*that we have seen. Chinese developers are breaking records in the speed of construction for new developments.In recent news, a developer in China launched its 57-storey, 838 meter skyscraper in Changsha City, alongside the Xianjiang River.The skyscraper was built, from foundation to completion, in less than three weeks using prefabricated modular technology developed by a company called Broad Sustainable Building. One of the fastest buildings yet. The fastest residential and commercial building, named ‘Sky City’, was originally planed to be completed at a rate of five storeys per day, with exteriors and interiors, finished within 90 days. The modified version of the actual Sky City comprises 800 high- and low-income apartments, and office space for an estimated 4,000 occupants. The Sky City tower covers a total area of180,000 sqm, and will also have places for a variety of shops, restaurants, and possibly hospitality, educational and commercial spaces. These are not being filled quite so fast. Here is the video of the super-speedy construction. [embed]http://cdn.theguardian.tv/mainwebsite/2015/04/30/150430timelapsechina_desk.mp4[/embed]

Whenever renting a new house or commercial space for business, the things that grab our attention first and foremost are the location, price and the supporting lease clauses. However, we often miss out on and overlook certain small but equally important things. You should remember that your final lease agreement is not going to include a lot of important stuff that will ultimately make or break the rental agreement, and this could well be the same stuff that even your landlord or broker won’t reveal pre-contract. Read another Checklist for Securing your Dream Rental Here.Here is a few extra things to consider above and beyond the rental agreement, thanks to Realestate.com.kh:How's the Landlord?Always do a background check of your landlord to make sure everything is above board. This need not be a difficult one, or necessarily call on any official records. Neighbors and grocery shop owners in the vicinity are often the best sources that can help you ascertain your prospective landlord’s nature and his ownership over the property. Also, you should check how far or close he or she lives from the rented apartment. A  landlord who is too nosey is sometimes equally as bad as an extremely laid back one. A lot of good apartment rental experiences are ruined because of landlords - so work out fast whether or not yours in a keeper. Also, try to speak with past tenants. The landlord may be able to provide contact details of the last tenant. If he or she does, call them - and get the down-low on the property and the landlord before agreeing to sign on.Meet the Neighbors:Similar to the above regarding landlords, a bad neighbor can ruin your rental experience. Try to meet your neighbors before finalizing the house agreement and find out whether they will have an overbearing influence on your life. Consider their set up too - is it a family living beside your house or a bunch of young guys? This will make a difference to your satisfaction once the contract is done - so find out before the point. Visit at night:Visit the area where your new residence resides at night to check its safety. A neighborhood that’s calm during the daytime can turn into a very noisy place at night time. Does a KTV open next door after 7pm? Is the entrance to your prospective home lighted sufficiently? Do you feel safe in the new area? If you don't, you can bet your family won't.Is your pet allowed?Find out your landlord’s stance on pets, if you have any. Many landlords don’t allow pets, so finding one which does can often be a challenge for the renter with fluffy friends.Consider the local commute:Try and get to work, or school, from the new house - before agreeing to live there. Many times,  our commute related research is merely based on the rough distance between your home and destination. Walk through your travel route and see how easy and efficient it really is.You’re now ready! Get on Realestate.com.kh/rent today and start the search for your dream rental! Of course, Realestate.com.kh’s 6000+ rental listings make it effortless to see what is available across the Cambodian rentals market. Read another Checklist for Securing your Dream Rental Here.

Finding the perfect rental can be a taxing experience. Of course, Realestate.com.kh’s 6000+ rental listings make it effortless to see what is available across the Cambodian rentals market. Yet, when it comes to inspections, the bulk of your search and consideration usually revolves around technical aspects of the new home, such as proximity to your office or your kid’s school, your budget, the number of bedrooms and the like – it is easy to overlook some of the smaller but equally important details during the heat of the viewing. Here’s a checklist, thanks to Realestate.com.kh, to ensure you’re not forgetting anything! Additional costs: Most rental rates are exclusive of extra monthly charges. Monthly maintenance, waste collection, gas and water rates, electricity bills, bond payments etc. can add to the monthly rental price significantly – so make sure you inquire about all extra expenses while you are viewing. And confirm them in the rental contract before signing. Expect to pay no more than 1000Riel/$0.25 per Kilowatt for electricity, $5 per month for water charges & trash collection and $5 per month for TV cable connection. Read the contract: Seems like a no-brainer – but read your rental agreement with care and attention. Learn the ways in which you can be liable for a breach of your contract, for example having pets or parties – different land lords’ stipulate different reasons for being allowed to throw you out, so make sure you know what the land lord in question expects of you before you agree to stay. Get the right title!Everyone haggles! Always bargain the price with your landlord no matter how it makes you feel. Learn how to haggle here. The same goes for your real estate agent. Remember, that while your real estate agent is acting in your interests to some degree – they are ultimately acting on behalf of the sale, and their commission will be higher if the final agreed price is higher. If you are applying for a long term rental, 1 year or over, use this as a bartering tool. Also, while the landlord may not be flexible on monthly rental price, you may still be able to push them for additional services or home furnishing/appliances for free as contract sweeteners. An upfront advance on your first few months’ rent may also be an enticing bartering point for landlords looks for a fast cash injection in the short term, but ensure everything is receipted correctly. Here's some tips to finding the perfect agent.Safety First: Regardless of what your agent tells you, be personally responsible for you and your family’s safety when considering any new rental property. Walk around the neighborhood of any property you are considering renting, speak with neighbors (and other tenants if it is a shared building) and come back to the area at nighttime and make sure no hidden threats appear when the sun goes down. Also, always consider the potential for flooding. A 24 hour review is necessary to note any noise hazards too – there may be construction in the afternoon that you never noticed at the morning viewing, or a night club could open at night next door. For a little extra attention before agreeing to the rental contract, you can truly understand the pros and cons of the property. Little Things: Check faucets, door hinges, locks, door knobs, power points, appliances, water heaters and gas cookers before agreeing to rent. Most of the time these things look perfect until further investigation - but if you catch minor problems now, you can ask the landlord to fix them before the agreement is settled. Here is a pre-purchase property checklist.Bug Free? Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of a bug infestation. It is not uncommon and it’s easy to miss signs that your new home is shared by a family of cock roaches, termites, mice or other pests. Unless it’s a critter co-lease you’re looking for, find out before it’s too late. Photo Evidence: Before agreeing to the bond payment, take photos of every room in the house while it is empty. In these pictures, make sure you evidence any preexisting damage to the property. This way, when your contract eventually ends, the landlord has no grounds to deduct wear and tear damages from your deposit that in fact you weren’t responsible for. You’re now ready! Get on Realestate.com.kh/rent today and start the search for your dream rental!

