Now that 2015 has come to an end, Realestate.com.kh would like to start 2016 with a recap of the Kingdom of Wonder and its burgeoning real estate sector.  In particular - let's review the office space and retail supply trends in Phnom Penh - 2015. Also, don't miss the Real Estate Review: 2016Real Estate developers in Phnom Penh are seemingly boosting Grade A and Grade B office space to welcome the AEC integration in 2016. The intention is to be ready for potential demand from incoming investors as the integration takes affect in 2017-2019. According to Knight Frank's report, there will be a 64% increase in office space stock by 2018: 60% of this office space will be Grade A category, 40% will be Grade B. The majority of all office space will be within Daun Penh and 7 Makara. No wonder business is booming...The retail sector is growing rapidly: New malls, such as Aeon - with Aeon 2 and Parkson on the way soon in 2016, are having a dramatic influence on Phnom Penh's retail sector. According to Knight Frank Cambodia's: “Cambodia Real Estate Highlights 1st Half 2015,” total supply is building fast 2011: 59,154sqm; 2012: 66,154sqm; 2013: 72,114sqm; 2014-15: 134,153sqm; 2016: 223,173sqm (est.); 2017: 297,591 sqm (est.). With the entrance of a host of new brands and extensions of existing franchises in the retail sector, the supply by district is evening out. The evening of the share of retail supply could be related to new and existing brands increasingly looking outside of the Phnom Penh city center, where their customers are increasingly choosing to live. Check out more great info-graphics, from Realestate.com.kh: Prime Development Land Price Growth Tops ASEAN and the Real Estate Review: 2016

Now that 2015 has come to an end, Realestate.com.kh would like to start 2016 with a recap of the Kingdom of Wonder and its burgeoning real estate sector. No wonder real estate is booming... The economy is growing rapidly: Cambodia’s economic growth over the last 10 years has been some of the fastest and most-consistent in the Southeast Asian region, recording an average GDP growth of 7.0% per year since 2010. In 2015, this rate dropped very slightly to 6.9%. Cambodia has a total population of 15.4 million, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital city and economic hub with a population of around 2.5 million, in 2015 was second only to Laos in Southeast Asia for the fastest rate of urban spatial extension, as indicated by the World Bank. One of Cambodia’s key secrets to success in its economic growth has been creating an attractive environment for foreign investment, and this remains a key driver. In 2015, Cambodia received over $4B in foreign direct investment (FDI) and has a permanent expat population of over 78,000. Realestate.com.kh suggest that Cambodia is becoming a magnet for FDI due to the abundance of low-cost labour, rapid urbanisation, an increasing middle-class consumer market, low barriers to entry for foreign businesses, relative proficiency in english language, attractive tax incentives and import/export duty exemptions, continually improving logistics networks, and an economy backed by the US dollar. Furthermore, with the solidification of ASEAN, Cambodia is well located, surrounded by strong regional economies who are increasingly outsourcing low and mid-level skilled manufacturing operations to the Kingdom. These new industrial opportunities are lessening the economy's reliance on the garment industry, and offering low-wage workers more opportunities for career and skills growth. Cambodians are also entering the global community en-masse through technology - namely through dramatic increases in internet penetration throughout the population. In 2015, Cambodia had over 5 million internet users, a third of the population. Since 2010, foreigners have also been allowed to own apartments and condominium units in Cambodia - but not land, and, accordingly, not the first floor of buildings. While foreign ownership of land in still unconstitutional, land can be easily held by foreigners on long leases that are renewable, and through majority locally-owned companies incorporated in Cambodia. These structures are arguably safer than comparative legal schemes in other Southeast Asian states in which foreign land ownership is formally prohibited. Phnom Penh Overview: Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia, situated at the confluence of three rivers, the Mekong, the Bassac and the Tonle Sap. The Phnom Penh metropolitan area is home to about 2.5 million permanent residents. Phnom Penh is Cambodia's economic centre as it accounts for the largest portion of the Cambodian economy. High economic growth rates in recent years have triggered a real estate boom in Phnom Penh and construction is taking place across the city, with a plethora of new hotels, restaurants, bars, and high rise residential and commercial buildings springing up around the city. Industrial zones at the edge of the city have also expanded continuously in recent years, along with huge growth in the “borey” sector throughout the suburbs of Phnom Penh, “borey” essentially meaning gated community residential developments with self-serving infrastructure. These types of properties are extremely popular with local buyers and offer various housing types. Most of these properties are being bought off-plan. The Phnom Penh Master Plan 2035, supposedly nearing completion by the government this year, seeks to dictate the urban planning for the expansion of the city and construct new infrastructure to accommodate the growing population. Until now, the city has had no zoning regulations of note nor identifiable urban development planning. According to Realestate.com.kh research, flats located in central Phnom Penh cost around $3000 USD p/m2, as averaged across the prime residential areas. Rents can range from $9 – $14 p/m2 per month, depending on location and quality. Villas are generally more expensive than flats, at around $3,500 to $4,500 p/m2. Rental prices for villas typically range from as low as around $6p/m2 to $27p/m2. Low-to-middle range apartment developments, targeting the local market, average $200 to $500 a month rental per unit in the central areas of Phnom Penh City. The high-end, serviced and luxury condo market is priced considerably higher than this – but these prices vary greatly across developments depending on scale, location and quality. Beoung Keng Kang, Chamkarmon, represents the highest priced district in Phnom Penh with price for land reaching 6000p/m2 in some parts. Previously, home villas were a popular option for families wishing to live in Chamkarmon generally, however, many of these villas have now either been demolished and the land sold for development, or converted into boutique hotels or restaurants. High-end condo developments and hotels are changing the area dramatically at present. However, growing congestion and a lack of parking in and around the city centre is increasingly causing problems for inner-city Phnom Penh residents. Other upcoming Phnom Penh residential property areas include the west and south of the city generally. The peninsular of Chroy Changvar is also seeing huge development from foreign and local developers, and here height restrictions on new buildings are largely unlimited. These locations are very close to central Phnom Penh yet land prices remain considerably lower. Real Estate Trends: Presently, prime and mid-level office space across Phnom Penh is rising dramatically, with a variety of new highrise projects beginning to be released into the market, or slated for completion in the coming years. These new office complexes are often coming at the cost of knocking down villas, flats and other older real estate. Grade B and C are proving most popular, as Grade A office space is beyond the budget of most local firms. Phnom Penh commercial property options are only set to boom in the upcoming future, especially with the rise of ASEAN and the AEC. Another trend is in regards to the advent of high quality shopping centers and malls. Cambodia’s first international shopping mall opened its doors in June 2014: Aeon Mall. Aeon has since seen high demand for store space from both international and local retailers. A new breed of international franchisers who have for many years ignored the Cambodian market and refused to enter it, see the attractiveness of occupying slots in complexes such as Aeon Mall as it reflects international standards of retail space and retail space management. The new mall has convinced some of these franchisers that opportunities exist and that there are viable spaces for them to locate their brand. Parkson Mall on Russian Boulevard is the next of its kind to open in Phnom Penh, and is currently under construction. Aeon 2 is also in the pipeline. TK Avenue is another well known, well-established and modern shopping plaza and cinema complex, located in Toul Kork. The condominium market in Phnom Penh continues to expand, with early investors in centrally located developments enjoying appreciation of up to 30% from off-plan purchases. High-end condominium development looks set to continue in prime residential locations, with developers also looking to offer luxury projects outside of traditional residential districts. While the condo market was originally dominated by foreign investors, Khmer buyers are beginning to demand condos, predominantly for investment purposes and rental returns. This has led to a trend of local developers offering lower-range condo development projects to the market, and these types of developments range of $30-60,000 per unit off-plan and are being bought primarily by local buyers. Domestic demand is a key element of a successful condominium project for any developer in Cambodia, due to foreign ownership of an individual building (strata law) being restricted by law to 70%. Another trend we will see more of in 2016 are mixed-development complexes, including condo, office space and retail. Realestate.com.kh suggests that the reason for this is that developers are aware of a potential oversupply in the pure-condo market in 2018-19 and are thus hedging thier bets with mixed development offerings. Increasing investment from Singaporean, Japanese, Korean, Hong Kong and Chinese residents continues to grow in Cambodia, and the comparatively high yield guaranteed by many developers is still attracting overseas purchasers who see positive chances for appreciation in Cambodian developments compared to their slowing home markets. Thus far developers in Cambodia have focussed on the highend market, and to some extend the upper middle class, as these two markets represent the lowest hanging fruit. Still, suggests Realestate.com.kh, a massive demand exists for quality, affordable housing development in Cambodia suited to the needs of the lower-middle class and lowest income earners, especially in expanding urban centers. Without any proposed government intervention in the market for this demand, this appears to offer a great opportunity to developers able to cater to this large demographic. Sihanoukville Rising: As property prices in Phnom Penh continue to push upwards, many investors are quickly being priced out of these first-tier markets, as are many developers seeking land for their next project. Sihanoukville in particular stands out as an exciting investment destination worth serious consideration. Home to the Kingdom’s only deep-water port, Sihanoukville is the capital of the province of the same name and is home to a fast-growing population of approximately 300,000. Many of Sihanoukville’s residents are there for the port or its associated export-focused manufacturing. The city is Cambodia’s second-largest manufacturing base after Phnom Penh, with most of its output consisting of garments and shoes. The government plans to transform this area into an entire Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and is currently dredging the port to support larger freight vessels. Large reserves of oil off the coast of Sihanoukville has also been prospected, and plans are being made for its extraction in the coming years. In 2015, the average percentage of growth year-on-year was around 15-25 percent for land located in the city centre of Sihanoukville, according to Realestate.com.kh research. But along the seaside road and main commercial roads, prices have rose dramatically in recent years - in some places between 40-50 percent compared to prices 2013-14. Sihanoukville offers opportunities for cheap land to be developed into resorts, offices, guest houses, hotels or apartments. As investment capital continues to flow into the region, in particular from the Chinese, the region is also seeing the beginning of a high-end condominium market, with various grand scale projects already underway. Read more great Cambodian real estate news, insights, property reviews and analysis on realestate.com.kh/news today. Also check us out on Facebook. Check out more great info-graphics, from Realestate.com.kh: Prime Development Land Price Growth Tops ASEAN

Whether you are approaching retirement, want to cut down your commute time, sick of an uncontrollable garden, or maybe just fancy a move – it could be a good time to downsize your home!Downsizing is a great way to cash in on your current real estate asset, especially when the market is hot - and can help you save some extra money once you move into a smaller, more-manageable home. What makes property owners want to downsize? - Here are a few of the most common reasons.  Finally free from the kids!When your children move out to go to university, start a job in the big city, or marry and start their own family – your current house might have vacant bedrooms and lots of excess space. It can be great always having the bathroom available - but when there is a chance to cash in on your property asset by downsizing your home you had better ask yourself "Do you need such a big home now?" Without your kids causing havoc, a big home might feel empty once they go. It also requires a lot of cleaning and maintenance, without any real benefits for those still living there. If this sounds like something happening in your home, try marketing your property for sale and consider downsizing. What is the difference between a deposit and a down-payment?  Cut the Commute:Generally, the closer your home is to the CBD, the more expensive the land/property is. This is why inner-city workers are increasingly looking to apartments and condos in Phnom Penh.  If your house is in the suburbs of the city, but your workplace is in the center – every day you might be spending hours in traffic. So for those who know they will need to live in the city for years to come – consider downsizing your home, and move to an affordable apartment or condo in the inner-city.  Cut Living Costs:A home is always in need of cleaning and other general maintenance; a home is also always in need of electricity and water and other utilities. Of course, it is easier to clean one bedroom, compared to four. A big home can also be hard to cool, or heat – depending on the season. For these reasons, you can bet that a smaller home will be have less maintenance needed, and ultimately cost less to live in. Thus – a smaller house = smaller bills = less work + more cash in your pocket.  Cash-in on your Asset:It can be easy to make money by selling your over-sized home in exchange for a smaller one. And the extra money could even settle your mortgage repayments. Especially when the property market is as hot as the current Cambodian real estate climate – cash in on your current home, and buy a smaller, more affordable property with a good chance of future appreciation. Learn more about what's in a home loan!

