Over 20 CVEA Executive Committee and Members holding valuation certificates came together on the 2nd December 2015 (Wednesday this week) to discuss average Phnom Penh Land Prices for the First Quarter of 2016. The group discussed average Phnom Penh land prices across all Sangkats of the 4 major Khans of Phnom Penh, namely Chamkarmon, Daun Penh, 7 Makara and Toul Kork. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxURKtpxfxU&feature;=youtu.be The meeting considered the growth of Phnom Penh land prices as according to their proceeding 2015 report, with all members voting on reasonable increases on these statistics for the Q1 2016 report. The follow up from this meeting will include a consultation with Bank and Micro Finance Associations in order to ensure the land price survey includes all relevant stakeholders. The final Phnom Penh land price survey will be released later this month once final agreement is met. Stay tuned to Realestate.com.kh/news for the CVEA Phnom Penh Land Prices Survey's release later this month.

Cambodia Constructor's Association (CCA) will hold the 4th Annual Cambodia Construction Summit & Expo 2015 starting from tomorrow: 3-5 December 2015 at Diamond Island Expo Center. Check out exhibitions from the countries' leading construction developers, constructors and designers, construction material companies and real estate agencies. Get special deals on all types of products and meet new contacts business opportunities. See you there!

Prince Central Plaza represents a new age of living for one of Cambodia’s most exciting and desirable districts: Tonle Bassac. “Local people are starting to have a concern about good location and land - demand for premium land is very high right now,” says a spokesperson of Prince Central Plaza - and this is why Tonle Bassac was the obvious choice. Located on the exclusive Norodom Boulevard, the landmark development is just minutes to Independence Monument, Aeon Shopping Mall and various embassies. The building will have 37 floors in total, with the bottom three dedicated to the retail plaza and restaurants. Inspired by classical art deco lines and style, Prince Central Plaza will fast become an architectural icon of the neighborhood. The unique design is the product of American DF International Building Design Co., Ltd., a company that has already completed around 300 engineering design projects, spanning more than 20 million square meters. The Mansion House – the premium residence within the Prince Central Plaza project – offers a range of 1 to 3 bedroom condominiums, studio and SOHO units, all beautifully furnished with elegance and class, stunning balcony views of the city skyline, and finished with the latest amenities for modern living.The units will all have services provide by the 24 hour concierge staff, including International platinum housekeeper services.The Interior design of all Prince Central Plaza units have been formulated with taste and art deco elegance, by Shenzhen Guangtian Design Group Co., Ltd., a listed Chinese company with a renown portfolio of real estate projects. Inquire today to visit the showroom!Landscape design is also a key element of Prince Central Plaza, with delicately crafted surrounds in both the communal and private gardens of the residential complex. These have been designed by TTR Design Co. Ltd., a company with a wealth of experience designing and implementing gardens for resorts, hotels and recreational facilities across China.The beautifully designed infinity pool gives residents a place to relax and unwind; an impressive, fully equipped gymnasium and a fitness room will help you and your family keep healthy; shopping at your doorstep is assured – with the plaza’s malls; and an international standard business center will guarantee a convenient lifestyle for modern business people. The construction of Prince Central Plaza has already begun, under the management of China Construction Co., Ltd., China’s largest and most renowned real estate and construction enterprise. This will be another benchmark project for a company with many already in its portfolio. Prince Central Plaza is set to be completed by 2018.Check out the new development or Prince Central Plaza listing today on Realestate.com.kh!Find out property for rent in Phnom Penh or property for sale in Phnom Penh!

Knight Frank Becomes the Latest Real Estate Company to be Approved as a Panel Valuer for the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia: As part of the listing process, a company is required to have its real estate assets valued to determine its Net Asset Value (NAV). Established in 1896 and opening their Cambodian office in 2008, Knight Frank, which is the world’s largest privately owned real estate consultancy, has become the latest real estate company to be approved as a panel valuer for the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia. With over 440 offices in 58 countries, all valuations undertaken by Knight Frank are carried out by professionally qualified valuers, and all valuation reports comply with the highest of standards set out by the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC), giving investors total confidence in the value of a company’s real estate assets. Check out Knight Frank's listings on Realestate.com.kh here. The recent announcement that Hong Kong-based developer, Eastland Development (HK) Ltd, has expressed interest in listing on Cambodia’s stock exchange follows a number of similar announcements by companies that are also looking to list on the exchange, including the Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone (PPSEZ), TY Fashion and Sihanoukville Autonomous Port. Check out Eastland's property for sale here. If the companies indicated above list on the Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX) as intended, real estate companies will represent one half of the listed companies (based on number of companies and not market capitalisation) on the CSX. Although activity on the CSX was initially slow, with the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority listing in 2012 and Taiwanese-owned Grand Twins International (Cambodia) Plc listing mid-2014, the recent activity indicates growing confidence in the Cambodian economy and finance industry as a whole, which is a positive sign for Cambodia’s real estate and construction industry. The announcement by Eastland Development (HK) Ltd signifies their commitment to Cambodia over the long term and also their confidence in the Cambodian real estate sector. Furthermore, it also enables investors who may not be able to afford to buy a property a chance to participate in the growing real estate sector by indirectly investing through the purchase of shares within real estate companies.

