TOPIC

Asia housing and property

Asia housing and property
Latest news and analysis about housing and property in Asia, covering sales, market outlook and investment trends, policies related to affordability and foreign ownership, and the performance of developers.
Under new rules, individuals who sell a residential property within two years of buying it will pay VAT at 3 per cent instead of 5 per cent. Photo: Getty
China property

Beijing trims property resale tax in fresh push to stabilise housing market

Under new rules, sellers will pay just 3 per cent VAT if they offload a property within two years of purchase, down from 5 per cent.

Property financing

The View | How AI helped Asia’s real estate sector pass the tariff stress test

China consumption

China vows city-specific fixes to clear housing glut, stabilise property sector

videocam
17
Architecture and design

Gilded interiors draw improbable luxury from the forest floor

This capacious home for a multigenerational family that likes to entertain is extravagant yet rooted in nature.

The dining room in the house in Tai Po, Hong Kong, designed by Seehow Design. Photo: Jason To / Black Cat Image
Japan

Losing ground: Japan sounds alarm over foreign-owned land

From next year, anyone buying property will have to confirm their nationality – a move some analysts say is overkill.

videocam
Japan

Will Japan’s young embrace 50-year loans amid rising housing prices?

Opting for 50-year loans lowers monthly costs, but the long-term risks are mounting.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Japan

Japan boosts scrutiny after Chinese buyers lead property rush near critical sites

Japan to require nationality disclosure for land near key sites after study finds Chinese nationals bought half of 3,498 such properties in 2024.

A view of the skyline of Tokyo, Japan. Many foreign buyers purchased Tokyo-area condos and flats for investment. Photo: Shutterstock
India

The View | After vitalising its property market, India must shore up its weaknesses

The sustainability of the real estate boom will depend on how well New Delhi can address lingering gaps in affordability and infrastructure.

Malaysia

Southeast Asia’s rich buy sky garages while the middle class lose their homes

As wealthy buyers seek penthouses with living-room supercar parking, struggling families battle banks to keep a roof overhead.

videocam
6
International Property

Hongkong Land poised to launch US$6 billion Singapore property fund

The real estate fund, including stakes in One Raffles Quay and Marina Bay Financial Centre, will be Singapore’s largest, company says.

People walk across the Jubilee Bridge at the Marina Bay waterfront in Singapore on November 21, 2025. Photo: AFP
South Korea

‘Only option I had’: as Seoul rents jump, many forced back into tiny rooms

More youngsters are being pushed into cramped goshiwon units as affordable housing crisis in the South Korean capital deepens.

videocam
A man studies in his small room in a dormitory-style accommodation in Seoul, South Korea. Photo: Reuters
International Property

The View | Asia’s housing affordability squeeze shows no signs of slowing

Some of the sharpest increases in property values are in economies facing major headwinds or those suffering from an acute shortage of affordable housing.

videocam
Hong Kong property

Hong Kong home sales recovery looks more solid as prices edge up

Mortgage and resale data both show a sustained rise in sentiment amid improving rates, prices and rental yields, agents say.

5
Hong Kong economy

Opinion | A vacancy tax could bring back Hong Kong’s commercial buzz

The city’s magic comes from its energy and speed, not empty units. A gentle policy nudge could boost vibrancy and long-term asset values.

11
A worker sticks up another rental advertisement on the shutter of a vacant shop in Mong Kok on May 2. Photo: Elson Li
Japan

The View | Takaichi’s nationalism and fiscal stimulus test Japan’s property market

Despite market pressures, cost-of-living concerns and the diplomatic row with China, other factors have a strong bearing on the nation’s real estate.

videocam
Chinese tourists wheel suitcases through the Ginza shopping district of Tokyo on November 19. China’s Foreign Ministry and its embassy in Japan have advised Chinese citizens against future travel to Japan following recent remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi concerning Taiwan. Photo: EPA
Interiors

Even the cat matches the decor in this chic, Parisian-inspired flat

After a two-year search, a Hong Kong couple finally found a rare, light-filled flat – and transformed it with calm, clever design.

Hong Kong property

Hong Kong and Singapore prime office rents set to equalise by 2027: CBRE

The projected increase in Singapore’s office rents could influence how companies allocate manpower between the two cities.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
China property

Sellers hope superstition can sell homes in China’s depressed market

Prayers, talismans and lucky emoji bring hope in a market where second-hand home prices have been falling for more than three years.

Residential buildings in Shanghai, pictured on September 28, 2024. Photo: AFP
South Korea

Macroscope | South Korea’s challenges a taste of what’s to come for global economy

While South Korea has been a big beneficiary of the AI boom, the surge is also highlighting its domestic and geopolitical vulnerabilities.

videocam
Artificial intelligence

The View | An AI-fuelled data centre bubble in the making? Not in Asia

Asia provides strong reassurance that the AI boom is not the only factor driving development and investment in data centres.

videocam
International Property

Australia draws mainland China, Hong Kong homebuyers amid stable policies, economy

Australia’s luxury property segment is expected to see increased interest from affluent investors looking for cost-efficient safe havens.

Australia ranked as the second most popular global destination for Chinese homebuyers, behind Thailand, in the first half of 2025. Photo: Getty Images
Architecture and design

Their dream was to own a Hong Kong junk: restoring it wasn’t smooth sailing

A family’s pandemic project became a design odyssey, turning a rotting boat into a sun-washed escape with coastal-Florida flair.

The saloon aboard Serendipity. Photo: Eugene Chan; Styling: Flavia Markovits
Hong Kong property

Returning expats fuel Hong Kong’s luxury rental rebound, Savills says

High-end residential rents set to climb 3 to 5 per cent next year amid strengthened appeal of business and education sectors: consultancy.

9
Vietnam

The View | Why Vietnam’s property sector has weathered Trump’s tariff typhoon well

Trump’s tariff blitz has not just provided an impetus for reforms, it has helped address misconceptions about Vietnam’s manufacturing sector.

videocam
China property

China’s Reit to grow to US$1 trillion as developers shift focus: Morgan Stanley

Developers are expected to change direction, sharpening their focus on recurring rental income and property management fees.

Morgan Stanley estimates annual urban private housing demand in China would soften to 15 million to 17 million units from 2024 to 2030. Photo EPA
South Korea

The View | Why South Korea’s house prices continue to be out of control

Alarmist talk from the South Korean president, following three rounds of cooling measures, is not inspiring confidence.

videocam
A view of Seoul from Lotte World Tower on September 5. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong economy

Editorial | For Hong Kong’s fiscal health, commercial land sales should resume

With so many development projects in the pipeline, the government cannot wait until the property market has fully recovered.

China property

Opinion | Amid a wave of foreclosures, China’s homeowners could use a break

To share losses more evenly among the financial system, Beijing ought to take pre-emptive steps to protect borrowers and keep prices stable.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement