WASHINGTON: Half of the metropolitan areas tracked in the third quarter (3Q) of 2010 continued to show modest home price increases from a year ago, despite a sharp decline in home sales after the deadline for the home buyer tax credit, according to the latest survey by the US National Association of Realtors (NAR).

HONG KONG: Malaysia's two main government pension funds have made their first purchase in Britain, acquiring an office building as part of plans to invest up to £1 billion (RM5 billion) in the British property market.

KUALA LUMPUR: TSI Holdings Sdn Bhd's wholesale centre development GM Klang has seen its latest launch fully taken up since September.

GM Klang is touted to be the largest wholesale centre in Southeast Asia. The project with a gross development value of about RM1.6 billion spans over 14.5 acres of freehold commercial land in Bandar Botanic, Klang.

HONG KONG: Office occupancy costs in Central have risen the most in the world in the past year, up 34.2%, according to property consultancy CB Richard Ellis.

SHANGHAI: The growth in mainland home prices slowed again in October following new local government measures to damp down the overheated property market.

National Bureau of Statistics data released on Wednesday, Nov 10 showed that property prices in 70 major cities rose by an average of 0.2% month-on-month in October, compared with 0.5% growth in September.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah graced the 18th Malaysia Property Award Nite 2010 here on Thursday night, Nov 11.

The royal couple were met on arrival by Malaysian Chapter of International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) president Yeow Thit Sang and organising chairman Datuk Robin Tan.

KUALA LUMPUR: DNP Holdings Bhd (DNP) net profit for its first quarter (1Q2011) ended Sept 30, 2010, rose to 42%, or RM13.9 million, compared with RM9.8 million a year ago.

In its filing to Bursa Malaysia on Thursday, Nov 11, the company said its revenue was RM86 million in 1Q2011, which is 34% higher than the RM65 million recorded in the same quarter a year earlier.

KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign experts who gathered in Kuala Lumpur for an international convention on structural steel recently have applauded the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) launched by the government, particularly the Greater Kuala Lumpur / Klang Valley (KL/KV) Plan.

LONDON: Although residential property prices across the UK were predicted to decline by up to 30%, industry experts see a return to long-term growth trends caused by robust market fundamentals, said London Central Portfolio Ltd (LCP).

SHAH ALAM: Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said new housing areas would not be approved if the locations of existing houses of the worship were not taken into consideration.

He said he had made this decision after problems arose, including in Shah Alam, when house buyers protested when they found their property located close to houses of worship.