11 Apr 2025

Bangkok's condo oversupply-crisis is worsening after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, which killed 2,700 people and damaged 13,000 buildings in Thailand, including a collapsed office-tower. The quake has shaken buyer confidence, especially in high-rises, worsening unsold inventory, which hit 235,000 units in 2023. Condo sales fell 37% in 2024 despite government incentives. Developers like Ananda and Origin face rising inspection-costs, while firms like Sansiri assure safety. Analysts predict a short-term demand drop but expect recovery, as no fatal condo collapses occurred. The property index has declined 32% in a year, reflecting the sector's ongoing struggles.Read more

11 Apr 2025

Foreign investors increasingly favor land plots over apartments in Dubai's real estate market, drawn by greater flexibility, higher returns, and long-term value potential. Plot transactions reached a record high earlier this year, with over 180,000 deals valued above AED 500 billion. Prime areas like Emirates Hills, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai Hills are attracting high-end buyers, while more affordable investment zones such as Dubai South, JVC, and Dubailand are gaining traction among mid-range investors. Experts say the average returns on land plots significantly surpass those of apartments, boosted by tax incentives, upcoming mega projects, and favorable regulations.Read more

10 Apr 2025

The UK construction sector contracted sharply in March, with civil engineering experiencing its steepest decline since October 2020 due to weak demand and a lack of infrastructure projects. The S&P Global/CIPS Construction PMI rose slightly to 46.4 but remained below the 50 growth threshold. Rising payroll costs led to hiring freezes and job cuts, while business confidence fell to its lowest since October 2023. Only 40% of firms expect output to grow in the coming year. Despite these challenges, the broader economy showed improvement, as the all-sector PMI rose to 51.0, driven by strong performance in the services industry.Read more

10 Apr 2025

Home sales in the Greater Toronto Area declined by 2.4% in March, following a steep 28.5% drop in February, as buyers remained cautious amid trade tensions and political uncertainty. TRREB's home price index fell 1.4% to CAD 1,050,200, marking the third consecutive monthly decline. New listings rose by 9.6% month-over-month and 28.6% year-over-year, but demand remained weak. Analysts attribute the slowdown to U.S. trade policy shifts and Canada's upcoming federal election on April 28. With buyers taking a wait-and-see approach, GTA's housing market is likely to remain subdued until greater economic and political clarity is achieved in the coming months.Read more

08 Apr 2025

Australia's property-prices rose 0.4% in March, reaching a record-high of AUD 820,331 (USD 515,332) after the first rate-cut in over four years, according to CoreLogic. The increase was broad-based, except for Hobart, with Sydney up 0.3% and Melbourne gaining 0.5%. CoreLogic's Tim Lawless attributed the rise to improved sentiment and borrowing-capacity. Despite strong immigration and supply-constraints, affordability challenges remain. The Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to hold rates at 4.1% but may cut three times this year. CoreLogic cautions that restrictive rates still limit growth, though government relief, income-gains, and employment support prices.Read more

07 Apr 2025

Vanke, a Hong Kong-listed property giant, reported a significant annual loss of 49.5 billion yuan (USD 6.8 billion) for 2024, citing falling sales and reduced profit margins despite Beijing's efforts to revive the housing market. The company attributed its challenges to high debt, aggressive expansion, and over-investment. Revenue dropped 26%, and Vanke faced intensified liquidity pressure with substantial debt repayments. Following a leadership shakeup, including the resignation of CEO Zhu Jiusheng, Vanke's property management unit, Onewo, announced the acquisition of full ownership of Shanghai Xiangda for 870.3 million yuan, aiming to secure profitable ventures amid ongoing financial struggles.Read more

07 Apr 2025

British house prices fell 0.2% in March, defying forecasts of a 0.2% rise, as buyers rushed to close deals before a stamp duty threshold cut raised tax liabilities. Annual price growth slowed to 3.9%, below the expected 4.1%, with Nationwide and RICS citing subdued demand. Mortgage approvals also declined in February. Despite this short-term dip, a strong labor market, rising household earnings, and a potential Bank of England rate cut-estimated at a two-thirds likelihood in May-may boost affordability and revive demand. Nationwide maintains a cautiously optimistic outlook for a housing market recovery in the months ahead.Read more