Stockbroker Team Eyeing More Deals

Source : The Business Times, Thursday, October 4, 2007

David Loh, Han Seng Juan who won Kovan site may also rope in partners.

Mr Bin: Says the Kovan condo may launch in the second half of next year

THE ‘David and Han Team’ of top stockbrokers that has been awarded a condo site in Kovan for $290.02 million, is looking at more property ventures in Singapore and the region across various sectors, including residential, office and hotels.

The Kovan condo will be the duo’s maiden property development project, and they are expected to rope in some ’strategic partners’, including a construction firm for the project.

‘The condo is likely to have around 500 to 600 units, and could be launched sometime in the second half of next year. We’re looking at an average selling price above $850 per square foot, but of course if the market goes up, we’ll be very happy,’ says Tony Bin, CEO of Duchess Development, the holding company of Duke Development, the vehicle that Han Seng Juan and David Loh Kim Kang used to bid for the 190,000 square feet site next to Kovan MRT Station at a state tender that closed on Tuesday.

The $290.02 million bid for the Kovan site reflects a unit land price of $437 psf per plot ratio, and based on this, market watchers reckon the breakeven cost for the new condo works out to around $730-750 psf.

Mr Han and Mr Loh work at UOB-Kay Hian and are also well known as pre-IPO China investors. ‘They are diversifying into property,’ as Mr Bin puts it.

The two men will only be investors/shareholders and not be involved in the management of Duchess Development, which will be left to a professional team, added Mr Bin, who was formerly general manager of the property division of Guthrie GTS.

Market watchers reckon that given Mr Han’s and Mr Loh’s strong interest in China, it would not be surprising if they could also be looking at property ventures in that market.