Realestate.com.kh would like to present another of our featured agencies - Kampot Real Estate.Are you considering investing in Kampot province? Need a professional property valuation from experts in the region? Looking for a holiday rental, investment land or a property to start a tourism venture? Do you need an investment plan focused on your needs, not on the agent's fee? Need buyer and seller advocacy that doesn't leave you high and dry as soon as the agreement is made?Check out Kampot Real Estate listings for rent and for sale on realestate.com.kh todayAt Kampot Real Estate, we aim to give our clients a specialized real estate experience, providing state-of-the-art professional services to vendors and buyers that create maximum benefit and personal satisfaction in a lifetime relationship. Our mission is to ensure that our clients have all necessary information to make a valid decision, and ensuring that all documents are in line with the local law. We will achieve this by: Making trust, quality and integrity hallmarks of the way we do business; Excelling and being consistent in everything we do; and - Being motivated and spreading our enthusiasm.Come and see us at our office at the old market in Kampot. We want to provide you with the service you deserve to make your investment with confidence!Check out Kampot Real Estate listings for rent and for sale on realestate.com.kh today

2016 has now arrived, and as the New Year comes you might be turning your attention to your long-ignored mortgage.  Although no one likes to think about their mortgage repayments, you need to analyze it regularly if you want to find ways to make your repayments more effective and move yourself closer to financial independence. Missed Mortgage Matters Part 1 or Part 2? Read them first!With that in mind, bring in the New Year with these 5 handy ideas from realestate.com.kh to speed up your loan repayments, and work towards a financially free future!1. Don’t automatically decrease your repayments just because the interest rates falls: For many loaners, as soon as bank fees and interest rates decrease, and minimum repayments are lowered accordingly, this immediately means a happy camper - with more money in the pocket and less for the bank. However, this is short sighted. Instead of pocketing the cash, if you keep your repayments at the same level when the interest rates are falling - because this is a prime opportunity to reduce your principle with each payment and make faster progress satisfying your total loan in the longer-term. As opposed to seeing it as a time to relax your repayments – this year you should see it as an opportunity to get ahead of the bank and pay back your principle faster. 2. Test out an “Offset Account”: If it is possible for your loan, try using an offset account. A mortgage offset account is directly connected to your mortgage and the payable interest on your mortgage month to month will be calculated by deducting what funds exist in your offset account against your loan. To clarify, here’s an example: if your total mortgage is $200,000 and your offset account currently has $5,000 in it, you will only pay interest on the remaining $195,000. An offset account allows you to save interest while still allowing access to your savings if needed. For investors, offset accounts are also useful for the preservation of mortgage tax deductible benefits. 3. Refinance and get a better run for your money: Maybe you have worked out that your current mortgage is not suitable to your needs and financial circumstances now that 2016 has dawned. If this is the case, you need to change your loan quickly before it seriously hurts you. If you are not sure your current mortgage is right for you, it is best to consult a professional finance broker before it is too late. A well-attuned broker will negotiate with your lender about fees for additional repayments, refinancing, or any other necessary measures to help you save on your loan. A good broker should identify the perfect terms for you and then negotiate the best rates for that plan. Get in touch with Cambodia’s leading lenders today!4. Make smaller mortgage repayments, more regularly: If you make more payments, naturally these payments will be smaller. But more regular payments, even if they are smaller, will mean ultimately you can pay off your loan faster because you will lessen your interest repayments in the long term. If you currently repay your mortgage on a monthly basis, try changing to fortnightly loan repayments. Now, your monthly mortgage repayments might equal $2000 per month, for example. If you can instead pay $1000 every two weeks, by the end of 2016 you would have made significant savings on your interest costs, and will be a little bit closer to satisfying your overall loan repayment. 5. Take measures to pay back a little bit more each time: Remember, your “minimum repayment” is exactly that: it is the least possible amount you need to repay each month. So, for most mortgages there in nothing stopping you from paying more than the minimum necessary payment. And it doesn’t matter if you pay extra regularly, just when you can afford to now and again is still worthwhile. Even a little bit here and there can add up and eventually reduce your mortgage. When you receive bonuses, tax returns or other monetary gifts you should seriously consider putting this expendable income into your mortgage repayments before it disappears into thin air. Read more about home loans on realestate.com.kh today. Missed Mortgage Matters Part 1 or Part 2? Read them first!

From marvelous shopping centers, skyscrapers and five-star hotels, extravagant buildings across Phnom Penh are changing the capital into one of Asia's fastest developing cities.Inside Aeon Mall, Cambodia's first mega mall, shoppers and many curious residents herd to see the latest brands, snapping selfies before a giant Christmas tree. It is a typical scene across Southeast Asia - yet, not long ago, this would be incomprehensible for some in Cambodia, where around 20 percent of people still survive on under $1.25 every day. Even though poverty still remains, a fast-growing elite and middle class are progressively searching for new, local ways to spend their money. Some Cambodians are happy to have such an extravagant mall in the heart of Phnom Penh. It demonstrates the city is growing, and some families are cashing in on development land sales. The $200 million Japanese-built shopping center is only one of many new shopping complexes, hotels, township and condo projects springing up in Phnom Penh, as Cambodia rides a flood of high financial development rates in recent years. The capital, Phnom Penh, is second only to Laos in Southeast Asia for the fastest rate of urban spatial extension, as indicated by the World Bank, and Cambodia's economy is expected to grow at 6.9 percent this year. All over the city extravagant skyscraper apartment suites are appearing, and lifestyles are changing to, bit by bit. As indicated by the government, Cambodia drew development investment worth $1.75 billion in the initial nine months of 2015, a 13.7 percent increase from a year prior. A number of the new participants into the kingdom's building business sector are developers from Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea, to name just a few. On the other hand, some are concerned where the development frenzy will leave a city once well-known as the 'Pearl of Asia'. In its French pioneer-prime, Phnom Penh was viewed as one of the loveliest urban cities in Southeast Asia because of its wide European-style roads, deliberately manicured gardens and beautiful stately homes. Only a couple of decades later, the humming city was lessened to a ghost town when Pol Pot's fierce Khmer Rouge army seized control of the capital and ordered its two million people to evacuate. The city has been returning to life since the radical communist was toppled in 1979. However, the surge of action and change to its scene has intensified in recent years. Silas Everett, of The Asia Foundation in Cambodia, fears the city's unique appeal is quickly vanishing with estates and stately structures from the colonial period being torn down to make space for lucrative new development ventures. "Phnom Penh's architectural legacy is world renowned... Yet the rate of pulverization of these structures of critical social legacy is disturbing,' said Everett, grieving specifically the loss of structures designed by Cambodian architect, Vann Molyvann. And keep in mind, while wealthy Cambodians are lining up for a chance to live in some of the city's most desired new addresses, the urban poor are increasingly relegated to the edges of the capital where many were evicted to make way for commercial developments.

