Property Market Commentary

The Case Of A “Matrimonial” Bukit Timah Home: Why A Woman Was Denied A Share

There was a bit of a surprise this February, when a lady was denied her one-third share of a property after a divorce. This was after an appeals court ruled that the house did not constitute a matrimonial asset; an…

• 20 Apr 2022
• 7 min read
• 2

Is $700,000 For A Keppel Club Site BTO Worth It?

When the Greater Southern Waterfront (GSW) was announced in 2013, one of the first things to draw attention was the announcement of public housing. How was it fair, we wondered, if future owners could land a flat in such a…

• 18 Apr 2022
• 5 min read
• 0

Are Property Valuations A Hidden Culprit In Rising Property Prices?

An often overlooked, but important, element of home loan financing is the valuation. For anyone buying a resale private property, the valuation can impact the initial cash outlay, the stamp duty, and which bank gets chosen. But is the hunt…

• 15 Apr 2022
• 4 min read
• 0

23.8% Senior Citizens By 2030: How Singapore’s Ageing Population Will Affect Physical Real Estate

We recently came across this article in Straits Times with quite eye-opening statistics on Singapore’s ageing population: The proportion of Singapore residents who are seniors is estimated to double from 16 per cent in 2021 to 33 per cent by…

• 13 Apr 2022
• 6 min read
• 0

Resale HDB Flat Prices Reach A Record High For Q1, But There’s Hope For Buyers Yet

Let’s start with a bit of bad news for homebuyers: resale flat prices ended Q1 2022 at a record high. This is, in fact, the highest we’ve ever seen in around a decade – we’ve even beat the previous peak…

• 11 Apr 2022
• 5 min read
• 1

Are Executive Condominiums A Better Investment Now With The New Cooling Measures?

Executive Condominiums (ECs) are more in demand than ever, given peak home prices in 2022. We’re expecting at least four EC launches before the year is out, and a big question now is how they’re impacted by new cooling measures….

• 5 Apr 2022
• 6 min read
• 1

Is Housing In Singapore Still Affordable To The Average Singaporean In 2022?

Home prices are at record highs in 2022, and now we face the threat of higher interest rates; we’re not surprised that home buyers are starting to get anxious. This leads us to that old battleground of divisive opinions: how…

• 29 Mar 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

The Housing Struggles Of Singles Below 35: Should We Be Easing Restrictions?

Homes for singles continue to be a hot topic, on sites from Reddit to coffee shop talk. Of late, we’ve seen discussions about lowering the age requirement, as mentioned by Member of Parliament Pritam Singh (check out a Reddit discussion…

• 19 Mar 2022
• 8 min read
• 0

The Impact Of War On The Singapore Property Market: Here’s What History Teaches Us

The year of the Tiger was supposed to be “roar-some”. Yet, there hasn’t been much to cheer about from the start of 2022 so far. The last thing on our minds was a war breaking out, which was exactly what…

• 17 Mar 2022
• 8 min read
• 0

Japan Vs Singapore: Why Japan’s Zoning Laws Make Sense And What We Can Learn

It’s no surprise that space constraints are a major factor in Singapore. However, Japan – while admittedly bigger – often has the same issues, with most of the country consisting of islands. And as Singapore’s population grows, and we seek…

• 16 Mar 2022
• 6 min read
• 2

Stop Blaming Just The IDs: Here’s The Less-Talked About Side Of The Renovation Industry

I last wrote about the inside track on the construction industry in Singapore.  But as I ended off – it takes two hands to clap, and customers also have to take a fair share of the blame for how rotten…

• 13 Mar 2022
• 11 min read
• 12

Old HDB Flats Are Being Snapped Up By Young Singaporeans, But Why?

In the past year, we’ve seen a renewed surge of interest in younger couples who are buying older (40+ year old) HDB flats. This runs contrary to attitudes from five years ago, when HDB flats were often criticised as “99-year…

• 4 Mar 2022
• 7 min read
• 5

Budget 2022 Property Tax: How Much More It’ll Cost You + What It Means For The Market

In the recent budget 2022 announcement, the government said it would raise property taxes starting next year. While the increment isn’t significant for most homeowners, it adds to a series of mounting costs for investors and landlords; and we expect…

• 21 Feb 2022
• 5 min read
• 3

An Inside Look Into The “Shady” Renovation/ID Industry In Singapore: Here’s How It Really Works

We recently wrote about a horrible renovation story in Singapore, and it was clear it struck a chord with many of you.  Many wrote in to share similar experiences, and some had helpful tips and advice for homeowners who are…

• 20 Feb 2022
• 11 min read
• 2

Will My HDB Flat Be Worth $0 When The Lease Expires, And Should We Change Things?

Probably one of the biggest questions most HDB buyers have is: what happens when the 99-year lease is up? Does it just go down to zero? Or will you have an option of extending the lease? A recent discussion on…

• 9 Feb 2022
• 7 min read
• 9

Is 2022 The Best Or Worst Time To Upgrade From An HDB Flat?

Looking ahead in 2022, one question is likely to stand out: is it a great time to upgrade, given record high resale flat prices? Or is it, conversely, the worst time to upgrade, given that property prices are high across…

• 8 Feb 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

Free Car Anyone? 4 Special Types Of New Launch Condo Promotions In Singapore

I recently came across this incredibly fascinating story of how a furniture business does its promotions. Enter Jim McIngvale, better known as Mattress Mack. He owns Gallery Furniture, one of the top furniture retailers in the US, with more than…

• 27 Jan 2022
• 5 min read
• 0

5 Property Types That May Be Most Affected By The New Cooling Measures

We previously looked at how various buyers and sellers are affected by cooling measures; but what about property types? Will landed homes, for instance, be affected more than condos? And is there a wider impact on resale than new launches?…

• 17 Jan 2022
• 6 min read
• 0