The borey life is the dream of countless families across Cambodia. However, not all boreys are equal. Here is a checklist from Realestate.com.kh to make sure you are in fact securing the right property for you and your family - and a sound investment.What is a borey?Essentially, a borey is a gated community of flat houses, twin villa houses and single villa houses, including public areas, gardens and full security services. Those who want to buy a borey home are looking for privacy, a safe place for their family to grow, areas where communities can develop, and a place where all modern amenities are assured. They are they prefered first home of newlywed Cambodian couples looking to start a new family. Not Cambodian? Not sure if you can buy a borey? Learn about foreign ownership laws here. Learn more about Phnom Penh Residential Space here.Is it a registered borey you’re buying?Before purchasing any “borey” home, or any gated community home which calls itself a “borey,” you must first ensure it is infact registered as a borey and has all the correct licenses. Ask your real estate agent, or the property owner, to provide all certification before considering purchasing the property.Here is what you need to see:Correct Hard Title:  The borey development owner must first have hard title for the entire project property, and it must be divided into individual hard titles for each housing unit within the borey. Learn more about Cambodian land titles here.Registered Development Company: The owner/developer must be a registered Cambodian company.Master Plan Approval: Before any construction begins on a borey development, the Ministry of Land Management must first approve the developer's Master Plan.Construction License: Having approved the master plan, the construction company is scrutinized. In order for a gated community development to call itself a “Borey,” it must be built by a single, registered construction company, with a license to construct from the Ministry of Land Management. This ensures the buildings are built to an adequate standard, and necessary amenities and infrastructure are guaranteed.Borey License: If everything is in order, the Ministry of Economics and Finance issues a borey license - which means that the Government is satisfied with the quality of the development’s design and sales plans, and the correct land titles for that housing project are in order. Each property within the development will have an independent hard title, meaning the future home owner has full ownership rights on purchase. This means the development can legally be called a “borey”.Buying a registered borey home means due diligence has been done for you by the Government - at a national level - and you can guarantee that the correct construction and legal processes have been followed.In comparison, Cambodia hosts many large developments of flat houses which look exactly the same as a borey community in their design, and sometimes even called a borey in their marketing. However, those developments have not been scrutinized or licensed. Developers avoid registering as a borey because of the additional expense and scrutiny over their construction and legal standards. To build and sell a flathouse development, not titled as a borey, means less licensing is required, and official permission for construction and selling is only needed at a Khan or Sangkat level. Your title may not be valid, and the quality of the house’s construction and its Sales and Purchase Agreement is not certain. Avoid unregistered flathouse developments, or risk investing in a insecure asset that may not match pre-sale descriptions.Check out Cambodia’s latest and greatest borey homes for sale and rent on realestate.com.kh today!

Realestate.com.kh offers a range of products for property developers in Cambodia to build their brand, increase inquiries for their apartment, condo or office units, and ultimately sell their new development project faster than ever.We are not agents here at Realestate.com.kh, and we do not take commission – but we do seek to provide the best possible online real estate buying and selling experience for both home buyers and property sellers. including property developers.The Realestate.com.kh developers online marketing packages are designed to help Cambodian property developers expose their properties to the widest possible audience of buyers - inside and outside of Cambodia - and create ongoing hype within the local and international market. Realestate.com.kh can help your new development stand out from the crowd. Traffic to Realestate.com.kh is highly targeted.People come to Realestate.com.kh for one reason – to search for property – and for this reason, they stay on site for a long time, checking the latest properties that suit their search criteria. For developers, there is no need to waste your time and money listing property on other classified websites where user traffic is not related to property.Property developers put their listing on Realestate.com.kh where everyone that visits it is a potential customer. We are ranked number 1 for search results on google.com and google.com.kh for almost all property search keywords related to Cambodia. Our website is also mobile and tablet optimized, which is perfect for Cambodia where this type of traffic has increased over 414% since 2014. Meanwhile, we harness social media marketing to push your new development listing to a wider audience.Realestate.com.kh’s new development listings appear on our dedicated “New Developments” section of the website, one click from the homepage, which means new development property listings don’t get mixed up with the thousands of other residential property listings. All “New Development” listings are “Featured” which means 200% larger listings, larger photos and the developer’s logo included. You can also upload 3D Renders of floor plans, maps, information brochures and various other sales materials to the online listing.How do we push your property listings around the globe?At Realestate.com.kh, through our “Featured Listings” package, we easily and automatically help Cambodian property developers enter the lucrative international property market, make international real estate connections, and, ultimately, sell property to wealthy international buyers – all without leaving thier computer chair. While 65% of traffic to Realestate.com.kh is from Cambodia, the balance of visitors are from countries with a strong interest in Cambodian real estate. We also help international property agents share their listings with Cambodian’s interested in investing in international real estate.Realestate.com.kh has a partnership with the Property Guru Group.  PropertyGuru Group is Asia’s leading online property portal group used by more than 11 million property buyers, viewing over 104 million property pages and generating over 500,000 enquiries for real estate developers and agent advertisers – every month – across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.Content marketing is a powerful way to position your development company as a market leader and create hype for your new development. Realestate.com.kh can make a custom content marketing plan to suit your needs with our professional in-house real estate journalists that produce high quality real estate advertorial. This advertorial will be seen by tens of thousands of property seekers on Realestate.com.kh’s dedicated real estate news blog and weekly email.Our writing is respected throughout the industry, by agents and property seekers. Meanwhile, we push your advertorial to new audiences in Cambodia and abroad through our extensive social media network – which includes Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Line. Banner advertising on Realestate.com.kh is another great way to drive highly relevant traffic to your new development.If you are a developer wishing to list your property on Realestate.com.kh and take advantage of our comprehensive online marketing solutions, please contact us today at info@realestate.com.kh or 017436756 and we will be happy to meet with you and tell you all the different ways we can showcase your new development to the world.Harness the online revolution that is spreading across Cambodia – and get your latest project sold on Realestate.com.kh today!

