Property Market Commentary

Here’s What Happens When You Buy A New Launch At The Peak Of The Property Cycle

When is the right time to buy a house?  It’s a million-dollar question, both literally and figuratively.  Buy low and sell high is the mantra that everyone chants, but anyone experienced in real estate will know that it is impossible…

• 10 Sep 2020
• 8 min read
• 17

Why Are Some Homeowners Being Advised To Take Lock-in Home Loans?

You’ve gone through all the terms and conditions, and you still can’t believe what the mortgage broker is telling you: go for a home loan package that has a lock-in clause. You can’t make sense of it – why take…

• 9 Sep 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

Removing The Income Ceiling For BTO Flats: Is It Fair Or Crazy?

In recent news, MP Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio GRC) raised the suggestion that we should remove the income ceiling for first-time buyers of BTO flats. This was based on his interaction with young couples, who told him they…

• 8 Sep 2020
• 6 min read
• 0

Is Buying A BTO Flat First A “Waste Of Time”?

If your property investment plan ends with “…and then my children will own 10 condos”, you probably grasp the idea of wealth progression in property assets (and if you don’t, there are several hundred YouTube ads that will force-feed it…

• 7 Sep 2020
• 7 min read
• 0

When Is It Actually Better To Pay The ABSD?

Tell someone you’re considering actually paying the Additional Buyers Stamp Duty (ABSD) on your second home, and watch as their eyes pop out. They’ll rattle off a whole bunch of reasons how you can avoid it – from buying dual-key…

• 23 Aug 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

How Well Do Regional Centre Properties Compare Against The CBD?

A short while back, we put out an article explaining how the Bugis – Beach Road area (district 7) has since become more expensive than Orchard. But those of you who follow Singapore’s private property scene may not be surprised;…

• 22 Aug 2020
• 7 min read
• 0

An Analysis Of 5 Shoebox Units Floor Plans From An Architecture Student

For many young singles in Singapore, purchasing and owning a property might be the biggest hurdle to overcome in their late twenties or early thirties.  Looking around me, the conversations have indeed shifted.  Although most of my peers are in…

• 19 Aug 2020
• 10 min read
• 0

Is It Really A Buyer’s Market Right Now?

 “Covid-19 = economic downturn = desperate sellers”.  This seems to be the common assumption right now in Singapore’s real estate market. A report released earlier this month that’s often cited is the 1.1 per cent decline in private home prices….

• 29 Jul 2020
• 6 min read
• 0

How ABSD Deadlines Can Negate Your New Launch Discounts

It’s practically a guaranteed profit. That’s what you’ll often hear at a VIP preview or the first phase of a new launch. Buy the unit now at a seven to 10 per cent discount, and when the “normal” price is…

• 19 Jul 2020
• 5 min read
• 2

New Condos That Saw Prices Fall Soon After Completion: What Went Wrong?

We all say we want a running start to our home values; but we don’t mean a running start off a cliff. Sometimes though, that’s exactly what happens: the price looks like it’s going to hike up all the surrounding…

• 16 Jul 2020
• 5 min read
• 5

Buying At A Property Auction During Covid-19: Here’s All You Need To Know

Fire sales. Mortgagee sales. Urgent sales. From as early as January this year, reports warning of more properties going “under the hammer” have been flung at you; and you had one more round of it in May. So it was…

• 15 Jul 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

Has District 7 Really Overtaken District 9 in Residential Property Prices? We Look at the Numbers to Date

District 9, with Orchard Road, has long been considered the crown jewel of Singapore real estate. The Bugis to Beach Road stretch (District 07) is just the place you pass on the way to Orchard Road; most of its value…

• 9 Jul 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

Walk-Up Apartments: Treasures or Traps?

More than one Singaporean (or expatriate) has been ambushed with a walk-up apartment. You’re told a particular property is spacious, it’s got a great location, low price, etc. but then you arrive and find out the one problem: no elevator….

• 8 Jul 2020
• 6 min read
• 2

Should “Sandwiched Singaporeans” Rent First, Or Buy The Cheapest Condo They Can Afford?

Should you rent or buy? With homeownership rates in Singapore at a staggering 90.4%, you might think that this scenario isn’t something that many people would experience.  After all, for many young couples they don’t actually have to face this…

• 7 Jul 2020
• 9 min read
• 4

An RHB Analyst View Of The Singapore Property Market (Post Covid-19): A Recap

As we head into the second phase of the circuit breaker in Singapore, things are looking to be slightly more positive in the near future.  Retail shops are gradually reopening, bubble tea shops are back, and to the delight of…

• 19 Jun 2020
• 8 min read
• 1

6 Creative Discount/Payment Schemes That Developers Offer

For those expecting property sales to fall, you might be surprised to learn that new private home sales in Singapore actually increased 74.7 per cent in May, to 484 units. Of course, any increase would be magnified, given that April…

• 12 Jun 2020
• 4 min read
• 2

Why Developer Discounts Doesn’t Always Mean A Good Deal

Everybody loves a good deal – even the rich.

• 10 Jun 2020
• 5 min read
• 2

New Launch vs Resale Condos: Here Is What You Should Consider

This is Part 9 of our 18-part first-time home buyer series. You may refer to the full table below: First Time Home Buyer Guide Financing Approval-in-Principle: Why It’s Your First Step for a Home Loan/Mortgage How Much Can You Borrow…

• 9 Jun 2020
• 9 min read
• 0