Phnom Penh’s Condominium market has boomed recently owing to the sudden increase of demand on housing of international purchasers who buy condo units for investments or expect to resell at profitable prices, the rising need of housing among the local population, and the expected market demand bolstered by ASEAN market openness by the next coming year.“Cambodia is the most eye-catching market in Asia for investors most of who are Taiwanese, Japanese, Chinese, and Singaporean” Said Mr. Kuy Vat, Chairman of Century 21 Cambodia. ​As the number of developers with a good prices grows, these major areas should be archery target to boost the networking as well as to broaden the market and opportunities. He continued. Having officially operated in Cambodia for two years, now Century 21 Cambodia has made a remarkable mark in the real estate franchising business signed under the world-recognized brand. Not only does Century 21 Cambodia stimulate benefit from a powerful brand to all franchisees they also have access to a global network– to build a strong co-operations and collaborations among the regional Century 21 especially to bring the key investors. In addition, Century 21 Cambodia now, after co-operative connecting to Century 21 Japan, is creating another collaboration trip to Hong Kong on the 10th of January 2016 to not only enhance the level of collaboration and co-operation between Century 21Camboida and Century 21 Hong Kong but necessarily to match Potential Property to the Potential Buyers in Hong Kong.Within its 22 years experienced in Hong Kong, CENTURY 21 Hong Kong actively increases its presences and market shares in Hong Kong, Macau and China. Currently it has expanded to over 140 franchisees. Every CENTURY 21 professional is dedicated to provide buyers and sellers of real estate with the highest qualified services possible. Realestate.com.kh is proud to support our "featured agents" such as Century 21 Cambodia. Find the best agents on realestate.com.kh's "find an agent" page today!

CBRE’s third quarter 2015 Condominium Report, currently unreleased, details eight new projects that have been officially launched in Q3 2015, compared to four in Q2, according to recent reports from the Post Property. Ultimately, this equals an additional supply of 10,000 condo units, which demonstrates a 435 per cent increase since the preceding quarter.The report states that "as of 2018, the number of condominium units in Phnom Penh would increase to almost 20,000 units, an increase of 915 per cent compared to the number in 2015." The report follows on to say that 1/3 of these units would reflect high-end properties, and approximately 1/2 are mid-range quality.  The report states that average condo prices per square meter for mass-market are $1,500psm, mid-range sits at $2,250psm; and high-end units are average $2,900psm. Learn more about the strata title process for condo purchase here. The report also says that “roughly 40 per cent of condominium owners are Cambodian”. Yet the report suggests that the vast majority of Cambodian buyers hope to “speculate or rent out”, rather than to live in the finished condo units. Learn more about Cambodian land titles, strata title transfers and foreign ownership regulation on Realestate.com.kh today!

Realestate.com.kh is proud to sponsor and support the Global Alumni Convention (GAC) 2016.The Global Alumni Convention (GAC) is organized by IDP Education to bring together graduates from Cambodia, Australia, the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, France, Russia, Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries and give them a forum to meet, share ideas and network with experts, decision makers and leaders from governments, the private sector, and civil society for education, trade and investment opportunities.AIMS OF THE CONVENTION: The convention is designed around the themes of reconnecting with learning, knowledge-sharing, and being inspired to fulfil education, professional, and business potential. Organizers anticipate attendance by more than 500 alumni, professionals, experts and leaders from the public and private sector. The objectives of the GAC 2016:To learn about the pathways and successes that alumni from these countries have achieved.To showcase world class education systems and opportunities.To gain insights into Cambodia’s position in the world.To enhance friendship and cooperation within Cambodia and internationally.Who will attend the convention? The Global Alumni Convention is a high-profile event with 500 anticipated attendees being: Graduates from around the globe.Leaders from Governments and Embassies.Directors, CEOs and Senior Executives from business and civil society.Professionals, specialists, and experts from diverse industries.Cambodians and non-Cambodians.When and where will the convention be held? On the evening of Friday 29 and all day on 30 January 2016 at InterContinental Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Convention Format: The format of the panel discussions will be four panellists plus a moderator with an interactive Q+A. The convention will be in two parts – the Business & Education Networking Reception on the evening of 29  January  2016  coupled  with  the  Main  Convention  on  30  January  2016  and  concluding  with  the Convention  Cocktail  Reception. The  Business  &  Education  Networking  Reception  will  be  a  networking dinner  with  leaders  from  the  government,  embassies,  the  private  sector  and  civil  society. The  Main Convention  will  consist  of  a  series  of  moderated  panel  discussions  with  topics  being  on  Cambodia-related  issues  and  will  be  given  by  leading  figures  from  the  business  community,  the  public  sector, relevant industry figures and alumni themselves. GAC  VIPs: GAC 2016 will be honoured with a welcome address by HE Sun Chanthol, Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce on the evening of the 29th, and the official opening address by HE Dr Hang Chuon  Naron, Minister of Education Youth and Sport in the morning of the 30th January, 2016. REGISTRATION FEES: Early Registration – 01 Oct – 30 Nov 2015 (US$ 70)Standard Registration – 01 – 30 Dec 2015 (US$ 80)Late Registration – 01 – 28 Jan 2016 (US$ 90)Walk-in Registration – 29 – 30 Jan 2016 (US$ 100)To register, please go to www.cambodiaGA.org  ; For more information, please contact GAC Secretariat Office at gac@idp.com or 023 222 064.