Realestate.com.kh offers a range of products that help real estate agents in Cambodia build their brand, increase inquiries and ultimately sell more property.We are not agents here at Realestate.com.kh and we do not take commission – but we do seek to provide the best possible online real estate buying and selling experience for both home buyers and property sellers.Realestate.com.kh has many ways to help Cambodian real estate agents professionalize their business – at very little cost.Realestate.com.kh can design and build your agency a modern and highly functional website, tailored to real estate agent needs, at very competitive prices – and we also offer leading CRM technology to manage your listings and your real estate sales team. For this reason, Cambodia’s best real estate agencies already have accounts on Realestate.com.kh. To make matters even easier, your listings can be automatically exported to Realestate.com.kh’s listing database at the same time they are uploaded to your agencies website.People come to Realestate.com.kh for one reason – to search for property – and for this reason, they stay on site for a long time, checking the latest properties that suit their search criteria. For agents, there is no need to waste your time and money listing property on other classified websites where user traffic is not related to property.Meanwhile, make more money from your listed properties by inviting international investors to view your listing. Realestate.com.kh has a high level of traffic from international investors, around 30-40% of all traffic, and for those agents that choose “Featured Listings” on our site, we can export that listing to international property portals around the world. ListGlobally, a partner of Realestate.com.kh, is the largest international real estate advertising network in the world and publishes property listings on leading property portals around the world – including all featured listings from Realestate.com.kh.Furthermore, when an agent decides to “Feature” a listing on Realestate.com.kh, we do not allow another agent to request to feature the same listing. This allows you to act as the exclusive agent for that property – as it will automatically be the highest on the property list. Banner advertising on Realestate.com.kh is another great way to drive relevant traffic to your agency’s website.If you are an agent wishing to list your property on Realestate.com.kh, contact us today at info@realestate.com.kh or 017436756 and we'll be happy to help you grow and professionalize your real estate businessthrough our website.

See the ECC Featured Listing on the New Developments page The East Commercial Centre (ECC), slated for completion along Norodom Boulevard in late 2017, seeks to create a hub for new business in Cambodia. The interior layout of ECC will reflect the demand of start-ups and international business entrants as office space is available in compact and affordable units, between 33msq and 66msq per unit, with rental pricing as low as $15 - $20 per square meter, and managerial fees less than $2 per square meter. All common areas lighting will be solar powered to further reduce managerial fees and the building’s carbon footprint. The East Commercial Center shall offer affordable and highly practical office space in the heart of Phnom Penh. However, the ECC, a single tower of 38 floors, is part of phase one of a much larger development project. East View, the development that will host the ECC Office tower, will include three 38 floor towers in the first phase of the project, all developed by Eastland (HK) Ltd. The two other 38 floor towers that will complement the ECC tower are entirely residential - the East View Residences. The advantage of having one office tower, ECC, and two residential towers in the same development, the East View Residence towers, is that businesses that buy or rent office space in the ECC tower will be able to live within the East View Residential towers. Living close to your business headquarters is a competitive advantage in downtown Phnom Penh, where traffic congestion is a growing consideration. Also, no time and money spent on transport to your place of work means more time and money for your family, friends and pursuing new business opportunities. The East Commercial Centre (ECC), slated for completion along Norodom Boulevard in late 2017, seeks to create a hub for new business in Cambodia. Since the announcement of the construction of the first phase of the East View Development, namely the ECC tower and the first two Residential towers, Eastland has received great feedback from the local and international market - businesses want to reserve office space in the commercial center and families and business people want to buy units within the first two residential towers. In light of this very positive response and the sense responsibility this has evoked in the developer, Eastland intends to start the second phase of the Eastview development shortly. The second phase will include a business hotel and supporting facilities to meet the ECC’s demand. Some of these additional facilities will include a high-end club, a swimming pool and a full health and gym center. A lot of real estate agents have also shown great interest in the ECC and East View development, and Eastland has confidence that over half of the development will be able to be sold to locals within the Cambodian market.  See the ECC Featured Listing on the New Developments page

Welcome to Realestate.com.kh's Dream Home Report. Every week we will showcase one of our 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 look to Sihanoukville and a set of Island Villa's that will make any beach lover excited. The resort features 27 intimate island villas, uncompromising on luxury and design to reflect the simple beauty of the natural environment. See the full listings here and here Villa 2 is one of only three two bedroom overwater island villas at Song Saa, and the only overwater villas with swimming pools in South East Asia. The island villas offer direct access from the deck area into the sea, as well as perfect views out over the local scenery. It is the perfect place to enjoy a sunset drink with friends and loved ones. Complete with private pools, high-end creature comforts and a world-class restaurant and lounge at the heart of the resort spectacularly positioned just off the island’s shoreline and surrounded by sea. A short stroll on the boardwalk will leave you perfectly positioned to take in dramatic sunsets, seascapes and starry nights. * Vista Bar and Restaurant * Driftwood Bar * Pool-side dining * Large infinity edge swimming pool * Spa and wellness sanctuaries positioned in the rain forest and along the shore * Yoga meditation centre on the shoreline, ideal for yoga at sunrise * Water sports such as scuba diving, kayaking, snorkelling and boating * Ecological programme to experience the areas flora and fauna * An exclusive island boutique featuring designer labels from around the world The villa is available on a sale and leaseback scheme where owners are entitled to 30 nights usage a year in exchange for a return. Located within the Koh Rong Archipelago off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, the luxurious and idyllic Song Saa Resort spans the islands of Koh Ouen and Koh Bong (known locally as Song Saa – Khmer for ‘The Sweethearts’), connected by a footbridge over a marine reserve which is home to an abundance of marine life including turtles, seahorses and exotic species of tropical fish. With an ever increasing number of international flights into Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, and with the recent introduction of domestic flights between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, access to Song Saa Private Island has never been easier. From Sihanoukville Port it is then a comfortable 35 minutes to and from Song Saa Private Island on luxurious speed boats. See the full listings here and here This listing is from Knight Frank Cambodia, one of Realestate.com.kh's latest "Featured Agents". Find out how to become a "Featured Agent" today!

