DECEMBER'05

A home for every Malaysian
Several policies and programmes the Government has implemented over the years are all geared towards providing a more equitable home ownership framework for all citizens.
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Poised for takeoff but...
Are we ready for property derivatives, a type of investment instrument that gives investors buy and sell exposure to the property market without having to buy and sell actual buildings?
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Scotiabank makes home ownership easy
For more than 30 years, The Bank of Nova Scotia Bhd (Scotiabank) has offered what it believes to be “the best loan deals” for Malaysians wanting to purchase landed property, an apartment or even a luxury condominium.
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NOVEMBER'05

They’re not all rogues, says Rehda
While welcoming the Housing and Local Government Ministry’s naming of developers that have flouted the housing development law and regulations, the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) said it is not fair to brand all companies in the list as “rogue developers”.
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Redress through the Tribunal
The recent amendments to the Housing Development (Control & Licensing) Act, 1966 saw the inclusion of a new Part VI - Tribunal for Homebuyer Claims. This inclusion gave birth to the Tribunal for Homebuyers’ Claim and it was implemented on Dec 1, 2002.
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Maybank’s year-end special home loan
Taking the cue from the success of its just ended Merdeka celebration home loan promotion, Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) has launched another promotional package under its MaxiHome brand.
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OCTOBER '05

New posts created to ease CCC process
The Government is going ahead with its plans to replace the issuance of Certificate of Fitness for Occupation (CF) for housing with the Certificate of Compliance and Completion (CCC) by industry professionals and is creating 334 new posts in local councils to facilitate the process.
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Shot in the arm for construction sector
Budget 2006 has brought good news for the housing industry. Outlined was a stimulus package for the construction sector, a key engine of growth, as the nation grapples with a sluggish economy.
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Government moves on build-then-sell
The Government wants the various sectors within the housing industry to state whether they are willing to commit to the “build first, sell later” concept of housing delivery before it makes a decision on the matter.
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SEPTEMBER '05

Rushing to REIT
At least RM2 billion worth of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) could be available to investors in the coming months as a growing number of corporations - the latest being Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) - announce plans to place their properties into REITs for subsequent listing on Bursa Malaysia.
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Crackdown on illegal agents
Illegal estate agents beware. Teaming up with the police and local authorities, the Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents (BVAEA) under the Ministry of Finance has started to crack down on those carrying out the business without licences.
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Exercise caution when selling your property
Don’t do it alone. That’s the advice from the police to people showing the house they have advertised to sell to a buyer who calls - someone they’ve never met before.
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Powering a new trend
While some building trends are created for aesthetic reasons and to address market desire, others are more than just skin deep, being vital for the very preservation of life.
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AUGUST '05

Rehda lauds Government decision on visa extension
The recent move to extend the visa duration for participants of the Malaysia: My Second Home programme from five to 10 years has been lauded by the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (Rehda).
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No-discount rule a blow to free market practice
On top of the many standard costs consumers have to bear when buying property, one can only view as “mercenary” the Bar Council’s recent move to fix a minimum fee for standard conveyancing work and the related bank loan agreement.
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Progressing with Revitalisation
A revolutionary software is now available in the market that can take architecture, construction, project planning as well as property management to unprecedented levels of speed and efficiency.
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JULY '05

Moving ahead with IBS
The slow take-up of IBS or Industrialised Building System in the country has compelled the authorities to encourage use of the system by coordinating activities to fuel its wider acceptance.
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Danaharta tender nets RM26m
Pengurusan Danaharta Nasional Bhd (Danaharta) received successful bids for 13 out of 33 properties put up for sale in a specific tender in March, the national asset management company announced in a statement.
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CSR becoming a necessity
Malaysia has to step up efforts to promote Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the private sector and even provide education on it, in order to improve the quality of life of the people as well as encourage greater transparency and corporate governance among businesses.
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JUNE '05

Lure of resort living
It happened with little fanfare, but the fact that 10 people queued up to buy their houses in a development in Sungei Petani, Kedah - something quite unknown outside the Klang Valley - for a whole week must speak volumes about the development itself.
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Audit before you leap
Conducting building inspections or building audits, generally shunned because of the costs involved, can ultimately save property buyers thousands of ringgit more.
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Real interest rates matter
The prospect of rising housing interest rates will not create shockwaves in the property market and investors needn’t brace themselves from repercussions resulting from any uptrend.
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