With chronic traffic congestion, flash floods, lack of green living initiatives, and other inadequacies, Kuala Lumpur hardly fits the profile of a “world-class” city.

Orchard Road, Singapore’s main shopping destination, will soon see a “green” mall among its other offerings.

Situated a short distance from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang lies the laidback coastal area of Bagan Lalang where, on a fine day, the sea laps gently against the shore and beach-goers enjoy the quiet and slow pace of life.

If one must find the most appropriate word to describe haven/The Edge My Dream Home Contest 2008 gold winner for the condominium category, it would most probably be “bare” — just that. Owners Goh Han Shin and Ong Tien Ling prefer it that way, because it fits their lifestyle perfectly.

For Hamidon Abdullah, life after retirement is just as exciting. From producing automative systems, he's now building homes here and in Australia. After a successful career, one would usually prefer to sit back and reap the fruits of one’s labours.

KUALA LUMPUR: Up to 7 million sq metres of planned shopping centre development in Europe has been put on hold or cancelled as a result of the global credit crunch, said global real estate adviser Cushman & Wakefield.“The downturn in the development market is mainly due to the difficulty in securing finance for schemes.  This is exacerbated by many retailers being cautious in their expansion

Sales of bungalows in the Klang Valley, including those in prime areas, have slowed in the secondary market in line with the slight drop in sales and rents of landed homes in the Klang Valley since October last year.

Participants at The Edge Investment Forum on Real Estate 2009 sat up when Stephen Tew began his presentation by urging the 600-strong crowd to “Get ready to get rich!” He definitely got their attention. Tew might have been a litle dramatic but in essence, his optimism was generally shared by the panel of speakers.

City & Country randomly monitored condominiums up for auction from January to February with a minimum reserve price of RM250,000. These were located mainly in the Klang Valley.Auction houses have not seen a spike in the number of properties up for auction so far despite the gloomy economic climate.

Due to time constraints, speakers at The Edge Investment Forum on Real Estate 2009: 'Residential property values: How low can we go?' were unable to take all the questions from the floor. Participants were invited to send in additional questions and indicate to whom they were directed.