See the ECC Featured Listing on the New Developments page The Cambodian business sector is emerging like never before, believes CEO of East Land Development Co. Ltd., Mr Sam Yang. However, steps still need to be taken to support innovative startups as they attempt to enter the market.Currently, Phnom Penh hosts a huge population of young up and coming business people. They are fast learners, extremely innovative, connected to world market trends and ideas through an intimate engagement with the internet - and they are driven to start their own businesses. Meanwhile, International companies are increasingly interested in moving an office to Cambodia because investment incentives are some of the best in the region, and Cambodia is located in the heart of ASEAN. However, the current office space market in Phnom Penh is unsuited to the growing demand. These types of start-up businesses are not interested in high grade office space, as rental rates are too high, and instead find themselves adapting villas or flat houses into office space. Yet, these types of office properties include no amenities suitable for modern business and don’t allow the development of micro-business communities and entrepreneurial opportunities that a designated office complex truly nurtures.The East Commercial Centre (ECC), slated for completion along Norodom Boulevard in late 2017, seeks to create a hub for new business in Cambodia. The interior layout of East Commercial Center will reflect the demand of start-ups and international business entrants as office space is available in compact and affordable units, between 33msq and 66msq per unit, with rental pricing as low as $15 - $20 per square meter, and managerial fees less than $2 per square meter. All common areas lighting will be solar powered to further reduce managerial fees and the building’s carbon footprint. The East Commercial Center shall offer affordable and highly practical office space in the heart of Phnom Penh. As a 38 floor office tower, the East Commercial Center will be the highest pure office space development that Cambodia has yet to host, and will include 3 entire floors designated to car parking - a total of 300 parking lots; and an additional floor designated solely for moto parking - all reserved for ECC occupants. Meanwhile, the East Commercial Center will incorporate two entire floors as ‘Business Centers’ - the sixth and 22nd floors - which will be avaliable for all occupants to use. These floors will hold all amenities for businesses, such as a copy center, communications center and various conference rooms - the largest on each floor being a 300 square meter conference room. The East Commercial Center will also call on Donghua Holding Foundation to sponsor entrepreneurs with promising business ideas. This will take the form of an ‘Emerging Markets Fund’ that will offer entrepreneurs and startups discounted office space, ongoing business support and mentorship with the Donghua Holding Foundation, and ongoing assistance in turning their business dreams into reality. The underlying intention of this sponsorship fund is to help young businesses with promise gain traction in the Cambodian market and ASEAN community - even if they may lack the start up capital to support themselves.See the ECC Featured Listing on the New Developments page

Century 21 Cambodia would like to invite you to join an Exciting Conference: The First Century 21 International Real Estate Conference “How to Build a Condominium in Cambodia” on 5th - 6th September 2015 which leverage knowledge and idea by H.E Dr. Sok Siphana, Mr. Kevin Goos, and Mr. Justin Landis.Opportunities: This opportunity is for wealthy land owners to understand how to make millions of dollars by developing a condominium, how to build a brand with your project, and most importantly how to successfully enter the real estate development market in Cambodia. The "How to Build a Condominium in Cambodia” Conference is an opportunity is for land owners, construction companies, and real estate professionals to understand the condominium business model from start to finish. The conference is conducted by industry leaders who share the most important details to successfully develop a condominium, so Cambodians can capture the millions of dollars that are being made in real estate development in Phnom Penh. Why attend this training program: The "How to Build a Condominium in Cambodia” Conference will show you how to make millions in real estate development by learning from industry leaders in Cambodia. If you interested in becoming a real estate developer or want to understand how to make money from Condos then this is the perfect opportunity for you to join and learn the full step- by-step process of “how to build a successful condominium project in Cambodia.”  We offer a comprehensive financial model, partnership agreements, overview of legal aspects for construction, and a full step by step outline for new developers to directly use with their existing projects. We educate new developers about the common mistakes developers make and the do’s and don’ts for developing a condominium in Cambodia.

