Credo Real Estate Sells 5 Adjacent Developments In En Bloc Package

Source : The Business Times, November 22, 2007

Five developments with total site area of 74,355 sq ft sold to KSH for $120m

FIVE in one fell swoop - taking collective sales to the next level is Credo Real Estate, which has just managed to sell a package of five neighbouring residential developments to a single developer for $120 million.

The five developments, which are at Mergui Road, off Rangoon Road, are Norfolk Court, Mergui Lodge, Northern Mansion, Mergui Court and The Mergui.

With a total site area of 74,355 square feet and a plot ratio of 2.8, the $120 million price reflects a unit price of $580 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr).

It has been sold to KSH Holdings. The publicly listed construction, property development and property management company said in a statement released yesterday that the site has a potential to be developed into a 142-unit development with units averaging 1,250 sq ft.

KSH also said that the acquisition will be financed through internal funds and bank borrowings, and that it is currently negotiating with other investors to form a joint venture to develop the site.

On the challenge of bringing together the owners of five developments, Credo executive director Yong Choon Fah said that it had been looking at the possibility of a combined collective sale for several years.

She also explained that each development had different attributes and that only by combining them could a 'win-win' be achieved for all.

The five developments have land areas ranging from 10,061 sq ft to 18,524 sq ft and Ms Yong said that all the home owners have accepted the same unit price.

There are a total of 88 homes and the owners will receive between $906,856 and $1,908,491 each.

The site, which is considered to be in the 'city fringe', is estimated to have a breakeven price of about $1,000 psf.

In the immediate vicinity, Pristine Heights is currently selling for between $1,000 and $1,150 psf.

In 2006, Credo marketed Lock Cho Apartments, Comfort Mansion and a four-storey walk-up block for a combined collective sale. They were eventually sold to City Developments Ltd. The latest deal, however, is thought to be the only one to involve five developments.