Singapore Property News

A $100 Billion Dollar City Turned Into A Ghost Town

The world’s most expensive monument to overconfidence is nearer than you think… I’m talking about Forest City, a massive ghost town right across the causeway. This development is around 1,740 hectares (17.4 square kilometres), which is almost the entirety of…

• 30 Apr 2023
• 6 min read
• 3

Property Cooling Measures In Singapore: Will 60% Foreigner ABSD Really Affect Singapore’s Property Market?

April 2023 has brought a new set of property cooling measures in Singapore, and as has been typical for the past few – it was announced at a time close to midnight so that no one has any time to…

• 27 Apr 2023
• 5 min read
• 2

Should You Be Buying A $33k House In Japan?

If you’re tired of expensive housing in Singapore, you can always try buying one in Japan.  That’s been talked about lately, with news reports of countryside homes being as low as $33,000. It’s something that seems to come up every…

• 23 Apr 2023
• 5 min read
• 0

3 Surprising Upcoming Changes That May Affect Property Prices (And En Bloc) In 2023

Back in 2022, we were told that URA, BCA, SLA, and even the SCDF were going to acknowledge a new and shared definition of the term Gross Floor Area (GFA). That’s about to come into effect as of June this…

• 19 Apr 2023
• 5 min read
• 1

How Would Old People Affect The Future Master Plan?

An update to the Master Plan is in the works again.  As before, the Master Plan Review will be in gear over the next two to three years, and any property investor can tell you why that’s important: so you…

• 16 Apr 2023
• 5 min read
• 0

Is The 99-1 Loophole Illegal? We Clear Up 6 Common Property Misconceptions In 2023

As we head into 2023, some erroneous beliefs about the property market are starting to surface. Some are new, but many are from a few years before. This may be related to recent shake-ups and changes to the rules, such…

• 12 Apr 2023
• 6 min read
• 2

The Rise Of The Telegram/WhatsApp Group Chat: How These Chat Groups Affect Condo Living

A subtle, powerful, change has taken place in the way condos are run. From older resale properties to new launches in recent years, condos have seen a surge in collective action, active resident committees, and – unfortunately – snooping around…

• 8 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 0

Slimmer Chance Of Getting A BTO If You Cancel The First Time: Here’s What Singaporeans Think

It may be time to stop being choosy or gaming the system, as HDB clamps down with a new “choose it or lose it” policy. Those who fail to show up at BTO selection won’t just lose their chance at…

• 7 Mar 2023
• 5 min read
• 1

12 Reasons To Be Happy (Or Scared) About The Singapore Property Market In 2023

2022 was a wild ride for the property market, and for the world in general. From a new war in Europe, to record-high interest rates, to new cooling measures. There are definitely some bumps ahead in the coming year, but…

• 21 Dec 2022
• 9 min read
• 2

Will Property Prices Remain High In 2023? Here’s Why A Property Undersupply May Prop Up Demand Despite The Economic Uncertainty

Every five years, there should be a cycle of en-bloc sales where property developers replenish land banks, and put up new developments. The last bout was in 2017; so why aren’t we seeing a major one in 2022? Compounding the…

• 12 Dec 2022
• 8 min read
• 0

A Surprising Lack Of Bids For Bukit Timah And Hillview GLS Sites: Are Developers Less Confident?

The bids for two land plots at Bukit Timah and Hillview were a surprise to market watchers this week. These mid-sized plots in proven areas were expected to draw substantial developer attention; especially with new launches seeing continued demand and…

• 8 Nov 2022
• 5 min read
• 0

4 Ways URA’s New Move To Curb Shoebox Units In Central Areas Could Affect The Singapore Property Market

The last time URA moved to curb shoebox units (one-bedder units, generally defined as 510 sq. ft. or smaller) was back in 2018. At the time, the impact was only for developments outside the central area. If you want a…

• 19 Oct 2022
• 5 min read
• 0

Are New ECs Still Attractive After The New Cooling Measures?

After the December 2021 cooling measures, the general consensus was that Executive Condominiums (ECs) would be more attractive. At the time, we broadly agreed with the sentiments (even though it was more to do with rising prices across the board…

• 17 Oct 2022
• 6 min read
• 2

A Record 45 Million Dollar Flats In Sept 2022: But All Eyes On 4-Room And Smaller Flats

The cooling measures on 30th September seem timely, after the latest results. September 2022 has seen a record number of million-dollar flats sold in a single month, and rising prices reveal December’s cooling measures had little to no impact. Despite…

• 11 Oct 2022
• 4 min read
• 0

Biggest Winners And Losers Of The Latest Cooling Measures In 2022: How Does This Affect You?

With tighter loan limits and a 15-month wait for some for resale flats, the latest round of cooling measures is poised to shake up the property market. In these volatile and uncertain times, we’d say the changes are prudent –…

• 10 Oct 2022
• 5 min read
• 2

“I’m Essentially Homeless For 15 Months Now”: New Cooling Measures Leaving Some Homeowners In A Difficult Situation

Ever since the July 2018 cooling measures (remember the one with the overnight queues at show flats), the Government has clearly learned well from that experience.  The recent cooling measure announcements have been done in a swift ninja stroke of…

• 1 Oct 2022
• 4 min read
• 7

September 2022 Cooling Measures Announced: An Attempt To Cool The Hot Property Market And How It May Affect You

The Singapore government has announced new cooling measures, in response to rising interest rates and record-high home prices. Some of these, such as a higher floor rate for measuring debt servicing ratios, was long expected; but others, like an increased…

• 30 Sep 2022
• 7 min read
• 11

Property Prices May Get Even More Expensive In 2023: Why New Land Betterment Charge Rates Will Affect Prices

When it comes to new launch prices, most Singaporeans are quick to pick up on the most obvious factors like land scarcity, agent commissions, or developer stamp duties. However, one factor that often slips under the radar – and that…

• 26 Sep 2022
• 6 min read
• 3