As Cambodia’s property market expands and diversifies faster than ever before, both locals and expats are seeing opportunities in the real estate industry. As a real estate agent your earning potential is near limitless and, meanwhile, the market place is so broad and various, almost anyone can find their sales niche and succeed.In many other countries there are various types of real estate agents with real estate sellers’ licenses suitable to their domain – whether it be rentals, residential sales, commercial, land, high-end, low-end, new developments and so on. In Cambodia, however, real estate agents only need to be licensed by a registered real estate agency. For those that want to become an agent, they must choose what direction to take their career; and for those looking for a property, they must choose what type of agent is best for their property needs. Here’s a guide to the different types of agents available in Cambodia, and why you might or might not want to choose them for your next property search… Full Salaried Agents:Full salaried agents are registered employees at a real estate agency who receive regular pay checks regardless of their sales results. Meanwhile, full salaried agents also generally receive an additional income of between 10 to 15 percent share of the final commission sum when they do sell. The benefits for full salaried agents are that they are guaranteed an income even when the property market slows down and sales are hard – but their commission rates are smaller than some other agents. For agency owners, offering a constant salary to agents may limit their incentive to really chase sales. For property seekers, employing this type of agent may lead to a lower-quality of customer service because they have no exclusivity over your listing if selling, and comparatively low incentives to do what it takes to find you the perfect property if you are buying. The quality of service of this type of agent will depend solely on the reputation of the agency – so choose your real estate agency wisely.Employed Commission-Based Agents:This type of agent is likely the most common way of working in any real estate market. An employed commission-based agent is hired by an established real estate agency and is paid only when they close a sales deal. When they do sell, they will receive around 40 - 60 percent of the total commission share, and the rest of the commission will be given to their agency. After all, they provided the agent with the collateral, leads and listings necessary for the sale. For agents beginning their career, this is an easy way to get started. Why? You will have access to the company’s listings and joint marketing efforts, meaning that no upfront costs or efforts are required from you. You will be rewarded on your success with high commission shares – but if you can’t sell, you won’t make anything. For property buyers and sellers, be aware that while many real estate agencies employ agents on these terms, not all agencies are as good as each other. Therefore, before you hire an agent like this, you must investigate the reputation of the agency that they work for. A good agency will assist you with all aspects of property purchasing and selling - such as inspections, valuations, marketing and legal considerations before and after the sale. Look for a wide set of skills and an intimate understanding of the local real estate market. Don’t settle for less.Freelance Agents:Freelance real estate agents were once extremely common in Cambodia. However, they are now illegal. Any real estate agent in Cambodia must be registered to a licensed agency. As freelance agents were liable for full commission on sales, they were more motivated than other agents to close a deal, and often worked harder to find a mutually beneficial contact between the buying and selling parties. The risk of working with ‘cowboys,’ however was high - freelancers will do almost anything to try and close a deal. The freelancer answers to no one, and no agency. For these reasons, only deal with registered real estate agents in Cambodia.If you are looking for an agent, the first place to look is the Cambodian Real Estate Agent Directory at Realestate.com.kh.

Obviously the construction industry is booming alongside the recent explosion of high rise apartment and condominium projects taking place across Cambodia. However, this recent surge in development is also benefiting some lesser known industries, those of which are working toward improving the end quality of these development projects for both buyers and sellers.Some products proving hugely popular to the latest new developments in Cambodia are onsite gyms, health and fitness amenities. A rise in these additional features in new developments nationwide reflects international consumer trends appearing in the Kingdom as they never have before. Speaking with Simon Rapoport, Country Manager of Seara, official importer of Life Fitness exercise equipment in Cambodia and full package gym design and installation professionals, we discover what is fueling this surge in demand for high end amenities within new development projects. “When we install the gym, we add value to the project immediately,” remarks Rapoport, “and we help to maintain trust between the developer and prospective real estate buyers.” As many new developments are being presold before their construction in Cambodia, the end buyer is instilling a lot of trust in the developer to provide all features promised when the apartment, condo or serviced unit finally becomes available for new tenants.  Tales of missing features when the development is finally ready for occupancy are rife throughout the industry – for instance, gym space provided as according to the presale project specifications, but no equipment to be seen at the final launch, or much cheaper branded equipment than first promised; previously touted roof top pools that are cut in final budget considerations; and the arrival of new management of serviced condos and apartments that don’t hesitate to ignore earlier promises of products and services once the project welcomes its new tenants. For this reason, says Rapoport, “the developers we work with increasingly want to see the gym constructed and fitted as soon as possible.” The reason being, “if the potential buyer comes to view the project mid construction, and the gym on the fifth floor has already been fully fitted with international standard equipment, even while the rest of the building remains a work in progress, the buyer has already witnessed the developer fulfilling promises within the presale specs.” Building a gym or sports facility first is an exercise in building one’s credibility in the market: “They’re saying, ‘Count on us – We said we will provide a world class gym, and look, here it is!’” remarks Rapoport. New developers are promising leading brands, such as the Life Fitness equipment that Seara Sports fit and maintain, and they want to prove this to new unit buyers who are voting with their feet across Phnom Penh. Sharon Liew, from Huttons CPL, notes that this credibility gap is caused by a lack of enforcement in the advertising legislation for false advertising surrounding the Cambodian property market: "In Cambodia, real estate marketers are free to misrepresent the development to purchasers without any legal repercussions. In Singapore and Malaysia though, for example, showroom units used to sell the development before it is completed must be exactly the same specifications and dimensions as the completed unit. If not, the buyer has a legal right to challenge the agreement and potentially void their purchase agreement." In the meantime, Sharon recommends buying from developers who include building and unit specifications as well as facilities included in the Sales and Purchase Agreement. Demand for health and fitness products within new developments also marks a clear conceptual desire for many home and investment buyers looking to move to modern home complexes throughout Cambodia. “Those who are buying units in these new developments are not simply looking to buy a home,” believes Rapoport, “they are buying a lifestyle.” “It’s all about health,” says Rapoport, and this concept is becoming cemented in the mindsets of consumers throughout Asia, and increasingly Cambodia. When new buyers see an apartment block that offers an onsite health and fitness center, they see the chance to purchase a better life – one in which daily fitness is guaranteed and doesn’t require navigating the congested inner-city.” For the same reason, new project buyers also desire other inclusive amenities such as cafes, restaurants, communal areas, sports facilities and onsite events. Sam Kiers, from Elevated Realty, notes that many development administrations only allow access to gym and health facilities to fulltime residents of that particular property.  However, a few condominium developments are less strict on these policies and open onsite gyms to family, friends and acquaintances of their occupants. Kiers supports this later trend as it represents an ongoing tool for developers and agents to introduce potential clientele to the building in a positive light.  The traffic an open-gym policy generally includes the type of potential clientele that the developer is seeking – relatively affluent, mobile and clearly interested in the fitness facilities the development has to offer. “Developing sustained interest in any new development is becoming more and more important with the condominium influx,” notes Kiers. And it is not just international developers seeking these features, says Rapoport, who has witnessed a surge in local developers wishing to integrate gyms, sports grounds, pools, and steam and sauna facilities within their new projects. Throughout the market, quality is in demand. And quality does not limit itself to the building alone, suggests Rapoport – “It is intimately connected with the quality of life a new development can conceptually represent.”

