10 per cent RPGT imposed," Adzman said, adding that this category of buyers will continue to make a profit.

According to him, properties can appreciate by 20 per cent or more once completed.

Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association Malaysia president Datuk Seri Michael Yam welcomed the move.

"The fact that there is no drastic change to the ruling on RPGT encourages long-term ownership of property which also helps the owner with capital appreciation and wealth creation as they will hold on to the property longer," said Yam.

He added that the first two years are effectively a 100 per cent increase, thus it will help discourage short-term speculation.

"It is a gentle/soft landing which will avoid a dip in the supply and demand of property," Yam told Business Times.

"The increase in this instance is not unreasonable, given that there are no speculative activities in the entire country but only confined to pockets of urban areas like Kuala Lumpur and Penang. These pockets of activities are insignificant compared with the total supply and demand for housing in Malaysia," he added.

However, real estate agent Rahim & Co's managing director Robert Ang said the 10 per cent increase is not an effective measure to try and curb speculation activities.

"If you want to curb speculation, why not something higher?" he said.

By Business Times

Property pointers

Here are some pointers for those considering a property investment in the near term:

Elvin Fernandez
Valuer and managing director of Khong & Jaafar Elvin Fernandez

“The global environment is changing. Strictly speaking, an upgrader sells the old house to buy the new. If he is going to hang on to the old, he will have to consider the rental market where yields are falling. He has to consider whether the market has peaked in the areas he wants to buy and whether it can go further and that may be unlikely in many areas. Value has gone above the normal governing fundamentals of price versus household income, and price versus rental returns.

“Although Malaysia is rapidly developing and we have a young population and we have seen more years of prices running up than going down, this may not be replicated as sentiments may be poor as a result of what is happening in Europe.

“As for commercial properties, the retail market looks stronger than the office market as there is an oversupply in this sub-segment.

“As for first time buyers, we have a whole range of housing from the low cost to the high-end. But many of the properties that young people may be able to afford are poorly maintained and because of this, these properties are not desirable. The authories should have more stringent legislation for people who default on their service charges. It makes good sense to seek professional property management instead of doing it on a piecemeal basis. Taking care of the maintenance issue is more logical step than building more, only to have the maintenance issue cropping up again later on.”


Charles Wong
Tetap Tiara Sdn Bhd executive director (Jaya One) Charles Wong

“Prices will have to stabilise. When considering buying the larger residential units for investment, the question to ask is, Can you rent it out? Smaller units will be more feasible. But having said that, we are seeing a huge number of 400 sq ft units of service apartments being built. While these may be affordable, buyers must consider rentability. Access, connectivity and proximity to amenities are important. And if there are so many of these units, you may need to take a longer period to rent and to re-sell in the secondary market in today's uncertain climate.

“In the retail market, rental rates have been coming down and are softer than two to three years ago. For landed properties, the rental are expected to drop from 3%-4% to sometimes 1% or 2% and condominium yield from 7% to 8% to 4%-5%.”


Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum
Mah Sing group managing director/chief executive Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum

“The demand will be for smaller units, and for mid-end housing, instead of the high-end ones. If it is a location they want, for example KLCC area, people will buy a little further away like in Jalan Ampang where prices are lower.”

GV International managing director Samuel Tan


Samuel Tan
“In Johor, price increase is expected to be gradual. Areas with good connectivity will be popular. In the last several years, the emphasis on infrastructures like highways has helped to spur interest and prices. The western coastal highway from Skudai to Bukit Indah has made travelling a breeze and prices have moved 10% or more. Developers are expected to report good sales in the near future although September was a soft month, as a result of the US downgrade in August. Iskandar Malaysia will become more visible and is expected to generate interest from the Japanese, South Koreans and Singaporeans.”

