Daily Archives: 29 Oct 2009

Newton One apartment hits $1,676 psf

There was a flurry of activity in the Newton Road area, with five transactions of between $1,100 and $1,676 psf carried out from Sept 25 to Oct 2, according to caveats lodged with URA Realis. The highest psf transacted price for that week was seen at a 1,216 sq ft, 10th-floor apartment at Newton One — it was sold for $2.038 million or $1,676 psf. Another transaction that took place in the same tower was for a 21st-floor, 1,808 sq ft apartment that changed hands for $3.028 million ($1,675 psf).

PDF Version Property transactions with contract dates from Sep 25 18 to Oct 2

Newton One, a 91-unit freehold luxury condominium project by Lippo Group, received its TOP just a few months ago. It was launched in mid- 2006 at $1,200 to $1,250 psf, which was considered a new price benchmark in the Newton area at a time when most developments there were fetching around $1,000 psf.

The two sellers at Newton One must be pretty pleased with their sale. The owner of the two-bedroom 1216 sqft apartment on the 10th floor purchased it from the developer in July 2006 for $1.36 million, or $1,122 psf. He enjoyed a 49% price appreciation from the transaction.

Meanwhile, the owner of the three-bedroom 1,808 sq ft apartment on the 21st floor who sold the unit at $1,675 psf, purchased it in a sub-sale in May 2007 for $2.72 million ($1,504 psf). The previous owner had purchased the unit during its launch in July 2006 for $2.235 million or $1,236 psf. Continue reading

Ascott Reit distribution slips 25%

ASCOTT Residence Trust (Ascott Reit) said that third- quarter unit-holders’ distribution fell 25 per cent to $11.8 million from $15.9 million a year ago as it saw weaker demand for its serviced residences in Singapore and China.

Distribution per unit (DPU) was 1.92 cents for the quarter ended Sept 30, 2009, down 26 per cent from 2.61 cents in Q3 2008.

‘The lower performance as compared to Q3 2008 was a result of the global economic slowdown, increased competition from new supply in Beijing and Shanghai, and the strong performance in August 2008 due to the Beijing Olympics,’ said the real estate investment trust (Reit) in a statement. Revenue per available unit, or RevPAU, fell 24 per cent year-on-year to $124 in Q3 2009. The reduction in RevPAU was due to reduction in both average daily rates as well as occupancies at the group’s serviced residences. Revenue for Q3 2009 fell 17 per cent to $44.4 million.

The trust’s management said, however, that the challenges posed by the global economic downturn to the hospitality industry eased somewhat in Q3 2009 compared to Q2.

‘Our Q3 operating performance has shown further signs of stabilisation in hospitality demand,’ said Lim Jit Poh, the trust’s chairman. ‘While we remain cautious over the pace and extent of recovery, we are confident of the longer-term growth in the markets in which we operate.’ On a sequential basis, unit-holders’ distribution and DPU were 7 per cent higher than Q2’s $11 million and 1.79 cents respectively. Continue reading