PHUKET LUXURY VILLA TRANSACTIONS THB 3.5 Billion in H1 2009

Despite continued restrained demand in the broader property market Phuket luxury villa transactions hit THB 3.5 billion in the first half of 2009.
According to the Phuket Luxury Villa Market Update Mid-Year Report (<link>http://www.c9hotelworks.com/downloads/phuket-luxury-villa-market-update-september-2009.pdf*download the full report here</link>) released by leading Thailand consulting firm C9 Hotelworks, sales volumes for units priced upwards of THB 65 million baht outperformed other sectors by significant numbers.
C9's Managing Director Bill Barnett said supply and demand fundamentals for the high end are continuing to strengthen given that excess supply is being absorbed while macro issues are constraining demand for new product launches.

"While market recovery prospects are being set back to 2011, there has continued to be a gradual upswing in activity, driven primarily by earlier than anticipated momentum in many of the financial source markets where potential overseas buyers originate from" Mr Barnett said.
According to the research, the existing inventory of luxury villas is valued at THB 10 billion with 92 units currently on the market. For the period of January – June of this year 19 properties sold; while the resale market emerged with over THB 1 billion in transactions.

"Mixed use hotel managed projects provided branding premiums with a 55% uplift in achieved pricing per square meter," Mr Barnett added.

"Developers are seeing a stabilization of gross margins despite upward cost pressure on labor and commodities such as timber. From our discussions with quantity surveyors materials such as steel are now back to levels similar to the first half of 2008; while construction volume remains low there is no expectation that pricing will drop."
The report concludes that continued tight equity and debt market will limit new developments while barriers to entry highlighted by limited ocean or beach front land indicates positive long term stability. Resale's, rentals and an emerging fractional ownership market are tapped to drive wider demand in the near to medium term.