In the early years following Doi Moi reforms, Vietnam hoped for much needed investment from across the globe.  It was its near neighbors, however, who were the first to show financial faith in the slowly-opening country.

Foreign involvement in property began in the 90s, with investors from Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan leading the way.  Such pioneers were instrumental in modernizing Vietnam’s property infrastructure.  Hotels, offices and residential units were conceived and constructed throughout the country through these early collaborations, giving the country its first modern property boom.

As the decade ended and the millennium dawned, it all changed.  Regional powerhouses were pulled back to matters at home, with stagnating economies limiting capital for overseas investment.

Internal Services in Gateway Thao Dien Apartment

Law changes

Western companies filled the void they left behind, and regional giants were thought reticent to return to Vietnam.  Until now.

Since changes to the property market laws were announced in 2014, Asian investors are back. The changes – allowing overseas ownership of property for the first time – came into force on July 1^st 2015, and have clearly proved tempting to investors of yore.

This month (9/2015) will see one such stalwart return.  HongKong Land were responsible for 2 Hanoi developments in the 90s – 63 Ly Thai To (in 1998) and Central Building (in 1995).  They are expected to announce a new luxury development in the east of Ho Chi Minh City, in conjunction with Hammond and SonKimLand – themselves responsible for HCMC’s Gateway project in Thao Dien.

Jen Capital is another Hong Kong returnee.  Jen, a member of the city-state’s Chiaphua Group, are set to top $50m in its most recent investment cycles, having already been instrumental in modernizing HCMCs District 2, including Thao Dien.  This area has proved particularly popular for foreign investors – as it has with foreign residents in the city – but is far from the only beneficiary of new pan-Asian investment.

Rising demand in luxury segment

Japanese investors are also back with big ideas, for HCMC especially.  One such company, Creed Group manages equity of $5bn. A year ago, Creed partnered with a local group (Nam Bay Bay) in signing contracts to add more affordable units to the market in the shape of District 8’s City Gate Tower. 

It has its eyes on the higher end, however.  Creed has committed $200m to An Gia Investment, a major player in Vietnam’s luxury housing sector.  The investment will see Creed become equal partners with An Gia in its property portfolio, with additional loans and cash in the pipeline to expand its interests still further.  This group accounts for around $1bn total investment value in HCMC, with deals for land in districts 2, 4, 7 and Tan Binh considered imminent.

Luxury villas in Vinhomes Central Park Project

It may be only the beginning.  Mr. Toshihiko Muneyoshi – chairman of Greed Group – suggests the $200m investment is simply a seed, from which he expects great growth.  “The key appeal of this market is the youth of the population.  The average age here is much lower, while the middle class is expanding rapidly.  Currently, there are too few luxury units to cater for this expected growth, so the potential is huge.”

Another recent law change allowed 100% foreign ownership in certain Vietnamese business sectors, but collaboration between foreign and native investors is likely to continue in the property sector.

How will the return of these investors shape the market?  Keep up to date on these pages as we share the latest news about Vietnam’s property market.

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The expansion of the city has seen investment from authorities, foreign speculators and developers to the tune of $8billion up to the 3^rd quarter of 2015.  Beneficiaries include:

• Transport improvements in the areas between Saigon Bridge and Vung Tau, including highway and bridge improvements, account for $3billion.
• New luxury units – around 40,000 individual residences – are under construction in Binh Thanh, Thu Thiem and District 2, with an estimated worth of $5billion.
• 300,000sqm of retail space are on their way in the same areas, as well as Thu Duc and District 9. Upon 2018 completion, experts predict a valuation of $300/1sqm for a total of $90million.

The Sun Avenue Apartment of Novaland developer in District 2

Experts excited

The estimates have emerged from reports by industry experts and observers.  One such company, who put forward the transport development figure, are Global Investment and Business Corporation (GIBC).  “We think this investment will result in a relocation of the city’s commercial and service sectors into these purposes built areas” said Mr Huynh Phuc Nghia of GIBC.

Another real estate expert suggested these investments represent a golden opportunity for investors.  “The follow on benefits from the $3billion infrastructure improvements are likely to be upwards of $5billion as additional commercial, recreational and educational ventures flock to the areas”, said University of Economics lecturer Ngo Dinh Han.

