KUALA LUMPUR (Mar 1): Housing starts are marginally higher in 2011, compared to levels seen in 2009 and 2010 — a first in seven years reported, data supplied by the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH).

KUALA LUMPUR (Mar 1): Property developer LBS Bina Group Bhd (LBS Bina) signed an agreement for term and bridging financing facilities of up to RM124.6 million with Malaysia Building Society Bhd (MBSB) on Thursday.

The financing facilities would be used for the construction of D'Island Residence, its high end development in Puchong.

KUALA LUMPUR (Mar 1): Malaysian Building Society Bhd (MBSB) targets gross loan growth of 20% this year, according to its chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Zaini Othman.

He said on Thursday that MBSB's gross loan in the personal financing sector stood at RM7 billion, and expect it to increase to RM9 billion this year.

BUKIT MERTAJAM (Mar 1): The Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) will build 238 low-cost housing units in the near future with an overall cost of RM15 million.

Perda chairman Datuk Azhar Ibrahim said the 1,000 sq ft homes are expected to be ready in two years on eight hectares of Perda-owned land.

GEORGE TOWN (Mar 1): The Penang Government planned to develop a "drain mapping system" to enable the mitigation and detection of flood-prone areas in the island, said state executive councillor Law Choo Kiang.

SANTIAGO DE CHILE (Feb 29, 2012): Chile's capital -Santiago de Chile will have the tallest skyscraper in Latin America - the Gran Torre Costanera reached this achievement when it surpassed the 300 metres height.

JOHOR BARU (Feb 29): Property developer Hua Yang Bhd will launch three new projects with total gross development value (GDV) of RM550 million here this year and next.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 29, 2012): Mah Sing Group Bhd has acquired a 157-acre tract in Rawang, Selangor for about RM40.9 million or RM6 psf to develop new township, M Residence2 @Rawang (M Residence 2).

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 28): Property developer Bolton Bhd achieved a profit before tax (PBT) of RM14.3 million for its third quarter (3Q) ended Dec 31, 2011, a 316% increase compared to the corresponding period of the previous financial year.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 28): Dijaya Corporation Bhd saw its profit jump 73% to RM50.7 million in 4Q from the previous quarter on the back of a 53% growth in revenue to RM156.2 million from RM101.9 million in the last quarter.