Hong Kong-based developer Eastland Development (HK) Ltd has announced plans to list on Cambodia’s stock exchange within a year. Sam Yang, the company’s CEO, said during a recent company promotional event that Eastland is working with a local underwriter to prepare to float shares on the Cambodian Stock Exchange (CSX). “The application will be ready early next year and the company will have an initial public offering in September next year,” he said, adding that Eastland intends to be the first foreign-registered company to list on the CSX. Yang said that the purpose of listing was not just about raising funds for its projects, but also to raise the confidence of its investors and allow them to be part of a high-standard property firm. Read a related article: Knight Frank authorized to conduct IPO valuations.  Eastland Development (HK) Ltd is a branch of China’s Guangzhou Yuetai Group, a real estate developer with over $1.2 billion in assets. Eastland is focused on real estate development in Cambodia, and claims to have invested $60 million in three projects here: East One Apartments, East View Residence and East Commercial Center (ECC). Phnom Penh Securities, the underwriter for the IPO according to Yang, could not be reached for comment yesterday. Sou Socheat, director-general of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Cambodia (SECC), said he had not received any letter or official documents from the Eastland yet, though he welcomed its intention to join the stock market in Cambodia. He said some foreign-registered companies have submitted letters of interest to list on the CSX, though nothing is official yet. In addition, the SECC is also reviewing the applications of three local companies that intend to list within the next year, namely Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone (PPSEZ), TY Fashion and Sihanoukville Autonomous Port. Sor Chandara, Phnom Penh Post Want to invest with Eastland? Check out their properties for sale on Realestate.com.kh: East One Apartments, East View Residence and East Commercial Center (ECC).

After defining high-end taste in Russia, China and Thailand, an Italian luxury home-décor company aims to conquer the villas market of Cambodia’s rich.Greeted by gold-gilded tables, intricately carved gold-leaf headboards, and polished tiles of marble and ceramics, one would feel as though they had just stepped into a magical place reminiscent of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg or an oligarch’s lavish home. In actual fact, this place strikes much closer to home. With its palatial and baroque items on display at the launch of their showroom on November 22, Azza Décor is the first of its kind in Phnom Penh; a luxury home-décor company specializing in Italian interior design, mainly in the market for furniture and lighting, tiles and bathroom furnishing and kitchen fittings. Every distinctive product has a “Made in Italy” tag, while its exclusive brands boast of names like Versace (Ceramics), Valentino, Bastianelli Home, and Socci, amongst many others. Marco Cipriani, area manager for CIAC Group which supplies furniture to Azza Décor, explained that, “our first market all over the world [for this style of furniture] is the Russian market, as the Russian people love to buy these types of gold leaf furniture.” However, at $165 per pop for one Versace Ceramic tile-piece or $10,000 for a Versace sink, the question is whether such ornate and lush furniture is prohibitive here in Phnom Penh. “Since our expansion in other Asian countries like China and Thailand, we feel it is time that this kind of furniture comes into the interior market in Cambodia,” Cipriani said. Minea Prach, Azza Décor’s sales and marketing manager, explained that the Phnom Penh launch was due to the exponential growth in the construction sector and an increasing appetite for luxury goods among a few. “Our main target audience is the high-end niche market of those who own private residences or villas,” Prach said. The influx of foreigners and foreign businesses in Phnom Penh does seem to complement the opening of such a company. Azza Décor seemingly fits in with the high-end residences, exclusive condominiums and villas that have been springing up over the past few years. Lorenzo Martini, founder of architecture and interior design company Lorenzo Martini Design Studio, offered his insight on the home décor style that appeals most to Cambodians, as well as how luxury interior décor companies will fare in the Cambodian market. In reference to what style of interior design piques the locals’ interest, “Cambodians with a budget manage to implement what I would say a Neo-Baroque, or Transitional Classic [style],” Martini said. “People would call it ‘classical’, but is a classical style with exaggerated curves, patterns and textures, heavy to the sight, which draws on baroque but while sharing its power, it doesn’t share its elegance. It’s a style that is popular in most developing countries,” he continued. On how high the demand for such a niche market is here, Martini said that it is tempting to affirm a high demand given the number of showrooms showcasing luxury furnishing in Phnom Penh. However, this pertains only to a pocket of very wealthy people who may not have an idea of what defines a real luxury product. Therefore, many end up purchasing overpriced products without much discernment. “I’m happy to see [Azza Décor] stepping up the game, and will give a run for their money to many other shops currently selling average products at high prices under the pretense it is luxury,” Martini said. There is no such pretense at Azza Décor, with each product guaranteeing its authenticity of quality and branding. Partly echoing Prach’s words, Martini said, “I don’t see the market as being ready for luxury commercial projects just yet, I think luxury products are almost exclusively employed in high-end private residences.” Azza Décor currently works closely with luxury housing developer The Bay, managed by the TEHO Group, in supplying materials to them. Having sold a considerable number of products before and during the launch to owners of private villa residences in BKK 1, Borey Orkide, and Borey New World, Azza Décor looks set to make waves in this small, but powerful, pocket of Phnom Penh’s elite. Hanamariya Halim, Phnom Penh Post, Post Property

