Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines Real Estate

  • Property Sector: Tax Incentive for Indonesia's First-Time Home Buyers

    Through the revision of an existing regulation the Indonesian government aims to support growth in the nation's property sector. The revision involves a tax incentive that allows Indonesia's first-time home buyers to obtain a subsidized lending rate (mortgage). Those first-time home buyers who have a maximum monthly income of IDR 7 million (approx. USD $504) are eligible to enjoy this incentive that falls under the Housing Loan Liquidity Facility (Fasilitas Likuiditas Pembiayaan Perumahan, abbreviated FLPP).

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  • New Regulation: Foreigners Can Own Landed Houses in Indonesia

    Indonesia's Cabinet Secretary announced on Tuesday (12/01) that Indonesian President Joko Widodo signed a government regulation on 22 December 2015 (Government Regulation No. 103/2015 on House Ownership of Foreigners Residing in Indonesia) that allows foreigners to own landed houses in Indonesia for a period up to 80 years. This regulation is designed by the Indonesian government in order to provide more legal certainty to foreigners regarding property ownership.

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  • Fitch Ratings' Indonesia Property Watch Report: Pessimistic View

    In its latest Indonesia Property Watch report, Fitch Ratings states that housing demand in Indonesia remained weak in the third quarter of 2015, leading to property developers' decision to postpone a number of new projects. Low commodity prices and high inflation (up to Q3-2015) led to sluggish demand and tepid economic growth in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Fitch Ratings said residential property price growth in Indonesia continued to slow for the eight consecutive quarter and believes prices are to remain muted in the coming year.

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  • Summarecon Agung: Successful Launch Summarecon Bandung Project

    The launch of the clusters Amanda and Btari - consisting of 400 residential housing units - in the Summarecon Bandung project was well received by the market last week. Within five hours all units were sold. The Summarecon Bandung project is an ambitious integrated city which includes residential areas, commercial areas and mixed-use areas in the Southeastern part of Bandung (West Java). The company behind this project is publicly-listed Summarecon Agung, an Indonesian real estate construction and development company.

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  • Fitch Ratings: Indonesia's Property Demand Will Not Improve Soon

    Global credit agency Fitch Ratings stated in its latest Indonesia Property Watch report that demand in Indonesia's property sector will not improve in the short-term. Whereas the Indonesian government implemented policies to cool the property market in 2013 (as authorities were concerned about the emergence of a bubble), it has recently shifted its stance and implemented measures to boost the market amid the country's economic slowdown. However, Fitch Ratings does not expect a quick rebound.

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  • Moody’s Positive about Indonesia’s Tax Cut and Liquidity Level Property Developers

    International credit rating agency Moody’s Investors Service stated that the healthy liquidity levels of Indonesian property developers are expected to be sufficient to offset the negative impact of the heavily depreciated rupiah. A weak rupiah is troublesome - and negative for the credit rating - as about two-thirds of property developers’ debt is US dollar-denominated, while their revenue is rupiah-denominated. Secondly, Moody's is positive about the government recent decision to offer tax holidays.

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  • AkzoNobel Targets Indonesia as New Growth Market

    AkzoNobel, the Dutch multinational that is primarily engaged in the fields of decorative paints, performance coatings and specialty chemicals, stated that it has shifted its focus from China to Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia and Vietnam. Ton Buchner, Chief Executive Officer of AkzoNobel, said growth in China has lost its decade-long momentum and thus AkzoNobel will reduce investment realization in China and instead focus on new growth markets in Southeast Asia.

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  • Foreigners to Be Allowed to Own Luxurious Apartments in Indonesia

    Several days ago Indonesian Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro announced that the government may soon allow foreigners to own luxurious apartments in the bigger cities of Indonesia. His ministry is currently focused on revising Government Regulation No. 41/1996 on Housing for Foreigners Residing in Indonesia which still forbids foreigners (expats) owning any type of property in Indonesia. Indonesian property developers have warmly welcomed the new plan of the government as it brings more opportunities to the property sector.

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  • Property in Indonesia: Expats Allowed to Own Luxurious Apartments?

    Indonesian Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro is completing a study related to the possibility of allowing foreign ownership of property in Indonesia. In a bid to generate more state revenue through taxation, the Indonesian government may allow foreigners (expats) to own luxurious (residential) apartments in the bigger cities of Indonesia. These apartments should be worth at least IDR 5 billion (approx. USD $375,940) according to current proposals. Brodjonegoro emphasized that expats will not be allowed to own landed houses.

