Proposed income tax law changes in Singapore have provoked a negative reaction with experts believing the changes will put off prospective real estate buyers.

The Singapore Ministry of Finance have stated that there will be no tax on the gains from an individual who sells a property after 1 January 2010 if they have not sold any other properties in the previous four years. Experts are calling for clarification as the wording leads some to believe that individuals who sell more than one property over a four year period look set to pay more tax.  Read more... (174 words, estimated 42 secs reading time)

The Land and Construction Tax Bill that will be discussed by the Thai government later this year has had mixed reviews with many fearing that it won’t help the Thai residential property market.

The new bill on land and property tax in Thailand is aimed at helping property owners make better use of their real estate and properties, especially if they own land and property which is currently not in use. Some fear that the new proposals would see land grab opportunities where unused pieces of land would be leased to farmers for agriculture, particularly given the Thai government’s current drive to increase crop growth and to increase the amount of alternative energy sources.  Read more... (357 words, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

China is all set to become the biggest economy in the world in the next few decades and many overseas property investors are now looking to China to pick up property before the boom. However with a population of 1.3 billion, where do you start looking?

The first choice of many property investors has to be China’s capital city Shanghai. Many multinational companies have already started locating their regional HQs in the area, and home to 21 million people, there are many different properties to choose from. Shanghai is also undergoing strong infrastructure and development improvements meaning it should be a strong place to invest in property.  Read more... (312 words, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

China has experienced some excellent property price growth recently, with the past five years seeing double-digits, however the latest figures show that the annual growth rate has plummeted to around 9 percent, well below most forecasts. The slowdown is thought to be partly down to global financial worries and some experts believe the slowdown will continue if China’s exports start to be affected.

The Chinese government have vowed to help boost the property market’s growth rate back up again by investing in even more infrastructure projects including roads, airports, nuclear power plants and hydro-electric power stations. Taxes on residential properties purchases will also be lowered.  Read more... (179 words, estimated 43 secs reading time)

Shanghai’s government is reportedly trying to open up the domestic property market by putting restrictions on foreign property investors.

The government is looking to ban all foreign investors and non-permanent Chinese citizens from buying property and real estate in Shanghai, whilst simultaneously working on a new property purchase system for non-permanent residents, although it is understood that workers on temporary permits would be exempt from the restrictions.  Read more... (236 words, estimated 57 secs reading time)

Property in India, in particular Goa, is set to be one of the latest world property hot-spots. Goa’s tourism industry has exploded in recent years with over 2.5 million people now visiting a year. This tourism boom, combined with a wonderful climate, excellent infrastructure and a strong rental market is helping the property market in Goa become recognised by international property developers. Many believe that property bought now will make a return well into the double figures over the next 5 years, with some even believing they will double their money.  Read more... (290 words, estimated 1:10 mins reading time)

According to Indian real estate analysts, the property market in India, once booming, has ground to a halt over the last two months with a huge drop of 50% in the number of property transactions. For the first time in three years, property investors are actually having to drop prices to bolster demand.

Developers on the edges of big cities have found the past couple of months difficult, with prime locations within city centres holding their prices best. An example of this is Khargar, on the edges of Navi Mumbai. The prices here have declined by up to around 20%, however the prime location hotspots of the Palm Beach Road Promenade and the land around the proposed new airport have not seen any declines in prices.  Read more... (315 words, estimated 1:16 mins reading time)