Singapore
Singapore's home prices have now been declining for ten straight quarters, which, according to Bloomberg, is the longest losing streak in five years. Home prices are still 71.11% above their year-end 2004 levels. Overall prices levels, as measured by inflation have just increased by 29.39% since year end 2004. In other words, for the past ten years, Singaporean home prices have outpaced inflation by more than 40 percentage points.
Malaysia
Neighboring Malaysia's House Price Index actually topped out at 229.30 in the third quarter of 2015 and has declined to 227.50 as of the fourth quarter of 2015. Home prices are 127.5% above their year-end 2000 levels. General price levels are over 100 percentage points lower, at 25.56% above their year-end 2000 levels.
Thailand
In Thailand, which has been experiencing political turmoil for some time, home prices have remained essentially flat since the end of 2004. Home Prices ended 2013 with the index at 100.54, just 0.54% higher than the end of 2004, but showing a substantial recovery since the recent low of 74.08 posted in the third quarter of 2009. In the first quarter of 2016, home prices have rebounded to 115.22, or 15.22% higher than its year-end 2004 levels, way below its expected inflation adjusted levels. General Price levels are 33.67% above their year-end 2004 levels. In other words, Thailand Home Prices have lagged inflation by as much as 18.45% since their year-end 2004 levels.
Indonesia
Meanwhile in Indonesia, home prices have showed no signs of slowing down their upward trajectory. In fact, prices seem to have gone parabolic, climbing 4.63% in the last quarter of 2013, from a base of 121.49 as of the third quarter of 2013 to 127.11 as of year end 2013. In the first quarter of 2016, home prices have climbed an additional 15.43% to reach 142.54. Since the first quarter of 2007, home prices have risen 42.54%, while inflation has raised general prices by 71.68% during the same period. Indonesian Home Prices, like Thailand, have lagged inflation since 2007.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong real estate prices have leaped by 214.84% in a little over 10 years to reach a staggering 314.84 as of the first quarter of 2016 from a base of 100 since year-end 2004. General inflation levels have just climbed 40.49% during this same period. In other words, Hong Kong home prices have outpaced inflation by an astounding 174.35% during this period, the highest rate of appreciation in the countries covered in this post.
However, it is important to note that Hong Kong Home Prices have also entered into a correction phase, declining by 10.12% from its recent peak of 350.31 as of the third quarter of 2015 to just 314.84 as of the first quarter of 2016. There is a distinct possibility that Hong Kong Home Prices may have entered a bear market just as it did in the aftermath of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. See previous post: How low can Hong Kong Property Prices Go? Some Clues from the Not Too Distant Past
Philippines
Philippine house price index stands at 220.99 at the end of the first quarter 2016 or over 120.99% above their year-end 2004 levels. Philippine home prices, with the exception of Hong Kong, have posted the largest 10-year gains among all the countries considered in this blog post. Like Singapore and Malaysia, Philippine home prices have outstripped inflation by around sixty percentage points. Like Indonesia and Hong Kong, Philippine home prices have so far no signs of slowing down their upward trajectory for the foreseeable future. The question is, is this momentum sustainable? Or will the Philippines and Indonesia follow its ASEAN neighbors, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, in exhibiting plateauing or declining house prices? That remains to be seen.
Source: Global Property Guide, Trading Economics, World Bank, Colliers International Philippines
