Realtors say buyers can ride the property market upcycle

PETALING JAYA (Jan 29): The property market slowdown might represent an investment opportunity for when the market improves, said Chester Properties head of projects, Matthew Kuan, at a briefing by TheEdgeProperty.com yesterday.

He noted that most investors are now non-committal in view of the poor market sentiment, but this might cause them to overlook potential opportunities.

“Developers are also adjusting and lowering launch prices to cater to current market demand,” said Kuan.

“If you can afford to buy a property now, don’t hold back. Take the opportunity of the bad market and make the best out of it,” he added.

Over 30 agents from Chester Properties, which has 12 branches nationwide, turned up at The Edge Media Group’s head office here for the briefing on the TheEdgeProperty.com’s free suite of powerful analytical tools.

Chester Properties marketing director Jei Chew said it is still better to buy than to rent properties despite the slow market.

This applies especially to those still in doubt about the large financial commitment required to purchase property.

“You never really lose out when you own property. Eventually, you will need to stay in a house. It is better to own your own property than to rent it from others,” said Chew.

He commented that agents and negotiators will benefit from TheEdgeProperty.com’s website because of the user-friendly tools, market data and wide-ranging news.

“It also provides useful information to agents who want to know more about a property’s indicative rental yield or average transacted price. That’s why we’re here, to learn more about these tools,” said Chew.

Chester Properties is responding to current market conditions by providing its agents better incentives, such as in commission rates, holiday packages and gadgets for achieving their sales targets, he said.

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This article was first published in The Edge Property pullout, Jan 29, 2016, that appears every Friday with The Edge Financial Daily. Tap here to download your personal copy of The Edge Property pullout for free.