Aircon units in your home or office need a service once a year if you want them to keep pumping cool air at full capacity! Now that winter’s come around and you don’t need the aircon on, it’s the perfect time to give your unit a long needed check up! Stay cool and save cash on power bills with these simple maintenance checks, thanks to realestate.com.kh. Time for a new filter:If you have a central air system, make sure you change the filters every few months. If you have let it slide all year, now’s a prime time to do your chores and change it!And while you’re at it, clean the vents!At least a few times a year, you need to dust your aircon vents to keep the airflow free and easy. If it still seems muffled after this, you should hire a professional aircon cleaning person to give your air ducts and vents a full thorough blowout.Make sure you aren’t blocking the condensing unit:The air conditioner unit that sits outside and draws air into the system must be unrestricted and uncovered. It seems obvious, but sometimes people forget they left the mat lying on top. Make sure the induction vents a clean and clear, and you should be winning!Still seem Funky?If you unit still seems to be struggling, you might have an issue with your Freon Levels. Get a pro to check for a leak (especially if your aircon is an old model). While your at it, better get them to check the electrical controls and coils are in tip top shape too. They can also calibrate your thermostat if need be. Is wood or tile floors best for your home?? Find out here.

Most people’s attention span lasts between 5 and 10 seconds… For those involved in marketing, and especially digital marketing, this means that you need to work extremely efficiently if you want to engage the right customers at the right place and the right time, and share with them a message that they will actually take on board. Don't forget to read part 1 first! Read it here.Because online marketing is our full time job here at Realestate.com.kh, we would like to share a few tips to get the most benefit from your various online marketing channels – and ultimately, sell and rent more property through the internet.  Online marketing with your own Website: Your company website is home sweet home, no matter what business you are – but, remember, your website must reflect your underlying objectives if you want it to be successful. Don't forget to read part 1 first! Read it here. Of course, the layout and functionality will be totally different depending on the online marketing objectives. Your website might exist purely for branding purposes, in which case focus on the presentation. But if you intend to sell directly through your website as an ecommerce application, your design must focus on functionality and smoothly facilitating the sale, and after-sale support. Regardless of the intent of your website, it is crucial that it is easy to navigate, and the content is relevant and engaging to visitors. Want to learn how to use LinkedIn for real estate sales? Success metrics are always at hand to advise of the development of your website, whether it be considering generic goals such as overall revenue and conversions - or more specific analysis, for example building offsite referrals from social channels, or considering the best demographic targeting for your website. If you want a bigger audience to visit your website, the sole answer is content. Clear, engaging and consistent content is the only way to grow your website sustainably. Remember that longer term trends and analytics must be well-considered during any development of your website. A website is not like a short term marketing drive. Your website is here to stay for the life of your business. This means any changes you make should consider the present, but always look to the future. Why online marketing can help you test ideas quickly!Online marketing with your Email Database: Business people and individuals can receive hundreds of emails every week. Because of this flow of info, if your email online marketing is stale it will quite-simply fail because those emails will never see the light of day. Nearly all email database marketing has the same objectives: increasing click-through rates to your company websites; and reducing the number of contacts choosing to unsubscribe from your communications. Thus, to improve on returns from email online marketing, make sure you keep a clean and organized database – this will allow you to build trust with recipients and recognized email addresses. Increase your open rate with inviting email titles, and always test innovation. Throw in new elements such as video, interactive features and try to maintain a personal touch for your database members. Don't forget to read part 1 first! Read it here.Alternatively - Let us take care of your digital marketing and send you the sales inquiries. Realestate.com.kh can share it’s huge online audience with you. If you are an agent or developer, there is no easier way to improve your online sales conversions. Find out more today.

Most people’s attention span lasts between 5 and 10 seconds… For those involved in marketing, and especially digital marketing, this means that you need to work extremely efficiently if you want to engage the right customers at the right place and the right time, and share with them a message that they will actually take on board. Read part 1 already? Read part 2 here!Because online marketing is our full time job here at Realestate.com.kh, we would like to share a few tips to get the most benefit from your various online marketing channels – and ultimately, sell and rent more property through the internet.Online marketing with your Social Media Channels: No longer are the ultimate goals of social media likes, follows, and shares. Nowadays, social media marketing is a direct source of sales and represents great and highly affordable opportunities for marketers of all kinds. Of course, it is no secret that online companies like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram have developed their services to support company branding and sales. By simple testing, you can soon find our which social channels deliver you the best rate of conversions, click throughs and brand awareness. However, if you are situated in Cambodia, it is a safe bet that Facebook will come out number one - as the majority of the country’s 3.4 Million strong social media users taking first and foremost to Facebook. Surprisingly, some locals still understand Facebook and the Internet as a conjoined concept. Want to learn how to use LinkedIn for real estate sales?Online marketing with Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO is the least understood type of online marketing – but can be the most expensive and, for many online businesses, the most important. Basically, your company website is as useful as it is visited. If nobody can find your website, it is as useful as a 50 foot billboard behind a wall. SEO can be divided by on-page and offsite SEO. On-page relates to developing the navigation of your website so that all content is easily available to visitors. Offsite SEO is like casting a net – developing your offsite SEO will mean more people searching on leading search engines, such as google.com and its international network of sites, will find your site in their search results, and before they find your competitors… Be patient when developing your SEO as results will not come overnight. Remember, once again, there is no avoiding the need for content.  If you want a bigger audience to visit your website, and improve your website’s organic SEO, content is key – now, more than ever. Clear, engaging and consistent content is the key to growing your SEO sustainably. New search algorithms demand that top ranking pages must provide the user with content that engages them, and is unique and well referenced. If your post is about buying real estate in Chamkarmon, for example, it needs to be genuinely useful to your readers if it is ever going to rank well in SEO. The days are over when you can simply load articles with keywords and expect search results. Further, your keyword selection is crucial for a successful SEO strategy. You must clearly target your strategy to bid for the search key words most likely to bring revenue to your business. Don’t waste any time or money trying to win key words that will never convert. Also be wary about your competition.  If you see that another website has dominated certain key words for a long time, your chances of beating them are much lower, and will require far more effort in regards to content creation. Look for the low hanging fruit first, and the key words that will convert. Why online marketing can help you test ideas quickly!Online marketing with Paid Ads: Whether you are considering implementing search, display, or social ads into your online marketing strategy, always pay attention to conversion tracking and testing first and foremost. Otherwise, you are swinging in the dark! By using conversion tracking for paid advertising initiatives, you can immediately gauge which ads and keywords bring revenue with the highest return on your investment. Test and optimize all elements of the campaign until your success metrics start to show growth. The same rule applies whether you are interested in branding or conversions. Keep in mind; you will incur additional creative costs during this process if you want to do it right. It is important that you ensure your content and other visual media is in line with your audience, marketing strategy, and company image. Enjoyed the post so far?? Read part 2 here!Alternatively - Let us take care of your digital marketing and send you the sales inquiries. Realestate.com.kh can share it’s huge online audience with you. If you are an agent or developer, there is no easier way to improve your online sales conversions. Find out more today.

