14 Apr 2023

Earlier this month, Oscar-winning actor Brad Pitt sold his Hollywood Hills estate for $39 million days before a mansion tax was implemented. The actor completed the transaction ahead of the April 1 introduction of a 5.5 percent tax on all Los Angeles real estate sales over $10 million, saving him nearly $2.1 million in taxes. The house was built in 1915 and is located near the border of Hollywood Hills and Los Feliz. Pitt sold the property in an off-market transaction.Read more

13 Apr 2023

Last week, Britain’s Home REIT stated that it is actively considering the possibility of selling some of its properties in the near future, as the housing provider deals with various challenges, including tenants defaulting on rent payments. Home REIT has recently been in the spotlight due to an unsolicited takeover approach from Bluestar Group Ltd in February, as well as concerns raised by Viceroy Research in a short-selling report about the ability of the company’s tenants to fulfil their rent obligations.Read more

PNT Reporter

11 Apr 2023

Amancio Ortega, the founder of Zara and a billionaire from Spain, has purchased a high-end apartment building in Dublin, Ireland, containing 120 units for rental purposes. The transaction, which amounts to roughly 100 million euros ($108 million), was announced last week by Ortega’s private company, Pontegadea. This acquisition marks the first time that Ortega’s firm has purchased a residential property outside of the United States, and it is part of the company’s plan to invest in various real estate assets.Read more

PNT Reporter

10 Apr 2023

Last week, Blackstone Inc announced that it had once again prevented investors from withdrawing money from its real estate income trust, which is worth $70 billion. This action was taken in March due to a high number of redemption requests, which the private equity firm had been experiencing. Blackstone has been using its authority to block investor withdrawals from BREIT since November, as the number of requests surpassed 5% of the fund’s net asset value.Read more

PNT Reporter

05 Apr 2023

According to sources, Shimao Group, a property developer in China, is looking to sell its hotel located near the Hong Kong international airport. This decision could aid the company in repaying its debts. Based on market valuations, the transaction is anticipated to bring in a minimum of HK$6.5 billion ($828 million). Last year, like many other Chinese property developers, Shanghai-based Shimao defaulted, and is presently undergoing the process of restructuring its offshore debt worth $11.8 billion.Read more

PNT Reporter

04 Apr 2023

The Flatiron Building, an iconic triangular-shaped skyscraper in New York, was sold at an auction for $190 million after a court order. The 22-story building was constructed in 1902 and is famous for its resemblance to a clothes iron. The winning bid was almost four times the initial price of $50 million, thanks to intense competition among bidders. However, the bidder Jacob Garlick has missed the deadline to pay the 10 percent down payments which has resulted in the building going to the second highest bidder Gural for $189.5 million.Read more

PNT Reporter

03 Apr 2023

Sunac China, a property developer facing difficulties, announced last week that it has come to an agreement with a group of creditors outside of China to restructure its debt worth $9 billion. Sunac is among the major property developers in China that struggled last year due to a debt crisis in the sector. Last week, China Evergrande Group, a property developer with the highest debt in the world, declared its intention to restructure its offshore debt worth $22.7 billion. This move has the potential to set an example for other struggling companies in the same industry and influence investors’ perception of China’s troubled real estate market.Read more

PNT Reporter

30 Mar 2023

The average 30-year US mortgage rate dropped to 6.42%, marking the second consecutive week of decline, according to Freddie Mac. As the spring homebuying season begins, this decrease, coupled with stabilizing home prices, offers potential for a housing market rebound. The national median home price also experienced its first annual decline in 13 years, down 0.2% to $363,000. Despite market uncertainty and the Fed's rate hikes, economists remain optimistic that the recovering housing market will bring more favourable conditions for prospective homebuyers in the coming weeks.Read more

PNT Reporter

30 Mar 2023

Creditors and analysts are not convinced by China Evergrande Group’s proposal to restructure its offshore debts, which is seen as a test of investor confidence in the financially-strained real estate industry. The restructuring plan, which involves a lengthy repayment period and insufficient incentives, has failed to impress. Evergrande is currently the most heavily indebted developer globally, with approximately $300 billion in liabilities.Read more

PNT Reporter

29 Mar 2023

According to the 2023 Demographia International Housing Affordability report, Sydney’s housing market has once again been ranked as the second least affordable in the world, marking the second consecutive year in which this has occurred. The report notes that house prices in Sydney have risen at a rate six times faster than inflation, indicating that the pandemic’s demand shock has continued to affect house affordability in 2022.Read more