There are lots of easy things you can change in order to make your home quieter, and fetch a higher market price. Sam, a local Phnom Penh real estate agent recounts: “I recently checked out a villa home for sale along the main road out of Phnom Penh, Road number 4. The main road there is very loud and dusty - as you may know. But, as soon as I walked in the large gate of this 4 bedroom villa for sale, I found that the owners had created a peaceful garden sanctuary behind the thick and tall street fence. Inside this secret garden wasn't loud or dusty - and it was hard to tell the main road was not far away. This owner had very-cleverly created a quiet home setting able to offset the property’s location shortcomings.”The trick is to stop street and/or neighborhood noise from entering the house. You can do this by adding: Botanical gardensWindow glazingWall insulationBlindsTall secure fences: a good landscape designer will use walls, fencing, plants, hedges and other noise cancelling techniques to bring down the noise levels of your home.Generally - using noise-reducing materials when building or renovating is the best way to start when trying to cut your home noise down.In the design stage consider having bedrooms and living areas away from the noisiest parts of the building. What is the value of a quieter home?For some, such as Brian, who lives on central Street 51, Phnom Penh - the noise is offset by his surroundings:"I'm a heavy sleeper, so I can handle the late night music outside my apartment window. For me, it is a welcome trade-off for being able to walk 5 meters outside my home and be immersed in the heart of Phnom Penh City - I personally love the smells, sounds and great food all at my doorstep! And no need to pay for transport."However, according to Realestate.com.kh data, most of the housing market does put a higher value on quiet homes. Having your home on a quiet street can increase its value by thousands of dollars, if you can find the right type of buyer. The value of peace and quiet is highly sought after by many property seekers, and this is known by valuation professionals. Homes on noisy main roads generally lose 10% of their value, as compared to homes in the same area on quiet side-streets.Want more articles similar to this? Check out Realestate.com.kh now!

Welcome to Realestate.com.kh’s Dream Home Report. Every week we will showcase some of Cambodia's most luxurious, interesting and unique properties from throughout our listings database. We want to show you the gems of the Cambodian property market. This week we want to survey some homes with a unique Khmer flavor.Located in growing tourist area of Kampot, Samon's Village, this tree house home is something you dream of when you are stuck in the hustle and bustle of Phnom Penh!Fancy a holiday home on a private island off the coast of Cambodia, Song Saa!Known as Khor Sang, located in Wat Kor Vollage, Battambang, the traditional khmer home has been passed down through 4 generations, and now restored to its former glory. And is a must see for tourists visiting Battambang.This locally designed 6 bedroom guesthouse in Siem Reap captures Cambodian culture perfectly, and its unique location inside a pagoda adds to the guests experience!A list of amazing houses in Cambodia wouldn’t be complete without mention of Vann Molyvann’s stunning architecture - and his signature roof design on this home.Check out another Dream Home report here.

CBRE Residential Global Living Report, released this year by CBRE International, has seen two east Asian real estate markets ranking in the top 5 highest value residential property markets worldwide, as decided by average property prices. The rational given for this Asian boom appears promising for the Cambodian residential property market, given hints to parallel trends occurring on a smaller scale in the Kingdom’s residential real estate market currently. The CBRE Global Living Report examines the residential property markets of 31 affluent cities around the world, including hubs such as Shanghai, Paris, New York, Tokyo, London and Madrid. Hong Kong ranked number one in the CBRE Global Living Report this year, having the highest average price per square foot in the world. Singapore has the highest property price by capital value in the world, according to the report, however, when viewed on a per square foot basis it came fifth, internationally. In Hong Kong, property prices leaped by 13.5 percent last year alone, meaning the market saw 20 percent average annual price growth, ranking as the second fastest residential growth market worldwide, according to the CBRE Report. Interestingly, the CBRE report cites increased Chinese investment as a key stimulant behind this boom: “As Hong Kong attracts a substantial amount of Chinese (as well as other international buyers), the market is likely to be buoyed by the recent Chinese stock market crash, which may lead to investors finding alternative homes, such as property, for their capital.” Not surprisingly, therefore, in Hong Kong only 65 percent of all residential properties are owned by owner-occupiers. Cambodia, with the unique invitation of an investment in USD, could also be benefiting from this type of investor. Anthony Galliano, Group CEO, Cambodian Investment Management, believes that, “Cambodia ‘s real estate market had been historically ignored as the country wasn’t viewed as a “quality of life” or “property investment” destination by foreign investors.  With Hong Kong and Singapore being Asia’s 2 most expensive markets and also in the world’s priciest markets, developers are seeking alternative Asian geographies that are more economically viable.” Knight Frank’s Cambodian country manager Ross Wheble explained to the Post, in regards to similar indicators in Knight Frank’s latest Asia Development Index, that the regional cooling “has benefited [Cambodia with] an influx of both foreign developers and investors seeking to take advantage of the comparatively low property prices and the relative ease at which foreign buyers can acquire freehold property (above ground floor level).” Galliano suggests that the surge in investment in Cambodia’s property market has been driven by economic fundamentals, namely, “ a more positive image of the country from frontier to developing market, and to an extent, herd instinct.” Galliano continues that “While property prices currently remain attractive, and the country, more specially Phnom Penh, has welcomed developers with open arms, inevitably once you do the math it is blatantly obviously there will be oversupply given the expected developments coming online in the next 2 years.  Therefore while it is all rosy today, I expect turbulence in property prices in the medium-term.” The Knight Frank report also added that growth in Cambodia has decelerated in the second quarter of 2015, suggesting prices may have reached their peak and will likely level off leading up to the AEC. As to why prices are appearing to peak, Wheble explained the sales rates of newly launched condominium projects in Cambodia for the first half of 2015 compared to 2014 “have eased.”

