Property Hunter Magazine Property Hunter Magazine Issue 50 - January 2014 | Page 57

He says in the past, monetary policy by way of interest rates was the main instrument used to tame asset markets. But after the global financial crisis, most countries use macroprudential measures directed at specific sectors, such as the property market. Titijaya Plans Launches Worth RM730 Million GDV in H1 of 2014 concentrated in the Petaling and Klang districts in Selangor, which Lim said would be able to sustain the group until 2021. On the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST), REHDA’s Yam calls for greater clarity on its implementation. “Although it is rumoured that residential properties may be GST exempt, developers would still need to bear the increased cost of input, which would be subject to GST and (there will be the) need to pass (on) the incremental costs. Thus, subject to further clarification, selling prices would need to be adjusted to account for the increased costs.” Khong & Jaafar’s Fernandez says: “The GST, 17 months from now, has the potential of increasing the price of residential properties by 1% to 2%, but that too will depend on the state of the market at that time. If the residential market is buoyant at that time prices may go up, but if the residential market is not that buoyant and is in a steady state, it is likely that developers may just have to absorb the “input” costs.” “Some input costs (sales tax) for building materials at present are at 5% so that means a 1% increase in the future, whereas others are at 10% and this will result in savings when the 6% GST comes into play.” Titijays’s Executive Director Charmaine Lim Titijaya Land Bhd is targeting new launches with a gross development value (GDV) of RM730 million in the first half of 2014. The new launches are its H2O mixed development project in Ara Damansara and phase two of its Embun@Kemensah project consisting of semi-detached houses. The property group, en route to a listing later this month, has completed projects with a GDV of RM1.14 billion since 2001 and has ongoing projects with a GDV of RM1.08 billion. Its chief operating officer Lim Poh Yit said Titijaya’s current land bank totalling190.2ha “The valuable insights provided by our market research has helped us identify hotspots such as Penang and the Klang Valley, where we are confident our contemporary architectural designs will appeal to potential buyers,” he said at the prospectus launch. On expansion plans, he said that RM30 million from the initial public offering (IPO) was allocated to acquire additional land bank. Executive director Charmaine Lim added that the group was still focussing on prime locations in Klang Valley and its ongoing projects. Titijaya’s unbilled sales amounted to RM500 million as at June 30, 2013. The group set a dividend policy of up to 30%, which Lim noted meant about 4% to 5% yield. Post-listing, the group’s net gearing would be 0.22x while gross gearing is 0.44x. Titijaya aims to raise some RM122.6 million from its IPO. Aside from the RM30 million allocated for land acquisitions, RM49.5 million will go into Titijaya’s working capital, RM15 million for repayment of bank borrowings, RM24.3 million for repayment of advances from previous shareholders of its subsidiary Epoch Property Sdn Bhd and RM3.8 million for the listing exercise. The group will issue 81.7 million new ordinary shares of 50 cents each, at an issue price of RM1.50. Of that, 17 million new issue shares are for the public, six million for eligible directors and employees, 34 million for bumiputra investors and 24.7 million as placement for selected investors. The listing also involves an offer for sale of 49.5 million existing shares at the same price. Upon listing, the group should have an enlarged share capital of 340 million ordinary shares of 50 cents each and 100 million redeemable convertible preference shares of 50 cents each. Don’t Pay These Cheats, Minister Tells Buyers of PR1MA Homes to pick among those who have been registered into the system. “Those who have paid these cheaters are not very smart,” he said, while taking a dig at those who had paid these “agents”. “Don’t be influenced by anyone trying to coerce payment to get a home through PR1MA,” he said. PR1MA official website Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim has cautioned potential homebuyers not to pay any booking deposit to “agents” for a home under the PR1MA scheme. been approached by individuals who told them that they needed to pay a certain amount to secure a house. He revealed that several of those who had registered under the aff