LANGKAWI: The Baron Group, the operator of a network of hotels and chalets in Langkawi, is to build the 80-room "de Baron Motel" to meet the demand of the growing tourism industry on the island.

Its managing director Zailina Mohd Zain said the construction is part of a planned 300-room development to be undertaken in stages.

KUALA LUMPUR: LBS Bina Group Bhd’s massive property development in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai could be a trump card that may substantially boost the company’s future earnings and valuations should it take off well this time round.

KUALA LUMPUR: Things are finally perking up for property developer LBS Bina Group Bhd as its much-anticipated China development may finally be getting off the ground and the company’s focus on affordable landed housing is drawing in strong sales.

SHANGHAI: Residential prices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are not expected to decline more than 20% in 2011 despite the latest string of tightening measures, said Knight Frank in its latest Greater China quarterly report.

SUNRISE

HONG KONG: Banks in Hong Kong are raising mortgage interest rates, signalling an end to cut-throat competition in the sector as the overall economy recovers, analysts said.

In the past two weeks the Hang Seng, Standard Chartered and Wing Lung banks effectively raised the margin they impose on mortgages priced against the Hong Kong interbank offered rate (Hibor).

Landed home prices still on an uptrendHousing prices in the Klang Valley, especially for  landed homes on the secondary market, will continue to rise for the rest of the year and into 2011.
CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) Malaysia managing director Allan Soo foresees prices continuing to increase in the short term, possibly stabilising only at end-2011 or beyond.

Singapore, HK provide models for Penang Housing BoardPenang is setting up its own Penang Housing Board (PHB), modelled after the successful Singapore Housing Development Board (HDB) and Hong Kong’s Housing Authority (HKHA) in a long-term bid to streamline the development of housing in the state.

EPF, KWAP make first purchase in London Malaysia’s two main government pension funds have acquired an office building in Britain as part of plans to invest up to £1 billion (RM5 billion) in the British property market.

Brazil, a country that is mostly known for its tropical weather and love of football and carnivals, hardly comes to mind when one talks about “green and sustainable living”. But a closer look at the southern part of the republic reveals Curitiba, the well-planned and sustainable capital city of the state of Paraná.