* MTR Corp. Ltd. invited developers to submit bids for a HK$4.68 billion land parcel near the Wong Chuk Hang Station in Hong Kong, The (Hong Kong) Standard reported. The land premium for the property amounted to HK$8,119 per square foot, lower than the market's anticipated price of HK$10,000 per square foot.
* Longfor Properties Co. Ltd. plans to issue up to 8.00 billion Chinese yuan of medium-term notes in China. The company applied to the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors for the registration of the bonds.
* Offices, logistics and retail properties are expected to be the top performers in the real estate industry in the Asia-Pacific region for the Year of the Fire Rooster, according to Stuart Crow, JLL head of Asia Pacific capital markets. Residential and education properties will remain stable in the Lunar New Year, while some headwinds await the hotel sector.
Hong Kong and China
* Hang Lung Properties Ltd. Chairman Ronnie Chan Chi-chung said the company and other local developers in Hong Kong are having a hard time acquiring land parcels from government tenders, as high-priced bids from mainland Chinese companies prevent them from doing so, The Standard reported.
Hopewell Holdings Ltd. Managing Director Thomas Wu Man-sun echoed the concern, saying mainlanders' offers for available sites are usually higher than existing market prices.
* Moody's said stricter government controls in China will lead to a slower pace of property sales in 2017.
Australia
* The Australian Financial Review takes a look at how Singapore-based ARA Property Group increased the valuation of the Southgate complex in Melbourne by 6%, after buying the property from DEXUS Property Group for A$578 million in 2016.
* Deka Immobilien Investment and Bayerische Versorgungs-kammer are some of the German companies that are expanding their exposure to retail properties in Australia, as they have recently backed over A$200 million of transactions, The Australian reported.
Japan
* Japan Logistics Fund Inc. plans to acquire complete ownership of the Souka Logistics Center in Soka, Saitama, by purchasing LLC M3's 50% stake in the property for ¥8.08 billion, reflecting an NOI yield of 4.4%.
* Japan Retail Fund Investment Corp. agreed to sell its trust beneficiary right in the Ito-Yokado Kamifukuoka-higashi property in Fujimino-shi, Saitama, for ¥6.08 billion to Haseko Corp. Japan Retail will use a portion of the proceeds to fund its purchase of a stake in the G-Bldg. Tenjin Nishi-dori 01 property in Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture.
* Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. Ltd. will demolish its commercial facility fronting the Tokyo Metro and JR Ayase Station located in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, in February, Kensetsutsushin Shimbun reported.
* Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd. aims to start work on the reconstruction of a building in Noboricho, Naka Ward, Hiroshima City, in winter 2017 for an autumn 2019 opening, Yutosoken reported.
Other real estate news
* Fosun International Ltd.'s Club Med will launch 15 new resorts in various locations around the world over the next three years and redevelop its nine existing properties, Reuters reported. Some of the new resorts will be opened in China and Japan in 2017.
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The Daily Dose Asia-Pacific, Real Estate edition is updated by 6:30 a.m. Hong Kong time. Some external links may require a subscription. Articles and links are correct as of publication time.
Cam Nones and John Chan contributed to this report.