After the success of the “East One International Apartments” project – a condo development which is already 70% sold and now under construction in Duan Penh, Eastland Development Co. Ltd. have announced the launch of sales for “East Commercial Center (ECC)” along Norodom Boulevard, near the Malaysian Embassy. The number one real estate need within Phnom Penh moving into the future is a lack of affordable, sole-purposed office space, believes CEO of Eastland, Mr Sam Yang. "There are a growing number of talented local entrepreneurs and small business owners who need a place for their businesses to take flight, without driving them bankrupt." The East Commercial Center (ECC) will be completed in late 2017 and provide the market with 38 floors of pure office space, divided into small and affordable units, with low management fees, and common areas with all necessary business amenities. Inquire about the East Commercial Center (ECC) on realestate.com.kh todayThe ECC project will include a total of 680 car parks, over 6 floors. And in fact, the following stage of this development will be the East View Residence project, which will include four 38-floor high residential buildings. The second Cambodian condominium project for Eastland Development. The current office space market in Phnom Penh is unsuited to the growing demand, believes Mr Yang. "These types of start-up businesses are not interested in A-grade office space, as rental rates are too high, and instead now find themselves adapting villas or flat houses into office space. Meanwhile, International companies are increasingly interested in moving an office to Cambodia at low risk because investment incentives are some of the best in the region."Inquire about the East Commercial Center (ECC) on realestate.com.kh today

Is a property near the action of a higher value? Or are home buyers and renters willing to pay more for some peace and quiet? It may depend on your taste... Learn how to make your home quieter here.For some, such as Brian, who lives on central Street 51, Phnom Penh - the noise is offset by his surroundings: "I'm a heavy sleeper, so I can handle the late night music outside my apartment window. For me, it is a welcome trade-off for being able to walk 5 meters outside my home and be immersed in the heart of Phnom Penh City - I personally love the smells, sounds and great food all at my doorstep! And no need to pay for transport."  However, according to Realestate.com.kh data, most of the housing market does put a higher value on quiet homes. Having your home on a quiet street can increase its value by thousands of dollars, if you can find the right type of buyer. The value of peace and quiet is highly sought after by many property seekers, and this is known by valuation professionals. Homes on noisy main roads generally lose 10% of their value, as compared to homes in the same area on quiet side-streets. Enjoyed this post?  Learn how to make your home quieter here.

On Friday last week, Cambodia’s Global CAM Project Development Plc signed a MoU with Korea’s Green Eco Energy Co. Ltd. slating a high-speed Sihanoukville expressway from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville, worth over 536 million. The 275-kilometer-long, 20-meter-wide Sihanoukville expressway along National Road 3 could begin as soon as next year, and marks Green Eco Energy Co. Ltd.'s first infrastructural investment in the Kingdom. The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, however, also signed an MoU in August with China’s Henan Provincial Communication Planning, Survey, and the Design Institute Co. Ltd. for the construction of a 190-kilometer-long, 25-meter-wide expressway linking Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville on National Road 4. This project is also said to begin next year and finish in 2020, weighing in with a cost of around $1.6 billion. According to the master plan by the ministry, Cambodia will need 850 kilometers of expressways by 2020, and 2,230 kilometers of expressway by 2040 - adding up to a total cost of about $26 billion. So it seems the Sihanoukville expressway is just the start...

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVDmfsV_PJw[/embed] Could underground parking systems like this one be Phnom Penh's answer to rush hour traffic jams in the future?One powerful (but also expensive) solution being used in China, and many other congested cities around the world, are underground parking systems like this: Fully automatic garages...

