News roundup: Australia’s investment opportunities on the rise but buyers bide time, and more headlines

For PropertyGuru’s real estate news roundup, Australia’s investment opportunities are on the rise, but prospective buyers are biding their time. In other updates, the implementation of Thailand’s property stimulus measures is expected to improve developer confidence in the second quarter, while Japanese and Vietnamese investors join forces in the USD1 billion-plus real estate project in Binh Duong.

Investment opportunities are emerging in Australia but buyers are biding their time

There were 10 percent more commercial properties listed for sale over the March quarter compared to the same period last year, with listings up across six of the nine asset categories on realcommercial.com.au.

Medical and consulting assets have seen the biggest year-on-year (YoY) rise in for sale listings, jumping by 28 percent, followed by industrial assets, up 20 percent. More investment opportunities were also seen across the office and retail sectors, which each saw for sale listings up 10 percent YoY.

Despite a rise in the number of properties coming up for sale, to date this hasn’t increased transactions.

Yet while deals have been slow to pick up, there appear to be more prospective buyers circling.

There has been a notable rise in the number of searches and enquiries to buy property on realcommercial.com.au, a clear sign that transactions could pick up over the year.

There were 16 percent more searches to buy commercial assets over the first three months of 2024 compared to the same time last year, while enquiries to buy were up 13 percent.

Thailand’s stimulus expected to spur developer confidence in Q2

Sentiment among housing developers is expected to significantly improve in the second quarter following the implementation of property stimulus measures approved earlier this month.

The current situation index for housing developer sentiment in Greater Bangkok in the first quarter is at 48.3, lower than the median of 50.0 for five consecutive quarters, according to the Real Estate Information Center (REIC).

“An index below the median indicates developers had reduced confidence and were worried about the outlook,” said Vichai Viratkapan, acting director-general of the REIC.

However, the index is likely to improve in the second quarter as the property measures announced this month will have a positive impact on the residential market, he said in Bangkok Post.

Japanese investors join big Binh Duong real estate project in Vietnam 

Japanese and Vietnamese investors of The One World urban area project in the southern province of Binh Duong received in-principal approval at a ceremony in the locality on 17th April.

According to a VietnamPlus report, the USD1 billion-plus project is one of the real estate sector having a clean land fund of nearly 50 hectares in Thuan An city, adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City.

Three Japanese companies namely Sumitomo Forestry Group, Kumagai Gumi Co., Ltd, and NTT Urban Development Corporation make up a total of 49 percent of the shares in the project, while the rest come from their Vietnamese partner – the Kim Oanh Real Estate Group.

The project is divided into six sub-projects. Key facilities including a conference and exhibition centre, an AEON shopping centre, five-star hotels, and an international school will be constructed in advance.

The Property Report editors wrote this article. For more information, email: [email protected].