The world is becoming smaller and the rich are becoming richer, especially in Asia, where developers are increasingly finding that they need to differentiate their properties. As Ong Choon Fah of DTZ Debenham Tie Leung says, “After all, an apartment is an apartment.” Builders in Singapore are trying to outdo one another with steps like hiring internationally known architects or interior designers, while still offering services that clients have come to expect, like access to concierge teams and membership in exclusive clubs or marinas. One local developer, Far East Organization, is marketing its distinctive properties under a new brand, Inessence, to highlight their exclusiveness and features like several private elevators for each apartment and separate garage floors for owners’ and visitors’ cars. Read more in the International Herald Tribune .