A Swiss bank is planning to enter the Australian property market.

UBS AG, Switzerland's largest bank, expects to invest up to A$10 billion ($9 billion) in Australia's property market over the next five years. Properties in Qatar for sale

According to Trevor Cooke, UBS's Sydney-based head of Asia-Pacific real estate, the bank will partner with Grocon Pty, Australia's largest closely owned builder, to beat out other foreign capital rushing into the country's real estate market.

Mr. Cooke said, "In Australia, there is substantial competition from pools of capital for access to investment-grade stock." 

"Partnering with an originator is the best way for us to provide practical solutions to our clients. The Asia Pacific area as a whole is a geopolitical target, and Australia is one of the region's most appealing markets."

According to a Jones Lang LaSalle survey, direct investment in commercial property in Asia Pacific increased 33% year over year in the third quarter. For the first nine months of 2013, the region's three main markets — Australia, China, and Japan — accounted for 69 percent of all completed commercial transactions.

UBS operates $8 billion in retail and industrial property in Japan through a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corp., and partners with Chinese developer Gemdale Corp. in a residential development fund on the mainland, according to Mr. Cooke.

Grocon's partnership will start with prime office properties and residential projects in Australia.

A farm portfolio in Australia is being sold for $590 million.

According to media reports, private equity firm TPG plans to sell 56 farm assets of Australia's largest poultry company for up to A$650 million ($590 million).

According to Reuters, TPG paid A$880 million for the majority of Ingham Enterprises. Despite improving market conditions, TPG plans to sell the properties without putting them on the open market.

CBRE agribusiness director Danny Thomas, who is in charge of the deal, told Reuters, "We've got all the largest pension funds and sovereign funds in the world expressing interest."

According to the newswire, the acquisition agreement would include a 20-year leaseback of two portfolios that include trees, feedmills, hatcheries, and breeder farms. Because of rising revenue and good cash flows, investor interest in Australian food manufacturers has increased in recent years.

Greenland sells apartments in Sydney for $250 million.

Greenland Holdings Group, headquartered in Shanghai, has sold approximately A$275 million ($250 million) worth of apartments in the 66-story Greenland Centre, the company's first project in Australia.

According to Bloomberg, the state-owned developer sold 241 of the 250 apartments launched in the first stage of the Sydney tower, which is planned to be the city's tallest.

The tower is planned to reach a height of more than 235 meters. According to the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, the tallest residential building in the world is World Tower, which stands at 230 meters.

According to David Milton, managing director for residential projects at selling agent CBRE Group Inc., the most expensive unit was a 55th-floor, three-bedroom unit that sold for A$3.7 million to a Chinese buyer residing in Australia.

Mr. Milton told Bloomberg, "We had immense interest, about 4,000 in the four to five weeks leading up to it." "This has been one of the most eagerly awaited campaigns we've ever seen, with one of the highest levels of inquiries."

The business has put over A$1 billion into projects in Sydney and Melbourne, joining other Chinese developers such as Dalian Wanda Group in growing their overseas investments.

The company made its first investment in the United States in July, purchasing a $1 billion stake in a Los Angeles project. The company announced plans to invest in a 15-tower apartment project in New York in October.

According to Bloomberg, Greenland is in the process of securing approval for the Sydney project in order to begin construction.