Property Investment Insights

What Makes A Small Boutique Condo Profitable?

Boutique condos are something of a niche buy. Often with 100 units or less (in some cases even fewer than a dozen units), these projects are known to be typically volatile: transactions tend to be few, so even a single…

• 27 Apr 2024
• 4 min read
• 0

Are Old Freehold Condos Still Profitable In Singapore?

In theory, freehold condos should continue to appreciate well over the years. One common argument you’ll hear, for example, is that because developers won’t need to top up the lease, freehold projects have better en-bloc value and potential. But there’s…

• 24 Apr 2024
• 3 min read
• 2

Are Cluster Landed Homes Still Profitable? Here’s How They’ve Performed Over 10 Years

Cluster homes are in that weird spot between landed housing and condos. On the one hand, they’re landed; on the other hand, you still have an MCST, and common facilities. But next to walk-up apartments, this may be one of…

• 22 Apr 2024
• 6 min read
• 4

Why This District 9 Condo Made Each Owner $775k In Profit: Uncovering The Numbers Behind The Success

Luxury condos in Singapore are often skeptically viewed as poor financial commitments. The recent fire sales of high-end developments such as the W Residences at Sentosa or Cuscaden Reserve have only served to add to that ongoing narrative. But some…

• 20 Apr 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

Can Old Leasehold Condos Still Be Profitable? A Case Study Of 355 Leasehold Condos

The perspective on leasehold condos has been changing in recent years. Homebuyers are a little less hung-up on freehold status; that’s thanks to the high freehold premium and the realisation that many condos go en-bloc long before it matters. But…

• 18 Apr 2024
• 3 min read
• 0

Whistler Grand Vs Twin VEW: Which Has Been A Better Purchase?

Twin VEW and Whistler Grand are just across the road from each other; so even back when they were launched in 2018, comparisons between the two were common. Now that it’s 2024, it’s time we took a look at how…

• 13 Apr 2024
• 5 min read
• 3

Should You Pay More For A Good View? A Case Study Of Two Sea-Facing Condos In Singapore

Investing in a new launch condo has many quirks to think about. Every developer will have a different price strategy, and prices can differ even more when it comes to a large development with many different stacks and facings. The…

• 4 Apr 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

New Condos With Big Price Discounts, How Have They Fared?: A Case Study On Urban Vista And Enclave Holland

A big drop in price for any condo always catches the attention of many, and the recent 20 per cent price drop at Cuscaden Reserve was no different. People love a good “bargain”, and the anchor price phenomenon is never…

• 1 Apr 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

Why Choosing The Right Condo Matters: A Real-Life Story Of Two $1.8M Investments With Drastically Different Returns

Given the high costs of owning more than one property in Singapore, you really only have one shot at making it a wise investment. Here’s a real-life example of how much the outcome can differ if you make the right…

• 18 Mar 2024
• 5 min read
• 2

How To Avoid ABSD When Buying A Second Property: Understanding Decoupling And How 99-1 Works

Decoupling is a way to have a second property in the family (albeit under individual names), without having to pay the Additional Buyers Stamp Duty (ABSD). That’s especially tempting in the current property market, where ABSD rates are at 20…

• 7 Mar 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

Is A 2B2B Or 2B1B New Launch Condo Better For Investment? Here’s What The Latest Data Says

For buyers looking at an investment property, a 2-bedroom unit is a typical sweet spot – in terms of rentability and a more achievable quantum. But in recent years, the availability of a smaller 2-bedroom unit in the form of…

• 6 Mar 2024
• 4 min read
• 1

Are Condos Near Hospitals A Good Investment? A Look At 66 Condos Near Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Most Singaporeans consider a hospital near their condo to be disadvantageous. As most realtors will tell you, this is something that they would prefer not to mention unless a prospective buyer asks. However, that’s for owner-occupiers – some landlords have…

• 13 Feb 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

20 Biggest Condo Transaction Losses That Were Bought And Sold During COVID-19

Success stories abound in the Singapore property market, because those stories sell condos (a little skeptical, but it’s an unavoidable truth). A lot of these highlighted condos also paint a glamorous picture of their districts and areas; and it may…

• 7 Feb 2024
• 7 min read
• 0

Singapore’s Best And Worst Performing Property Districts Since The Pandemic: Here’s What We’ve Found

The times are changing, and it’s not just the pandemic that caused it (although it sped things up a bit). Amidst big moves like decentralisation, and Work From Home, the very idea of what constitutes “central” – and hence a…

• 30 Jan 2024
• 5 min read
• 1

13 Oldest Apartments In Singapore (From 1966): Do They Still Appreciate?

Do old condos in Singapore still appreciate in value? A while ago, we looked at the typical age of developments before they go en-bloc; and we concluded that it’s rare for private non-landed projects to last beyond their 40s. But…

• 20 Dec 2023
• 6 min read
• 1

Can You Buy A Condo At A Low And Sell At A Market High But Still Suffer A Loss?

There’s a general consensus that, if you buy property at the low point of the market and sell when prices rise, you’ll definitely make money. But this tends to ignore how individualistic property assets can be. Unlike, say, dollars or…

• 14 Nov 2023
• 5 min read
• 0

Here’s Why These Condos Lost Money Despite Buying At A Property Market Low

This week, we looked at some properties that saw losing transactions, despite being bought at an “ideal” time – during 2003 to 2005, or 2015 to 2016 (all low points in the property market). And while many of the reasons…

• 6 Nov 2023
• 7 min read
• 2

6 Ways Property Data Can Trick You: Avoid Being Fooled By These Common Misconceptions

If you’ve asked for property comparisons before, you might notice two different agents can show you two different data sets. And as some readers have pointed out, they can encounter prices that are far higher than the project’s average (or…

• 4 Nov 2023
• 7 min read
• 0