Today’s home buyer is looking for a lot in a Realtor and rightly so. As the home buying market continually increases and diversifies, the competition between Realtors intensifies. What makes some Realtors click better in this highly competitive market and how do you know you’ve chosen the right Realtor?

Moving is one of the most stressful times in someone’s life.

This process requires utmost patience, an ability to adapt, and lots of knowledge. The best Realtors have all these skills and take the time to make sure the client benefits from the experience as well. This good rapport goes a very long way. Thus, trusting your Realtor’s level of expertise is just as important as judging how your Realtor interacts with you. In real estate, a common phrase explains this well, “You can teach a Realtor skills but you can’t teach him attitude”. Therefore, it’s important that you get along well with your Realtor since you’ll be working together a long time.

Just as every home will not be a perfect match, you also aren’t going to click perfectly with every Realtor. In many ways, choosing a Realtor is a matter of preference and personality matching. Many studies about traits that home buyers look for in a Realtor indicate that the Realtor’s expertise is not the top listed characteristic; instead, how well the Realtor responds to you is of utmost importance to most home buyer. Thus, the Realtors in highest demand are those who take the time to listen to, examine and investigate your hopes and dreams. Look for a Realtor who matches your enthusiasm and energy, which creates effective teamwork between you and your Realtor.

Many Realtors are only motivated by commission and push to quickly close a deal. When you find a Realtor that is only interested in “time is money” rather than the gift of time, you should run the other way. This lack of interest in customer appreciation often leaves you lacking the necessary information to understands your decisions and remain positive about this experience. You deserve as stress-free of a buying or selling experience as your Realtor can make it.

The best Realtors understand the seriousness of going over details and are more than happy to answer any of your questions at a pace that you are comfortable with.

The best customer service is of utmost interest to many clients. They would prefer a Realtor that is part of a firm that offers outstanding customer service. Knowing that their Realtor has access to these support structures is very important, as well as knowing that their Realtor will be around for a long time after closing. Many clients are also looking for 24-hours phone center, money-back guarantees, quality-control standards, and very relevant information.

The best Realtor is able to offer these services and works to supply the best possible customer service.

In today’s fast paced competitive market, a good Realtor knows his effort pay off best when he’s highly knowledgeable about the real estate market and performs stellar customer service. /www.homes-seekers.net“>Home buyers are quick to pick up on this and willing to hunt for the right Realtor. To read more about what makes a Realtor shine above the rest of the pack, visit National Association for Realtors at http://www.realtor.org.

It has been a dismal year for house prices, according to the Global Property Guide’s latest survey of publicly-available house-price time-series for the year 2008. And seen from a global perspective, the downturn is still accelerating.

The collapse of the world’s housing markets can be seen from three points of view, and unfortunately, all of them reinforce the bad news.

During 2008, the downward price momentum accelerated, as compared to 2007.

Only 2 countries saw positive momentum in 2008 (a slower downward house price movement than last year, or faster upward movement), while 28 countries saw their housing market momentum deteriorating, compared to the previous year. The two countries with a positive momentum were Germany and Switzerland.



During 2008, house prices fell in most countries.

During 2008 only 8 out of 32 countries saw house prices rise, after adjustment for inflation, while 20 countries experienced house price falls.

In contrast, during the year 2007, the downturn was just beginning, and only 6 countries saw house prices fall, while 24 countries saw house prices rise (all figures inflation-adjusted).

Many house-price falls during 2008 were extremely severe. Countries with house price falls of over 10% during 2008 were Latvia (Riga) (37%), Lithuania (Vilnius) (27%), the US (20%), the UK (18%), Iceland (16%), Ireland (12%), and the Ukraine (Kiev) (12%) (all figures inflation-adjusted).

During the final quarter (Q4) of 2008, the downward price momentum significantly accelerated, as compared to Q3, suggesting that the situation is deteriorating.

During 2008’s final quarter, 9 countries saw house price falls of 5% or more during just that quarter. Price drops of more than 10% during this single quarter occurred in three countries – in Latvia (Riga), which saw price falls of 15%, in Ukraine (Kiev) (13%), and in Hong Kong (15%). Other countries with Q4 house-price falls of 5% and over, included the UAE (8%), Lithuania (7%), Iceland (7%), Singapore (6%), Bulgaria (5%), and the UK (5%) (all figures inflation-adjusted, except UAE).

