News by Natalie Khoo

Best Western Hotels & Resorts signed its largest ever multi-hotel agreement with real estate developer AD Houses Co Ltd, which will lead to the opening of four Best Western Plus hotels in Thailand this year.

Sime Darby Property, the property arm of Sime Darby Bhd, is confident of achieving its sales target of RM2.5 billion by its financial year ending June 30 this year.

The International Real Estate Research Symposium 2016 (IRERS) organised by The National Institute of Valuation (INSPEN) will see several eminent professors from the UK and Australia presenting papers based on the theme of this year’s symposium – Leading the Way: Innovation in Real Estate.

Sold for: RM3.95 million or RM861 psf; Concluded by: Sam Kam of Reapfield Properties (012-4080861); When: December 2015

The First Home Deposit Funding Scheme (MyDeposit) is a good move to increase home ownership among Malaysians and will also benefit Mah Sing Group Bhd as the company offers a number of properties that qualify for the scheme, said its group managing director and group chief executive Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum in a press release today.

IJM Land Bhd is allowing buyers of homes in selected schemes to pay nothing for up to 12 months upon vacant possession, as well as a zero-interest instalment scheme for up to 36 months under its Free Stay @ No Pay campaign, the group announced in a press release today.

MRCB Builders signed a RM56.8 million contract to construct the hub with Jupiter Lagoon Sdn Bhd, an associate of GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd that operates Giant supermarkets and hypermarkets.

This is not the first time Keio Plaza Hotel – located in Shinjuku at the heart of Tokyo – has featured the iconic Japanese cartoon character by Sanrio. In 2014, it opened eight special Hello Kitty rooms to celebrate the fictional feline’s 40th birthday, themed “Kitty Town” and “Princess Kitty”.

The houses – located in IJM Land Bhd’s Bandar Rimbayu near Kota Kemuning in Telok Panglima Garang, Klang – have built-ups of between 1,751 sq ft and 2,021 sq ft and land area of 20t by 70ft, and are priced from RM625,000, or RM356 psf.

In light of high loan rejection rates experienced by many homebuyers recently, Huttons One World Sdn Bhd real estate group executive director Daniel Goh said it is likely because youths may be focusing too much on getting their dream home in the perfect location when they should be focusing on getting their house loans approved first.