In Depth

PROPERTY SNAPSHOT 2: What’s affordable in Kerinchi/Pantai?

Unlike its more established neighbours of Bangsar and Mid Valley, the Kerinchi/Pantai areas have yet to be fully gentrified. Here, one would find the whole gamut of residences from low-cost flats, to student housing, to luxury condominiums.

First Mandarin Oriental branded residences in Southeast Asia

SET to look across the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok is the first Mandarin Oriental branded residences in Southeast Asia. It is part of the 20-acre THB50 billion (RM5.89 billion) Iconsiam integrated development by The Iconsiam Superlux Residence Corp Ltd, a joint venture between Thai property developer Magnolia Quality Development Corp Ltd, retail company Siam Piwat Co Ltd and conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group.

PROPERTY SNAPSHOT 4: What’s hot in Bangsar?

Overall, capital values in Bangsar have remained stable. The top performers were the older mid-end properties. The highest relative price growth can be found at Jamnah View, with the average price up 23% to reach RM898 psf in the 12 months to 1Q2015. The 1-bedroom units here have begun to surpass the RM1,000 psf threshold.

Oxley’s high-stakes game

Ching Chiat Kwong, a former policeman-turned-serial entrepreneur and property developer, is used to taking risks. His most audacious bet by far is a 40-acre (16 hectares) regeneration scheme in the Royal Docks in east London that he purchased for £200 million in November 2013. 

Grabbing opportunities to grow

AXIS REIT Managers Bhd’s newly appointed CEO, Leong Kit May, enters the meeting room at the company headquarters in Menara Axis, Petaling Jaya, with a bright smile. The media-savvy CEO is quick to settle herself in for the photo shoot and interview with City & Country, answering questions confidently and clearly.

Selangor freezes applications for serviced apartment, Soho and Sovo

This move has caught us by surprise. We believe the decision was made to prevent excessive supply of serviced apartment, Soho and Sovo amid the gloomy outlook plaguing the sector. According to statistics compiled by the National Property Information Centre, Selangor had 4,302 units of serviced apartment yet to be sold in the fourth quarter of 2015 (4Q15), with an incoming supply of 33,647 units. As for Soho, Selangor had 2,731 units unsold with an incoming supply of 9,623 units in 4Q15. Planned supply (projects with building plan approval but yet to be constructed) for serviced apartment and Soho stood at 7,692 units and 3,446 units respectively.