Mr Alfred Ong, Managing Director for Southeast Asia and Australia, said: “Ascott has built a strong presence in Thailand over the last decade with our three distinct brands – Ascott, Somerset and Citadines – which cater to travellers’ different lifestyles.

Our properties in Thailand have been performing well with an average occupancy of above 80%. Ascott’s latest serviced residence, Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor, will offer travellers another international-class accommodation which they can call home. It also reinforces Ascott’s position as the market leader in Thailand with over 1,700 apartments in nine properties.”

With Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor’s strategic location, business and leisure travellers can enjoy a variety of dining, retail and entertainment options. These include some of Bangkok’s most notable restaurants along “Gourmet Mile”, upmarket malls such as J Avenue and H1, the major Cineplex Eakamai, as well as trendy nightspots which are located across the entire Thonglor district. Long-stay travellers with children will welcome the added advantage of being close to established international schools such as the American School of Bangkok and Singapore International School of Bangkok.

Furthermore, Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor has excellent transport links. Its proximity to the Thonglor Skytrain Station provides travellers easy access to the main financial and business districts in the Sukhumvit-Thonglor area, as well as various attractions and landmarks in the city.

Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor offers a range of apartment types from studios to one and two-bedroom units, enabling travellers to choose an ideal residence for their lifestyle. The stylish apartments come with contemporary décor, modern fittings, a fully-equipped kitchen, home entertainment system and wireless internet access. Travellers can enjoy a leisurely swim in the property’s pool, work out in the gymnasium, relax at the jacuzzi or discover Bangkok through residents’ programmes. The serviced residence also offers a pool and indoor playroom for children. In addition, executives will find the extensive business facilities and support indispensable.
To celebrate the opening of Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor, Ascott is offering promotional rates from THB 2000++ per night for daily stays and from THB 50,000++ per month for extended stays. For enquiries and reservations, please visit www.somerset.com

, call (65) 6272 7272 or email enquiry@the-ascott.com.

About The Ascott Limited

Ascott is the world’s largest international serviced residence owner-operator with over 19,000 operating serviced residence units in key cities of Asia Pacific, Europe and the Gulf region, as well as around 6,000 units which are under development, making a total of 25,000.

The company operates three brands – Ascott, Somerset and Citadines. Its portfolio spans 67 cities in 22 countries, 11 of which are new cities in Ascott’s portfolio where its serviced residences are being developed.

Ascott, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CapitaLand Limited, is headquartered in Singapore. It pioneered Asia Pacific’s first international-class serviced residence in 1984. It also established the world’s first pan-Asian serviced residence real estate investment trust, Ascott Residence Trust, in 2006. Today, the company boasts a 25- year industry track record and serviced residence brands that enjoy recognition worldwide.

Recent awards include TTG Travel Awards 2009 ‘Best Serviced Residence Operator’, Business Traveller UK Awards 2009 ‘Best Serviced Apartment Company’, Business Traveller Asia Pacific Awards 2009 ‘Best Serviced Residence Brand’ and ‘Best Serviced Residence in Asia Pacific’, TTG China Travel Awards 2009 ‘Best Serviced Residence Operator in China’, and DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards 2009 ‘Best Serviced Residence in Asia-Pacific’.

About CapitaLand Group

CapitaLand is one of Asia’s largest real estate companies. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, the multi-local company’s core businesses in real estate, hospitality and real estate financial services are focused in growth cities in Asia Pacific and Europe.

The company’s real estate and hospitality portfolio, which includes homes, offices, shopping malls, serviced residences and mixed developments, spans more than 110 cities in over 20 countries. CapitaLand also leverages on its significant asset base, real estate domain knowledge, financial skills and extensive market network to develop real estate financial products and services in Singapore and the region.

The listed subsidiaries and associates of CapitaLand include Australand, CapitaMalls Asia, CapitaMall Trust, CapitaCommercial Trust, Ascott Residence Trust and CapitaRetail China Trust.

In spite of the fact that the house prices will decrease on 2010, the price of farm lands will continue to increase.

The price of farm land have doubled in the last four years.

According to real estate forecast, By 2015 real estate prices will be expected to double again.

1. Removal Packing and Storage Fees
You need to know how many boxes you will need. You’ll also need bubble wrap for your fragile stuff. You’ll be needing packaging tape as well.

2. Cleaning cost
You might need to buy some stuff to be able to clean the house you’re moving out and the one you’re moving in to. But if you will hire someone, you should also include that in your budget.

3. Redecorating cost
Identify the rough estimate you need in redecorating your new home.

4. Professional Moving Service
If you cannot do the moving alone, you could hire a professional moving service. Get a quotation and include it in your budget.

1. First impression lasts
First impression would usually take within 30 seconds. Before selling your home, it is best to invest on trimming bushes and weeds, repainting the front door, your gate and the wall near the gates, and replacing worn out house numbers as well.

2. Spick and Span
Make sure your house is really clean before inviting a prospect buyer to look at it.

3. Fix what needs to be fixed
Be it a fixture or worn-out wallpapers or cracked tiles, be sure to have them fixed.

4. De-clutter
As much as possible, remove clutter from the house.

5. Usage of neutral colors
As much as possible, make sure that you use neutral colors. If you have a home that has rooms that are too bright, have it repainted.

6. Remove posters and other iconic stuff
You have to de-personalize your home prior to selling it.

7. Confine your pets to one area
You must have your pets occupy one area. Try to remove their lingering odors inside if there are.

8. Define what the room is for
With this in mind, you are also actually selling the lifestyle that the future-homeowner will experience.

9. Lighting
Check that all bulbs work. Make sure to use mood lighting only when needed.

10. Accessorize
Use the right accessories that will enhance your rooms.

The two loan acquisition strategies that will be used are: Flow and a unique Bulk Acquisition Program that is complete with an online bulk pricing simulator. This will give correspondent lending partners the needed new quality outlet.

It has been estimated that the first batch of loans will be acquired by the 15th of October.

Take note that Lend America Mini Ginnie Correspondent is not related to GNMA.

These 37 projects include hotels and apartments that are distributed across Phuket island. Majority of these developments are in Phuket City and areas surrounding Patong.

This program is intended to help those families that need finacnial assistance on a short term basis. For those families who have encountered problems that have caused them to live in the streets or that have caused them to live in a shelter, they may now receive rental assistance for up to 18 months.

The said moratorium and the home rehabilitation program will apply to affected Pag-IBIG members from Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B and V as well as the National Capital and the Cordillera Autonomous Regions.

This moratorium has already started last September 26, 2009 and will expire on December 31, 2009.

If you would like to avail the calamity loan program, make sure you have completed the following requirements:

- made at least 24 monthly contributions
- actively paying contributions at the time of the loan application
- resident of the area which is declared as calamity-stricken

The member is entitled to borrow up to 80% of the Total Accumulated Value (TAV) of his savings. If ever the member has an existing MPL, the outstanding loan balance shall be deducted from the proceeds of the calamity loan.

The interest rate is at 0.75% per annum and shall be amortized over a period of 24 months with a grace period of 5 months. The calamity loan may only be availed within 90 days from the occurrence of the calamity.

Collective Syndicated Ownership, also known as Fractional Ownership, has proven the alternatives they have offered to vacation home buyers by combining the collective power of a several investors to buy, own and use a luxury property as a second home through syndication.

A lot of major organizations worldwide have used Collective Syndicated Ownership successfully.