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  • Initial Public Offering (IPO) Puradelta Lestari on Indonesia Stock Exchange

    Industrial estate developer Puradelta Lestari, unit of Singapore-listed Sinarmas Land Ltd, was listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) on Friday (29/05) thus becoming the fifth firm to go public on the IDX in 2015. Through the initial public offering (IPO) Puradelta Lestari raised IDR 1 trillion (USD $76 million) by offering 4.8 billion shares to the public, equivalent to ten percent of the company’s enlarged capital, for a price of IDR 210 per share. On the first trading day, shares of the company rose 4.29 percent.

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Latest Columns Real Estate

  • Investing in Property: Luxurious Villa for Sale in Panama

    Those who have business interests in Panama and seek their dream house in the beautiful hills of this Central American country, or those who search an interesting investment object in Panama's property sector, now have a great opportunity at their disposal. One of the most beautiful luxury villas in Panama is now for sale. Insiders in Panama's property market call this "a unique object".

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  • Indonesian Property Companies in Focus: Ciputra Development

    Ciputra Development, one of Indonesia's leading property companies with 75 projects spread across 33 cities, is increasingly focused on diversifying its portfolio outside the island of Java. The company has expanded to Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi as it wants to "bet on more than one horse" to improve its corporate earnings.

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  • Property in Indonesia: East Jakarta & Surabaya New Growth Centers?

    So far East Jakarta has been left behind in terms of property development in the capital city of Indonesia. For many decades Central and South Jakarta have seen the construction of many residential property and office tower projects. Recently, West Jakarta experienced a major surge in property development. Few investors, however, dared to develop projects in East Jakarta as demand from the (upper) middle class and elite for property or offices in East Jakarta has been low.

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  • Tax Amnesty Funds Yet to Impact on Indonesia's Property Sector

    The tax amnesty program of Indonesia is yet to have an impact on Indonesia's property sector. Earlier, analysts and stakeholders expected part of the asset repatriations into Indonesia (under the government's tax amnesty program) to flow to property, either property ownership or property development projects. Although tax declarations and additional government revenue under the amnesty program were a success, the repatriation of assets that were stashed overseas has been weak. However, some stakeholders are optimistic that repatriated funds will flow to Indonesia's residential property in Q2-2017.

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  • Property Development Indonesia: West Jakarta Gaining Popularity

    When walking around the Taman Anggrek Mall and Central Park Mall in West Jakarta, you will see several big property projects being built: a new mall (Neo Soho Mall), apartment complexes (Neo Soho Apartments and Taman Anggrek Residences) and a new office tower (Soho Capital). In terms of property development in Indonesia, West Jakarta now seems developers' favorite location. Hari Raharta, Secretary-General of the Indonesian Real Estate Developers Association (REI), informed, however, West Jakarta has seen solid property development since the opening of the Jakarta-Tangerang toll road back in 1984.

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  • Indonesian Property Companies in Focus: Alam Sutera Realty

    Alam Sutera Realty, an Indonesia-based real estate development company, is plagued by overall declining growth in Indonesia's property sector. In the first half of 2016 Alam Sutera recorded IDR 966.5 billion (approx. USD $74 million) in pre-sales, only 19.3 percent of the company's full-year target. What are the strategies of this company to combat the slowdown?

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  • Indonesian Companies in Focus: Bumi Serpong Damai

    Indonesian real estate developer Bumi Serpong Damai, part of the Sinar Mas Group, has ample room for expansion. According to its latest quarterly financial report, the company owns 3,954.88 hectares of land that has not been developed yet, 70 percent of which is located near BSD City, an ambitious urban planning scheme that combines housing, business and commercial properties not far from Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta. The company also has land banks in Jakarta, Bogor, Surabaya, Palembang, Balikpapan and Samarinda.

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  • Foreigners Can Buy Property in Indonesia, But Will They?

    Indonesia opened the property market to those foreigners who reside (legally) in Indonesia. However, it also set tough requirements regarding foreign ownership of Indonesian property. Moreover, it remains nearly impossible for expats to obtain a local mortgage to finance the purchase of property. Although local credit may actually not be attractive for foreigners as interest rates are high in Indonesia, it is interesting to take a closer look at why Indonesian banks reject to sell mortgages to foreigners and whether foreigners are actually enticed to buy property in Indonesia?

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  • Impact of Indonesia's Infrastructure Development on Property Sector

    With the Indonesian government showing its commitment to push for infrastructure development, the property sector of Indonesia is expected to get a boost as infrastructure development opens access to new areas. For example, Indonesia's first high-speed train project that is to connect Jakarta and Bandung (in West Java) is expected to give rise to new economic centers and cities along the 142 kilometers-long railway. Moreover, existing property in the proximity of a new infrastructure project should lead to significantly rising property prices.

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