Real Estate Housing Developers' Association (Penang) chairman Datuk Jerry Chan


Datuk Jerry Chan
“Demand for landed units on the mainland and Penang island will continue but yield on the island is expected to be low, at 1% or 2%. The price movement for this year has been greater than last year. We continue to see land prices going up. For the lower to mid-end, prices are still moving. Demand is expected to remain firm for properties priced RM600,000-RM700,000 and below. For those between RM800 and RM1,000 per sq ft or about RM1mil, people will have adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

“Currently, prices on the mainland is a quarter or a fifth of those on the island. Penang people are beginning to find it too expensive on the island and are moving to the mainland.”

By The Star

Rehda’s wishlist for Budget 2012

KUALA LUMPUR: The Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (Rehda) hopes the Government will not implement any major systemic change for the property sector in Budget 2012.

While applauding the current system, its president Datuk Seri Micheal KC Yam said frequent changes in the taxation and property-buying segment would disrupt the immense investment in property by both locals and foreigners.

He said a change, would deepen the negative perception of Malaysian legislation by foreigners, and even locals, that things are always changing.“If the system keeps changing for every budget, then the confidence level for a person to invest in local properties will also be very low.“Sustainability and standardisation of property taxes, as well as a market friendly environment, is very important for Malaysia to compete on the international arena,” Yam said after the opening of the “Green Solutions for Property Development 2011” forum here today.

It was officiated by Housing and Local Government Minister, Datuk Wira Chor Chee Hueng.

He added that the result of an inconsistent system has resulted in only four per cent of households in Malaysia being owned by foreigners.

He said the current system was good in ensuring the competency of the local property market among neighbouring countries.“However, the property segment players must be given time to adjust to a certain legislation system.“Usually, when the players are ready to adopt a new system, it is then being enhanced or upgraded, thus, making it difficult for the property developers to put it into practice,” he added.

Meanwhile, Yam said REHDA hopes the government will review the low cost housing scheme requirements and reconsider the release of unsold Bumiputera-property units, due to less demand from the respective quarter.“This will enable the Malaysian property segment to be a more market and demand-driven,” he said.

By Bernama

The Leading Property Agency Websites in Penang

Penang Property Resources: Companies, Websites, Links and more resources on Property in Penang.

Property Agents

• Ed Bid Properties – http://www.edbidproperties.com/
• New Bob Realty – http://www.newbob.com.my/
• Leong Housing – http://www.leonghousing.com/
• Henry Butcher Penang – http://henrybutcherpenang.com/
• Carey Penang – http://www.careypenang.com/
• I&T Properties – http://intproperties.com/

Property Websites:

• PropertyHour – http://www.propertyhour.com/
• PenProperties – http://www.penangproperties.com/
• Apartment-Penang.com – http://www.apartment-penang.com/
• PenangProperty.com.my – http://www.penangproperty.com.my/

Property Auctions:

1. Property Auction House - Listings of Penang property auctions
2. PenangProperties Auctions - Auctions focused on Penang properties
3. Ehsan Auctioneers Sdn Bhd – Auctions in Malaysia
4. MNP Auctioneers – Penang based Auctioneers
5. Etika Auction Services Sdn Bhd – Licensed Auctioneers
6. BankIslam Property Auctions – Auctions from BankIslam
7. CIMB Penang Property Auctions – Auctions from CIMB
8. HongLeong Property Auctions – Auctions from HongLeong Bank

Pavilion Resort: Personal Pointers

Who should consider?:-

1. First time buyers
2. Investors
3. Our friendly Neighbors that frequently visit Penang (Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia)
4. Upgraders
5. FTZ industry staff
6. People that want to enjoy luxurious living on the Resort side of the island
   

Why you should consider this resort?, Well i have tons of reasons and facts, but to keep it short - heres a summary of what my top 5 views:-

• Excellent location, ideally location near the junction of Jalan Bayan Lepas and Jalan Permatang Damai Laut. Just think about it, one way to work at FTZ or even exit to Queensbay area into Sungai Dua for your daily needs.

