Property Market Commentary

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

11 Proposed Developer Changes To Help Homebuyers: A Breakdown + How It Affects You

URA is proposing some amendments to the venerable Housing Developers Rules. This set of laws covers a whole range of topics, from the way properties, are marketed, to the way you book a new launch unit. We will be going…

• 12 Jan 2022
• 8 min read
• 2

Why 4,580 Homeowners Have Negative Cash Sales Despite High Property Prices

The CPF Board said this week that around 4,580 Singaporeans couldn’t refund the full amount of CPF they used for housing, after selling their property. This number was higher than around 3,960 people the year before, and around 3,380 people…

• 11 Jan 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

4 Reasons Why Alexandra May Just Be The Next Hottest BTO Launch Site

Getting a good BTO flat location is a proven windfall; and demand for PLH sites, even with all their restrictions, is proof of that. For homeowners, the site at Alexandra ticks all the right boxes; and it’s already being discussed…

• 6 Jan 2022
• 5 min read
• 0

From A HDB Undersupply To Interest Rates Hikes, Here’s Why The New Cooling Measures Were Necessary

There’s been much talk and chatter around the new cooling measures. Understandably so, as housing is always such a touchy topic for many people. So far there have been lots of contributions and viewpoints on how the new cooling measures…

• 4 Jan 2022
• 3 min read
• 0

Top 10 Most-Read Stacked Articles in 2021

As the year draws to a close (and I think I speak for everyone when I say that it’s been an eventful one). Given that 2021 started with reports of a more contagious strain of the virus in South Africa,…

• 30 Dec 2021
• 8 min read
• 0

23,000 BTO Flats Launched In 2022: What Does This Mean For Home Buyers?

HDB has decided to ramp up the supply of BTO flats in the coming years. This will ostensibly avoid situations like the present, where some first-time home buyers feel squeezed out: they keep losing at the BTO flat ballots, but…

• 24 Dec 2021
• 5 min read
• 0

Biggest Winners And Losers Of The New Property Cooling Measures: Which Side Are You On?

The much-anticipated property cooling measures have struck, as of 16th December 2021. As the smoke clears, it’s become apparent who comes out on top of this; and who ends up having to uh, “review” their real estate plans for the…

• 22 Dec 2021
• 6 min read
• 0