Daily Archives: 5 Nov 2009

British Land signs on Europe veterans

Steve Smith, Charles Maudsley to spearhead firm’s growth plans

British Land has lured two of Europe’s property veterans to beef up its board ahead of an expected surge in UK real estate investment and possible European expansion, its chief executive said yesterday.

London pads: British Land’s intention to invest some £1 billion, unveiled in September, remains intact. ‘What I want to do is ensure we have got the best team available to be making new investment decisions,’ says Mr Grigg

Britain’s second-largest property company has recruited Steve Smith, global head of transactions at AXA Real Estate Investment Managers, and Charles Maudsley, co-head of Europe at LaSalle Investment Management, to spearhead growth plans for next year and beyond.

‘We said in September it was our intention over the next 12-24 months to invest something like one billion pounds and that intention remains intact,’ chief executive Chris Grigg said.

‘We think we are in a very good financial position, we think we have very good existing assets . . . but what I want to do is ensure we have got the best team available to be making new investment decisions,’ he added.

Mr Smith, who is well-known in the UK property industry for his dealmaking capabilities, will become chief investment officer, while Mr Maudsley will serve as an executive director with responsibility for business expansion. Continue reading

Ho Bee, MCL launching Parvis condo at $1,480 psf average

As other developers mull over whether to release new projects this quarter or hold back until 2010, Ho Bee and MCL Land have moved to launch their Parvis condo at Holland Hill this week.

Parvis: 85 of the 248 units in the freehold project are being released, with absolute prices ranging from $1.62m for a 990 sq ft unit to $3.02m for a 1,991 sq ft unit

The average price is about $1,480 per sq ft for the initial batch of 85 units. The 12-storey freehold project has 248 units.

The pricing is considered fair for the location, said a property consultant who is not marketing Parvis, adding that it could easily be $1,500-1,600 psf on average.

The Lush on Holland Hill nearby is selling for about $1,500 psf on average. In the secondary market, units at Waterfall Gardens in Farrer Road are changing hands for about $1,450-1,500 psf.

The 85 units MCL Land and Ho Bee are releasing at Parvis will be priced between $1,400 psf and $1,600 psf. In absolute terms, prices range from $1.62 million for a two-bedroom unit of 990 sq ft to $3.02 million for a four-bedder of 1,991 sq ft. Continue reading