DISCERNING buyers will find enough sophisticated venues and pretty streetscapes in District 3 to keep them diverted.

Dramatic condominiums tower over clusters of villas, both increasingly targeted at overseas buyers.

While not as lively as District 1 next door, this area still has its fair share of attractions for locals and tourists.

On Nguyen Thong Street, for instance, ornamental fish lovers will find everything they need to complete their aquariums. This quirky street is tucked away among towering buildings.

There is also a famous museum displaying exhibits from the Vietnam War and a guillotine brought to Vietnam by the French colonialists.

Recent developments such as Nguyen Phuc Nguyen and Pasteur Court have sold out. Demand for Nguyen Phuc Nguyen reflects the growing interest in medium-range properties priced from about US$613 to US$966 (S$923 to S$1,454) per sq m.

Property consultant CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) expects prices of low- to mid-tier projects to remain stable, and those of higher-end projects to stay up as demand is robust.

'More buyers have real needs and there will not be as many speculators as previously,' said a CBRE report in April this year.

As bank loans become more flexible, demand is also expected to increase, by about 7 per cent within a few years.

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