HCM City – FDI flows into real estate have been very high so far this year, and a new record is expected to be set this year.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, US$1.255 billion has come into the sector.

“The real estate market has mostly attracted FDI through M&A activities,” Nguyễn Hoàng, R&D director, DKRA Việt Nam, told Đầu Tư (Việt Nam Investment Review) newspaper.

“It is more and more popular as it can combine foreign investors’ strength in finance and experience with local enterprises’ huge lands and knowledge of the local investment process.”

This year, investors are expected to start a series of projects on lands they had bought last year, such as Đại Phước Lotus in HCM City, which was bought by a Chinese giaint real estate group from investment funds: VinaLand Limited and VinaCapital Việt Nam Opportunity Fund Limited last April; Future Otis Hotel in the central city of Nha Trang by Taiwanese P.H Group; and apartment projects in HCM City by CapitaLand.

Nguyễn Thị Vân Khanh, investment director, JLL Việt Nam, said: “FDI in real estate will set a new record this year. It will be not only for building apartments and housing but also commercial real estate such as grade A office buildings which could potentially bring in high revenues of 7-8 per cent a year.”

Foreign investors also focused on hotel projects, she said.

“Foreign investors are looking for ‘clean’ lands in good locations for their development plans.”

Dr Sử Ngọc Khương, investment director, Savills Việt Nam, said: “FDI in real estate will help enterprises reduce their dependence on banks.”

Some economists warned about a possible downside, pointing to the fact that in previous years, many enterprises had attracted foreign investment but had not been adequately prepared, leading to problems.

“HCM City’s real estate market has received a record number of foreign investors, mostly private funds, which would like to quickly complete projects,” Sử Ngọc Anh, director of the city’s planning and investment department, said.

Last year, FDI in real estate was worth 8.5 per cent of the city’s total FDI of $3.05 billion. – VNS

Some typical real estate deals in HCM City in 2017 (source: JLL Việt Nam):

* Japanese Nishi Nippon and Hankyu co-operated with Nam Long Group to build Mizuki Park residential area.

* Sơn Kim Land sucessfully attracted $100 million from Japanese investors.

* Singapore-based Keppel Land invested $297 million to buy two projects in HCM City.

* Japnese Maeda and Thiên Đức Ltd collaborated to build the Waterina project in district 2.

* CapitaLand signed an MOU to buy a plot of commercial land to develop the first international grade A office building in HCM City.

* CII and Hongkong Land signed a contract to develop the Thủ Thiêm River Park project.