These price falls were much greater than during the previous quarter, Q3. During that previous quarter, only two countries experienced house-price falls (inflation-adjusted) of 5% or more, and no countries experienced house-price falls of more than 10%.

REGIONAL SURVEY BY GLOBAL PROPERTY GUIDE

Europe has major problems

The Baltic countries of Latvia and Lithuania suffered the hardest price falls both in nominal and real terms. In Riga, Latvia, the average price of standard-type apartments plunged 37% during 2008. Prices have been going down in Latvia since late 2007, after a remarkable increase of about 70% in 2006. The most alarming decline took place in the 4th quarter, when prices declined by 15%, the steepest quarterly drop in real terms in any country. These price falls were triggered by increased interest rates, and by the tightened credit rules which Latvia imposed in 2007.

Average prices of apartments in Vilnius, Lithuania, fell by 27% during 2008. House prices started slowing in mid-2007, and crashed in early 2008.

House prices in the UK plummeted by 18% in 2008. Although mortgage interest rates dropped slightly, to 4.48% in December 2008, the number of loan approvals for house purchases fell 58% in 2008.

There is serious trouble in Iceland (house price fall of 16% during 2008), Ireland (12%), Ukraine (12%), Malta (9%), Portugal (8%), France (8%) Finland (7%), Norway (6%) and in Spain (6%).

North America’s woes

In the US, the centre of the global financial crisis, in 2008 house prices fell 20% according to the Case-Shiller house price index, which emphasizes urban areas. OFHEO and FHFB figures, which are associated with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans and have somewhat lost credibility, suggest a smaller decline of 6% and 3% respectively, during 2008. The US government recently approved a $ 787 billion economic stimulus package, of which $275 billion will be allocated to rescue the ailing housing market.

Canada has been much less affected than the US.

Pacific heads down

Both Australia and New Zealand saw house price declines during 2008, of 7% and 8% respectively.

Asia no longer insulated

Housing markets in Asia have not been insulated. Singapore, Hong Kong and Philippines recorded house price falls during 2008.

Singapore’s private residential prices dropped 9% during 2008, in sharp contrast to the 26% price increase of experienced during 2007. The developed countries’ economic troubles adversely affected Singapore’s exports, and during 2008, output in the manufacturing sector, particularly of electronics, precision engineering and chemicals, shrank by 10.7%. Singapore was officially in recession in Q3 2008.

Hong Kong has been badly hit by the crisis. House prices were down by an average of 6% in 2008. But during the last quarter, Hong Kong experienced a severe decline in prices of 14%.

In Makati, Philippines, prime 3-bedroom condominium prices fell by 2% during 2008, after an 11% price rise during 2007. Nevertheless construction of high-rise residential buildings continues, with residential condominium stock rising by 7% during 2008, according to Colliers Philippines.

Japan recorded modest Tokyo condominium price rises of 1.2% during 2008. On the other hand, land prices in Japan’s six major cities fell by 6% y-o-y to Sep-2008.

In Shanghai, China, house price rises slowed to 5% y-o-y by the end of 2008, after peaking at 30% y-o-y to May 2008. However Shanghai is likely to be somewhat exceptional, and Xinhua News Agency reported house prices declines in 70 major cities during 2008. Shenzhen suffered the hardest fall, with prices down by 18% during 2008

UAE on shaky ground

In Dubai, UAE, despite the bleak global picture, saw surprisingly large dwelling price rises of 41% during 2008. However during the year’s final quarter, prices fell by 8% in nominal terms. This downturn is attributable to strongly tightening lending criteria, an increase in interest rates, multiple layoffs, and alarm among buyers.

Forecast: No recovery in 2009

History suggests that in a crash, housing markets take many years from peak year to full recovery. In view of this and of the pessimistic IMF forecast for the global economy, no real recovery is likely in the global housing markets this year.

