Two Aussie developers may list on SGX

Cromwell Property Group may launch IPO here; Crown Group will decide in 1 to 2 years

Left: Crown Group general manager Gerald Chew (left) with Mr Sedgwick at the opening of the group's new office at CapitaGreen and the launch of its Property Millionaires Club seminar series last month. Right: An artist's impression of the 29-storey V
Crown Group general manager Gerald Chew (left) with Mr Sedgwick at the opening of the group's new office at CapitaGreen and the launch of its Property Millionaires Club seminar series last month. PHOTO: COURTESY OF CROWN GROUP

Two Australian property developers are eyeing Singapore as a place to list.

One would involve Australia-listed real estate investment manager Cromwell Property Group listing some European office properties it manages.

The firm said last week that it was considering Singapore for an initial public offering.

Crown Group would be an even bigger fish for the SGX to land.

Founded by Indonesia-born Iwan Sunito, the Sydney-based developer had around A$4.8 billion (S$5.1 billion) worth of projects in the pipeline as at January this year.

An artist's impression of the 29-storey V by Crown Group in Parramatta. PHOTO: COURTESY OF CROWN GROUP

It is developing five projects in Sydney, including a 29-storey tower, V by Crown Group, in Parramatta, known as the city's second central business district.

Mr Julian Sedgwick, its global head of sales and marketing, told The Straits Times that the firm was considering Hong Kong and Shanghai as well, but added that "it looks more like Singapore, based on our relationships with Singapore and Indonesia".

Mr Sedgwick added that a decision will take between one and two years.

Crown Group already has a presence here. It opened an office in CapitaGreen and launched its Property Millionaires Club seminar series here last month.

The Property Millionaires Club presents seminars to educate investors on the Sydney property market. "It was set up two years ago in Sydney. It's a seminar masterclass to share what we have learnt in the market, and how to invest in property in Sydney," said Mr Sedgwick.

The club started in Jakarta last year and will be extended to Hong Kong and China next year.

China and Indonesia make up the company's biggest foreign buyers, although Mr Sedgwick added that 70 per cent of its residential buyers are Australian.

He added that Singapore makes up about 10 per cent of buyers, noting that about half of them are buying for investment purposes, while the other half buy in anticipation that their children will study in Australia.

The appetite from Asia has been strong because Sydney's property market has been very buoyant, with 10 per cent growth per annum expected for the next five years, Mr Sedgwick said.

Moody's Analytics data out this week showed Sydney property prices have risen 11 per cent this year.

However, some analysts were quoted as saying that there were signs that it is getting harder for developers to find enthusiastic buyers, due to record amounts of both mortgage debt and the supply of apartments coming onto the market.

But Mr Sedgwick was bullish on the Sydney market, saying that "with the growth, there isn't a real downside risk" in investing there.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 06, 2016, with the headline Two Aussie developers may list on SGX. Subscribe