KUALA LUMPUR/SINGAPORE: Worldwide mainstream house price inflation marginally avoided falling into negative territory, with global house prices rising on average by 0.1% in the three months to June 2011 contributing to an annual growth of 1.7% over a 12-month period, according to the Knight Frank Global House Price Index for the second quarter (2Q) of 2011.

TIANJIN: Tianjin, China's fastest-growing major city, wants to be among the first to use municipal bonds to finance its infrastructure as the country's banks scale back on lending for such projects, the city's vice mayor said.

SHENZHEN: China Vanke, the country's largest property developer, expects its sales growth to slow and margins to come under pressure this year as government efforts to cool the domestic housing market take effect, a top executive said.

BEIJING: China should refrain from boosting credit and fiscal spending again as stimulus measures to avoid fueling inflation and pushing up government debt, Wu Xiaoling, a former deputy central bank governor said in remarks published on Monday, Sept 19.

LOS ANGELES: Fine art, jewelry and Hollywood memorabilia owned by Tony Curtis — including the yachtsman jacket he wore in Some Like It Hot — brought in over US$1 million (RM3.1 million) on the auction block last Saturday, Sept 17, more than twice the presale estimates.

The most talked about property news this month that has got young people very excited is the government’s affordable housing initiative in Greater Kuala Lumpur where Malaysia’s largest population resides.

The 509-unit condominium River Place located in Havelock Road, Singapore, has long been a favourite of property investors and expatriate families largely because of its location — just at the edge of the CBD and overlooking the Singapore River, say property agents.

New Atria offers potential upside

Auction sales of most Klang Valley properties, including those once thought to be in undesirable areas, are picking up.

Dijaya JV plans RM2.8b property development in Johor
Dijaya Corp Bhd’s joint venture Magical Heights Sdn Bhd (MHSB) plans to undertake property projects in Plentong, Johor Baru, with a gross development value (GDV) of RM2.8 billion.