• Easy access! "Yeah Right!" I hear you say....but hear me out here... According to the flow of the upgrade of amenities and the completion of the current construction of the Second bridge (entrance/exit near Motorola factory), Road upgrades should be in progress by the time the construction of Pavilion Resort is complete (expected 2014). We are very hopeful and this situation looks quite positive when so many big time, big name developers such as Masing, SP Setia and Bolton have bought up land at Teluk kumbar already for near future development. Here are some backing articles that we have in our propertizer archive:
  

1. The Propertizer: Link to connect Bayan Lepas to Teluk Kumbar proposed

2. Government To Expedite Road Widening Project In Penang

3. Teluk Kumbar Road: Back on track

• Value for money! for a 1,477 square feet Resort condo in Penang with breathtaking seaview with good facilities awaiting for you to use everyday for the price of RM345 per square feet, any Penangnite would tell you its a hard find, even with the vast supply of especially luxurious condos on the island. Who can tell the price after the second link and the new Balik Pulau township is up and running, but i have a very good feeling that the only way the prices are going is UP.

• Discover Comfort and luxurious lifestyle. IMAGINE....waking up to clear blue skies and looking at Penang's southern ocean seas with calm mountain breeze actively moving surrounding the building...everyday. Facilities of the Resort condo ready to welcome you to use. Comfortable space and areas designed for everyday family use. Wow your guest when you invite them to your humble aboard!

• Easy access to amenities. Enjoy tons of seafood cafe and shops within the surrounding area, easy access to nearby CIMB bank, go on and satisfy your thirst for your morning or late coffee Starbucks and Coffee Bean at the Penang International Airport. The POLICE are also within your reach at anytime as the Teluk Kumbar police station is just around the corner. Get daily food supply at nearby wet market with valued, cheap & reasonable prices

Thanks, these are only my 2 cents, but i am sure among what i have shared you have better ideas then that :)

Personal note:
but the point is, we want people to realize what a fantastic property this is to own! Too much of times we have already personally encountered situations when we approach an interested prospect to share with them our view but procrastination always was the culprit to destroy their entree point or decision for a better life. when we meet them down the road, there are always a share of sad stories of how they "should have done this or that....or else I would have gain this or that".
Let this not be your story. apart from Pavilion Resort....this is my advise to all our readers for anything at all (property, life, business, life decisions).
Act and take action now, if your heart feels right.

Thanks

Visit Pavlion Resort online brochure:

http://thepropertizer.blogspot.com/search/label/Pavilion%20Resort

A rousing success for Star Property Fair 2011

EXHIBITORS at the Star Property Fair 2011 in Penang enjoyed good response to their projects over the four-day event held at Level 2 of G Hotel and the ground floor of Gurney Plaza.

Ivory Properties Group Bhd assistant manager (corporate property) Michael Wong said they had a lot of enquiries over the first two days and began closing sales on the third day.

At press time yesterday, he said the company recorded about RM7.2mil in sales of its Moonlight Bay, The Peak Residences and Island Resort, and received enquiries and registration for The Latitude.

IJM Land Bhd senior sales and marketing manager Patsy Lee said the crowd was good and the company enjoyed good response at its booth over the four days.

“We have sold RM17mil of our Pearl Regency project and are also collecting registration for our other projects such as The Address and Permatang Sanctuary,” she said.

Eye-catching design: Visitors checking out a project of Mah Sing Group Berhad at G Hotel in Penang during the Star Propoerty Fair 2011

Belleview Group senior manager (sales administration) Anne Lee said the response was very encouraging and they received hundreds of enquiries, especially for their Winter Tower at All Seasons Park and three-storey terrace houses at Bukit Dumbar Residences.

“Many also went to check out our sales gallery after making enquiries at our booth,” she said, adding that they closed sales on the spot for the two projects by receiving booking fees.