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is luring a new breed of foreigners to Cambodia, and the region more generally. With foreigners comes an increase in demand for property, and different types of property - and a series of new allowances in national property laws to accommodate this demand.Foreign investors come to the South East Asia region for the low labour costs, connectivity between the neighbouring economies, and the huge supply of land, resources and business opportunities. And as local markets grow, FDI will naturally follow as international companies are spurred by the chance of jumping on the wagon of a fast moving economy. Foreign capital presents a huge engine of growth in South East Asian countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos - which cumulatively saw an average annual rise in FDI of 9.2 percent in the years 2010 to 2013. In this FDI growth, Myanmar was the leader of the pack with a 35.8 percent increase over the three year period. Cambodia followed with 22.3 percent; Laos came third at 15.2 percent; and finally, Vietnam, fell behind with just 2.6 percent growth over the three year survey. Yet, amid the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam bloc, foreigners are subject to a variety of ownership limits. The foremost of these is being barred from owning land on a freehold basis, otherwise termed as outright ownership in perpetuity. This is a rule which is largely steadfast throughout the four nations’ borders. This may not be surprising, however, as freehold possession of land is likewise unavailable to citizens of Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, where government policy holds the state as the principal owner of all land. Long-term leasehold is, therefore, the accepted form of land ownership for foreigners based in these nations. Lease terms are flexible for most purposes, whether it be for a new business property or a residential address, and allow room for ownership limits to potentially ease in the years to come as governments in the region increase efforts to attract quality FDI. Given the relative political stability in the region, investors are generally happy to accept these long term leases. Cambodia, unlike its three neighboring counterparts, has a freehold land ownership system for its citizens. Foreigners based in Cambodia are also allowed rights of ownership over certain properties, subject to 2010 Law on the Provision of Ownership Rights. These rights, however, are restricted to buildings that have obtained a "strata title", which is available only to newly completed apartment buildings. According to the strata title regulation, foreigners cannot acquire a ground-floor unit legally, and any foreign ownership allocation is limited to a maximum of 70 percent of the units in any one co-owned building. Nevertheless, a foreigner lease term over landed properties can still be up to a 50 year maximum, with a 50 year renewal option included. In Laos, land is owned by the "national community", meaning no individual or business entity, foreign or local, can truly own land. Land-use rights are only granted to individuals or organizations by the state, and these rights are able to be transferred or inherited. 50 year leases are commonly granted to foreign individuals or companies. Myanmar's constitution similarly establishes the state as the ultimate owner of all land. Yet, under the new Myanmar Foreign Investment Law, an investor may lease land for up to 50 years, with two 10 year extensions. Structures affixed to land are the property of the foreign owner, but these rights revert to the lessor or the state with no prescribed compensation when the lease comes to an end. A Condominium Law, likely inspired by the Cambodian example, that is currently in development in Myanmar but not yet in force, would allow a foreigner to purchase a condominium on the sixth floor or above of a co-owned building, up to a quota of 40 percent foreign ownership of the total units in the property. In Vietnam, freehold ownership by foreigners over land is prohibited by the constitution. Yet state authorized leases between 50 and 70 years are widely available, especially for development projects, and renewable at the discretion of officials. Further, pursuant to the Vietnamese Law of Housing 2014, a foreigner may now own a unit in an apartment or condominium building - if it is a no-more-than 30 percent foreign owned building. The influx of FDI and the relaxations upon ownership laws is pushing local real estate developers to create and sell more residential space suitable for the needs of this new investor class. The massive boom in construction in all of these countries, Cambodia’s condo explosion being a prime example, reflects this drive to meet a new FDI based market. As rules are eased, companies such as property developers, banks and providers of property-related services, like maintenance, insurance and security, soon flow into the economy and boost it from within. In evidence of this, the GDPs’ of Cambodia and Myanmar each grew 9.7 percent last year; Vietnam's shot up by 8.8 percent; and Laos experienced 5.2 percent GDP growth.

There are three basic components to any mortgage. You must understand these clearly before you start the home loan application process. If you missed Mortgage Matters Part 1, read it here!In short, these are the home loan amount, interest rate, and loan term:Mortgage Component #1 - The Loan Amount: The loan amount is the principal amount that you want to borrow. Banks in Cambodia generally give a loan of up to 70% of the property value. Mortgage Component #2 - The Interest Rate: The interest rate is very important to understand! It is the percentage of annual interest that you have to pay on the total loan amount. It can be a fixed rate, a flexible rate, or a combination of both. Mortgage Component #3 - The Loan Term: The loan term is the duration/length of time that you take to completely repay the loan. Loan generally range from 15 to 30 years in Cambodia. If you combine the principal loan amount and the interest amount, you will then know the overall loan amount. Most home loans are usually repaid via monthly installments.The repayment comprises two parts or portions. One part is for the repayment of the principal amount. The other part is for the repayment of the interest.Read Mortgage Matters Part 3 HERE!This information should help you calculate your monthly mortgage payment... These home loan calculators should help too! Ready to get a Mortgage?? Inquire for a home loan here.