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See the Full Listing HereLocated on the corner of Street 214 and 51, between the four icons of Phnom Penh - Independence Monument, Royal Palace, National Museum and Central Market - East One Apartments offers a prime location to anyone working in international embassies, Government ministries and the Central Business District; or for anyone who wants to feel the pulse of Phnom Penh city. All East One high-rise residents are guaranteed the best river views in town… Because the apartment complex is located alongside the border of the Royal Palace, all surrounding buildings now have height restrictions of no more than 10 floors on their titles. That means that if you buy an apartment unit between the 10th and 22nd floors in East One, your perfect view of the Tonle Sap will be secured for the future! All East One Apartment units come fully furnished with international brands “American Standard,” “Samsung,” “LG” and equivalent standard brands. Each unit includes all soft and hard furnishing to suit the space perfectly, as chosen by professional interior designers, including all electrical appliances for modern living. Meanwhile, the complex includes full service hotel-style amenities with rooftop swimming pool, café, car parking and full concierge service. Head downstairs to enjoy world class amenities and entertainment within walking distance of your new home, including the award winning House of Seafood and Breadtalk - two F&B brands direct from Singapore, more than 5 banks, various supermarkets, KFC, Browns Coffee, all major airline offices, and the host of nightlife which awakes every night along Phnom Penh’s famous Street 51. And you can rest assured that your investment at East One will be immediately profitable. Why? To assure rental returns for buyers, the East One Developer, Guangzhou Yuetai Group Co., Ltd., is guaranteeing a 22.5% rental return payable upfront as rebate to the purchase price. Meanwhile, demand for high end rental apartments in this area is particularly high generally; the nearby Maline Apartments, for example, is renting studios at $1500/month, which equates to more than 10 percent rental return. Guangzhou Yuetai Group Co., Ltd., with over 8 Billion Yuan in total assets, has huge experience in building and managing service apartments to a world class standard. In 2003, Yuetai Group acquired Donghua Enterprise, a listed company on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and successfully built its own property brand known as ‘Swan Bay,’ renowned across China for luxury living solutions. Swan Bay comprises over 20 high-end real estate projects in over 13 cities across China, exceeding 4 million square meters. Yuetai Group has won various honors for their real estate developments, including the Guangdong Top 20 Real Estate Qualification and Credit Enterprise Award, Guangdong Top 100 Private Company Award, the Guangzhou Top 10 Most Competitive Real Estate Developer Award, Guangzhou Trustworthy Brand Developer Award, and a Contract Abiding and Creditable Enterprise Award, to name just a few. See the Full Listing Here For more information and to arrange a viewing, please contact us today or visit the East One Showroom - Opposite Cell Card, and next to ANZ Royal on Sihanouk Boulevard. (#182, Preah Sihanouk Blvd , BKK1, Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh).

A lot of people talk about buying investment property. However, this is not always as simple as it seems. To make any property a lucrative investment, you need to buy the right investment property and you need to manage it correctly.Here are the top three ways to make your real estate earn extra income for you and your family.#1 - Buy a Rental Property: If you want to see your new property investment making money immediately, you should buy a property that you can easily rent out to someone else. The benefit of a rental property is that you can sell the property at a higher price than what you purchased it for - due to the appreciation of the land beneath it - while, at the same time, you collect an additional rental income. The rental income will help supplement your mortgage repayments on the property – or could even exceed them. In which case, you will receive extra money each month as landlord. When buying a property that you intend to rent, however, you must try to choose a property that has market value now. If it does not attract rental tenants straight away, you won’t see any money in the short term meaning you struggle to pay the mortgage repayments. So when you are looking to buy an investment property to rent, you must consider:Is it in a popular location for potential tenants? Eg. Close to universities and schools, close to shopping centers, close to major employment centers etc.Is it suitable for expat renters? If so, you can make more from rental opportunities if you market the property correctly to expats.Is the property currently livable? You may need to furnish the property, and make the property more attractive for potential renters. Eg. Consider security precautions; consider supplying services such as wi-fi or cable tv.All of these things require investing more money into the property but may be necessary to guarantee tenancy.Obviously, this also means you must have another property where you can live while you rent out your investment property. Alternatively, if the property is suitable, you may be able to live in part of the house, and rent the rest of it to tenants. Read #2 Here

A lot of people talk about buying investment property. However, this is not always as simple as it seems. To make any property a lucrative investment, you need to buy the right investment property and you need to manage it correctly.Here are the top three ways to make your real estate earn extra income for you and your family. Missed #1? Click here to read them first!#2 - Buy a Property to Live in with High Appreciation Potential: This is what most people immediately think when they think of the term “Investment Property.” Invest in real estate that you will live in yourself, and hope that while you stay there, the price of the land will rise enough to cover the mortgage that you took out to initially buy the property. If the property appreciates sufficiently while you stay, you will make money on top of the mortgage and this is your end profit. This is also an investment suitable for those who don’t want to rent a property. When you rent for a long time, you might feel like you are wasting money by giving it to your landlord. If you buy the property, this money you would have spent on rent is instead going to be spent on the mortgage repayments. When you are ready to move from the house, you have the opportunity to make money on top of any costs of the mortgage. But remember:This is a much harder game if you don’t have upfront cash to buy the property or subsidize the loan – because the mortgage repayments are going to eat into your investment earnings.It also requires a better understanding of the real estate market trends that you are in, as you must find a property that will appreciate reasonably quickly.This investment tactic tends to take longer – in that you may need to wait for many years before the property appreciates enough to be worth selling again.It also requires economic stability during that period, increasing the risk.But, if you choose the right property, in an area appreciating fast, this type of investment strategy can work. And meanwhile you always have a place to live. Here’s what to look for:Property and land tends to appreciate naturally as other things develop around it, so when you look for an investment property to live in, try to choose upcoming areas. Places where maybe the level of infrastructure is currently lower – but clearly rising quickly.Don’t buy in areas which are already fully developed, unless you get a very competitive price when you buy the property. The appreciation in these areas is likely to be slower.Look to see where other people are choosing for investment and speak with real estate agents.Always research the market before buying a live-in investment property.A note regarding Land Investment: If you want to simply invest in land – you must invest at or below market value. If you spend too much on a land investment, your risk that it won’t increase in value is high, and meanwhile, you get no benefit from the property what so ever.Read #3 Here

