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SINGAPORE: Despite tighter regulatory scrutiny and a clampdown on lending to foreigners, Australia’s property market still remains an attractive destination for Asian investors, analysts and industry players told Channel NewsAsia.

A recent survey by online real estate portal iProperty revealed Australia as the favourite overseas market among investors from Singapore and Malaysia. In particular, all of the Singaporeans surveyed have set their sights on the housing market down under and a majority plan to spend between S$1 million to S$1.5 million (US$0.74 million to $1.11 million).

For Indonesian investors, Australia is second on their list of preferred overseas property markets, while those in Hong Kong ranked it third after China and Japan, the same survey released in April showed.

Meanwhile, a separate poll by KPMG and the University of Sydney showed Chinese investors having a “highly positive medium-long term view of Australia” and will be keen to raise their investments in the year ahead.

This is despite tighter regulations on foreign property ownership in Australia, as the government faces pressure to rein in an investment-driven surge in home prices, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne, amid growing criticism that wealthy Asian buyers are making the property market increasingly unaffordable.

Last May, the Australian government toughened penalties for foreigners who breach existing rules that restrict them to buying new homes only. Fees were also levied for the first time on foreign investment applications, while purchases of agricultural land from overseas faced more scrutiny under new rules implemented in Feb 2015.

More recently, the country’s largest mortgage lender, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, rolled out stricter conditions for home loans to foreigners, joining ANZ and National Australia Bank.

ALLURE OF AUSTRALIA’S PROPERTY MARKET

However, these have not been enough to keep Asian investors at bay. Analysts attribute that to multiple factors such as the lure of a stable economy, perceptions of lower risk, higher yields and interest rates at a record low.

The appeal of Australia as an ideal location for studies and retirement also underpins the continuous flow of foreign investments, iProperty’s Singapore general manager and chief business development officer Sean Tan said.

For Singapore investors, the prospect of property cooling measures remaining in place has pushed buyers overseas, with savvy ones following the lead of major real estate developers such as Fragrance Group.

“Local big developers have always been interested in investing overseas, but the cooling measures forced their hands as they were not able to make the margins they used to,” Darien Bradshaw, executive director of international project marketing at CBRE Asia, said. “When a well-known brand buys into interesting sites overseas, non-institutional investors tend to follow them.”

Source：Channel News Asia

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The rate of economic growth in Brisbane is currently double that of Sydney due to an increase in employment, interstate migration and extensive infrastructure projects.  However property prices in Brisbane are currently 50% lower than Sydney.  This price anomaly will not be for long, as Brisbane property prices will soon catch up.

Contact us to find out more about the inside-outs of Brisbane property investments. We can provide updates on the Brisbane property market outlook, and introduce Brisbane’s most in-demand lifestyle destination of Fortitude Valley – home to Queensland’s hottest night spots, fine dining restaurants, hip boutiques, and a host of trendy establishments. Brisbane Apartments, a luxury residence by Metro in Fortitude Valley, will be featured.

*** ONLY 10% / HKD290K INITIAL DOWN-PAYMENT NEEDED ***

Did you know:

1. Casino and hotels group Echo Entertainment is part of a consortium called Destination Brisbane, with the Chinese conglomerate Chow Tai Fook and Hong Kong’s Far East Consortium having won a $2 billion tender to rebuild Brisbane’s Queen’s Wharf precinct into a major hotel, casino and residential complex, with the creation of up to 11,000 jobs in Queensland
2. China property Wanda Group is to build a giant Jewel resort and sets sights on new billion-dollar theme park to rival Dreamworld in Queensland
3. Queensland’s average infrastructure spend was 75% higher than the average of any other state, the largest public infrastructure spending in Australian history and the spending will continue to boost with a total of $134.2 billion by 2031

If the past 5 years were all about Sydney and Melbourne, there is no doubt the next 5 years will be all about Brisbane.

Above: The upcoming Brisbane casino will bring thousands of new jobs to Queensland

Above: China’s Dalian Wanda sets their sight on Australia and will be developing multi-billion projects in Queensland

Above: Investors are currently shifting their focus on Brisbane properties due to low prices as compared to Sydney and Melbourne

Above: A weak AUD against HKD provides a great buying opportunity for Hong Kong investors (presently at 5.50)

The Project: Brisbane Apartments 

Brisbane Apartments, a dual tower icon anchoring the corner of Water and Brunswick Streets in Fortitude Valley, is a landmark project offering a range of luxurious, modern residences and an array of extravagant, multi-million dollar facilities. Location is key as ten landmark lifestyle precincts are within or adjacent to Fortitude Valley, including the Emporium, Brunswick Street Mall, James Street, and Gasworks.

• Price from HKD 2.9M / HKD4,420 p.s.f.
• Payment term: 10% initial down-payment and the balance amount is payable at completion
• Rental guarantee of 5% p.a. for one year provided by the developer
• Brisbane Apartments is developed by Metro, the largest property developer in Brisbane and Australia’s leading integrated residential property developer and wholesale home builder
• The project located in Fortitude Valley, one of Brisbane’s most in-demand lifestyle destinations
• Freehold apartments, completion forecast for Q2, 2018
• Unit sizes ranging from 656 sq.ft
• Total 301 units, up to 31-storeys high, with swimming pool & man-made beach

Above: Brisbane Apartments comes with a luxurious man-made beach that is exclusive for residents

The Neighborhood – Fortitude Valley 

The Valley, as is known colloquially by Brisbane locals, is without a doubt, one of the city’s most connected suburbs, with frequent trains placing residents just one stop and three minutes from the CBD. Meanwhile, bus services connect residents with major employment, educational, and entertainment hubs in the greater Brisbane region. The RNA Showgrounds, Royal Brisbane Hospital, cafes of Bowen Hills, and retail malls are all five minutes or less on foot from Brisbane Apartments.

