Vietnam
Foreigners can buy property in Vietnam — but never the land. What you get is a 50-year ownership certificate known as the pink book. Understand that, and every other rule makes sense, from the 30% quota to the ban on condotels to what happens when the term runs out.
Economy
220 projects in Ho Chi Minh City stalled due to regulations, only 77 resolved. A proposed law change would allow transfers of projects with unpaid fees to restart the market.
Economy
Phu My Hung exceeded approved land use by 400 hectares. Its international school also broke building codes.
Vietnam
Vietnam has climbed into Numbeo's global top ten for unaffordable housing. Buying a home now takes over 30 years of income, and homes are drifting away from wages.
Vietnam Economy
VinSpeed broke ground on Vietnam's first cross-region high-speed rail — 120 km, $5.6 billion, 2028 operation. The real story isn't the speed. It's where the stations are.
Finance
Vietnamese banks are aggressively raising deposit rates as lending outpaces savings. Mortgage rates have jumped back above 10%, and the pressure is building.
Real Estate
Vietnam has started assigning electronic ID codes to every property in the country, tackling one of Southeast Asia's most opaque real estate markets. The rules are in place — the system isn't.
Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City has proposed a 99-story tower for its Thủ Thiêm district — taller than Landmark 81 and the centerpiece of Vietnam's new International Financial Center. But Thủ Thiêm's track record tells a more complicated story.
Vietnam
Takashimaya is opening its first new overseas department store in eight years — in one of Hanoi's priciest districts. Why is a nearly 200-year-old Kyoto shop treating Vietnam as its turnaround bet?