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If you were to give Jack Ma (Founder and Executive Chairman of the e-commerce giant Alibaba) a hashtag on Facebook, what would it be? Alibaba? Chinese entrepreneur? Or #Self-made Billionaire? These are all relevant, but you may also be interested in another role of his – Real Estate Property Investor – which is relatively subtle and little known. Last summer, a property transaction of $1.5 billion at The Peak had successfully caught global attention because of the buyer’s identity and it was rumored that Ma may be this invisible rich. Not surprisingly, it turned out Ma decided to diversify his housing assets and Hong Kong appears to be an ideal destination.

The housing problem in Hong Kong is always the struggle between demand and supply, where the latter has never been able to out-compete the former. As a result, voices are urging prompt development of more houses to accommodate the growing population and stabilize the property market. Developers may either revitalize old buildings in urban districts or initiate new projects in the rural areas, and the latter appears to be more appealing to the investors. This has largely to do with the policy restrictions in urban renewal.

Residential and commercial buildings are still in high demand with investment real estate agents. Engel & Völkers Commercial has just published its sixth "Residential and Commercial Real Estate Report for Germany". Why is this asset class experiencing a veritable boom? How will prices develop for apartments and even luxury houses for sale?

It is bitterly cold outside and you would like nothing more than to take a dip in a warm pool? Don’t miss our five most spectacular pools this week!