PROPERTY investors who intend to scout for high-rise buildings can now refer to a new guide book ? An Insider’s Guide to Real Estate in Penang.

Published by Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang) Sdn Bhd, the property guide consists of details of high-rise properties in the state, such as the estimated selling price and other information.

The book drew inspiration from an earlier successful Henry Butcher book, From Penang With Love, a real estate guide for expatriates.

According to Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang) director Dr Jason Teoh, the book includes contemporary real estate centric articles from experts in the industry.

The guide book also includes statistical research of the House Price Index and the update of the Boom and Crisis Grid.

Launched on the first day of the Star Property Fair 2011, the book can be purchased at a price of RM200 at the office of Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang) in Burmah Road.

Visitors to the fair, however, can get it at a cheaper price of RM150 at the Salon III and IV function rooms of Level 2, G Hotel, where the talks and forums are being held.

SOURCE: The Star

GEORGE TOWN: It is better late than never for 38-year-old Danny Lim, as he managed to walk home with an Acer Iconia Tab computer tablet after almost missing out on the ?Surf, Click and Win? contest.

The managing director of the Capital Wealth Management admitted that he almost forgot about the lucky draw contest, as he was enjoying dinner with his friends.

?Fortunately another friend called and reminded me about the draw and I managed to take home this gadget,? he said.

?I tried to win the contest on Thursday but I was not lucky enough to earn the special draw cube.

?However, for the second time around, Lady Luck smiled on me,? he added.

Semi-retired Neoh Teik Hock, 57, also went home happy after winning the Samsung Galaxy Tab device.

He said he would probably give the tablet to his wife as he did not fancy such technological gadgets.

?I prefer a much simpler device and do not really understand how to use the gadget,? he said.

?I had participated in events like Penang Starwalk but did not win anything; so I am delighted to win something here,? he said.

The biggest winner of last night was Peter Lim Cheng Teik as he walked away with the Samsung 32-inch LCD TV.

Peter said that the arrival of the new TV could not have come at a better time as he had thought about getting a new one soon.

?By winning this new TV, I can now save up my money for other things,? he said.

The 31-year-old, who is an avid reader of The Star, said he was scouting for a few property to invest in.

Peter, Neoh and Danny were among the 10 lucky winners who qualified for the special draw of the ?Surf, Click & Win? contest.

Ten contestants will be picked daily throughout the four-day fair for the daily grand draw at 8.30pm,

There would be a special draw for each of the two remaining days of the fair.

Other prizes include seven Parkson shopping vouchers worth RM200 each.

To join the contest, participants will have to bring along a cut-out coupon printed in The Star today and tomorrow.

Visitors need to fill in the contest forms with their personal particulars and answer three questions online at the contest booths set up on the ground floor of Gurney Plaza?s new wing (in front of Topshop) and near the entrance of G Hotel.

Those who answer all three questions correctly will be entitled to a lucky dip.

Folk who pick a cube marked ?special draw? will be eligible to participate in the daily special draws.

SOURCE: The Star

YOUNG couples made up an unusually large number of visitors who thronged the Star Property Fair 2011 at the ground floor of Gurney Plaza and Level 2, G Hotel.

Many of them, however, were not first-time buyers but were instead looking for property for investment purposes.

Among them were Dr Shahul Hamid Ahmad Shah, 34, and his wife Zafrina Ismail, 32, who were checking out condominiums that were near completion.

“The 1-World 2 project in Bayan Lepas by Ideal Home Properties Sdn Bhd looks appealing. Besides, the location is near my current house,” he said, when met at the developer’s booth yesterday.

He added that they were also looking for a semi-detached house on the island to move into.

“We need more space and a better environment for our two children, aged five and three.”

Another couple, construction company director Lim Wei Pin, 27, and his wife Koh Saw San, 25, a contract executive, said it was their first time at the fair and they were thrilled by the choices and options available.

“The Oasis Condominium by Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd looks great. We will also check out a few other property launched by credible developers here,” he said.

Freelance photographer Mike Chan, 32, said he was drawn to the three-storey link house launched by MTT Properties and Development Sdn Bhd in Balik Pulau.

“We love property that are located in the outskirts,” said Chan, who was accompanied by his girlfriend Lynn Seng, 26.

Touted as Penang’s premier property expo, the Star Property Fair, in its ninth edition, is open daily from 10am to 10pm until Sunday.

It is organised by The Star in collaboration with Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang) Sdn Bhd.

Other exhibitors include IJM Land, Ivory Properties Group, Belleview Group, DNP Land Sdn Bhd, Sunway Grand Sdn Bhd, Mah Sing Group Bhd, Reka Indah Development (Pg) Sdn Bhd, SP Setia, Boon Siew Group (BSG Property) and Plenitude Heights Sdn Bhd.