The IMF has predicted that the world economy will grow by 0.5% in 2009, the lowest level in 60 years. GDP in advanced economies is expected to decline by 2% during 2009. The United Kingdom and Japan will be hit the hardest. Output in the UK may contract by 2.8%, while Japan’s may fall by 2.6%.

Growth in emerging economies is expected to slow to 3.3% in 2009, down from 6.3% in 2008. Developing Asia is forecast to be the least affected, with growth of 5.5%. China’s economy is predicted grow by 6.7% in 2009, but this is a substantial decline from 9% growth during 2008.

We cannot be optimistic for five reasons:

• Valuations still clearly remain stretched in most countries, in terms of price/rent ratios.

• Economic growth is slowing or negative in many countries, which is negative for housing values.

• There are no signs that banks are becoming more willing to lend.

• The unprecedented nature of the financial system’s collapse has greatly added to the difficulties facing the world’s housing markets.

• Some national governments are experiencing difficulty in refinancing their national debt, putting their currencies under pressure. Currency instability is likely to aggravate housing sector problems in countries where many loans were taken out in a foreign currency.

The positive news is that the US government and several others are acting with vigour, as has the IMF. Nevertheless, there is a long tough road ahead.

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The Global Property Guide (http://www.globalpropertyguide.com) is an on-line property research house, specializing in analyzing residential property valuations around the world.

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Requests for comments are best made by telephone to +(63) 917 321 7073. UK-based callers should telephone before lunchtime. Our local time is Hong Kong time, i.e., standard time + 8.00

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Prince Christian Cruz, Senior Economist

Phone: (+632) 750 0560

Email: prince@globalpropertyguide.com

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Matthew Montagu-Pollock

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Asian residential property buyers beware!

Asia’s real estate markets seem, on the surface, to have recovered from the Asian crisis and to be back on their feet. In fact the entire world has enjoyed a residential property boom over the past decade – Europe, the US, Australia and New Zealand have seen property prices soar.

But in Asia the reality is quite different. Asia’s residential markets have performed poorly, according to a report by the Global Property Guide. Once the price rise figures are adjusted for inflation, Asia’s record looks poor.

HOW ASIA’S RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MARKETS HAVE PERFORMED SINCE THE PEAK (inflation-adjusted):

Hong Kong: still 61% below peak

Indonesia: still 50% below peak

Malaysia: still 10% below peak

Philippines: still 55% below peak

Singapore: still 37% below peak

South Korea: still 38% below peak

Thailand: still 10% below 1992 peak

“There have been few less profitable investments than Asian residential property over the past decade,” says Matthew Montagu-Pollock, publisher of the Global Property Guide.

“And if the present construction boom continues across Asia, the next decade isn’t going to be much fun for property investors either.”

Rental yields are quite high in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, while Asian countries benefit from strong economies. But their real estate markets’ rise has been limited, primarily by government mis-steps.

“Asian real estate markets would have been stronger had it not been for government mistakes,” says Prince Cruz, chief economist for the Global Property Guide. “If it is not a coup, a protest rally or runaway inflation, then it is government meddling in the housing markets that has killed performance”. Cruz’s study points to the housing markets of Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea as victims of government subsidies and intervention, while the housing markets of the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand have suffered from political instability.

Asian prices still far below peak levels

Despite gleaming reports of recovery, Asian house prices are still below their pre-Asian Crisis levels. In a report released, Global Property Guide suggests that a combination of inflation, widespread subsidies of housing markets, political troubles, and overbuilding, have made the outcome in Asia quite different from other ‘boom’ markets. Asia’s present apparent property boom is a ‘construction boom – not a property boom’, it says, warning investors against following the tempting siren song of the real estate professionals.

When adjusted for inflation, the happy picture changes remarkably from the good news about property price rises.

Indonesia, for instance, is having a difficult time battling inflation. Corrected for inflation, Indonesia’s house prices actually fell 8.4% in 2005 and 7% y-o-y during 2Q 2006.

This year’s mild nominal price fall in Hong Kong (3.7%) is amplified by considering inflation. Hong Kong dwelling prices have actually fallen by 6% in real terms.

The (modest) apparent price rises in South Korea, Singapore and the Philippines actually become price falls, or are greatly moderated, once inflation is factored in.