Due to rising prime retail real estate prices, many new restaurateurs looking to set up shop in both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are choosing whether to accommodate high property rental rates into their business costs in order to sit on the vein of the tourist and expat traffic – or whether they step outside the prime retail real estate zones and give their customers a reason to come to them. In Siem Reap, says Dave Murphy of IPS Cambodia, who have offices in both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, prime retail real estate space is heavily centered around Pub Street, and the surrounding lane ways. “In a city with far fewer expats than Phnom Penh,” says Murphy, “this is where the money really gravitates for restaurateurs.” Check out what's on offer in Siem Reap! For those cooking in Phnom Penh, their scope for prime retail real estate, primarily, is around the riverside district, BKK1 and the central suburbs of Duan Penh and Tonle Bassac. “However,” notes Murphy, “where these businesses ultimate choose to set up depends on their products and who they are catering for - as most expats are not particularly attracted to the Riverside area.” And, in fact, prime retail real estate rental prices in affluent areas such as BKK, Duan Penh and Tonle Bassac are growing faster than those on riverside, spurred by high demand - “which suggests,” says Murphy, “that F & B businesses in Phnom Penh are realizing there is a strong market in Phnom Penh that lies outside of the tourist dollar.” Check out what's on offer in Phnom Penh! For Edward Carminati, managing director of Il Forno Restaurants in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, BKK1 was the preferred location for his second Italian restaurant destination after great success in Siem Reap. “We didn’t choose to set up on Riverside,” says Carminati, “because we know, from our experience with our tourist driven venue in Siem Reap, that tourists primarily want to eat Asian food, and their spending limits are often smaller that the expat community.” “In fact,” continues Carminati, “BKK1 offers us access to a whole new market.” In Siem Reap, 90 percent of Il Forno’s customers are tourists – the other 10 percent are expats, who predominantly work in the NGO sector. In Phnom Penh, Carminati’s new venue caters to 80 percent expats, 10 percent Khmers and a measly 10 percent tourist traffic. See BKK1 real estate here!“In Phnom Penh,” says Carminati, “the expat community has much higher spending power than we are used to in Siem Reap. Here you have the NGOs, but you also have the corporates. The long-term expats are looking for a taste of home, and an ambient, authentic dining experience – we can offer that all year round.” Carminati confirmed that his costs of doing business are 300% higher in Phnom Penh’s BKK1, sitting on some of the countries most prime retail real estate, than they are in Siem Reap, but the profit available in Phnom Penh easily legitimizes these rates. In Siem Reap, the market is far less complex. Pub Street is the pinnacle of demand for prime retail real estate thanks to a high turnover of affluent visitors, but likewise rental rates. “It is becoming an extremely hard area to break into for new business ventures,” says Murphy, “as pub street has quickly been deemed prime retail real estate leaving few owners willing to sell, and rental rates climbing every new term.” This means new F & B enterprises have no choose but to move off the main street, where rental rates are lower – but so is foot traffic. However, in both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, some restaurant owners are showing that it is not always crucial to have your property in the hottest areas. “Those businesses with high quality user reviews, and effective marketing, can take cheaper space in side streets off Pub Street, or a lesser known part of Phnom Penh, and customers will still find them,” believes Murphy. Carminati notes that, in fact, Il Forno’s less prominent retail space in Siem Reap, launched in 2011, located down a laneway off Pub Street, has been a blessing in disguise. “Our rental rates are more reasonable than on Pub Street, although growing fast, and, in fact, our location offers customer’s privacy, relative peace and tranquility, something very hard to offer when your restaurant sits directly on Pub Street. This keeps us well-reviewed, which makes tourist willing to come and find us off the main drag.” This is not unlike the booming F & B market in downtown Melbourne in the 1990’s, says Murphy. Spurred by the coffee culture boom, “any new cafe owners in the central Melbourne F & B industry either bought into prime retail real estate areas at huge cost – or did something very clever and unique to service their clients while they sat in the lower rental zones.” Check out IPS's listings here!

ANZ Royal Cambodia and Realestate.com.kh are working together to make your dreams of owning a home a reality. We want to help all Cambodian's leverage their finances effectively to improve their life, and the life of their families, today!Realestate.com.kh is the number 1 property portal in Cambodia, with over 15,000 properties for rent and sale, and attracting 1000's of visitors everyday! [caption id="attachment_79387" align="alignleft" width="259"] Realestate.com.kh are on ANZ Royal ATM screens across Cambodia![/caption] A standout feature of our website is being able to apply for a home loan directly - and you can even use our clever home loan calculators to work out how much you will likely need to loan, based on the price of the property you are considering. Once you know the value of your dream house or commercial property, with Realestate.com.kh you can apply for a loan directly to ANZ Royal Cambodia with the click of your mouse. This process makes getting a home loan easier than ever before - all from the comfort of your home, office and even from your mobile phone! Find out more today about how you can finance your dream home with ANZ Royal and Realestate.com.kh, Cambodia's home of real estate.

