HARRY'S Holding, the largest bar chain operator here, is looking to buy a small hotel in Singapore as its food and beverage business is saturated, the company told Reuters. Chief executive Mohan Mulani said the firm - listed on Phillip Securities‚ OTC Capital - was looking for opportunities, but not looking to open more F&B outlets. Instead, he wants to buy a small boutique hotel with around 70 to...

Despite the recent pickup in activity in the residential property market, developers may start offering even greater incentives to attract buyers. Analysts say it is still too early to say for sure that the market has hit bottom, and developers may have to do more if conditions weaken. A new project, Double Bay Residences, has been launched for sale, and like several recent offerings, the developer is...

Industry watchers said rentals for industrial properties could fall by three to five per cent in the first quarter this year, due to weaker demand and the dismal economic outlook. On the whole, analysts did not expect landlords to cut rents outright. Instead, the landlords might choose more innovative measures to help their tenants cope with the tough times. Manufacturers and exporters had been seeing...

To cope with an ageing population, Singapore is looking into make it easier for the elderly to move around. And come 2010, barrier-free features will become a reality at the MacPherson Gardens Estate under the estate upgrading programme. Some of these features include brightly-coloured markings on the floor to highlight changes in levels and direction of roads, gentle slopes and ramps, as well as...

IN A bid to increase its slice of the housing pie, Maybank has rolled out a three-year fixed-rate loan package with first-year interest at 1.6 per cent - the lowest of its kind in Singapore. With second- and third-year interest at 2.2 and 2.9 per cent respectively, that works out to an average of 2.23 per cent per annum over three years. This is even lower than the HDB‚s concessionary rate of 2.6 per...

ARE retailers on the verge of crisis or not? As their representative body cries out for help, shoppers who rub shoulders in crowded malls on weekends may be wondering. And at least one major landlord insists, there is no reason to panic, and no justification for an across-the-board cut in rentals. Last week, the Singapore Retailers Association sounded the alarm bells Sales have dropped 20 to 30 per cent...

WE REFER to the letters, "The social and financial impact of no-frills flats, estates" and "DBSS contractors will only sell at a profit" (Feb 11). HDB is mindful to ensure the affordability of public housing even as they are equipped with the essential amenities and basic finishes. We agree that children‚s playgrounds and neighbourhood parks are necessary to serve the needs of HDB residents, especially...

Avoid foreclosure by granting moratoriums on loan repayment AS THE economic crisis deepens, banks should expect more people to default on their housing loan repayments. Under the circumstances, is it in the interest of the banks to implement the commonly-practised course of action of repossessing the property and foreclosing the loan? Granting the struggling debtor a moratorium and waiting for a better...

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First batch of hotel rooms will be ready by August COME year-end, Marina Bay Sands will usher visitors in to at least half of the property's gross floor area. That was the assurance given for Singapore's first integrated resort, although Marina Bay Sands executives yesterday stopped short of revealing an opening date. The project is already three-quarters completed, they said, during a press tour for...