Property Market Commentary

Where Do These Million-dollar Flats Keep Coming From?

It is quite crazy if you were to think about it. The very first HDB flat to hit this magical million dollar mark was an executive apartment at Block 149 Mei Ling Street in Queenstown. This unit was sold for…

• 13 Nov 2020
• 6 min read
• 0

How Does 2020’s Low Interest Rates Impact Your Property Purchase?

If you have been on the lookout for a home this year, you’ve probably heard this many times by now. Now is a good time to buy, as the costs of borrowing money is so much lower. Put simply, a…

• 12 Nov 2020
• 6 min read
• 0

What Is Cash Over Valuation (COV) And Why Would You Pay It?

We’re seeing a resale flat revolution. As of Q3, resale prices are rising at their fastest pace since around 2012, and transaction volumes are at a 10-year high. We have a more detailed discussion of this in our previous article. …

• 9 Nov 2020
• 6 min read
• 0

Is It Time To Refinance From An HDB Loan To A Bank Loan?

After almost seven years of consecutive decline, the HDB resale market seems to have turned a corner. They hit a 10-year high as of Q3 2020; and there’s a good chance the momentum will continue.  Perhaps you’ve been tempted into…

• 5 Nov 2020
• 7 min read
• 0

Neighbourhood Of The Week: Yishun (District 27)

Yishun is one of the most meme-worthy neighbourhoods in Singapore. It’s nicknames include “The Devil’s Ring” and to date, it’s the only neighbourhood to have inspired a website entirely about its strange happenings. It’s also one of the rare non-central…

• 1 Nov 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

Margin Calls: Possibly The Most Overlooked Risk In High-quantum Properties

You could say that the Singapore private property market has left many people puzzled. Despite Singapore seeing its worst recession in over 55 years, home sales and prices are rising across the board.  HDB resale flats are at a 10-year…

• 30 Oct 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

Here’s How The Sellers Stamp Duty Has Affected Boutique Condos

Have you ever wondered why things in limited quantities are so weirdly appealing? Just attach the word “exclusive” to any product and it seems to take on a whole new light.  So much so that entire businesses are built upon…

• 29 Oct 2020
• 7 min read
• 0

Are Luxury Or Mass-market Condos Better Investments In Singapore?

There are two conflicting theories we often hear in the Singapore private property market. The first is that luxury condos, such as those in prime areas, are better investments: they’re scarce, in high demand, and see better appreciation. On the…

• 28 Oct 2020
• 6 min read
• 0

How Covid-19 May Have Ended Up A Boon To Resale Flats

HDB resale prices and volumes have seen a sharp rebound as of Q3 2020. After almost seven straight years of decline, it seems as though resale flats may have found their way back into home buyer’s preferences.  Here’s how the…

• 26 Oct 2020
• 6 min read
• 0

Why Are Landed Home Sales Hitting New Highs Despite Covid-19?

If you’re like most people, you might guess the most expensive property segment – landed property – will fare worst in the downturn. After all, who would buy a bungalow or Semi-D in Singapore’s worst economic situation to date, right?…

• 20 Oct 2020
• 5 min read
• 2

We Evaluate The Truths Behind 4 Common Property Sayings

The Singapore property market is awash with sayings and platitudes. Some old favourites include “If you want to see a more expensive house, come back to view this one tomorrow,” or “Selling this will be easy, people who stay on…

• 16 Oct 2020
• 8 min read
• 0

How Do The Additional Relief Measures For Developers Affect Home Buyers?

As of last week (9th October), property developers were granted another six-month extension to complete their projects. This is a second round of extension, with the last one being in May – altogether, property developers now have a full additional…

• 14 Oct 2020
• 6 min read
• 0

How Have The 2015 Batch Of Executive Condominiums Performed So Far?

In 2012, the first of the 2015 TOP bunch of Executive Condominiums (ECs) went up for sale across the island. It was a bit of a tough time, as 2011 had seen a slew of cooling measures (ABSD introduced); and…

• 9 Oct 2020
• 7 min read
• 2

Why Do Banks Even Bother Trying To Sell Home Loans With Higher Interest Rates?

You’ve called around to different banks and gotten all their interest rates, and now you have one burning question: why?  Why do some banks even bother trying to sell home loan packages, with interest rates way higher than all the…

• 8 Oct 2020
• 6 min read
• 1

How Much Must You Earn To Pay Off Your Property By 50?

Here’s a thought that will make any Singaporean heart turn cold: working past 50 to pay off a housing mortgage. Could you really still be attending 10 am presentations, and typing mind-numbing reports in your mid-50’s, all because of that…

• 6 Oct 2020
• 7 min read
• 0

Why Are Private Home Sales And HDB Prices Rising Despite The Recession?

From all the property news you’ve read, you might be inclined to think real estate is pandemic proof. As of August, new private home sales in Singapore are up for a fourth straight month – according to URA data, 1,307…

• 5 Oct 2020
• 6 min read
• 0

Neighbourhood Of The Week: Queenstown (District 3)

Queenstown is the first satellite town in Singapore. The entire concept of having a “self-contained” township, with its own council, amenities away from the city, etc. It all started here, as far back as the 1950s. In fact, Queenstown is…

• 2 Oct 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

The Underrated Advantage Of Paying Your Home Loan In Cash

Paying in cash when you can use CPF? There must be a method to this madness. And indeed, there’s a small demographic of home buyers who service that monthly loan out of their own pocket – even if they could…

• 29 Sep 2020
• 7 min read
• 0