Opalesque Real Estate Briefing » Construction http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing Daily global real estate investment news Wed, 15 May 2013 00:49:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en S.Arabia: Residential construction industry ‘very competitive’ http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=62531 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=62531#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 00:46:24 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=62531 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=62531>Article Link</a> Actual demand for housing in the Kingdom is huge and the supply doesn’t meet the demand. “Saudi Arabia is a major player in the region both in political and economical terms; today the government is spending billions of dollars in infrastructure development, which is why we are noticing a new hub for infrastructure development in the region,” says Hossam Al-Rashoud, CEO of Maskan Arabia. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=62531 UK: Does the government actually want any new homes built? http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61935 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61935#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 01:40:27 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61935 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61935>Article Link</a> With a limp-wristed tearing of the reams of planning law and a hit-and-hope punt at helping the consumer mortgage market - does the government actually want any new homes to be built? (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=61935 Construction spending decreases on U.S. government slump http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61671 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61671#comments Thu, 02 May 2013 01:48:33 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61671 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61671>Article Link</a> Construction spending in the U.S. unexpectedly fell in March, reflecting the biggest slump in government projects in 11 years. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=61671 Confidence in the UK construction sector at its highest since end of 2007 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61602 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61602#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2013 02:19:07 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61602 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61602>Article Link</a> In the last quarter some 10% more surveyors across the country reported rising workloads and one of the main drivers behind this was the boost in private housing construction. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=61602 Is Canada’s condo boom coming apart at the seams? http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61473 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61473#comments Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:35:09 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61473 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61473>Article Link</a> Perhaps nothing is as emblematic of the Canadian housing boom of the past decade as the hundreds of high-rise condo towers currently under construction across the country. Indeed, the story of Canada’s decade-long explosion in housing is to a large degree the story of a construction boom in the condo sector. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=61473 US: Home-builder confidence lowest in six months http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61440 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61440#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:28:10 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61440 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61440>Article Link</a> A gauge of confidence among home builders fell in April — a third straight monthly decline — indicating demand concerns despite a strengthening market, according to data released Monday. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=61440 U.S. apartment-rent increases slow amid construction boom http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61272 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61272#comments Thu, 04 Apr 2013 01:40:13 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61272 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61272>Article Link</a> U.S. apartment rents increased in the first quarter at their slowest pace since late 2011 amid a wave of construction that will further test landlords’ ability to raise rates, Reis Inc. (REIS) said. Effective rents, or what tenants pay after any price breaks from owners, averaged $1,054 a month, up 0.5 percent from the fourth quarter, according to the property-research firm. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=61272 Residential growth drives US construction http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61247 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61247#comments Wed, 03 Apr 2013 03:17:01 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61247 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61247>Article Link</a> Construction output in the US was up +7.9% in the 12 months to the end of February, according to data from the US Census Bureau. The rise to an annual output of US$ 885 billion was driven by a +19.2% rise in residential building, which stood at US$ 310 billion for the rolling 12 months to February. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=61247 Construction spending in U.S. rises on gain in home building http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61224 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61224#comments Tue, 02 Apr 2013 01:26:19 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61224 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=61224>Article Link</a> Construction spending in the U.S. rose in February, paced by the highest level of home building in more than four years. Outlays climbed 1.2 percent to an $885.1 billion annual rate, following a 2.1 percent decrease in January, the Commerce Department reported today in Washington. The median forecast of 41 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 1 percent rise. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=61224 Poland: lots of construction, but where are the companies? http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=60243 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=60243#comments Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:03:15 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=60243 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=60243>Article Link</a> Poland is coming off the biggest construction boom in its thousand-year history and it does have a lot of roads to show for the effort – but there is one stark gap: Poland has not managed to produce any significant construction companies. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=60243 Bahrain to build 6,000 houses in 6 months http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=59847 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=59847#comments Thu, 07 Mar 2013 01:23:22 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=59847 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=59847>Article Link</a> Around 6,000 new government homes will be ready within the next six months, said a top official, adding they will be handed over to people who have been on a waiting list for 19 years. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=59847 Jordan’s home builders hope for golden summers http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=59014 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=59014#comments Wed, 27 Feb 2013 01:00:47 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=59014 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=59014>Article Link</a> Jordan Housing Developers Association (JHDA) President Kamal Awamleh has expressed fears that the current profit squeeze may push some property market investors to switch to other sectors. However, Awamleh expected the real estate sector to perform well during this summer. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=59014 European construction output continues to fall http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=58844 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=58844#comments Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:03:29 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=58844 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=58844>Article Link</a> Construction output fell by 1.7% in December in the Eurozone countries and by 2.7% across all 27 countries of the EU compared with November. The figures are first estimates released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In November 2012, monthly production had decreased by 0.4% and 0.6% respectively. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=58844 Housing probably cooled at start of 2013 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=58693 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=58693#comments Mon, 18 Feb 2013 00:30:17 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=58693 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=58693>Article Link</a> New residential construction cooled in January and U.S. existing-home sales slowed after the strongest year since 2007, representing a break in the momentum for the industry, economists said before reports this week. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=58693 UK construction slows again in January http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57889 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57889#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2013 01:13:15 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57889 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57889>Article Link</a> Construction PMI for January was 48.7 – the third consecutive monthly fall for the industry. Building work slowed down in January across the UK, raising fears that the fragile construction industry will drag down economic growth again this year. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=57889 Australian home-building permits unexpectedly fell in December http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57837 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57837#comments Mon, 04 Feb 2013 01:15:53 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57837 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57837>Article Link</a> Australian home-building approvals unexpectedly declined for the second time in three months in December as weakness outside the resources industry hurts housing. The nation’s currency dropped. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=57837 Moscow office completions slump to 10-year low http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57579 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57579#comments Mon, 28 Jan 2013 02:52:56 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57579 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57579>Article Link</a> Office property completions in Moscow slumped to a 10-year low in 2012, according to Jones Lang LaSalle. About 162,500 m2 of new supply was launched on the market in the fourth quarter, the property adviser said. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=57579 Home construction continues to rebuild nicely from housing crisis http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57122 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57122#comments Fri, 18 Jan 2013 01:09:02 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57122 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57122>Article Link</a> U.S. builders started work on homes in December at the fastest pace in 4 ½ years and finished 2012 as their best year for residential construction since the early stages of the housing crisis. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=57122 Global brakes on vertical growth but real estate boom in Asia http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57050 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57050#comments Thu, 17 Jan 2013 01:26:41 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57050 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57050>Article Link</a> For the first time in six years, the number of tall buildings completed annually around the world shrank in 2012, according to a year-in-review study by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). Sixty-six buildings taller than 200 metres were completed in 2012 — the third most in history — but down from the 82 finished in 2011. On an average, a seven-storey building is around 24m tall. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=57050 Hong Kong’s superstitions fade on the housing market http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57048 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57048#comments Thu, 17 Jan 2013 01:26:09 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57048 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=57048>Article Link</a> With brand new high-rises and constructions in Hong Kong, the real estate market is in a boom. The demand for homes is so strong that even superstitions are not deterring an escalation in home prices in the city. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=57048 UK: Construction poised for up-tick, RICS survey shows http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56653 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56653#comments Fri, 11 Jan 2013 03:39:53 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56653 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56653>Article Link</a> The UK’s struggling construction market is expected to turn a corner this year, according to a leading quarterly survey of chartered surveyors. More surveyors than not - a net balance of 15pc of those polled by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) - expect their workloads to grow over the next 12 months, after a “horrendous” 2012. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=56653 Construction metals index reflects good news in US housing market http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56549 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56549#comments Tue, 08 Jan 2013 01:00:17 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56549 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56549>Article Link</a> The monthly Construction MMI registered a value of 92 in December, an increase of 1.1 percent from 91 in November. The construction metals index saw a small lift this month due to slightly rising semi-finished aluminum prices, iron ore prices and Chinese rebar prices. However, not all elements of the index moved up, as Chinese H-beam prices and all US bar fuel surcharges declined from one month ago. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=56549 Bulgaria vows action against construction in ecologically sensitive areas http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56504 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56504#comments Mon, 07 Jan 2013 01:29:44 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56504 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56504>Article Link</a> With the resounding thud of a stable door and the receding clip-clop of horses’ hooves, Bulgaria’s government is to look into damages and threats to the country’s Black Sea coast from construction in ecologically sensitive areas. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=56504 Nigeria: Real estate prospects in 2013 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56015 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56015#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2013 01:05:13 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56015 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=56015>Article Link</a> Players in the nation’s construction and housing sector are simply treading water to keep afloat. The situation is so frustrating that everyone is awe-struck, and has taken the wind out of the sail of real estate brokers who find themselves in a binder over the economic downturn. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=56015 Building permits increase as U.S. housing rebounds: Economy http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55559 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55559#comments Thu, 20 Dec 2012 03:08:06 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55559 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55559>Article Link</a> The number of building applications issued in November rose to a four-year high, a sign the U.S. housing-market recovery will extend into 2013. Permits, a proxy for future construction, climbed 3.6 percent to an 899,000 annual rate, the most since July 2008 and exceeding the 875,000 median forecast of 58 economists surveyed by Bloomberg, Commerce Department figures showed in Washington. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=55559 Tide changes for manufactured housing http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55149 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55149#comments Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:50:43 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55149 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55149>Article Link</a> Shares of manufactured-housing companies were the big-ticket stocks for real-estate investors in recent years, faithfully posting double-digit annual returns. But now, some investors have soured on the sector. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=55149 Freddit Mac economist sees new households outpacing apartment boom http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55147 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55147#comments Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:50:12 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55147 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55147>Article Link</a> In his 2013 forecast, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, Frank Nothaft, sees more than a million new households bolstering housing starts, driving apartment vacancy rates down to ten year lows and outpacing the boom in new apartment construction. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=55147 Mexico: Real estate and construction http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55071 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55071#comments Wed, 12 Dec 2012 01:00:28 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55071 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55071>Article Link</a> The Mexican real estate market is coming back following a lull caused by the recession, and the lawyers we spoke to have been very busy over the past year. Several commented on the increased amount of commercial work linked to the real estate sector as well as a growing number of development projects. We identify 29 superb practitioners who are considered experts in real estate and construction. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=55071 India’s real estate developers predict new construction boom http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55064 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55064#comments Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:58:30 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55064 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=55064>Article Link</a> The sight of a construction crane looming on the horizon has become ubiquitous in most large cities across India – and may become even more so in the near future. The introduction of large foreign retailers like Wal-Mart into the country is eagerly awaited by many industrialists, particularly in the real estate sector, where builders and developers hope to benefit from an increased demand for retail spaces. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=55064 Dubai sets out on another building boom http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54839 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54839#comments Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:38:02 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54839 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54839>Article Link</a> Seeking to cement its position as a Middle East center for transport and tourism, Dubai has unveiled several grandiose construction projects that bear some of the hallmarks of the debt-laden boom years that nearly brought the emirate to its knees. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54839 US builders boost spending in October by largest amount in 5 months, led by housing http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54787 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54787#comments Tue, 04 Dec 2012 01:27:10 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54787 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54787>Article Link</a> U.S. builders increased their spending on construction projects in October by the largest amount in five months, led by a surge in housing. The Commerce Department said Monday that construction spending rose 1.4 percent in October. It was the largest gain since a 1.7 percent increase in May. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54787 JLL: Homebuilders demonstrate consistent improvement in sustainability performance http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54719 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54719#comments Mon, 03 Dec 2012 01:18:50 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54719 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54719>Article Link</a> The UK homebuilding industry is becoming even more sustainable, according to the results of the 2012 NextGeneration benchmark. The Benchmark shows The Berkeley Group as the UK’s most sustainable homebuilder, with Crest Nicholson maintaining last year’s second position and Miller Homes retaining third position. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54719 India: Are warranties offered by property developers worth the premium? http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54597 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54597#comments Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:32:10 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54597 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54597>Article Link</a> Many of the top property developers in metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi have come out with a new marketing strategy to lure potential buyers. They are offering warranties on the houses they sell, similar to those offered by manufacturers of electronic appliances like TVs and refrigerators. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54597 Chinese builders look to foreign shores http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54573 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54573#comments Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:53:11 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54573 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54573>Article Link</a> The cooling property market in China is likely to attract more of its construction firms to the UAE. Experts are warning that the appointment of the new Chinese premier Xi Jinping is unlikely to mean any significant loosening of the rules restricting property development in the country as China continues to focus on long-term economic reform. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54573 Manila rising, so are rents as confidence in Philippines grows http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54571 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54571#comments Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:52:35 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54571 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54571>Article Link</a> Manila’s changing skyline demonstrates a city coming up in the world. The capital of the Philippines is in the throes of a property boom described as the best in two decades, reflecting the increasing confidence in an economy that only recently began shedding its image as one of the region’s basket cases. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54571 Why home builders have been perking up http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54541 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54541#comments Thu, 22 Nov 2012 00:43:07 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54541 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54541>Article Link</a> Sentiment, not to mention stock prices, of home builders are perking up, and they have good reason. The inventory of existing homes is at a 10-year low, according to data released Monday by the National Association of Realtors. At the current sales rate, inventories represent a 5.4-month supply, the leanest supply since 2006. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54541 Housing starts in U.S. increase to four-year high http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54518 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54518#comments Wed, 21 Nov 2012 01:05:02 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54518 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54518>Article Link</a> New-home construction unexpectedly climbed to a four-year high in October, more evidence of a revival in the industry that’s helping propel the U.S. economy. Housing starts rose 3.6 percent to a 894,000 annual rate, the fastest since July 2008 and exceeding all estimates in a Bloomberg survey, Commerce Department figures showed in Washington. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54518 Baghdad builds 5,200 residential units for USD348m http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54398 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54398#comments Wed, 14 Nov 2012 03:00:40 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54398 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54398>Article Link</a> Baghdad has commenced the construction of 5,200 residential units, a project expected to take between 10 and 24 months, in five localities at a cost of USD 348 million, an official told Zawya. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54398 Waiting for housing to drive the US economy http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54338 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54338#comments Fri, 09 Nov 2012 03:56:53 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54338 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54338>Article Link</a> The US housing market is on the mend, but the so-called “missing piston” of the world’s biggest economy doesn’t have enough power to get the broader recovery firing on all cylinders any time soon. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54338 Dubai’s illusory real estate rebound http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54328 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54328#comments Fri, 09 Nov 2012 03:54:07 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54328 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54328>Article Link</a> In the past few weeks, several high-profile Dubai construction projects on hold since the global financial meltdown of 2008 have been revived. Among the eye-catchers: a skyscraper with nine swimming pools, a mile-long canal winding its way around office buildings, and a replica of the Taj Mahal a mere four times bigger than the original. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54328 Bangalore’s office real estate stock set to reach 100 mln square feet http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54275 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54275#comments Wed, 07 Nov 2012 03:45:22 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54275 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54275>Article Link</a> Bangalore’s metamorphosis from ‘Garden City’ to India’s ‘Silicon Valley’ has been remarkable. The tremendous growth of the IT/ITeS industry has revolutionised the residential real estate and retail markets, and triggered massive infrastructure development. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54275 Waiting for housing to drive the U.S. economy http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54244 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54244#comments Mon, 05 Nov 2012 02:59:47 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54244 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54244>Article Link</a> The U.S. housing market is on the mend, but the so-called “missing piston” of the world’s biggest economy doesn’t have enough power to get the broader recovery firing on all cylinders any time soon. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54244 Plans to build Europe’s tallest towers in Paris make headway http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54241 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54241#comments Mon, 05 Nov 2012 02:59:03 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54241 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=54241>Article Link</a> Despite resistance from local groups in Paris’ La Defence district, it looks as though a 2.2 billion euro project to develop what would be Europe’s tallest buildings – eclipsing even London’s controversial ‘Shard’ tower – may be making headway. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=54241 Great wall builders: The world’s biggest construction companies http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53920 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53920#comments Fri, 26 Oct 2012 01:21:13 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53920 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53920>Article Link</a> Not so long ago Japanese construction firms were the competitors that Western ones feared the most. But in less than a decade the Japanese have disappeared from International Construction magazine’s annual top ten, with their places taken—inevitably—by the Chinese. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=53920 Is Istanbul’s new skyline a boom or a bubble? http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53870 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53870#comments Thu, 25 Oct 2012 01:35:33 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53870 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53870>Article Link</a> With the windows on its towering blocks half-fitted and steel girders exposed, downtown Istanbul’s Zorlu Center appears to be just another construction site. But step inside the sales office and the illusion begins. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=53870 Cairo property market shows signs of recovery http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53869 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53869#comments Thu, 25 Oct 2012 01:35:19 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53869 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53869>Article Link</a> Egypt resolves disputes with UAE developers l Emaar/Al-Futtaim JV to develop $819m Cairo Gate l Emaar launches mainstay of $2.1bn Cairo scheme. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=53869 Giant Taj Mahal can’t hide Dubai’s weak real estate market http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53868 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53868#comments Thu, 25 Oct 2012 01:34:58 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53868 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53868>Article Link</a> Dubai proclaimed its real estate comeback in the only style it knows: grandiose. A replica of the Taj Mahal about four times bigger than the original, a skyscraper with nine swimming pools and a mile-long canal winding its way around office buildings are among the high-profile projects unveiled in the past few weeks. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=53868 Singapore: Significantly more housing units to be completed in 2014 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53538 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53538#comments Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:33:25 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53538 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53538>Article Link</a> 26,800 Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats and 22,400 non-landed private housing units are projected to be completed in 2014. The numbers are significantly higher than those projected for this year — 11,300 HDB flats and 12,500 non-landed private housing units are expected to be completed in 2012. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=53538 Gloom for UK construction as Hanson plans to cut capacity by 10pct http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53194 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53194#comments Fri, 05 Oct 2012 03:34:32 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53194 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53194>Article Link</a> Job losses are set to be announced by a leading building products firm in response to the “dreadful” UK construction market. Britain’s construction sector is faring even worse than feared, was the message from industry as two more firms reacted to the dire market with action threatening hundreds of jobs. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=53194 Australian construction contracts fastest pace in year http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53188 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53188#comments Fri, 05 Oct 2012 03:32:19 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53188 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53188>Article Link</a> Australia’s building industry shrank in September by the most in 12 months, led by a deepening downturn in residential and commercial construction, a private gauge showed. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=53188 US builders increase spending on homes, cut commercial real estate and gov’t projects http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53083 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53083#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2012 01:59:53 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53083 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53083>Article Link</a> U.S. builders spent more to construct homes in August, further evidence of a housing rebound. Still, the increase couldn’t offset cuts in public projects and commercial real estate. Overall construction spending dipped 0.7 percent in August from July, the Commerce Department reported Monday. It was the second straight monthly decline. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=53083 Malta: Property market is stagnant http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53072 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53072#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2012 01:54:39 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53072 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53072>Article Link</a> The property market and the construction industry are sectors that, like other business activities, employ and engage hundreds of workers both directly and indirectly. To the untrained eye these sectors are the exclusive domain of property speculators who up until the last general elections have been hiking prices artificially and beyond their real value unashamedly. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=53072 Saudi Arabia needs SR1.3trln to build 2.4mln new houses until 2020 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53070 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53070#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2012 01:53:45 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53070 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=53070>Article Link</a> Saudi Arabia needs SR1.3 trillion investment to construct 2.4 million housing units between 2011-2020, the National Commercial Bank said Sunday in its “Saudi Housing Review” for the month of September 2012. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=53070 Beijing’s home trading volume to Q3 passed the volume of last year http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52969 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52969#comments Fri, 28 Sep 2012 04:04:42 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52969 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52969>Article Link</a> According to Beijing Urban Construction Commission, up to September 25th, 75775 suits of commercial homes have been sold, which has surpassed the whole trading volume of 72007 suits last year. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=52969 Spain’s boom-era building gear sold as developers cut off http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52934 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52934#comments Thu, 27 Sep 2012 03:47:05 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52934 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52934>Article Link</a> Angel Fernandez used to travel to the Netherlands to buy equipment for Spanish homebuilders when they were powering Europe’s third-biggest construction market. Now he watches as buyers come to take diggers, excavators and trucks to countries where they won’t just gather dust. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=52934 Europe’s tallest residential tower in London gets planning go ahead http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52565 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52565#comments Tue, 18 Sep 2012 03:27:59 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52565 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52565>Article Link</a> Europe’s tallest residential tower is set to be built in Vauxhall central London with a decision that is regarded as demonstrating the government’s new hands off approach to planning and housing delivery. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=52565 Homebuilding probably climbed with sales: U.S. economy preview http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52527 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52527#comments Mon, 17 Sep 2012 01:35:05 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52527 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52527>Article Link</a> Mark VitnerNew home construction and sales of previously owned houses probably climbed in August, a sign residential real estate is one of the economy’s few bright spots, economists said before reports this week. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=52527 Taiwan: New construction boom defies gloom http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52517 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52517#comments Mon, 17 Sep 2012 01:32:01 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52517 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=52517>Article Link</a> Taiwan’s new construction volume for the coming month hit an eight-year high, as developers and construction firms stay upbeat about the housing market, unfazed by credit tightening among state-run lenders and sluggish existing home sales last month, a real-estate survey showed. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=52517 Portuguese construction sector in crisis http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=51932 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=51932#comments Thu, 30 Aug 2012 01:40:07 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=51932 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=51932>Article Link</a> Since the beginning of the year, 868 companies disappeared and the construction sector is currently losing 90 jobs per hour. Unemployment in construction hit a new record high in 2012. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=51932 US home construction dips, but signs point up http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=51359 http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=51359#comments Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:00:15 +0000 Laxman http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=51359 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Realestate_Briefing/?p=51359>Article Link</a> post thumbnail

Joel Naroff U.S. builders broke ground on slightly fewer homes in July than June. But in a hopeful sign for future construction, applications for building permits rose to their highest level since August 2008. (more…)

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