Realestate.com.kh has taken a look at the positive and negative sides of wood vs. tile floors for your next kitchen. Which are the easiest floors to clean? And which one, wood or tiles, brings the most value to your house? Are there any unexpected side effects if you choose the wrong floors for your next home? Wood Floors:When you go with wood for your floors, everything old is new again! Wood is popular again these days, just like the old days, and there’s no reason that classic look shouldn't cover the rest of the home's floor for a seamless look and feel. The Positive Side of Wood Floors:The Look is Superb: It may not suit every house, but wooden floors can quickly bring class to your kitchen, and value to most properties.Accentuate Modern Features: The clean lines of wood floors add a seamless polish to any home - if done well. Wood can help an area feel homey, warm and welcoming.Less Sneezing: Carpets and other coverings can create problems for those who react easily to dust in the air. Pet hair, dirt and dust don’t stick to wood so easily, so may offer relief to all you sneezers out there.Sustainability: When looked after properly, wooden floors will last longer - and natural floors are generally more environmentally and family friendly than other synthetic flooring materials.The Bad Side of Wood Floors:Extra Attention: Wooden floors require extra care and attention, especially in a messy zone like the kitchen. They might be easier day to day, as they accumulate less dust, but you’ll need to treat them better over the long term if you want them to keep looking good - and take care not to use damaging cleaning materials.House Sounds: Your wooden floors are a living thing which will creak, bend, absorb and breathe. This adds character to any house, but may also create noises, cracks and other surprises. Be careful during the installation that the wood not only fits according to outward appearances, but that will continue to feel, sound and behave the way you expect over time.Damageable: The kitchen is a a busy place and often a dangerous place for flooring - and hardwood floors show their scratches. If you run a very busy kitchen, you might want to try synthetic laminate floors instead - cheaper, and easier to replace when damaged. They offer a similar effect if they are printed like wooden floors, with much less vulnerability. Wood reacts badly to moisture too, so make sure your kitchen can deal with any water damage quickly - or your nice flat wood floor won't look so cool (or flat) anymore.Pricey: Good wood ain't cheap, and you need to make sure it is put down right!Tile Floors:Tiles have been kitchen favorites for-almost-ever. The colors and textures available are almost endless too, so tiling can be a lot of fun - and easily adjusted to your interior decorative tastes. The Up Side of Tile Floors:Hardy: Unless you literally throw the kitchen sink on them, tiles can happily support years of foot traffic in your kitchen.Complete Design Flex: Lighter colored tiled floors can make a kitchen seem bigger, darker tiles on the floors can add contrast and shade. Smaller tiles are great for featured patterns, and larger tiles help a kitchen feel bigger. These hacks are all available for your kitchen when you choose tile floors...Hot and Cold: Tiles keep you cooler in warm or hot weather, and hold the heat longer when it cools down at night.The Pits of Tile Flooring: Limited stock: They stop making some styles of tiles regularly, which can fast leave you up the creek with no paddle. This means that it can be hard to find a match if you need to replace or repair tiles on your kitchen floor in future.Ease of Cleaning: While you might think that tile floors are going to be easy to clean - think again: Tiles can be very sneaky when it comes to stains. Some lighter colored tiles can stain easily if you don't clean them fast enough. For this reason, it is best to avoid bright whites tiles for your kitchen floor - or buy a set of tiles with maximum stain resistance. Heavy textures, with cracks and imprints, may also catch dirt and sticky substances - making the cleaning job much harder than first expected. Slate tiles will take extra time and care to really clean.One Drop and the Gig's Up: Drop your plate or glass and you’ll soon see how forgiving tile floors are... Tiles are not a drop friendly surface. If you want tiles, but fear breaking your priceless china, try adding rugs or carpets in the high traffic zones to offset the risk of smashage. A few less wines before doing the dishes can also pay off...Want more articles like this? Visit Realestate.com.kh now!

Without even considering HOW to buy into a booming real estate market, many people question whether it is a wise decision to buy into a property boom at all - and this is a fair reaction...It is also a question which is highly relevant to the current Cambodian property market, as land prices skyrocket in urban hubs such as Phnom Penh and central Siem Reap.To answer whether or not you should buy into a property boom - there is no perfect answer for every potential investor - as whether you should, or should not, buy during a property boom will depend almost entirely on your unique circumstances.  Each type of property buyer has a unique set of considerations before deciding whether to buy during a property boom.With that in mind, Realestate.com.kh wants to advise each type of property buyer respectively:The "First Home" Buyer; should you buy during a property boom? First home buyers are generally the most price sensitive type of buyer, because they may not have any equity (current properties) to use for a mortgage on their next property investment. Therefore, they are usually dependent on only their deposit savings to buy a new property. For this type of buyer, deciding whether to ride a property boom, comes down to only buying when you can actually afford to. First time home buyers have likely delayed their purchase, hoping that the market is going to adjust - downwards. However, unfortunately, in a property boom, delaying a purchase on a rising market often only costs the first home buyer more in the long run - as the average property prices don't stop growing. Keep in mind that property investment is for the long-term, even in a property boom, so the most important thing is to save hard for a larger deposit and avoid mortgage commitments, if possible. Then, aim to buy a property in a good position where you can add value over time.A "Change of Scenery" Buyer; should you buy during a property boom? In general - most people moving, will move to another property in their local area. However, many people look to escape the congestion of urban areas as they begin to grow up - in search of a quieter life on the outskirts of the city, suburbs, by the beach, near a forest or on a farm. Making a successful lifestyle-change property purchase will depend on how familiar you are with that new market, as well as the state of the property market in which you are selling your current property. Strong selling conditions in central Phnom Penh, for example, the extremely well-valued Chamkarmon district, mean it’s the perfect time to sell for those considering a lifestyle change property - and wanting to move to a location outside the central city: for example, trade in your high-valued villa property in BKK1, for a Borey home along Chea Sophara Road. Usually, prices are lower in areas outside the city, so selling in the city and moving to the country right now, during the property boom, means your purchasing power will be maximized. You should be able to get a bigger and better property with more privacy, and be near mortgage free - because you current home's sale should cover purchase fees. No mortgage would also improve your lifestyle, remember, but you might be trading this pressure for a slightly longer commute to work...The "Down-Sizing" Buyer; should you buy during a property boom? The down sizer, those people looking for a smaller, cheaper home, is often in the best position to buy their next home during a property boom. The chief example of a down-sizer is the retiree. Like an property up-grader, they tend to be selling at the same time as they are buying. However, the down-sizer is lucky that their new home tends to be worth less than the one they are selling. Strong demand will assist this type of property buyer, such as that present during a property boom - because it means a maximum sale price is available. With property boom conditions helping to assure a strong result, retirees and other down-sizers are more likely to be in a position to put some money in the bank and buy a less expensive retirement property.The "Property Investor"; should you buy during a property boom? Every property investors needs to ensure the money-return is sufficient before taking the plunge into even a property boom market. In a rapidly rising market such as Cambodia, that means keeping a strong head and not getting caught up in the boom fever. One of the main factors influencing your decision of whether to buy in a booming market, as a property investor, will be whether you will also be selling in a booming market, since capitalizing on demand for your existing property will boost the cash you have available to fund your next purchase. Consider your circumstances seriously before stepping into even a booming market - and consult a financial adviser to help make the right decision.Read more about how to approach property investment decisions, on Realestate.com.kh today!

Here are the top 6 reasons why Online marketing should be the #1 tool to grow your business, real estate agency or new development sales force... and why it can ultimately replace traditional sales methods. Online Marketing for property sales allows your business to Test Ideas Quickly:Online marketing campaigns are quick and easy to set up, and they can be switched ON and OFF with the click of a mouse. You can also have more than 1 variant running in parallel at the same time - split testing - which allows you to directly compare 2 marketing campaigns at once. Therefore it is very quick to test new ideas.Fast to Scale Up:Once you have a new Online Marketing Campaign working well it is easy to replicate it at a much larger scale - because with all the data and analytic's at your fingertips, you know exactly what worked, and what did not work. This makes online marketing campaigns perfectly suited to scaling up.Push beyond Your Tradition Reach:The internet helps you to reach people anywhere in the world. Your target market expands dramatically when you can reach people beyond your actual location - especially if you are looking for international property investors. With Online Marketing you can engage with someone, who knows someone, who knows someone you know in just matter of seconds - and across thousands of kilometers. That is the power of social networks and online marketing. If you have a small network of 450 contacts online, your potential to expand this network through online marketing is massive.Online Marketing beats Cold Calling because Your Sales Leads are Qualified and Excited!Knocking on the doors of strangers with cold calls or emails means they don't know anything about your service or properties - and this makes sales progress slow. With online marketing your customer knows all info before they reach you, and they are excited! Which client has a better chance of direct sales? Digital marketing helps you to build a pipeline of "inbound" sales leads that are easier to convert into a sale because all the educating and convincing is already done before you talk to the prospective client.  It is always more rewarding when you meet people who are looking forward to talk with you!Online Marketing comes at a Lower cost compared to traditional ways:Using the internet to find real estate buyers is much more cost effective compared to other mediums simply because internet infrastructure is much much cheaper compared to physical infrastructure. And the best part - you only pay for what you use, and you can start small!Build a "brand" through Online Marketing to stay ahead of the pack:It gives a strong competitive advantage when you can differentiate yourself against competition by branding yourself online, and online marketing helps you to create and promote that brand very easily and very cheaply.In conclusion, online marketing can be a very powerful sales tool for your real estate venture, whether you are an agent or property developer, for just two key reasons - Firstly, it helps you to TEST ideas, and it helps you to SCALE things up. These are the two key components of marketing success - and they are right in front of you! However, having said that - don't forget 2 things:A Sound Business Model must come first:You must have a solid business model built around customer value before you can think of online marketing. Online marketing will not replace or improve a bad business idea.Don't forget Traditional Marketing:This is no argument of Online Marketing vs. Traditional Marketing. Add traditional channels of marketing as your business grows, but start with digital for the reasons above. Interested in checking out online marketing that pays? Check out our guides now!