Developers cater to Chinese real estate buyer tastes

ABC Agents and developers are specifically marketing to the Chinese market.

Chinese investment in Australian property continues to boom, so much so that developers are increasingly incorporating traditional folklore into their designs.

Several buildings in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth are now being designed specifically with the Asian buyer in mind.

"At the moment a lot of the Chinese nationals are seeking a potential new lifestyle down the track or an investment in a neighbouring and nearby country where there's safety and capital growth," said John McGrath, the chief executive of McGrath Estate Agents.

Last year, an estimated 18 per cent of Sydney and Melbourne off-the-plan sales went to Chinese buyers, prompting McGrath to launch a Chinese language brochure and a specific 'China desk'.

However, smart developers are also getting in on the act and changing the way they build, often incorporating feng shui and Chinese folklore principles into their designs.

"In some instances, we've actually had Feng Shui masters look at the plans so we can ensure that they really comply with people's expectations around Feng Shui," explained Phillip Rossington, principal with BVN Donovan Hill.

Australian architect BVN Donovan Hill has been on a fast learning curve after it won an international competition to design Australia's biggest residential tower, 'Greenland', for a Chinese developer.

"We quickly did the development application because we've learnt from our Chinese clients they like to do things very quickly, and they're used to things happening quickly in China," Mr Rossington said.

Weekly consultations brought constant tweaks aimed at appealing directly to the Chinese investor.

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Developers cater to Chinese real estate buyer tastes