Property Market Commentary

Can You Really Upgrade From A BTO To Landed Property Without Any Additional Cash?

Property progression is often discussed, and just as often misunderstood, by many home buyers. We blame sales pitches over the years, which have over-simplified it as a way to “get rich with property” while going only into the skimpy details….

• 3 Apr 2023
• 7 min read
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• 1.3k

Can Every HDB Flat Be A Valuable Nest Egg For Retirement? Not Everyone Agrees. Here’s Why.

We’ve heard some angry arguments bounding around lately, both for and against HDB flats as retirement assets. The root of this seems to be a recent incident when it was claimed that “Every HDB flat will be a valuable nest…

• 27 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 5
• 731

The URA Master Plan Can Make Or Break Your Property’s Potential: Why You Need To Pay Attention

When it comes to the URA Master Plan, most homeowners are familiar only with big upcoming changes – announcements like the planned move of Paya Lebar Airport, or the development of a Punggol Digital District. These are blasted in the…

• 17 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 0
• 1k

Property Agent Flyers On Your Gate Illegal? 6 Surprising Things You May Not Know About Singapore Property

As we near the middle of 2023, a lot of strangeness has surfaced in the property market. From blatant privacy intrusions by agents to new buyers puzzled over key collection times, there are some things that need clearing up. Gathered…

• 6 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 0
• 1.7k

“So How Much Does It Cost To Build A HDB?” 7 Intriguing Real Estate Data That We Want To Know In Singapore

Long-time readers of Stacked will know that we love data, and the chance to observe quantifiable trends. Unfortunately, the information isn’t perfect – and in some cases, the data that was once published has now become untraceable. In this list,…

• 4 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 1
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“How Do They Know Where I Live!?” New Property Agent Tactics Targeting New Condo Owners

Imagine this: You bought a new launch condo a while back, and it’s now getting closer to key collection day. You open the mailbox in your current home and are faced with the usual deluge of mail. Out goes the…

• 2 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 0
• 612

Are Property Prices REALLY To Blame For Our Falling Birth Rates In Singapore?

Singapore’s fertility rate was at a record low in 2022, and we’ve seen online discussions and news outlets pin it on housing prices, albeit to varying degrees. Some claim high property prices as the main cause of the falling birth…

• 1 Mar 2023
• 7 min read
• 1
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Will Increased Housing Grants End Up Making HDB Resale Flats Pricier?

Budget 2023 increased the possible grants for resale flats, by another $30,000. This may benefit over 10,000 first-time homebuyers in the first year. But even on the day itself, commentators from Reddit to the local coffee shop were already saying…

• 21 Feb 2023
• 5 min read
• 0
• 382

Good News For HDB Buyers In 2023: How Budget 2023 Will Impact The Property Market

Budget 2023 is being announced even as we write this, and there is some good news for flat buyers: higher CPF grants seem likely to make resale flats more affordable. There are also added balloting chances for a select group…

• 14 Feb 2023
• 5 min read
• 0
• 590

How Do We Keep HDBs Affordable & Accessible? Singaporeans Share Their Opinions On PSP’s Public Housing Scheme

The recent debate on affordable housing has brought up several possible alternatives, but we don’t think all of them will go down well with everybody. It’s beginning to look a bit like a zero-sum game, where someone – be they…

• 14 Feb 2023
• 6 min read
• 2
• 227

Should You Pay Off Your Existing Home Loan In 2023?

In 2023, mortgage interest rates are a key concern. This is a steep difference between the tail end of 2008 to 2021 when the average interest rate seldom broke past two per cent (it’s three per cent and climbing at…

• 9 Feb 2023
• 5 min read
• 0
• 508

Should You Be Upgrading To A Condo In 2023?

If there’s a single defining feature of the 2022/23 property markets, it’s an increasing low supply and historical highs across the board. This has led many to wonder if it is still the right time to make their big step:…

• 4 Feb 2023
• 6 min read
• 0
• 1.1k

How I’d Invest $12 Million On 4 Properties: My Toto Hongbao Draw Winning Plans

Ever wondered what are your chances of having identical quadruplets? 1 in 13 million. Winning the yearly Toto Hong Bao draw? 1 in 14 million. When put in such a perspective, it’s much easier to see just how insanely fortunate…

• 1 Feb 2023
• 9 min read
• 0
• 1.4k

Sell Your HDB Today, Get $0: How Negative Cash Sales Can Still Be Found In Today’s Property Market

This is a question that has come to the forefront of late. For those looking to upgrade to a condo, there are two counterbalancing factors: higher resale flat prices seem to lower the risk of negative cash sales; but at…

• 24 Jan 2023
• 7 min read
• 0
• 268

Are You In Danger Of Negative Cash Sales? Here’s How Much Your HDB Has To Appreciate To Avoid It

With resale flat prices at record highs, there’s a tendency to assume negative cash sales won’t happen right now. But it’s not always true that selling your flat right after MOP will yield sufficient cash for a condo down payment,…

• 14 Jan 2023
• 6 min read
• 0
• 1.1k

Love It Or Hate It: Singaporeans Weigh In On Common HDB Rules

HDB flats are a staple of Singapore living; but amid the rules and regulations to create a harmonious estate, some things aren’t well received. This week, we want to find out the main likes – and dislikes – of existing…

• 12 Jan 2023
• 7 min read
• 0
• 181

I Sold 3 Condos In My First Month As An Agent, But Nothing For 18 Months After: Here’s Why New Agents Need To Worry

With the property market being at a new peak, we’ve seen a familiar phenomenon; one that we also witnessed back in 2013: there’s a flood of new realtors looking to join the market. The Straits Times reported 4,487 new agents…

• 10 Jan 2023
• 6 min read
• 0
• 762

2022 Year-End Review Of The Singapore Property Market: Key Numbers And Trends You Need To Know

At the end of 2021, we expressed hopes that 2022 would see a return to normalcy. We shouldn’t have done that, because we jinxed it. 2022 ended up being even more volatile than the previous year, as we move from…

• 31 Dec 2022
• 9 min read
• 0
• 820