GEORGE TOWN: Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) is urging financial institutions to subsidise the property loan interest rates to help low-income earners own their first house.

Its Penang chairman, Datuk Jerry Chan, said the current rates do not benefit the low-income earners as they are high.

LONDON: Total investment in UK’s student accommodation hit £2.1 billion (RM11.5 billion) in 2013, breaching £2 billion for the second consecutive year, according to the latest CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) Student Housing index. This was attributed to an increase in the number of international students in the UK in the 2013 and 2014 intake.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Lumpur office and condominium markets are expected to remain challenging in 2014 due to slow rentals amid new supply and various cooling measures, according to Rahim and Co Chartered Surveyors Sdn Bhd.

LONDON: Property investors should look into niche or non-traditional real estate in Asia-Pacific as there will be less pricing competition, says LaSalle Investment Management’s (LIM) “2014 Investment Strategy” annual report.However, the report said such niche properties are likely to have more risk.

KAJANG: Tropicana Corp Bhd is targeting younger buyers in Kajang for the first phase of its Tropicana Heights@Kajang development, Fairfield Residences, which will be launched tomorrow. Tropicana Heights@Kajang sits on 199 acres (80.53ha)of freehold land and commands a gross development value (GDV) of RM2.3 billion.

CYBERJAYA: Property players and investors should broaden their property investment horizon and refocus their attention on rental income, according to Zerin Properties chief executive officer Previndran Singhe.

KUALA LUMPUR: Hektar Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), a retail-focused REIT, recorded a 10.3% year-on-year  increase in net property income (NPI) to RM20 million for its fourth quarter ended Dec 31 of financial year 2013 (4QFY13). Gross revenue for the quarter rose 4.7% to RM30.4 million.

Realised net income stood at RM13.15 million for the quarter under review, up 21.7%.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB), which is 38.9% owned by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), is exploring the possibility of acquiring UEM Builders Bhd to strengthen its construction arm, said sources.

It is understood that MRCB has held preliminary talks with UEM Builders, the engineering and construction unit of UEM Group, for a possible takeover.

IN our previous piece, we discussed some of the risk factors for real estate investment trusts (REITs) that are listed on the local bourse as well as their prevailing returns compared against the risk-free yields on government bonds.

In this piece, we are taking a closer look at some of the larger REITs and comparing their returns against trusts that are listed in Singapore.

KUALA LUMPUR: Land and General Bhd (L&G) sits on unbilled sales of about RM600 million that will last the company through the next 15 months, said its managing director Low Gay Teck.