Above: Fortitude Valley is home to an array of creative and renowned dining establishments

Above: Brunswick Street Mall, a leafy neighborhood retail street, is walking distance from Brisbane Apartments

Foreign investments in Australia have been shifting from Sydney and Melbourne to Brisbane. With the recent population growth and infrastructure developments, Brisbane property prices have been on the rise with huge potential for further growth. Golden Emperor partnered with local developers to host a Brisbane Property Tour to introduce Queensland’s capital city to investors.

Above: Participants were taken on a tour of 11 projects in Brisbane, with a variety of project types in different neighborhoods

Above: Our customers were taken on a boat tour on the Brisbane River

Above: Everyone enjoyed local delicacies in between property viewings

Golden Emperor Properties Shanghai, fformed as a joint venture with Luen Thai Enterprises, the subsidiary of a publically-listed company, Luen Thai Holdings Ltd (311:HK) founded in Hong Kong, is a property agency that focuses on Southeast Asian properties, primarily premium developments in Thailand and Malaysia. The company is headquartered in Hong Kong with offices in key cities around the region including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Manila, and has recently expanded its presence to Shanghai. The reason for the company’s expansion to China and its decidedly niche focus is in line with the “One Belt One Road” initiative expounded by Chinese President Xi Jinping and is aimed to tap on the vast investment potential that the Trans-Asian Railway will undoubtedly unleash in Southeast Asian cities, especially those directly accessible by the railway.

Above (from left): Mr. Wu Guo Qiang, Chief Representative of Luen Thai International Group Ltd Shanghai Office, Mr. Willie Tan, Chief Executive Officer of Luen Thai Enterprises, Mr. Cobby Leathers, Head of International Marketing of Sansiri, Mr. Kingston Lai, Chief Executive Officer of the Asia Bankers Club, Mr. Terence Chan, Director of Golden Emperor Properties, Ms. Fionna Chuah, Head of Marketing & Sales of E&O Berhad, Mr. Joseph Chou, Partner of Golden Emperor Properties, and Mr. Jason Tan, General Manager of Luen Thai Retail (Shanghai) Holdings Ltd and Director of Skechers China East Region and Apparel Division

The company maintains competitive advantage by being highly selective in identifying property investment projects to introduce to its clientele and only partners with the leading property developers in the selected countries, including reputable household names such as Sansiri in Thailand and E&O Berhad in Malaysia. Additionally, Golden Emperor is a full service property agency that aims to offer its clientele with services that extend beyond the sale of property projects and its after-sale services include overseeing contract execution, payment schedule advice, assistance on obtaining legal and tax counsel, retirement and visa applications, property inspection, furniture package installation, leasing, and subsequent resale of the property if the client is so inclined.

Despite the relatively short tenure of the company in the industry, the company has been awarded the “Best Overseas Property Agency (Thailand)” award at the GoHome Awards 2015, and was also the recipient of the “Best International Property Agency” title at the Sansiri Best International Property Agency Awards 2015. Golden Emperor Director, Terence Chan, commented that “We are very grateful to our industry peers and customers for their support and recognition in granting us these awards. Our team will continue to strive for professional excellence in all interactions with current and potential customers. We will maintain our sales integrity to only partner with the best developers and offer property investment projects that we will invest in ourselves and that have high potential for capital gains and rental yields.”

The Golden Emperor Shanghai Sales Gallery is situated on the Ground Floor of 69 North JiangSu Road, Changning District, Shanghai, China and is open from Monday to Friday from 9am – 6pm, and by appointment outside regular operation hours.

Golden Emperor’s new Shanghai sales gallery is featured in the local news:

Source：CNFOL.com

Source：PChouse

Source：Sohu

Research from Which? Mortgage Advisors has found that last year both Manchester and Salford saw the average house price rise significantly, but still remain well below the national average of £200,000.

The analysis of Land Registry data reveals that Salford’s housing market saw a massive rise in prices with the average M5 house price increasing by 34 per cent compared to the previous three years. An average property in the borough increased in value from £95,500 between December 2011 and November 2014, to £127,890 only a year on in November 2015.

David Blake at Which? Mortgage Advisers said: “For a first-time buyer or a buy-to-let investor, these up and coming areas can provide an affordable alternative to buying in an already established area. You could see your property grow in value quickly, but it’s important to remember that property markets can change, and there is never a cast-iron guarantee that values will continue to rise.

But Salford was not the only region in Greater Manchester to make the list.Manchester (M12) came next on the list directly after Salford, and fifth in the list of UK hotspots, with the average house price in the borough rising by 32 pc to £98,000 for the period between December 2014 and November 2015. This was a massive climb from the previous average, for 2011 to 2014, of £74,000.

Despite the positive signs however, estate agents are at pains to make clear that this is not representative of the region as a whole and that people should be cautious when analysing such data.

chief Executive of estate agency and property group, Edward Mellor, Colin Mellor said: “The bigger gains have been made in the South Manchester and Cheshire corridors of the region, whereas the north of Manchester has seen healthy but less extreme gains of 10-15%.

“Let’s say the north and the east of the city have not fared quite as well as the south and the west.

“Fortunately, no areas of Greater Manchester have seen decreases in house prices, but the hike is certainly disjointed, with increases generally being a reflection of the popularity of an area and the demand for property there.”

Source：Manchester Evening News