Property Market Commentary

New OTP Re-issue Restrictions: What Does It Mean For Property Buyers?

As of today (28th September 2020), the URA has put a stop to the re-issuing of an Option To Purchase (OTP) to prospective home buyers. We can’t call it a sudden move, as just last month the URA was already…

• 28 Sep 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

Neighbourhood Of The Week: Bishan (District 20)

Bishan had a bit of a rough start, back in 1983. At the time, some Singaporeans swore off the area entirely, due to superstition; present day Bishan used to be Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng, one of the largest…

• 23 Sep 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

The New Norms Of Singapore’s Property Market In 2020

In the past two decades, Singapore’s property market has gone through a series of ups-and-downs; from a slew of new cooling measures, to worries about falling resale flat prices.  If the last time you bought a home was in the…

• 22 Sep 2020
• 8 min read
• 0

EC vs Resale Flat: How Much More Can You End Up Paying?

Google ECs versus resale flats, and you’ll encounter any number of sites warning you that resale flats have poor appreciation compared to executive condos. This is actually true. We’ve said in previous articles that, for over almost a decade, resale…

• 21 Sep 2020
• 7 min read
• 0

Do Resale Properties Really Cost More To Renovate?

If you’re choosing between a new launch and a resale property, you’ve probably heard the saying that “the resale will cost more to renovate”.  The theory is that, because you need to hack up the previous work, there’s added time…

• 19 Sep 2020
• 6 min read
• 0

Neighbourhood Of The Week: Bukit Timah (District 21)

Bukit Timah is the neighbourhood for the upscale nature lover / family own stay type. This is a prime area, where landed housing and private condominiums outnumber HDB flats.  Unlike Orchard or the CBD however, Bukit Timah is a green…

• 16 Sep 2020
• 5 min read
• 2

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