“The current central districts for these areas are saturated, and new additions like Thu Thiem Channel, Thu Thiem Bridge 1, Saigon Bridge 2, and Thu Thiem Bridge 2 are ideal in relieving some of the bottlenecks” continued Mr. Han.  “These new areas will also connect the city with outlying provinces, creating a greater metropolitan area, radically altering the shape of the city over the next decade.”

Connectivity to Saigon’s current central districts will be aided by completion of the Metro system, in addition to a new financial center in Thu Thiem.  Upwardly mobile Saigoneers may turn their attention to big new developments like Vinhomes Central Park and Sala premium residential areas over the next 2 years.

Such a churn of development leaves plenty of opportunities for investors, with prices in the new areas estimated at a quarter of D1/D3 equivalents.

Estella Heights apartment from Keppel Land and Tien Phuoc Developers

Some skepticism.

Not everybody is as taken with the sales pitch, however.

General Director of Viet An Hoa Company is one such skeptic.  “$8billion is an attractive headline number, but may not be entirely accurate.  The $3billion is in place but may not do the job of radically improving regional connectivity, while the rush to providing 300,000sqm of additional commercial space may lead to over capacity.”

He added some particular concerns of over-subscription in luxury development: “The market should be rebalanced.  Right now the rush is to provide high-end accommodation but the value of such construction should be spread across varying segments to accommodate eventual variations of demand.”

Whilst District 2 and Binh Thanh, he concluded, can provide valuations of up to $2000/1sqm which hold up, developments in Thu Duc and District 9 should be focused on sub-$100k/unit offerings.

What do you think?  Let us know in the comments below

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Riverside and luxury Vinhomes Central Park apartments of Vingroup developer are open to sell The Park building in this September! Register now to have the best apartment!

Amidst the rush to meet demands for residential property in light of new laws allowing foreigners to buy, Vietnam’s premier developers are racing to fulfill the needs of another sector undergoing a building boom: healthcare.

All the big names are in on the gold rush: Vingroup are building 10 hospitals – branded ‘Vinmec’ throughout the country, as well as a Vingroup Medical University.  Hoa Lam, another big beast of the industry, have broken ground on a vast 40-hectare facility locally known as “Medical City”.  FLC group are also set to join the party, with other construction giants investing heavily in partnerships or readying independent announcements.

Vinhomes Central Park and Vinmec International Hospital

According to Mr. Tran Hong Phong of HCMC Lawyer’s Association, this is a direct result of Government policy: “Each enterprise that invests in hospital construction will have an applicable tax rate of 10% on income during construction, thanks to provisions of the Enterprise Income Tax Law.”

The Government incentives don’t stop there.  Intended to support construction which “benefits the public”, medical construction projects may be eligible for:

• Land tax exemption for 9 years;
• Preferential loan rates for up to 70% of capital outlay;
• Import/export tax exemptions for equipment and logistical costs;
• Relaxation of accounting protocols allowing losses to be pushed back and made tax deductible for up to 5 years.

Ongoing value

Experts estimate that such practices coupled with operational income yields around 20% annually for up to 10 years.  With such grand financial cherries to pick, it’s little wonder that companies – traditionally focused on residential and commercial construction – are looking to leverage every aspect of the medical sector, from hospitals to schools to smaller medical centers.

A former chairman of a large hospital group (asking not to be named) said the picture is very different from five years ago.  “In 2010, it was difficult to get developers on board with such a project due to restrictive registration procedures, and this following long negotiation periods.”

Now though, he says, it’s much easier – but not always entirely in spirit with the law.  “Developers and real estate companies have always liked to retain control over facilities within projects such as entertainment and shopping – now if they include healthcare facilities, they can enjoy the additional benefits of ‘providing for the public’, too”.  Vinpearl Phu Quoc and Vinhomes Central Park are two such projects which include medical facilities, and few dispute the benefits to investor and resident alike of such an approach.
Bed boom needed

What experts are discussing is whether the policy will have a net benefit for the wider public.  Ministry of Health information says that demand for capital currently outstrips supply, with the national budget capable of meeting only 40% of demand (around 20,000billion VND).  The spending aims to bring Vietnam’s healthcare in line with global standards, but the ambition of matching near neighbors is currently some distance from being met.  Hospital bed provision stands at 23 beds per 10000 residents – still short of recommended WHO guidelines (minimum 39/10000) and a long way from South Korea and Japan (at 80 and 140 respectively).

