The U.S. housing market is reaching a bottom, according to Lewis Ranieri, the mortgage-bond pioneer. While “broad” concern that home prices have further to fall is restraining sales, “many, myself included, think we are at a bottom,” Ranieri said.
The second or third quarter will prove the nadir, said Ranieri, who added that in his distressed mortgage business “we can’t buy loans fast enough anymore.” Home prices have slumped 35 percent since a 2006 peak, S&P/Case-Shiller index data show………………………………………..Full Article: Source

Investment turnover in the European retail property market slowed in the first quarter of 2012 (Q1 2012) with few large transactions taking place. However, investor sentiment remains buoyant and activity is expected increase from Q2 2012 onwards, according to the latest report from global real estate adviser CBRE.
The retail property investment market in Europe totaled €4.6 billion in Q1 2012, which represents a 64% fall in activity compared with the last quarter of 2011 and less than a half of the quarterly average from the last two years of €9.4 billion………………………………………..Full Article: Source

Downward slide evidence of faltering economic confidence, says group, but London house prices experiencing a ‘mini-boom’ . The early 2012 rebound in the housing market has run out of steam, according to Britain’s surveyors, who have reported price declines and falling activity across the country in April in the latest evidence of a broader economic slowdown.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said that 19% more surveyors reported price falls than price rises, while newly agreed sales turned negative and the number of properties on the books of surveyors rose again………………………………………..Full Article: Source

A recent rebound in the housing market has “run out of steam” following the ending of a stamp duty concession for first-time buyers, a study said.
The number of newly agreed sales has weakened, with a balance of 6% of chartered surveyors across the UK reporting decreases rather than increases in sales in April, the first time transaction levels have entered negative territory since last September………………………………………..Full Article: Source

In order to safeguard the interest and equal treatment of all the fund-holders in SEB ImmoInvest, it has been decided that SEB ImmoInvest will be dissolved at the latest as of 30 April 2017. SEB ImmoInvest, a German real estate fund with 132 property investments and total assets of EUR 6bn, is managed by SEB’s asset management company in Germany, SEB Investment GmbH.
SEB ImmoInvest has since it was launched in 1989 been one of the best performing German real estate funds with an average annual return of 5.2 per cent. Following the dislocations in the markets during the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, the liquidity in the fund was hampered. Thus, in order to safeguard the equal treatment of all fund holders, SEB ImmoInvest was closed for redemptions in May 2010, just as the case for many other German real estate funds . (Press Release)

Despite the increased year-on-year take-up volume registered at the end of 2011, the industrial market in Romania is still characterized by over-supply, with no significant change registered in terms of vacancy rate as at Q1 2012.
In 2011, approximately 70,000 m² of industrial and logistics space was completed nationally, out of which only 30,000 m² was developed speculatively – 10,000 m² in Timisoara by VGP and 20,000 m² in Ploiesti by Alinso Group………………………………………..Full Article: Source

The real estate market of Baku observes a trend of growth of prices and activity. Nusret Ibrahimov, general director of consulting company MBA Group, informs that in April prices rose by 0.9%, by 1.6% against early 2012, and by 5.9% against March 2011.
“Prices in the primary housing market of Baku in April dropped by 2.3% from $872 to $852 per sq m, by 0.3% versus early 2012 and by 6.5% against the same term of last year. At that, prices on the secondary market grew by 0.3% for April from $1,432 per sq m up to $1.437 per sq m, by 4.1% against early 2012 and by 4% versus April 2011,” Ibrahimov said………………………………………..Full Article: Source

Board member of the Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors (Rics) Cyprus Pavlos Loizou has said the economic situation in the country is impacting the real estate sector.
He stated: “Property and rental prices continue to drop, mainly due to the unfavourable economic climate, the negative forecasts for the broader economy, the lack of sponsorship and the low performances [of real estate assets].”……………………………………….Full Article: Source

Qatar’s strong economic performance driven by high energy prices and the government’s investments as well as preparation for Fifa 2022 are driving real estate demand in the country, a report said.
DTZ, one of the top global real estate services firms, predicts a positive outlook as a result of demand for all types of real estate in its latest update on Qatar’s real estate market………………………………………..Full Article: Source

Real estate brokers in Kuwait are facing a hard time, voicing out their grouses against the low percentage earned in commission after sealing a deal, which accounts to only one percent. Sometimes, they lose out on this ‘cut’ when parties involved sell and buy through the Ministry of Justice.
According to Abdulrahman Al-Habib, Chairman of the Union for Real Estate Brokers, the Kuwait Clearance Company should be accorded more power to protect the rights of citizens, in terms of real estate brokerage………………………………………..Full Article: Source

Property prices seem to be going up steadily in India’s metropolises - but only in new projects. In the resale market, prices have been stagnant since 2010, say experts.
“If there is no actual price correction, there would be a time correction - that is, price will remain stagnant for a long period,” said Pankaj Kapoor, Liases Foras, a real estate research firm. “While in new properties developers are artificially jacking up prices, resale property prices have been the same since 2010 in all metros.”……………………………………….Full Article: Source

Discounts offered to attract new buyers already set off protests at three property companies in Hangzhou last week. Homeowners gathered in the sales offices, holding up signs and funeral wreaths from May 3 to 5 asking for compensation.
There have been nearly 20 similar protests in Hangzhou this year, local media reported on Monday. The Beijing Times said the three developers slashed their prices from 2,000 yuan to 4,000 yuan ($320 to $640) a square meter………………………………………..Full Article: Source

In a speech to the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Hong Kong, the Financial Secretary John C Tsang said that the government’s initiatives to maintain a stable property market have been fairly effective, but that it would have “no hesitation in applying further measures,” if necessary.
He considered that Hong Kong still needs to avoid the possibility of “a potentially dangerous housing bubble forming in the market,” but that it has “the financial resources and the tools at (its) disposal to achieve a positive outcome.”……………………………………….Full Article: Source

Big assignment deals in the real estate market are expected to be made in some more days, when the market conditions are good enough for purchases and sales.
Soho Vietnam, a real estate consultancy firm is conducting negotiations with its partners to promote some assignment deals. Soho Vietnam’s President Phan Xuan Can said he has in his hand the list of 10 investors, who have ordered to buy some projects, committing to disburse 30-500 billion dong in cash………………………………………..Full Article: Source

The current state of real estate markets suggests a temporary deceleration in the on-going global real estate market recovery, according to Jones Lang LaSalle’s latest Global Market Perspective report.
With a brighter outlook ahead for the global economy however, sentiment is recovering and full year 2012 commercial real estate volumes are expected to match the robust levels seen in 2011………………………………………..Full Article: Source