Mission Possible: Affordable housing

Ho Wen Yan, CEO of Hua Yang Bhd

- Is affordable housing compromising quality and comfort?

- Design and technological factors

- Degree of price appreciation and speculative activity

- Build-then-sell policy in property development

- Abandonment by developers

- Build-then-sell may increase house prices

- Quality issues of current system

- Commute time from affordable housing centres to urban employment centres

- Integration of affordable housing with society

- HDB concept

- Growth plans & potential overheating within the property sector

- Affordable segment insulated from speculation

- No plans to go into higher priced segments

- Balancing coporate aims of affordable housing provision with profitability

- Remain true to founding vision

- Cost breakdown: 10-20% Land cost; 40-50% construction costs; Margins- 20-25%

- Labour cost pressures

- Minimum wage: no impact

- Contractors haven't passed higher cost

- Land purchase - 30 acres in Puchong - pushed up gearing to 0.6x

- Capital management and expansion - still can borrow

- Dividend policy - 25-30% payout ratio

- Political connections

- Land banking is a trade skill

- Plans for Iskandar: serving the local population 

- Budget expectations