KUALA LUMPUR: The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project is expect to spark more joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions (M&As) by property developers to secure strategic land banks near rail lines, says HwangDBS Vickers Research associate director Yee Mei Hui.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are good investing alternatives for the more risk averse investors, particularly during periods of increased market volatility, with their higher than market average yields and defensive profiles.

GEORGE TOWN: Hunza Properties Bhd is targeting the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), consisting of north Peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand and Sumatra with a combined population of over 40 million, for its new integrated township development in Bayan Baru on the south western end of Penang island.Hunza, which bought the 42-acre site for RM82 million last year at RM45 pe

KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore-based CapitaLand’s wholly owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott) is growing its presence in Malaysia. It recently opened a new 207-unit serviced residence known as Somerset Ampang Kuala Lumpur in the Embassy Row area of Kuala Lumpur. It has also secured a contract to manage the Citadines D’Pulze Cyberjaya, a 232-unit property in Cyberjaya.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) plans to develop a premium high-rise residential project with a gross development value of RM300 million at Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur.The group acquired the one-acre leasehold land parcel in the city centre on Jan 7, it said.

SINGAPORE: Ranked average overall in the recently released Asian Green City Index, Kuala Lumpur also earned an average score for its environmental governance. The index — a study commissioned by Siemens AG and performed by the independent Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) — analysed the environmental sustainability of 22 major cities in Asia.

by James Saft

THE reform of US housing finance proposed by President Obama will drive the price of mortgages higher and be a disaster for house prices, construction and the real estate industry.

In other words, in helping to kill the illusion that a whole nation can grow rich by living in ever more expensive houses, it will be a very good thing.

KUALA LUMPUR: Hektar Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) achieved an 11.6% net profit increase to RM11.341 million from RM9.571 million last year for its fourth quarter (4Q) financial statements ended Dec 31, 2010, it announced on Thursday Feb 17.

Revenue collected for the quarter under review went up 18.4% to RM24.036 million up from RM21.53 million a year ago.

KUALA LUMPUR: Engtex Group Bhd bought three pieces of freehold land totalling 54 acres from Gadang Properties Sdn Bhd for RM21 million, it announced on Thursday, Feb 17.

The lands are located in the area of Kuang, and are just a short drive from Bukit Rahman Putra-Sungai Buloh and Rawang.

KUALA LUMPUR: Sunway Holdings Bhd's wholly-owned subsidiary Sunway Construction Sdn Bhd has secured a contract worth RM37.36 million from the Ministry of Transport for the proposed upgrading of the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Ipoh.

Sunway said on Thursday, Feb 17 that the project was expected to commence in March, with a construction period of 72 weeks.