THE property market is set to move into higher gear after the dreary days of project delays and deferment of the past one year. Despite the seemingly brighter days ahead, developers are treading carefully and have not completely lowered their guard on the market’s passiveness to avoid an over built situation that will send property prices southwards.

THE concept of boutique developments is fast becoming an attraction in the property market nowadays. Gamuda Land Sdn Bhd managing director Chow Chee Wah says usually, the design of a boutique development is for the middle to high-end housing, catering to a special targeted niche market that has a discerning taste and appreciation for resort lifestyle living.

The mega merger of Sime Darby Bhd, Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd and Golden Hope Plantations Bhd in 2007 has created the country’s largest property group in terms of landbank and ongoing developments.

MUSLIMS working and living in Putrajaya can now perform their prayers at another awe-inspiring landmark, the newly-opened Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque in Precinct 3. Named after the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, the mosque is expected to be officially opened in September.

SIME Darby Bhd is a well-diversified conglomerate with operations in 20 countries and 70% of the group’s income is derived from outside Malaysia. In comparison its property subsidiary, Sime Darby Property Bhd, with footprints in six countries, derives only 10% of its income from overseas.

THE main growth driver for Sime Darby Property Bhd in the coming years will be the development of Sime Darby Vision Valley (SDVV), according to managing director Datuk Tunku Badlishah Tunku Annuar. The ambitious development has been conceptualised in line with the National Physical Plan which calls for the development of the Kuala Lumpur Conurbation.

IT was barely a year ago that property prices were plummeting. Since then, the world’s central banks have flooded the markets with an unprecedented liquidity tsunami that has lifted prices of assets like stocks and property. Liquidity comes in many forms, the most evident and tangible is lower interest rates, which immediately lower mortgage costs and allow potential borrowers to borrow more with the same level of disposable income.