HOME & CONDO SHOW LAUNCHES DISCOUNT SEASON

       October is the month when many property developers will begin a final push to boost their 2009 sales.
       The final three months of the year is traditionally a period of peak newhome sales, and a full range of marketing campaigns can be expected to begin with today's opening of the 21st Houwe & Condo Show at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.
       The four-day show is organised by the Thai Real Estate Association, the Thai Condominium Association and the Housing Business Association.
       Taking part will be property developers with more than 500 projects valued at more than Bt100 billion. The show is expected to generate sales worth between Bt2 billion and Bt3 billion.
       Concurrently with the House & Condo Show, leading developer Sansiri will stage an event called "Sansiri Best Buy" in the Hall of Fame on the M floor of Siam Paragon.
       Later, real-estate agency Knight Frank Charter(Thailand) will hold "Test of Living", an event that will introduce a range of resort-destination properties. The 10-day event will open on October 15 in the Hall of Fame on the M floor of Siam Paragon.
       Most property developers taking part in the House&Condo Show plan to offer discount prices, free furniture, free home appliances, and other incentives to attract buyers.
       For example, LPN Development is offering discounts of up to Bt500,000, depending on the price of the residence being purchased, for home-buyers who buy from its residential projects at the show.
       It will also introduce two new residential projects at Bang Khae and Pinklao with special promotional campaigns.
       Tararom Enterprises is offering a discount of Bt1 million on single detached houses at five locations for buyers visiting its booth at the House & Condo Show or those visiting its project sites before October 25. The promotional campaign is named Last Call 2009.
       Those who buy from the company's five residential projects will also qualify for a lucky draw with also qualify for a lucky draw with prizes of gold totalling Bt1.82 million, managing director Wasan Kiengsiri said.
       The five projects are The Parkway Chalet Ramkhamhaeng, priced at Bt3.65 million per unit; Promenade Home Thon Buri at Rama II, priced at Bt4 million per unit; Neighbourhme Watcharapong, costing Bt3.08 million per unit; Parkway Home Ramkhamhaeng, priced at Bt7.20 million per unit; and Garden Suite Indi Home, costing Bt2.15 million per unit.
       Bangkok Commercial Asset Management (BAM) will launch a new campaign to sell condominium units at the House & Condo Show. Called Smart Condo, the campaign will give limited privileges to buyers in what it calls "the 2nd big BAM condominium grand sale 2009", running until the end of this month.
       BAM will offer special clearance discounts on more than 800 condominium units around the country. The privileges, aimed at easing its clients' financial burden during the economic downturn, will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis, the company's senior executive vice presidents Sumet Maneewattana said.Buyers will be able to pay easily with low interest rates set at the miniumum lending rate minus 3 per cent over a term of 10 years.
       Sumet said the buyers of the first 100 condominium units this month would also receive free Saijo Denki air-conditioning.
       Property developer Tanayong is offering a special promotion on two projects, Thana Place King Kaew and Nouvelle Condominium, where the starting price is Bt648,000 for a one-bedroom unit. The company is offering booking fees of only Bt10,000 and no contract or transfer fees.
       Commercial banks are also offering special interest deals for mortgages, many of them with no interest charges for the first year.
       Thai Condominium Association president Atip Bichanond said homebuyers would be able to buy at original prices that would rise in the coming year.
       "This is a good time to buy because buyers will get original prices and discount prices when they but at this event," he said.
       At the Sansiri Best Buy event at Siam Paragon, developer Sansiri will be offering special promotional deals on 29 residential projects with a total of 428 units.
       Offers will include discount prices for down payments up to 50 per cent, mortgages from Siam Commercial Bank with no interest charges for the first year, no transfer fees and discounts up to Bt300,000 depending on the price of the residence being bought.
       Sansiri expects sales from the event to reach Bt1 billion, taking it closer to its presales target of Bt 20 million this year, executive board chairman Apichart Chutrakul said.
       Knight Frank Charter (Thailand) will also launch its latest property event at Siam Paragon on October 15, called Taste of Living. Residences worth more than Bt10 billion will be on offer, in Bangkok as well as at holiday destinations such as Hua Hin, Pattaya, Cha-am and Rayong. The event was originally to be staged in April, but was delayed.
       Managing director Phanom Kanjanathiemthao said the company expected sales at the event to reach between Bt1 billion and Bt2 billion.
       "We see a significant likelihood of property market recovery in the last quarter of this year. As a result we are confident that this event will generate sales to achiever our target," he said.