Vietnam Real Estate Symposium 2019: "What’s Next"

The press conference of Vietnam Real Estate Symposium 2019

Auscham, exclusively partnered with Cushman & Wakefield, will host the event at Sofitel Saigon Plaza, Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday, September 12, 2019 where directors and experts from Vietnam’s real estate industry will provide key observations, analysis, and predictions about the future of the market and "What’s Next."

This year, the organising board will continue its mission to produce the country’s “must-attend” event for commercial, industrial, and residential real estate in Vietnam.

With one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Vietnam has become more globalised than ever, despite increasing political and economic unrest across the globe.

Commercial and residential real estate markets in Vietnam’s largest cities and adjacent provinces have boomed in recent years, leading to more domestic and foreign investment into Grade A and luxury properties.

Following the global financial crisis, as the Vietnamese real estate market began to pick up, Auscham organised its inaugural Vietnam Real Estate Symposium in 2013. In years prior, Vietnam lacked a single event to showcase all sectors of the country’s real estate market.

The vision was bold and straightforward: to be Vietnam’s preeminent event for regional investors, developers, government representatives, and service providers in the real estate market.

The event aims to bring together major industry players to share insights, track recent changes and developments in policy and law, and create a collaborative atmosphere for all interested parties to connect, network, and interact.

While escalating trade tensions between the United States and China have commanded attention, Vietnam has emerged as a viable alternative for companies looking to diversify their supply chains and hedge against rising political uncertainty.

In the first half of 2019 alone, Vietnam’s economy witnessed a growth rate of 6.7 per cent and a record $246 billion in trade volume. With one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Vietnam has opened its markets in recent years, joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade pact, landing companies and supplier networks decamping from China, and recently inking a free trade agreement with the European Union (EVFTA).

Despite political instability in parts of Asia and around the globe, Vietnam has become one of the most globalised economies in the world and a stable location for investors to consider.

Vietnam’s property market has steadily recovered since the difficulties of 2009-2013, particularly within the residential sector. A surging demand for residential property has led to a high absorption rate of 70-80 per cent of new supply (with 30,000 to 40,000 new apartment units available each year).

Markets in provinces surrounding Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Danang have subsequently prospered as well. Foreign participation and investment continue to grow due to project co-operation, M&A, and direct financing, while domestic and foreigner buyers have driven interest for Grade A and luxury apartments and spurred new models for real estate development.

While the outlook for 2019 and beyond is exciting, previous years have demonstrated that markets are not definitively predictable. To prevent the risk of a new bubble, it is vital to consider the necessary procedures and policies to avoid market overheating.

For these reasons, 2019’s Vietnam Real Estate Symposium will focus on "What’s Next." Auscham has exclusively partnered with Cushman & Wakefield to co-ordinate an event catering to the discussion about the future of real estate in Vietnam.

The exclusive event will be limited to 200-300 attendees, including local and regional developers, domestic and foreign large-scale investors, multinational companies, and government representatives. The Vietnam Real Estate Symposium 2019 will take place at Sofitel Saigon Plaza, Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday, September 12, 2019, and will feature the three following sections.

In session 1, “Now and Next,” directors and experts from VinaCapital, DKRA, C&W Vietnam, and C&W Asia-Pacific will pool their knowledge on diverse topics including The Economic Punch, The Secrets of the Local Residential Market, Market Truths, and PropTech, with diverse presentations.

In session 2, “Have We All Heard It Before”, speakers from major domestic and foreign corporations and investment funds will discuss global, regional, and local challenges that impact Vietnam.

Speakers in this session will compare the current climate to some of the more turbulent years gone by, featuring a panel of experts with 50+ years experience in the Vietnamese market.

In session 3, “Global Mega Trends to Transform Industrial and Logistics Real Estate”, a myriad of topics will be discussed for the sector currently in the limelight thanks to global trade tension and repositioning. Experts from industrial park development, logistics spec building, and one of Vietnam’s largest freight forwarders will discuss and answer questions about how, when, and why they think the global mega-trends will transform their sector and real estate.