Is it true that you are considering a real estate investment? Would you like to purchase another residence or perhaps buy another to restore? In any case, this article will give you some good advice. This data can place you in the best position to succeed. You'll be all around arranged in using sound judgment with regards to putting into real estate investment. Ensure that you make a course of action for what you craving to finish. If you want to save your time then figure out the time needed for the process. Once you developed a plan, meet with the person in charge to talk about deal that you need to accomplish. There are times when its hard for you to decide on a certain deal or property, if that consumes too much effort and time, then it might not be the right deal. Proceed onward and ensure you don't pass up a great opportunity for the other extraordinary investment out there. Ensure you have a financial plan when you put resources into real estate that include the amount you must pay to repair the house you're purchasing. You would prefer not to blow your cash on getting real estate just to discover that you can't bear to repair it up. Your decisions range from purchasing and flipping, purchasing and renovate or purchasing and leasing. It is better to master one of the three decisions than do the two or three. After all, you will make profit over the long haul by purchasing and holding. Never buy a property if just simply want to add to the total property you own. Despite the fact that many people do this, most learn in the most difficult way possible that it isn't wise. When you concentrate on fewer real estate investment, you will have a better investment success rate. Additionally, this is to making sure your investments are great. Continuously have an plan for your investment. What is your objective? How are you going to accomplish that? Do you have any partner or you are by yourself? Do you have an approach to get it? It is really important to invest time making a plan so that you realize what you are going in. Prior to scouting homes, its better to check your funding. You should know where the finance will come from, otherwise you are just wasting your time. The good Investor always interested in the best properties. Proper education in real estate can get you lot of profit. Keep reading our articles to boost your knowledge about real estate investment.

As the event's official property portal, Realestate.com.kh is proud to present the 2016 Cambodia Property Awards - part of the Asia Property Awards series, brought to you by Ensign Media. Don't miss Cambodia's biggest and most prestigious property event - Early bird tickets are now available, until the 26th of January 2016 only. The Cambodia Property awards will take place at the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra on Thursday, 25 February.Email info@asiapropertyawards.com for booking, or click here to visit the website.

Plans for a Chinese Railway network across ASEAN are beginning to solidify, with China pushing the long-stalled project into action in recent news and signing an agreement with the Laotian government, and now, Thailand. If this Chinese railway ultimately extends to Phnom Penh, the real estate market should certainly see benefits. This is not a new story, however.Thailand and China announced the beginning of a cooperation agreement this week to develop Thailand's first standard-gauge double-track railway line, a 845-kilometer line that will link Bangkok with the northeastern city of Nong Khai near the border of Laos. Construction is slated to begin in May 2016. This latest announcement comes after China and Laos reached agreement last month to build a 40-billion yuan ($6.28 billion), 418-kilometer railway from Kunming, the capital of southwestern China’s Yunnan province, to Vientiane, Laos capital, according to the official China Economic Herald report that followed a signing ceremony. The ceremony was attended by the National Development and Reform Commission, China Railway Corporation, and Export-Import Bank of China. According to Chinese media, China will cover 70 percent of the necessary investment for the new Chinese railway line, while Laos will be responsible for the remainder. Once in operation, the Chinese railway will be Laos’ longest and fastest yet, with an average speed of 160 kilometers per hour and 60 percent of the line being bridges and tunnels. The next step for China’s Silk Road railway is yet to be seen, and the world waits to see whether a full-scale ASEAN Railway will become a reality.

Camhomes’ maiden mixed development at Sihanoukville, D’Seaview, aims to bring an integrated concept of living to Sihanoukville, which focuses on the convenience that only a mixed development can offer: living and shopping at the highest standards in the same building. Besides offering high quality homes while retaining affordable prices, Camhomes’ Group General Manager, Ryan Ong, also emphasised on the potential capital appreciation and first movers’ advantage for buyers who invest in a D’Seaview unit, regardless of whether they are residential or commercial buyers. Investing in a mixed development at Sihanoukville that comes to life through commercial and residential owners and tenants, acts as a hedge against future inflation. Having the advantage of being in a prime economic seaside location like Sihanoukville, with its deep-sea port, Special Economic Zone, international airport, as well as its oil and gas industry commencing operations soon, D’Seaview is the market leader in high-standard condos that extends its services beyond just quality housing and to the world of commerce. “With Sihanoukville being an up-and-coming booming coastal city, it is only a matter of time before more foreign businesses start coming into this province, and when that happens, housing will be the first few things they will look out for, thus we are hoping to fill up this hole,” Ong explains. Envisioning what expatriates and locals would appreciate within such a mixed development at Sihanoukville, D’Seaview places its focus on the integration of convenience, facilities, lifestyle, and status. In addition to its two residential towers, D’Seaview has four commercial blocks comprising 66 units. These include a vast ground-level space of approximately 500 square metres dedicated solely to F&B, either a food-court or a restaurant, which is priced at an estimated $1.7 million. Also, there is the second level that will be left as a wide plan for retail purposes. From the third to the seventh levels are smaller commercial units with high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. D’Seaview also has a hotel block, which is open to investors, as well as local shophouse-style blocks that are targeted at Cambodians who would like to set up their business as well as live there. A typical commercial block features a third-storey roof terrace, which D’Seaview visualises to be a childcare centre, a spa, a salon, or even a family karaoke lounge hall. However, the final outcome depends on the imagination of the buyer. The variety and potential of D’Seaview’s commercial hemisphere brings the term mixed development to a whole new level, “which will be satisfying a lot of purchasers’ requirements and demands,” as explained by Ong. Such is the flexibility of D’Seaview in catering to its commercial purchasers’ needs that if a buyer wants to purchase an entire floor, Camhomes will be more than willing to work with them and help them in re-designing the floor plan. The starting price per square metre for a commercial unit within the compound is from $1619. Some commercial units have already been sold since the launch of its retail store spaces last weekend. With a ready pool of customers from the 735 units of residences and the 98-room hotel, D’Seaview’s commercial hub looks to be abuzz with consumer activities once the development is completed in Q1 of 2018. Open to the public, the lifestyle element is a factor of appeal, as the commercial units will feature a slew of trendy bistros and cafes that has the potential to be the new uptown of Sihanoukville. D’Seaview envisions itself to be a cosmopolitan hub with a balanced mix of locals and foreigners. On what sets D’Seaview apart from other housing developments, Ong elaborates, “we have the advantage of the seaside and close proximity to the port, thus reducing travel and delivery of consumer goods. Our central location among the seaport, airport, and the future highway connecting Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh, is also another great advantage.” Realise your housing and commercial dreams now; visit Camhomes’ D’Seaview showroom at Canadia Towers and talk to their property consultants, call their hotline at 023 985 828 / 097 768 9090. Phnom Penh Post, Post Property.