A lot of people talk about buying investment property. However, this is not always as simple as it seems. To make any property a lucrative investment, you need to buy the right investment property and you need to manage it correctly. Here are the top three ways to make your real estate earn extra income for you and your family. Missed #1 or #2? Click here to read them first!#3 - Buy a property, Increase its Value, and Flip It: Potentially the fastest way to make a return on your investment is to buy an investment property that you will be able to improve through renovations and then sell for more than what you originally bought it for. Yet, no money is easy money – and some investors do not consider the true costs and skills necessary to buy, fix and flip property.One way to do this is to invest in a ‘property with potential’:A property with potential is one which is currently underdeveloped – but has potential to be a very attractive property with a little work and money.Yet, again, location is everything when it comes to re-selling property. So not everyone has money to buy in the right area and then spend money developing the property.Remember - Always get a professional valuation before you purchase any investment property, and this will help you find out how you can realistically increase the properties market value.Once you have developed the property, re-value it and see where its market value has moved to.There is no doubt that this option requires significant upfront capital – cash now. But if you have it, buy more and get a discount:Developers and other property investors with various properties will often give a much better price if you are willing to buy a number of properties.The money you save with this bulk discount can be used to improve the property for resale.You could consider buying a whole floor of a condominium building, for instance, then live in one unit while you rent out the others, or renovate the others for resale yourself.Then, sell all of the units at a higher price when the land beneath the condo appreciates.Missed #1 or #2? Click here to read them first!

Currently, the private sector is the only real force bringing fire prevention and response considerations into new building developments in Cambodia, says Paul Hurford, Managing Director of Azisafe Cambodia. Yet, even these standards can prove problematic in the Cambodian firefighting environment. [caption id="attachment_77921" align="aligncenter" width="540"] Hong Menea, Phnom Penh Post[/caption] The Fire Prevention Law, which is currently in force in Cambodia, is an overarching document that represents a cross between a fire safety law, a fire service law and a catalogue of emergency response standards. “It reflects a law that was intended to have specific regulations created under it,” says Hurford, “yet these regulations have yet to be created.”This means the law currently has no direct compliance mechanisms, and little practical application. [caption id="attachment_77915" align="alignleft" width="200"] Hong Menea, Phnom Penh Post[/caption] Many new buildings currently being erected throughout Cambodia claim to bring international standards of fire safety, fully integrated into the new building’s design. However, Hurford notes, while Singaporean, Malaysian and Hong Kong fire standards are increasingly integrated into new developments, these countries have some of the best fire services in the world in regards to response capabilities and external fire infrastructure. “Although a new development may incorporate international standards in regards to fire prevention within its design – if the local fire service arrives and their equipment has different couplings to those installed inside the building, these international standard systems are immediately useless.” The same issue occurs when the response team is not trained in using these internal firefighting systems. For these reasons, to achieve worthwhile fire design, emphasis must lie on emergency response mechanisms related to each building, and appropriate training for first response teams for that building, says Hurford.  This means compatibility with available local firefighting equipment, but also a strong emphasis on training and response protocols. Some new developments are taking matters into their own hands in this regard, employing and training in-house firefighting teams. Hurford agrees with this measure, as “realistically, each development must be self-sustainable if they want to control fire risk in Cambodia.” This includes internal systems capable of fighting the fire, such as sprinklers, alarms, and appropriate extinguishers, but always combined with emergency protocols, training and education. Hurford notes that for developers, given the potential risk to their investment – “no one is really doing enough.” Meanwhile, response capabilities of the Cambodian fire service are limited by an equipment and skills gap. The Cambodian fire service exists within a culture of donation in regards to equipment, suggests Hurford -as internal funding is seldom afforded, there is an expectation that equipment will be donated. But this raises issues when that donated equipment does not suit the Cambodian firefighting environment. For example, says Hurford, the Japanese have donated many fire engines to the Cambodian fire service. While the equipment donated is of a high standard, it is suited to a Japanese firefighting environment where fire hydrants are always readily available.This means the trucks only have very small water tanks. In Cambodia,there are very limited hydrants available and, therefore, for a firefighting team to be successful, it must carry all necessary water to the scene of fire. “This is just one example,” notes Hurford “but it is symbolic of the Cambodian fire service’s equipment problem.” [caption id="attachment_77925" align="alignleft" width="350"] Hong Menea, Phnom Penh Post[/caption] Hurford suggests that the only way for the Cambodian fire service to move forward is to create standards suitable to Cambodia’s needs, tailored to Cambodia’s means – then train across the board on these standards. A few groups are currently trying to help with this, such as Eurocham’s current work on the new Construction Law, and the IBCs involvement with the Building Standards and Fire Safety Committee – both of which are working alongside the Government to move from a reactive state of affairs, toward reaching standardized fire safety mechanisms that will really save lives and property. Hurford is currently involved with the formation of the Emergency/Fire Response Working Group, set to meet for the first time this August. This working group shall bring together all government departments involved in emergency response mechanisms, along with private sector members with experience in the field of emergency response. The group shall conduct mutual trainingexercises for its members, and try to standardize training and communication procedures throughout the country. While this group is still very much in its infancy, it has already been endorsed by the Police Commissioner and Ministry of Interior. Hurford notes that everyone trying to work together on this is in itself a forward step.real estat

