Real estate becoming new global currency — Juwai IQI

• Juwai IQI chief economist Shan Saeed added that Malaysia is still likely to remain a safe haven for investors because of its macroeconomic stability, strategic geography, productive labour force and investor confidence in government policy frameworks.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 30): Real estate is becoming a new global currency amidst a predicted post-pandemic stagflation, said Juwai IQI chief economist Shan Saeed. 

“Production cuts are happening, we have geopolitical risks, supply constraints, and China is coming back into the market. Overall, investors are going back to basics with tangible assets like real estate, gold, silver, oil and gas, and agriculture,” said Shan during the Juwai IQI International Convention 2024 held here on Wednesday (May 29).  

He added that Malaysia is still likely to remain a safe haven for investors because of its macroeconomic stability, strategic geography, productive labour force and investor confidence in government policy frameworks.

The global real estate agency celebrated success amidst the stagnation of the housing markets in 2023, crossing US$3 billion (about RM14.12 billion) in sales. Representatives from 20 out of IQI’s 23 international branches attended the conference, bringing together 4,000 delegates from around the world.

With over US$4 trillion in property listings and its super-app Atlas, Juwai IQI co-founder and group CEO Kashif Ansari said that the firm is striving for excellence across every aspect of the real estate industry.

Awards in 10 distinct categories were presented at the convention, with another 15 categories presented at a prior ceremony, totaling over 548 awards given by IQI to top achieving agents.

On the same note, IQI Global co-founder and group managing director Daniel Ho said the influence of geopolitics cannot be ignored as the group moves towards building global agents.

“It is all about collaborating and bringing many components together, such as data, vendors, developers, clients, regulators, government agencies, and communities to generate exponential value. 

“Our dedication to embracing technology and unwavering determination has solidified our standing as a formidable force in the industry,” said Ho. 

A major focus of the conference was the exploration of the future of the real estate industry, its economic and geopolitical trends, and the necessity for real estate agents to become “digital realtors” by embracing technological assistants like artificial intelligence (AI) and social media to increase their reach.  

IQI Holdings Sdn Bhd group vice president Dave Chong advised realtors to maximise the usefulness of AI by mastering prompt engineering: “You need to know how to ask the correct questions so that the AI can produce the correct answers”.

“Which asset class do they want to go into? What is the risk-to-reward ratio they are actually looking at? What kind of investor are they? Lastly, what is the exit strategy? These are some questions the average investor can ask themselves to make more sophisticated and savvy choices,” added Shan.

The conference was also attended by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Head of Digital Exports Gopi Ganesalingam. 

The convention also witnessed the signing of a second memorandum of understanding between Juwai IQI and EdgeProp, marking a new chapter in this strategic partnership that aims to further data-driven, technological advancements in the real estate industry.

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