TOKYO: Investment management firm Aetos Capital plans to raise US$1 billion (RM3.08 billion) for a fourth real estate fund to buy office buildings and condominiums in Japan and China, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.

HONG KONG: A surge in demand for luxury homes and apartments in Hong Kong has lured US-based estate agency franchise Sotheby's International Realty to enter the market.

SYDNEY: China could struggle to keep a lid on its property market as urbanisation piles pressure on the major coastal cities, making land scarcer and driving up prices, an executive of international real estate consultancy DTZ said.

BEIJING: China will exempt a segment of the low-income housing sector from tax in a drive to boost supply, according to a government statement.

Builders and owners of "public rent homes" will be exempt from land use tax, stamp tax, deed tax and value-added tax for the next three years, the state tax office and finance ministry said late on Tuesday, Sept 27.

Gamuda

Key MRT Play

Gamuda

FY10 within expectations but below our forecast

KUALA LUMPUR: Gamuda Bhd posted revenue and net profit of RM2.455 billion and RM289.49 million respectively for its 2010 financial year (FY2010) ended July 31, 2010.

Comparatively, the company posted revenue and net profit of RM2.727 billion and RM193.69 million respectively a year ago.

KUALA LUMPUR: Dubai’s overall residential property market saw a 1.98% price drop in August compared with the previous month, according to real estate information company Reidin.com’s August All Residential Sales Price Index for Dubai (SPID-All Residential).

Villa prices, however, showed signs of stabilising as it dipped only 0.14% compared with a drop of 1.19% in July. 

LONDON: British mortgage provider Paragon will resume lending to buy-to-let landlords after securing fresh funds, and said many people were opting to rent rather than risk buying property in an uncertain market.

"Demand for rental property has never been as strong," Paragon Chief Executive Nigel Terrington told Reuters.

BEIJING: Chinese regulators are making spot checks on whether banks are strictly complying with government curbs on mortgages for non-owner-occupied homes, state media reported on Tuesday, Sept 28.