The ninth Star Property Fair 2011, which ended yesterday, was touted as Penang’s premier property expo.

Organised by The Star in collaboration with Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang) Sdn Bhd, the fair, in its ninth edition, featured 36 exhibitors.

Among them were DNP Land Sdn Bhd, Nusmetro Venture (Pg) Sdn Bhd, Sunway Grand Sdn Bhd, Mah Sing Group Bhd, MTT Properties and Development Sdn Bhd, Reka Indah Development (Pg) Sdn Bhd, Ideal Property Sdn Bhd, SP Setia and Boon Siew Group (BSG Property).

There were also Plenitude Heights Sdn Bhd, Triental Land Sdn Bhd, GD Development Sdn Bhd, Lone Pine Group of Companies, ResCom Asia Sdn Bhd, Capitawealth International Sdn Bhd, KPWG International Sdn Bhd, Tambun Indah Development Sdn Bhd, Bukit Kiara Properties Sdn Bhd, E&O Bhd and Jalin Realty.

Henry Butcher also featured projects by Magna Putih Sdn Bhd and several property in Australia and England by various developers.

While most people would love to have their own landed property, there are many others who opt for apartments. Among them was university lecturer Rosli Saad, 51, who was visiting the fair for the first time with his daughter Athirah, 12.

“We’re looking for an apartment on Penang island. I don’t like landed property. The main reason I prefer apartments is because there is better security, with only one entrance to the whole place. And it’s easier to maintain an apartment unit without having to worry about the compound and all that,” said Rosli.

Dr R. Sentil and Dr S. Karthik, both 27, were seen checking out the Meridien Residence project in Sungai Ara by Reka Indah Development (Pg) Sdn Bhd.

“We read about the fair and wanted to check it out. The property market in Penang is good and we are looking for either a place to stay or to invest in.

“Looking around, we find that some of the property have sold out,” said Dr Sentil.

Dr Karthik said he preferred to live further from town, “away from the hustle and bustle”, although he would probably have to brave the traffic jam to go home.

Many visitors also attended the various talks held over the duration of the fair. The talks were, among others, related to property, investment, financing, law, heritage and feng shui. There was also an exhibition of restored heritage buildings carried out by George Town World Heritage Inc.

A popular feature of the fair was the ‘Surf, Click & Win’ contest sponsored by IJM Land where visitors stood a chance to win prizes totalling RM30,000, including a 32” Samsung LCD television, Acer Iconia Tabs, Samsung Galaxy Tabs and Parkson vouchers daily.

Visitors also got to redeem mystery gifts, on a first-come-first-served basis, with cut-out coupons printed in The Star over the four days. Hong Leong Bank Bhd sponsored RM5,000 worth of mystery gifts.

By The Star

Penang properties attractive to foreigners and overseas Penangites

RETIREE Frank Kwong, 83, is unable to stand too long or walk much but that did not deter him from visiting the Star Property Fair 2011 — he turned up in a wheelchair even before the fair opened.

“I have been reading about the fair and did not want to miss it,” said Frank, adding that he wanted to be in the know about the latest developments in Penang.

His wife Molly Kwong, 80, said Frank was excited about the fair and could not wait to check out the latest projects and properties offered.

“Knowing that our daughter Cecilia is looking for a property in Penang, he told her about the fair and got her to bring us here,” said Molly.

Informed choices: (from right) Neoh, Khor and Teh (left) finding out more about Pearl Regency from IJM Land Bhd's sales and marketing assistant Jenni Loh Gaik Hoon

Cecilia, 50, a customer sales representative in Connecticut in the United States, said she was looking for a condominium as a holiday home in Penang.

“I’m looking for a comfortable home with a good price. We read about the fair in The Star, and our friends recommended that we check it out,” she said.

She added that the currency exchange rate was also a good reason to invest in properties in Penang.

“Many foreigners are looking for properties here, especially those from colder countries who prefer a warmer climate,” she said.

