KUALA LUMPUR: Berjaya Land Bhd (BLand), a subsidiary of Berjaya Corp Bhd (BCorp), plans to include 56 long-stay units in its flagship development in Japan, which currently features the 123-room Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto, to lower its capital commitment and ensure better return on investment.

LANGKAWI: Less than a year after it was taken private, Tradewinds Corp Bhd has launched an integrated development consisting of resort hotels, themed attractions and residential properties called Perdana Quay, with a gross development value (GDV) of RM4 billion in Langkawi, Kedah.

LONDON: Chinese businessman Yuan Yafei has launched a surprise takeover bid for British department store chain House of Fraser worth £450 million (RM2.45 billion), media reports said yesterday.

Sanpower, a Nanjing-based conglomerate run and founded by Yafei, is in “advanced talks” to buy the 161-year-old British group, The Sunday Times said without citing its source.

A RECENT SURVEY by the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) indicates that many developers are not very optimistic about the outlook for the property market. While they may continue to launch more properties — up 37% from the almost 11,000 units in 1H2013 — before the Goods and Services Tax hits the market next year, sentiments are weak.

FOLLOWING a slow performance in 3Q2013, secondary market property prices in Kota Kinabalu grew marginally in 4Q2013.

“Positive growth was recorded on a quarter-on-quarter basis for all sampled properties,” says Sulaiman Saheh, director of Rahim & Co Research, when presenting The Edge-Rahim & Co Kota Kinabalu Housing Property Monitor 4Q2013.

THE recovering economies of the eurozone and US have led to a higher appetite for risk among global ultra high net worth individuals (UHNWIs).

PETALING JAYA: The Encorp Strand Mall in Kota Damansara, part of Encorp Strand, an RM1.4 billion integrated development by Encorp Bhd, is targeting one million footfall per month after its official opening on May 3, said Encorp Strand Mall general manager Michael Chee.

IN 2010, the top 8 listed property companies in Malaysia (excluding IOI Properties Group which was listed in 2011) sold an aggregate RM8.2 billion value of new properties. In 2011, total sales value rose to RM12.1 billion.By 2012, sales value grew further to RM15 billion and exploded to RM21.9 billion last year.

PETALING JAYA: Knight Frank Malaysia announced yesterday that it would launch a new service line, Retail Consultancy and Leasing.“Adding this new service line further enhances the complete property solutions we offer in Malaysia and strengthens Knight Frank’s position in this growing market,” said Knight Frank Malaysia managing director Sarkunan Subramaniam.This move will forge a closer synergy