A rail boost for property prices?

21st Feb 2013

PUTRAJAYA- THE high-speed rail (HSR) project between Malaysia and Singapore, which is expected to be completed by 2020, is going to be a major boost for areas surrounding stations along the line, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said yesterday.

He said based on initial study, five new railway stations would be built at Seremban (Negri Sembilan), Ayer Keroh (Malacca), Muar, Batu Pahat and Iskandar Malaysia (Johor) before heading towards Singapore.

"This will bring about development in these areas around the train stations and also along the railway line," he said at the ministry's Chinese New Year celebration here yesterday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Hsien Loong, made the announcement on the project after a meeting and bilateral talks in conjunction with the Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat in Singapore on Tuesday.

Both leaders agreed that this was a strategic development to bilateral relations that will dramatically improve the connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore.

Kong said the 400km rail link would enable the travel time between the two cities to be reduced to a mere 90 minutes.

Analysts said the HSR project offered a big re-rating catalyst for Malaysian properties, especially the real estate segment in Kuala Lumpur in the long term.

RHB Research analyst Loong Kok Wen said coupled with the mass rapid transit (MRT) network (Line 1, circle line and Line 3), he expected demand for houses and commercial properties such as malls, offices and hotels to increase in the future.

He added that key players that would likely benefit from the implementation of the HSR project and the MRT would include UEM Land Holdings Bhd, SP Setia Bhd, IJM Land Bhd, Sunway Bhd, UOA Group Singapore, KLCC Property Bhd and Pavilion REIT.

"We started seeing foreigners, mainly from Singapore, China and Hong Kong buying up properties in Kuala Lumpur, Iskandar Malaysia and Penang.

"If the HSR line stops in Johor Baru city centre and Malacca, properties there could also enjoy the spillover, given that it is a tourist spot," Loong said.

Loong also believes that the participation of Singapore government bodies or government-linked companies in Iskandar Malaysia, may signal that some investments from them could flow into Penang, which is a manufacturing and industrial hub, as well as a tourist hot spot, boosting demand for properties there.

- New Straits Times

大選後房產買氣看好‧馬星放眼30億銷售目標

2013-02-06

（吉隆坡5日訊）馬星集團（MAHSING，8583，主板產業組）無畏房市謹慎氣氛，看好市場買氣於全國大選後改善，計劃今年再推介6項產業計劃，劍指30億令吉銷售目標。

該公司董事經理兼首席執行員丹斯里梁海金在股東特別大會後指出，國內房產需求並未出現轉弱跡象，只是稍顯謹慎，買家普遍在全國大選前步步為營，可這現象預計在大選後煙消雲散。

“不管大選結果如何，人們對住宅的需求不會改變，無論是供自居或投資保值用途，任何政府都必須落實親民親商政策，選舉結果無法撼動房市基本面，深信市場買氣將在大選後好轉。＂

他強調，馬星今年將繼續採取積極行事態度，包括延續快速週轉策略，根據市場要求推介產品，同時會選擇性謹慎挑選新地庫，力求每一次投資迎合公司目標。

梁海金認為，國內產業需求如今主要環繞有地產業及小單位房產，預見那些介於500至1千300平方呎的產業買氣保持強盛，集團今年推介焦點將以這類型產業為主。

“6項即將推介的產業計劃中，其中4項剛於去年完成地庫收購，反映集團秉持的快速週轉模式。除新推介產業外，集團也將繼續填補旗下地庫，焦點放在主要地段，政府聯營地及私人地皆在集團雷達掃描範圍內。＂

該公司計劃在今年推介的產業計劃，包括分別位於萬宜和萬隢的Southville City及M Residence 2城鎮發展計劃，位於柔佛斯干達和丹絨柏樂巴斯的The Meridin和Mah Sing iParc，另兩項產業計劃則分別在檳城和沙巴。

另一方面，馬星也在今日特大會上，獲股東高票通過附加股兼紅股議案。

梁海金重申，建議發行附加股主要為了替公司籌措約4億令吉資金，以便作為產業發展開銷和購地資金，同時強化公司財務狀態，以便具備更強實力競標政府發展地。

“為了獎勵股東，附加股將折價至少25%，加上5送1紅股計劃提昇股票流通量，相信附加股計劃為股東提供了廉價的加碼投資機會，因此股東們都對相關建議表示支持，讓贊成票超過99%。＂（星洲日報／財經）

http://biz.sinchew.com.my/node/69861

Landed properties still favourites

Wednesday, 06 February 2013

STABLE MARKET- iProperty sees more transactions in the RM350,000 to RM500,000 price range this year

THE residential property market in Malaysia is expected to remain stable this year, with more transactions expected for landed properties priced between RM350,000 and RM500,000.

iProperty Group chief executive officer Shaun Di Gregorio said developers have shifted their focus to build houses in that price range.

Based on the iProperty.com Asia Property Market Sentiment Survey 2013, 79 per cent of the 8,048 respondents indicated their intention to buy a property worth RM350,000 to RM500,000 over the next six months to 24 months.

Speaking at the launch of the survey findings yesterday, Di Gregorio said landed properties remain the most popular choice compared to condominiums and apartments.

"Apartments are good investment options but they want to buy land, hence, the rising demand for landed properties. However, for that price range, buyers will have to go out of town.

"The light rail transit (LRT) extension and the MyRapid Transit (MRT) projects will offer good potential for out-of-town developments," Di Gregorio said.

Based on the data released by the National Property Information Centre (Napic), the residential segment accounted for RM61.83 billion of the total RM137.83 billion worth of properties sold in 2011. Napic has not released the data for 2012.

"We expect the first half of this year to remain soft but with the general election out of the way soon, the market represents a good buying opportunity for first time or second property buyers.

"A soft market by definition means a stable one, where you won't see rapid increase in price. No one is overly optimistic or pessimistic. They expect a stable market this year, slightly better than 2012," said Di Gregorio.

The survey showed that price and location were the two key factors that the respondents viewed as important ahead of political/economic climate when deciding to purchase a property.

According to Di Gregorio, the current global uncertainty is having an effect on the local property market but demand for new housing will improve if Malaysia's economy and employment rate remain strong.

The survey showed that the most important issue of concern in the local property market currently was affordability and rising house prices.

A significant number of respondents also expressed high concern about home financing policies and interest rates, as well as errant developers and building quality.

-btimes.com

http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=52961:landed-properties-still-favourites&Itemid=3