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View Full Version : CDL's bid for EC site tops closest rival's by 15.5%



mr funny
08-12-10, 21:46
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/news/story/0,4574,415940-1291406340,00.html?

Published December 3, 2010

CDL's bid for EC site tops closest rival's by 15.5%

By KALPANA RASHIWALA


CITY Developments Ltd's top bid for an executive condo (EC) plot at Segar Road in the Bukit Panjang area at a state tender yesterday was 15.5 per cent higher than the next highest bid, from EL Development.

The gap is wider than those of previous EC tenders this year, which have ranged from 0.6 per cent to 10 per cent, noted Cushman & Wakefield senior manager for Asia-Pacific research Ong Kah Seng.

At yesterday's tender, CDL unit Grand Isle Holdings bid $181.99 million or $270.51 per square foot per plot ratio, while EL Development offered $234.11 psf ppr. The tender drew five bids, the lowest at nearly $168 psf ppr from Sim Lian Land.

CDL's relatively high winning margin is probably due to the fact that it has tasted success in the location, say some market watchers. Earlier this year, it launched Tree House, a 99-year leasehold private condo, which sold out like hot cakes.

Also, the latest EC plot is a short walk from Segar LRT Station and three LRT stations away from the Bukit Panjang MRT station of the proposed Downtown Line 2, which is scheduled to be completed in 2015, said CB Richard Ellis executive director (residential) Joseph Tan.

ECs are a hybrid of public and private housing with ownership and resale restrictions in the first 10 years. After that period, they are fully privatised. EC projects, which boast private condo facilities, are an attractive housing option for buyers who meet the eligibility criteria, including a monthly household income ceiling of $10,000.

The Segar Road EC site offered at yesterday's tender by the Housing & Development Board can potentially generate about 570 EC units, according to the Government Land Sales Programme for second half 2010.

A CDL spokesman said: 'In the event that we are awarded this well-positioned EC site, we plan to build a 15-17 storey project. We see great potential in this growing district and we're confident that there'll be strong demand from young families and upgraders for an EC project on this site.'

This will be CDL's fourth EC project - after Esparis, Florida and Nuovo.

CBRE's Mr Tan estimates that CDL's breakeven cost for the latest EC site could be around $570-590 psf. 'There will be a market for this new EC project if it's priced 20-25 per cent lower than Tree House, which was completely sold at an average price of $830 psf in Q2 2010,' he added.

Nearby, units at Chestervale - a completed EC that is now fully privatised - were sold at $500-540 psf in the resale market in July-October this year, he added.

Cushman's Mr Ong said that the five bids for the latest EC tender reflect 'moderate interest from developers, given that a few EC projects are expected to be launched next year'. 'In addition, the government will release another three EC sites through the confirmed list in first-half 2011, signalling that there will be ample supply in this segment.'

The remaining bidders at yesterday's tender were a tie-up between Frasers Centrepoint and Lum Chang Building Contractors which bid about $191 psf ppr, and Pinnacle Realty, whose shareholders include Fission Holdings, with about $178 psf ppr.

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2010-12-03/krec3.jpg

mr funny
08-12-10, 22:27
http://www.straitstimes.com/Money/Story/STIStory_609813.html

Dec 3, 2010

Bukit Panjang EC site: CDL unit places top bid

By Cheryl Lim


CITY Developments (CDL) unit Grand Isle Holdings has emerged as the top bidder for an executive condominium (EC) site in Segar Road.

Yesterday's tender results saw CDL's top bid of almost $182 million, or $271 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr), coming in 15.5 per cent ahead of the second-highest offer of $157.5 million, or $234 psf ppr, submitted by EL Development.

Three other bids were submitted - Opal Star and Lum Chang Building Contractors sent in a joint offer of $128.3 million, Pinnacle Realty bid $120 million, and Sim Lian Land came in with the lowest tender at $113 million.

A CDL spokesman said the developer has plans to build a 15- to 17-storey EC on the 1,936 sq ft site and, if awarded, it would be CDL's fourth EC project.

Previous ECs developed by CDL were The Esparis in Pasir Ris, The Florida in Hougang, and Nuovo in Ang Mo Kio.

Located in Bukit Panjang, the 99-year leasehold Segar Road site has a plot ratio of 3 and a maximum gross floor area of 5,806.6 sq ft. It can potentially yield an estimated 570 units.

Mr Joseph Tan, CBRE's residential executive director, said CDL's bid translates to a breakeven cost of $570 psf to $590 psf.

He added that there will be a market for the new EC project if it is priced

20 per cent to 25 per cent lower than nearby private condo Tree House, which sold at an average price of $830 psf in the second quarter of this year.

ECs are a hybrid of public and private housing with ownership and resale restrictions applying in the first 10 years, after which they are fully privatised.

Boasting private condo facilities, they are an attractive housing option for buyers who meet the eligibility criteria, including a monthly household income ceiling of $10,000.

Under the current Residential Property Act, foreign developers are subject to the stipulated project completion period of five years.

This rule, however, does not apply to local developers.