Flanked by life-sized statues of Japanese cartoon character Doraemon, and the infamous one-eyed yellow minions made popular by the animated American movie Despicable Me, China’s Prince Real Estate was far from alone at the official launch of their showroom (opposite the National Assembly), and the opening ceremony of its latest development Prince Central Plaza, a HOPSCA—Hotel, Offices, Parks, Shopping Mall, Convention Centre, and Apartments—last Tuesday. Want to learn more about Prince Central Plaza? Here is the full listing, on Realestate.com.kh. While the launch aimed to spice up the humdrum of a typical property launch, Pol Lyta, a property consultant for Prince Central Plaza, explained the deeper meaning behind the unusual marketing strategy, saying, “Doraemon is a robot cat that comes from the future [22nd century], and can go back into the past, and he is also able to fly all over the world.” With the ability Doraemon possesses, it seems to refer to Prince Central Plaza’s outlook on the future of Phnom Penh in making the development the integrated business and lifestyle nucleus of the Kingdom, while retaining an avant-garde take on traditional Khmer architectural design. As countless Doraemons had flown in to Phnom Penh to station themselves at the opening ceremony, Despicable Me’s yellow minions had also come along for the ride, possibly to inject some humour and entertainment to a typical lacklustre affair. Being an entertainment-centralised hub, Lyta elaborated that “the minions from Despicable Me represent the fun and entertaining side of what Prince Central Plaza’s various amenities and facilities can offer.” Want to learn more about Prince Central Plaza? Here is the full listing, on Realestate.com.kh. To emphasise its point, guests at the launch were also given freebies in the form of the one-eyed yellow minion soft toy plushies. However random it may seem, such cute and fun twists are not uncommon here. In 2012, an Angry Birds Foreign Language School had sprung up in Banteay Meanchey province, riding on the wings of the insane global phenomenon that the Angry Birds game had prompted. Nonetheless, the opening ceremony of Prince Central Plaza was not all fun and games. Having sold an approximate 200 out of its 1,786 residential units just at the launch itself, it has also sold an estimated 40 per cent of its homes thus far. Prices range from an average of $58,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, to $100,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. Almost all of its snazzy penthouses, which cost from $250,000 to $600,000, have been snapped up as of the launch day. As with the case of the Angry Birds school, whose owner was nonchalant in using the fowls’ infamousness without consulting their copyright holders, it is unclear whether these future robot cats and one-eyed yellow minions were lawfully licensed as mascots for Prince Central Plaza’s opening ceremony. What is definitely clear, however, is the completion of the impressive Prince Central Plaza slated for May 2018, located at the pulse of Phnom Penh’s heart south of Norodom Boulevard, wherein its residents may just be lavishly greeted with another surprise appearance by the unofficial mascots. Hanamariya Halim, Phnom Penh Post, Post Property. Want to learn more about Prince Central Plaza? Here is the full listing, on Realestate.com.kh.

An administrative building, and a large underground parking lot that can accommodate up to 300 cars will be officially inaugurated in 2016, according to Long Dimanche, a City Hall spokesperson. Dimanche told the Post that the City Hall administrative building, which is 12 storeys high, is almost 90 per cent completed. He added that, “this is a workers’ building of the City Hall, adding to the existing building since the City Hall has many government officials working,[therefore] we need more buildings for work”. As of present, the City Hall has an estimated 340 officials, with the total number adding up to 800 officials with the inclusion of all district and commune officials, according to Dimanche. However, he did not disclose the cost of building this structure and parking lot, only mentioning that the developments were financed by City Hall’s funds. This new administrative building of City Hall is located at the south of the old City Hall building, which was left empty since after the end of the French colonization. Construction of this building had commenced at the beginning of 2015, and is slated to be completed by 2016 if no further adjustments are made to the plan. Seng Lot, spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, offered no comment when asked about this plan, directing it to the City Hall spokesperson to answer instead. Phnom Penh Post, Post Property.