Touted as Penang’s premier property expo, the Star Property Fair, in its ninth edition, is open daily from 10am to 10pm until Sunday. It is organised by The Star in collaboration with Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang) Sdn Bhd.

The fair was opened by Star Publications (M) Bhd group managing director and chief executive officer Ho Kay Tat yesterday.

There are 36 exhibitors filling up the booths at Level 2 of G Hotel, and the ground floor of Gurney Plaza.

In the morning itself, there was already a large crowd despite an hour-long rain in the morning.

Among the visitors who braved the rain were businesswoman Kelly Neoh, 34, with her mother Teh Poh Kim, 61, and sister-in-law Khor Swee Ping, 31, who were looking for investment opportunities.

Neoh said she and Khor, a financial analyst, normally did their research on the companies and properties before checking them out.

Kwong (on wheelchair) with his wife Molly (left) 80, and daughter Cecelia (third left), listening attentively to credit control division manager Joanne Koay at the booths of SP Setia Bhd Group

“We then check out the booths and make inquiries as to the individual projects.

“Among the things we want to know are how many floors are there in the project, what is the car park like, the range of properties available, whether it is freehold or leasehold, is the project a good investment or a good place to live in, and can it sell within the next three years.

“We also want to know the built-up, how much is the downpayment, what is the base lending rate, what is the proximity among the units, and whether it meets our budget especially now with the 70% loan cap on third properties and above,” she said.

The women were spotted making inquiries at the IJM Land Bhd’s booth at Gurney Plaza, as they felt that IJM Land’s properties were usually snapped up even though they were normally leasehold.

“There’s something special about their design and the developer is established and well-known,” said Khor.

Besides IJM Land, other exhibitors include Ivory Properties Group, Belleview Group, DNP Land Sdn Bhd, Nusmetro Venture (Pg) Sdn Bhd, Sunway Grand Sdn Bhd, Mah Sing Group Bhd, MTT Properties and Development Sdn Bhd, Reka Indah Development (Pg) Sdn Bhd, Ideal Property Sdn Bhd, SP Setia and Boon Siew Group (BSG Property).

There are also Plenitude Heights Sdn Bhd, Triental Land Sdn Bhd, GD Development Sdn Bhd, Lone Pine Group of Companies, ResCom Asia Sdn Bhd, Capitawealth International Sdn Bhd, KPWG International Sdn Bhd, Tambun Indah Development Sdn Bhd, Bukit Kiara Properties Sdn Bhd, E&O Bhd and Jalin Realty.

Henry Butcher is also featuring projects by Magna Putih Sdn Bhd and several properties in Australia and England by various developers.

There is also an exhibition of restored heritage buildings carried out by George Town World Heritage Inc at the Salon I function room of G Hotel.

A popular feature of the fair is the series of talks related to property, investment, financing, law, heritage and feng shui. They are being held daily at the stage area at the new wing of Gurney Plaza and in Salon III and IV at G Hotel.

Retiree Christine Teng, 51, said she was accompanying her husband to attend the feng shui talks yesterday to get the opinion of the feng shui experts on real estate properties.

“It’s just for our own knowledge, we may learn something useful,” she said.

Visitors also stand a chance to win prizes totalling RM30,000 in the Surf, Click & Win contest sponsored by IJM Land. Ten prizes are up for grabs daily, including a 32” Samsung LCD television, Acer Iconia Tabs, Samsung Galaxy Tabs and Parkson vouchers. To participate, simply cut out the ‘Surf, Click & Win’ coupon in The Star which will appear in the newspaper until Sunday.

There will also be daily cut-out coupons in The Star until Sunday for redemption of a mystery gift each at The Star circulation booth on the ground floor of Gurney Plaza’s new wing on a first-come-first-served basis.

Hong Leong Bank Bhd is sponsoring RM5,000 worth of mystery gifts.

By The Star