Healthy living space in Estella Heights in District 2

This shortfall – and the desire to catch up fast – spells huge opportunities for companies like Vingroup, Hoa Lam and FLC.  But it isn’t just construction companies, with commercial banks now investing hugely in the field.  Whilst some like VietinBank have entered into negotiation with the Government, BIDV has been the first to formalize its action.  They’ve launched a credit package for with total capital of 20000 billion VND, applicable from from June 15^th 2015 to May 31^st 2022.  Of this, 12000 billion is ring fenced for medical equipment with the remainder dedicated to infrastructure development and maintenance.  Recipients are incentivized with attractive interest rates for up to 15 years.

Time will tell if such dizzying numbers result in benefits to patients – but there is little doubt that Vietnam’s construction and investment industries will be working to make that happen and reap the rewards.

Property in Vietnam has a lot to offer investors – could you be one of the beneficiaries?  Leave a comment below or get in touch and we’ll keep you up to date with industry development.

Q: Current real estate prices in many segments are growing rapidly, some projects are nearby top of price in 2011. It is said that the real estate market is heating up due to speculation rather than real demand. What is your views about this idea, Minister?

Said that the real estate market recovers and have many transactions are due to speculation is incorrect. Because we all know that the period 2011-2013 the market froze, there was no speculation or just a little bit.

Meanwhile, the measures to remove difficulties for the real estate market is made. Among all the solutions, to mount defrosting market to implement national housing is considered the most efficient idea in order to unlock the door to real estate market recovery.

From there, the solution to the market structure, projects, real estate products to diversify the product towards consumers, consistent with many objects have different affordability, to transfer from surplus areas into shortage areas are. Thus, the market has recovered.

Minister of Contruction (MOC), Mr. Trinh Dinh Dung

Q: Then, according to you, with fast rising house prices and series of banks pump capital into real estate market, would it occur the real estate bubble as 4 or 5 years ago?

As the transactions increase, the speculative investment returns is inevitable. The main problem is that we can not control the rocket-speed growth of the market making the bubble. The only way to achieve is controlling well the development of city and balancing between supply and demand.

In detailed, we should strengthen the control of many more real estate projects, restructure the market, projects and housing product in order to balance them with the affordability of people as ensure the balancing betweens areas.

Therefore, we should have strictly implement on 2013 November Decree of the management of urban development investment, which requires following plans. Thus, region should focus on develop urban areas, planning way to balance supply and demand, resources and development capability of each area. By that, we can control and overcome self-development as in the past, which make the problem of unbalance and difficulty to the real estate market.

Decrees and regulations on development of social housing are just completed in 2015 and the Housing Laws has just applied. So that our policies are rank new till now. However, with the drastic of local and government, we built about 40,000 social house to nearly 200,000 people.

However, the implement of social housing projects is slow. The reason is that the policy is new and for long-term, so it doesn’t work in medium or short-term. Besides, it needs so much money to develop social housing building while the state budget doesn’t have enough to invest but need socialization. Another problem is that the projects requires good quality houses with cheap price, to suit low income people. Therefore, investment in social housing is not attractive to investors, which is also the cause of slow implement of social housing project.

MOC have any solutions to accelerate the progress of social housing projects?

We must improve the system of laws concerning with the house projects, create good environment to develop social house project. Besides, local government should have plan and programs to improve the development of social house project, and should take this as a 5-year politics target.

The local should prepare land budget as a good condition for businesses to use more labour, as well as for real estate company to invest in social house projects in purpose of business. At the same time, the provinces need to make conditions for people to invest in development social house for employees of industrial parks. In doing so, I believe that people with need could improve their house and life.

Compiled VietApartment NEWS

Literatured VnExpress