After a tumultuous year in Cambodia for Singapore-based TEHO International, the developers of the $500 million The Bay condominium project on Chroy Changvar peninsula said construction will begin early next year with a new marketing strategy after another managerial shakeup. Want to inquire about a unit in the Bay? Check out the full listing today, on realestate.com.kh.  Announced on the Singapore Stock Exchange earlier this week, ECG (Cambodia) was bought out and formalized into the parent company ECG Property—a wholly owned subsidiary of TEHO International that handles all marketing and promotional activities. Previously operated by the joint venture’s partner, Sok Bun, ECG Cambodia was purchased to a tune of $71,776, or what amounted to 45 per cent of the initial paid-up share capital. Currently, the unaudited net assets for ECG Cambodia as of July 2015 amounted to $169,836, the statement read. While ECG Cambodia will still perform its duties as the acting real estate agency for The Bay, all marketing and promotional activities will be conducted at the head office back in Singapore. Phua Cheng Boon, Financial Controller for TEHO International, said, “it is good to have full integration of our projects.” “We will have somebody based in Singapore who will be able to run operations regionally as well,” he said. Want to inquire about a unit in the Bay? Check out the full listing today, on realestate.com.kh.  It was previously reported by The Post that 100 condominium units had been sold since the soft launch in September. However, Phua declined to provide current figures. “While we can’t disclose the level of sales, we are confident to say that construction will begin in the first quarter of 2016,” he said. With a new marketing strategy, he added, the development “will not be about big exposure.” TEHO International, which formally launched the project in February of this year, had spent $1.1 million on advertising and promotional activities, as well as around $600,000 in legal and professional expenses to promote the development, an annual filing in August stated. While Sok Bun, who resigned from his position as director of the board, currently awaits trial for the beating of a former TV star, his shoes has since been filled by Yim Chhay Line, the daughter of Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly. “She is a good asset to the group and I am confident that all the necessary requirements for construction have been achieved,” said Phua. Kim Heang, CEO of Khmer Real Estate, said that a marketing shift to overseas investors is the “smartest” market strategy for The Bay, as it faces more competition and is also behind schedule. When asked if The Bay would miss out on the local segment, Heang explained that it is too small, “so why [do] they need to waste time and money [on] the local segment?” With a few soft approaches to buyers in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan recently, Phua said sales “have picked up.” “We are doing this gradually because The Bay is a rather large project. We are going to all these different countries to do soft launches to get sufficient buying. We want to position [ourselves] as [a] more exclusive development,” he said. Want to inquire about a unit in the Bay? Check out the full listing today, on realestate.com.kh.  Kali Kotoski, Phnom Penh Post, Post Property.

Last Friday, master plan of Phnom Penh until 2035 was fully approved by the council of ministers, as announced by Pa Socheatvong, governor of Phnom Penh. While it is claimed that the plan is complete, those in the private and public sector and other relevant stakeholders fear that they have not been adequately consulted, raising concerns that implementation is unlikely and unjust. Without a publicly available draft that addresses socio-economic conditions as well as infrastructure, zoning, land title rights and all other concerns that come with the development of a city, they say it is unclear as to what the master plan of Phnom Penh actually entails. Takashi Ito, Senior Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) described the master plan as “a fruit of self-efforts by Phnom Penh municipality,” stating that JICA played no part in the current approved plan. Ito pointed out however, that JICA has submitted a master plan for transportation lines in March of this year, and is currently working on a master plan of Phnom Penh for a citywide sewage and drainage system. “We continue to be interested in healthy development of the capital city, which is why we have engaged in [these] two master plans,” Ito stated in an email. While Ito wouldn’t give Post Property an overview of the resources that are necessary to implement only a few crucial issues concerning city development, he admitted that without adequate resources, “it is not really practical to try to address all the problems,” he said. When it comes to meeting the demands of a burgeoning city and population, “it is, in a sense, a question of priority,” he said. To him, the success of a master plan hinges “not only on the degree of commitment of the municipality itself, but also on the degree of support and participation of other relevant governmental institutions, [possibly including] the private sector” and civil society. Piotr Sasin, country director for Czech NGO People in Need that focuses on spatial planning in Phnom Penh, called it “worrying that the plan has been developed in secrecy without the consultation of civil society groups.” He argues that city development is a complicated process that needs to be carefully coordinated to ensure implementation that properly addresses all issues. “We would appreciate if the municipality shared the plan with all shareholders so they can work on something that we will all be proud about. There are resources and the capacity to do this,” he said. Considering the sheer complexity of a master plan, Sasin admitted that “the majority of all master plans are never really implemented.” “It’s about the process, bringing the people together and it would be the job of the municipality to coordinate these efforts,” he said. Long Dimanche, spokesperson of City Hall, however, said that there have been specialists outside the municipality working on the master plan. “We have been working on this master plan since 2002 and had help from many groups of Cambodian professionals such as architectures, land management, landscaping, environmental, engineering, and [from the] cultural aspect and we had advice from French experts,” he said. According to Nicolas Baudouin, spokesperson for the French Embassy, French involvement in the city master plan ended with the publication of the 2007 White Paper, titled Livre Blanc. While the 330-page long master plan was published by Phnom Penh municipality, and outlined development until 2020, it was never adopted. “The project was considered complete with the publishing of the report and funding stopped. Why it wasn’t adopted, I don’t know,” Baudouin said. Even though French involvement stopped in 2007, governor Socheatvong cited 14 focus points that are identical to the ones listed back in 2007. While the 14 points are meant to address issues such as zoning, open spaces and land title issues, Socheatvong said that what contributed to the adoption of this version was spurred by economic growth, commerce and a rising population. “The main purpose of the 2035 Phnom Penh land usage is the strategic document in order to serve the government’s ambition as well as the aim of Phnom Penh municipality and their vision toward 2035 of managing and setting the direction of economic development… in an attempt to meet the increasing demand of private investment and the population in Phnom Penh,” he said. Dimanche added that he did not know when the overall master plan would be published publicly, despite last week’s approval. However, he said the government will issue a new order to properly implement the city development plan. Meng Bunnarith, spokesperson for the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, said that while the framework that was adopted by the council of ministers is comprehensive, it only provides a general overview that does not give much insight to critical details. The ministry has to set specific regulations in order to ensure a clearer use of land, he said. Nevertheless, Sasin fears that a master plan can be used to further exclude marginalised groups. “My main fear is that it will be a plan for the privileged,” he said. As an example, he worries that poor urban communities who have been excluded from systematic land titling, such as the evictees in Borei Keila or in Boeung Kak, would still not be addressed. He added that City Hall’s lack of transparency opens the door for misjudgment and misinterpretation. “If they published the document and got other stakeholders involved they could really pass on a positive message to the city which would be: we care.” Julius Thiemann, Siv Meng and Moeun Nhean, Phnom Penh Post, Post Property.