Property Analysis

From A Haunting Cemetery To The Next HDB Town: Why Bidadari Estate Was Transformed

The word Bidadari is actually the Malay word for “angel”, a derivative of the Sanskrit word *widyadari* which refers to an angelic being in Hindu mythology. Part of the cemetery site used to be where the Istana Bidadari was located too…

• 7 Jul 2022
• < 1 min read
• 0
• 124

10 Stunning Profitable Condo Transactions Bought And Sold In The Past 5 Years

Despite the big losses that we wrote about from those who bought in 2017, the reality is that the majority of people who bought back then would be really happy with their decision. Just look at the tables of losses…

• 6 Jul 2022
• 11 min read
• 0
• 505

5 Key Consequences Of Rising Mortgage Rates In 2022

The median interest rate for home loans is set to double in as little as six months, and it would seem the era of cheap mortgages is coming to an end. Apart from a predictable rush for HDB instead of…

• 4 Jul 2022
• 6 min read
• 0
• 523

Nearly Million Dollar 4-Room HDB Flats: Which Are Getting Close?

The proliferation of million-dollar flats in the past decade is nothing short of incredible. Keep in mind that the first million-dollar flat, at Mei Ling Street in Queenstown, was only in 2012; and it was an eye-opener at the time….

• 1 Jul 2022
• 5 min read
• 0
• 396

A Freehold 3 Bedroom Unit For $880k? It’s Possible, If You Can Live In A Space Under 700 Sqft

Did you know that some of the smallest flats in Hong Kong can go as tiny as 186 square feet? For reference, that’s about the same size as 1 and a half car park lots.  But that’s for the subsidised…

• 30 Jun 2022
• 8 min read
• 0
• 1.4k

What The Future Of Singapore Real Estate Could Look Like: 6 Exciting Predictions

Let’s imagine for a second that you are in art class and the teacher gave you this description to create: “A medieval painting of the wifi not working” How would you go about drawing that? As crazy as it might…

• 27 Jun 2022
• 9 min read
• 0
• 382

5 Mental Models To Rethink Your Property Investment Choice In Singapore

Some people call them mental models. Some call it frameworks. To me, it is simply a way to think about the world and the evolving situation. I adopt mental models as a way to focus on the important levers –…

• 20 Jun 2022
• 6 min read
• 1
• 283

Are BTOs Still As Profitable Today? Here’s How BTO Profits Have Changed Since 2001

It is a commonly debated topic: should BTO flat owners be allowed to profit? Or should public housing be kept strictly as a way to house Singaporeans – and not as an “investment” vehicle. For better or worse, BTO flats…

• 15 Jun 2022
• 10 min read
• 0
• 1.3k

Is It Really Mad To Pay $1 Million For A Woodlands HDB? We Find Out If There Are Better Condo Alternatives

I can’t help but notice that Singapore’s resale HDB prices have been performing inversely to the stock market (for the last few weeks at least). It was just earlier in May that a 5-room flat at City Vue @ Henderson…

• 10 Jun 2022
• 8 min read
• 1
• 600

7 Key Residential Towns To Know From URA’s 50-Year Plans + A Tour Of Singapore’s City Gallery

Truth be told, I’ve never been one that was too keen on exhibitions. But I must say that the URA has done a fantastic job with the exhibition (called Space for Our Dreams) that showcases the planning concepts and proposals…

• 7 Jun 2022
• 11 min read
• 0
• 1.9k

Renting To Expats? 6 Key Factors To Note For Better Returns

Expats are the common tenant demographic that landlords think about. However, landlords looking at this demographic face intense competition; and the properties that cater to expats are often on the pricier end. This can mean lower yields, and serious financial…

• 1 Jun 2022
• 8 min read
• 0
• 350

Are HDB Flats Really As Unaffordable As Everyone Claims? We Look At 468,600 Transactions To Find Out.

With the fresh new record of a $1.4 million HDB flat being sold at Henderson, it has yet again sparked conversations about whether HDB prices are getting increasingly unaffordable. Which brings to mind a statement from the Ministry of National…

• 23 May 2022
• 12 min read
• 0
• 678

7 Highly Impractical Condo Design Features That We’d Be Happy To See The End Of

When it comes to condo design features, novelty can sometimes get in the way of practicality. There are features that have appeal just on the basis of being new or unusual. Give it a few years, however, and you might…

• 23 May 2022
• 6 min read
• 2
• 600

Record Breaking $1.4 Million HDB Costs Too Much? The Alternatives May Not Be Any Better

If you haven’t heard by now, a 5-room HDB flat at Henderson just broke the record for the most expensive HDB ever transacted – at a stunning price of $1.4 million. The unit is located in City Vue @ Henderson,…

• 21 May 2022
• 8 min read
• 8
• 822

5 Things Property Agents Are Not Required To Do (But Might Anyway)

Singaporeans expect quite a bit from their property agents, given the service fees they pay. You may be surprised, however, to learn how limited the job scope technically is; quite a number of services provided are not actually within the…

• 17 May 2022
• 6 min read
• 0
• 551

Why You Will Never Buy When There Is A Market Crash

The stock market is the only market where people run away when things are on sale.  A seemingly innocent sentence, but perhaps none truer than what is happening in the markets right now. Stocks, crypto, the shocking implosion of Luna…

• 13 May 2022
• 7 min read
• 0
• 615

Do HDB Flats On Lower Floors Have Poorer Resale Value?

With resale HDB flats continuing their relentless ascend to record prices in nearly a decade, it seems that owners can do no wrong, regardless of which floor their flats are located on. But did you know that there was a…

• 7 May 2022
• 8 min read
• 0
• 2.6k

Is $2,000 PSF Going To Be The New Norm For New Launches In 2022 And Beyond?

There’s an old saying that, if you want to view a more expensive property, you should just revisit the same unit next week. It’s an exaggeration of course; but as of 2022, it’s closer to the truth than some home…

• 5 May 2022
• 5 min read
• 4
• 2.4k