BEIJING: China will adopt a stricter standard in identifying whether a house is a "second home" when approving mortgage loans, a senior banking regulator said in remarks published on Thursday (April 22).

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian conglomerate Hong Leong Group's unit GuocoLand Ltd may double its real estate  investments in China to some 66 billion yuan (RM31 billion) within two years in anticipation that lawmakers move to cool the property market in the world's third largest economy will create viable investment opportunities, Bloomberg reported.

Regional real estate funds have been very quiet in Asia since mid-2008 — cautious about the impact of the US’ economic woes, besides the slowdown in the Singapore and Hong Kong markets then.

However, the middle of last year saw the mood change. Funds started buying into strategic real estate investments in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and China.

SHANGHAI: Greenland Group opened four luxury hotels -- Intercontinental Hotel, Green Eaton Hotel, and two Howard Johnsons on April 20, reported Shanghai Morning Post.

(From left) Ho, Bernard Sebastian, Residence Manager of
Somerset and Lim in front of Tiffani by i-Zen

SHANGHAI: A new rule about real estate investment by insurance companies is under discussion, and will be at an appropriate time released, said China's insurance industry regulator on April 20, reported Xinhua.

ABU DHABI: A government-led infrastructure programme has helped create a sense of stability to the real estate investment market but it would take time for it to become fully established, according to senior executives of the top-three Abu Dhabi master developers.

SHAH ALAM: I-Bhd, the developer of i-City (pictured) in Shah Alam, will be launching a high-end residential condominium and Soho offices in 2H2010, said Eu Hong Chew, chief operating officer of I-Bhd.

The 28 Mont’Kiara team with the awards

KUALA LUMPUR: Sunrise Bhd bagged two awards at the prestigious Asia Pacific Property Awards 2010 held in Hong Kong last Friday (April 16).

MELBOURNE: Foreign investment in Australian property is pushing up the price of housing and squeezing Australians out of the market, Australia's opposition housing spokesman Kevin Andrews says.