There are also Triental Land Sdn Bhd, GD Development Sdn Bhd, Lone Pine Group of Companies, ResCom Asia Sdn Bhd, Capitawealth International Sdn Bhd, KPWG International Sdn Bhd, Tambun Indah Development Sdn Bhd, Bukit Kiara Properties Sdn Bhd, E&O Bhd and Jalin Realty.

Henry Butcher is also featuring projects by Magna Putih Sdn Bhd and several properties in Australia and England by various developers.

There is also a series of talks related to property, investment, financing, law, heritage and feng shui. They are being held daily at the stage area at the new wing of Gurney Plaza and in Salon III and IV at G Hotel.

Visitors also stand a chance to win prizes totalling RM30,000 in the ?Surf, Click & Win? contest sponsored by IJM Land. Ten prizes are up for grabs daily, including a 32? Samsung LCD television, Acer Iconia Tabs, Samsung Galaxy Tabs and Parkson vouchers. To participate, simply cut out the ?Surf, Click & Win? coupon in The Star which will appear in the newspaper until Sunday.

There will also be daily cut-out coupons in The Star until Sunday for redemption of a mystery gift each at The Star circulation booth on the ground floor of Gurney Plaza?s new wing on a first-come-first-served basis.

Hong Leong Bank Bhd is sponsoring RM5,000 worth of mystery gifts.

SOURCE: The Star

EXHIBITORS at the Star Property Fair 2011 were having a busy time as the premier property expo at G Hotel and Gurney Plaza in Penang entered its second day.

Sunway City Berhad senior executive for sales and marketing Jenny Khor said the number of visitors making enquires yesterday was much more, compared to the opening day.

?Many visitors to our booth even made appointments to view the showroom of our projects,? she said.

Reka Indah Development Penang Sdn Bhd (RID) also had a productive day, said its marketing executive Jasmine See.

?We have many enquiries but visitors intending to purchase are directed to our sales gallery at Bay Avenue in Bayan Lepas. This is to avoid double selling,? she explained.

See added that potential buyers usually want to have a first-hand look at the showroom as well, other than the usual miniature model on display.

Over at the booth of DNP Land Sdn Bhd, its staff was swamped with enquires on its new residential project, Jesselton Hills, located in Alma, Bukit Mertajam.

?We have five reservations for the project, which consists of more than 800 units of bungalows, semi-detached houses and linked homes,? said its assistant marketing manager Helen Khor.

She is anticipating a larger crowd over the weekend as the visitors on day two were much more than on the opening day.

While local real estate is in hot demand with numerous sales and countless enquiries, interest in overseas properties is comparatively slower, according to ResCom Asia marketing manager Kenny Teh.

?This is normal as buyers? attention is more on domestic properties. Nevertheless, we still had a number of enquiries,? he said.

SOURCE: The Star

GEORGE TOWN: The increase in the number of exhibitors at the Star Property Fair 2011 here is an indication that the property market in Penang is still vibrant.

Star Publications (M) Bhd group managing director and chief executive officer Ho Kay Tat said there were 36 exhibitors now compared with 29 last year.

“We can expect a turnout of more than 30,000 visitors to the fair this year,” he said when opening the four-day fair at G Hotel here yesterday.

The fair is being held at Level Two of the hotel and ground floor of the neighbouring Gurney Plaza from 10am to 10pm daily until Sunday.

It is the ninth time the annual fair is being held. Admission is free.

Ho said that due to the stronger ringgit, foreign properties had also caught the attention of local investors.

“Thus, there are developers at the fair showcasing properties in the UK and Australia,” he added.

Ho said that since the 1980s, The Star had been involved in organising events, pointing out: “We started out doing education fairs and we found that such events can be very successful and popular.”

On The Star’s old office on Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling, Ho said the office was being renovated.

“The building is strategically located within a neighbourhood of historical significance.

“We will soon release details of what we want to do with it,” he added.

The fair is organised by The Star in collaboration with Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang) Sdn Bhd.

The exhibitors include almost all the big boys in the housing industry along with several financial institutions.

Key exhibitors include IJM Land, Sunway Grand, Mah Sing, Ideal Property Development, SP Setia Group, Boon Siew Group, Ivory Properties Group, Nusmetro Venture, MTT Properties & Deve­lopment, Reka Indah Develop- ment, Belleview Group and DNP Land.

IJM Land is sponsoring RM30,000 worth of prizes for the “Surf, Click & Win” contest.

Among the many visitors to the fair yesterday was Roslina Begum Baharudeen who said she was very keen on the Pearl Villas homes developed by Tambun Indah Land Berhad Group at Simpang Ampat.

“I am inclined towards this property because the second Penang bridge, schools and banks are nearby.

“This is a suitable place to start a family,” said Roslina.

Goh Ai Lin, 50, who was looking for an apartment on the island, lamented that property prices in Penang were going up year after year.

SOURCE: The Star