Currently, the term “International Standard Development,” increasingly touted in Cambodia, means bringing an international team of sub-contractors to Cambodia who understand and practice these standards, said Elain Younn, Director of  240 Development Company Ltd , a seven floor condo complex situated in the heart of BKK1. Yet, local developers who can’t connect with international standard sub-contractors are struggling to incorporate these standards alone. This is only natural, said Younn, a Khmer national with Australian dual-citizenship, as it was only a few years ago that local developers were building no more than villas and other low rise buildings. These could be done to a reasonably high standard using domestic sub-contractors due to their size and manageability and a vast local experience in constructing these types of buildings. However, now the Cambodian development property market horizon has leaped forward, leaving a yawning skills and understanding gap. If a local developer has the means, they can now get a permit to develop a high-rise apartment building and by doing so, enter a far more lucrative market where both Khmers and foreigners can buy. However, this is a far more advanced design and structural feat of which most local developers have never had experience, said Younn. “For this reason, Cambodian developers are increasingly employing Thai, Singaporean, Vietnamese and other international architects to help them plan new developments,” said Younn. 240 Development contracted Gary Fell, an English architect and founder of GFab Architects Indonesia, whose other Cambodian projects include the Sheraton Hotel in Siem Reap, the FCC in Siem Reap and iCan International School, of which Younn is the owner. Yet, in terms of construction standards, local developers are not ready for the cost of this guidance, suggested Younn. To bring in international sub-contractors for the construction process, including structural engineers, plumbers, electrical engineers, lift installation specialists, security equipment and fire safety standards, the cost of the completed project rises more than threefold—as Younn is intimately aware, having contracted various renowned international contractors for 240 Condo project. Still, this is only natural for local developers, as the relative prices at which they can sell the finished units doesn’t rise to match the additional costs of international standard compliance. For Younn, the livability and peace of mind that international standards of design and construction offer to buyers and occupants easily justifies the higher costs of importing these standards for 240 development set to open in just over a month, after almost 6 years of construction. Furthermore, no one is holding local developers accountable. In their building permit, developers only define the type and scale of their project, and at the completion of the building process, all that must be checked is that the final development has maintained the permitted specifications. The permit is purely procedural, and no additional checks are under taken to ensure any standards of quality have been reached. No outside the auditing company or the overarching inspection contractor is responsible; the only checking is done internally by each sub-contractor. With the Cambodian Construction Law currently entering the final stages of drafting, however, this could all change. The new legislation will provide an overarching law for the building industry, a national building code with individual prakas will also be required to address building standards pertaining to project management, work site safety , fire safety and building control, just to name a few. Younn commented that the practical power of the new law will be in its inspection requirements and compliance strategies. If there aren’t strong compliance efforts and education of the market as to how these standards are maintained, it seems unlikely to have the necessary effect because it will be competing against market value. If the will to enforce is there and reflected in compliance measures, however, Younn believes that Cambodian construction can move forward – as has been seen in other areas such as the recent tax reforms. Regardless of the new law, however, Younn believes an ideological shift is currently occurring in the minds of both local developers and local property investors. As more and more international standard developers are coming to Cambodia, they are demonstrating what is possible in the property sphere. Meanwhile, each international development brings with it huge resources and expertise which are slowly but surely educating the local developers, subcontractors and the market on how to properly take on these grand scale projects. This means local developers are striving to build world class buildings, as innovative and impressive as those being erected around them and built to international standards. As importantly, they are gaining the necessary contacts to help them do that. Market forces are changing too, said Younn, as consumers are more and more willing to pay for quality: “What we are seeing across the development market is an ongoing education process with real and physical examples that demonstrate the value of quality – and this means people no longer feel assured living in substandard buildings.” Look at Aeon Mall, for example, remarked Younn, “it is built and managed to an international standard and consumers and international retailers are instantly responding to this through their demand.” “It is like a child learning to walk,” summed Younn. “We are walking in Cambodia now, but we need to make sure it is in the right direction.” Yet, as Cambodian property market is redefined by international developers at a rate previously unseen, “there is no way we can walk backwards.” And as the new construction law enters force in the coming years, this progression seems assured.

In Cambodia there are remarkably low penetration levels of insurance – among the lowest in the world. This results in risk and insecurity for those with assets such as property.Cambodians are, however, starting to realize the benefits that investing in insurance can bring and Cambodia’s insurance industry is rapidly expanding. For the consumer, this means more and more affordable ways to protect your vehicle, home and business.The majority of companies in Cambodia invest in property insurance.This means, for example, if the business is a manufacturing factory then this insurance would protect that business against the danger of fire and flooding. There has also been a surge in businesses buying interruption policies. Properties can be insured up to the cost of construction by owners or renters. Get in touch with one of Realestate.com.kh’s professional insurance contacts today and find out just how affordable peace of mind for your business assets can be. Khmer’s who are insured already generally tend to be older, aged 35 or above, and these Khmers are aware of the risks that exist and have enough assets that their risk is significant. Insurance gives peace of mind in protecting those assets.Residential property owners however are largely uninsured or underinsured in Cambodia.This is a very risky state of affairs and in some ways illogical when the cost of insurance is considered. For example, if your 3 bedroom home in Toul Kork, Phnom Penh, valued at $200,000 was to be damaged by fire, storm or a flood – it would cost all of your life savings to rebuild. An appropriate policy covering you against this risk might cost less than your lunch on a daily basis! Meanwhile, your life savings would be free from the burden of rebuilding your home, as would your mind be free from stress of that risk.Taking out property insurance if you’re renting a property in Cambodia is wise too, unless it’s written in your lease agreement that you are not responsible for damages to that property. These rental documents are typically very small, and may be unclear about the liability for damage to the building – so check with an insurance advisor or lawyer to guarantee you are covered for everything you think you are covered for.Insurance experts can help you identify where risk exists, quantify and analyze the various components of that risk, and help to develop suitable risk response strategies. Finally, they will offer you an insurance policy that will eliminate any financial risk. The insurance specialist’s job does not end there, however. They must continue monitoring these risks to determine how they change over time – and make sure you are aptly covered.If you already have insurance, it is also important to know exactly what your current insurance policy covers. Many property and business owners in Cambodia, and around the world, discover that their insurance coverage does not include what they thought it included - but when it is too late. Some are under-insured in Cambodia or are even sold the wrong insurance policy to start with. To avoid this situation you should be asking yourself very basic questions about your exposure across the entire range of possible problems.And the best place to start is by having one of Realestate.com.kh’s professional insurance contacts analyze your current insurance policies, and assess whether your risks are truly covered. Get a free quote HERE.