Commentary

Breaking Down The Costs Of Development: Is Property Development Unsustainable In Singapore?

There’s a common misconception today that property developers are the cause of higher property prices in Singapore. After all, it seems obvious that developer pricing is the main factor in a condo’s cost. Perhaps that may have been true in…

• 19 Oct 2021
• 7 min read
• 2

Could Prime CCR Condos Start Surging In Demand After Q3 2021?

Overall home prices continued their steady upward pace in 2021; but property analysts have tipped private property prices to continue their rise as 2021 comes to a close. Prime region properties, which were lagging far behind fringe region counterparts, have…

• 10 Oct 2021
• 4 min read
• 0

You Can Buy A House In Japan For Just $500. Here’s What You Need To Know

Quite a number of Singaporeans dream of overseas properties, and a favourite aspiration is Japan. So with news of vacant Japanese homes going for around $500 – or even outright free in some cases – a number of locals may…

• 2 Oct 2021
• 7 min read
• 2

China’s Biggest Developer Evergrande Is $300 Billion In Debt: Here’s What Overseas Property Investors Need To Know

Evergrande is China’s largest property developer and – at this point – possibly its largest real estate disaster. All of this has happened at a rapid pace – from red flags raised in 2018, to the risk of stalled construction…

• 16 Sep 2021
• 5 min read
• 1

Why Are Good Class Bungalows (GCBs) Headed For A Record High In 2021?

Property prices really have gone up across all segments, even the extreme luxury end. Good class bungalows (GCBs) have been all the rage in 2021: from $144 million worth in transactions in 48 hours (in July), to news of tech…

• 15 Sep 2021
• 5 min read
• 0

Moving From A Public Rental Flat To Home Ownership Is Not Easy. Here’s What It Takes.

In his recent National Day rally speech, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted the increased number of people moving into public rental flats. While the number was highest in the Malay community, it’s worth noting that the number of renters…

• 6 Sep 2021
• 6 min read
• 0

5 Reasons Why OCR Condos Are Dominating The Property Market In 2021

By now, property prices and transactions have been rising non-stop (barring Covid-19 measures) since January. As there’s been a general uptick in almost every market segment, it’s tempting to think that an owner-investor can “do no wrong” right now –…

• 2 Sep 2021
• 6 min read
• 0

Comparing Sentosa Cove Condos To District 9/10 Properties: How Much Cheaper Are They Today?

The resurgence in Sentosa Cove condos, in August this year, is one of the more unexpected events in the property market. Besides a decade of decline, the combination of ABSD and weak rental prospects offered no silver lining. Despite this,…

• 31 Aug 2021
• 5 min read
• 0

What Will Happen To The Resale Condo Market For The Rest Of 2021?

For a brief moment in May and June, resale condo volumes started to fall from record highs. It was a glimmer of hope for homebuyers who are truly looking for an own stay option. That hope was dashed when the…

• 15 Aug 2021
• 5 min read
• 0

“Buy Now Before Property Prices Rise” 5 Facts You Must Know Before Making A FOMO Property Purchase

Pasir Ris 8 seems to have kicked the proverbial hornet’s nest, with the developer raising prices on some units from $1,400 psf to around $2,000 psf. Now, we’re seeing a slew of text messages claiming that you’d “better buy now”,…

• 4 Aug 2021
• 6 min read
• 6

You Will No Longer Make Huge Profits: 5 Crucial Truths About The Property Market In 2021

Let’s start with a story today. A police officer sees a drunken man intently searching the ground near a street lamp and asks him what he is looking for. The drunk man replies that he is looking for his car…

• 30 Jul 2021
• 9 min read
• 0

Property Market Predictions In 2021: Have Cooling Measures Been Effective? (A Savills Research Recap)

In the Savills blog, executive director Alan Cheong recently examined the correlation between Singapore’s GDP, and rising property prices. In this recap, we’ve picked out the crucial points that we feel are most useful to home buyers/investors right now; along…

• 27 Jul 2021
• 5 min read
• 0

Inheriting An HDB or Condo? Here Are 5 Simple Guidelines To Help You Decide Whether To Sell Or Keep

Most Singaporeans aim to keep property “within the family”. It’s one of the main attractions of buying freehold after all; and your children or grandchildren have a tremendous edge, if they don’t need to pay a mortgage. However, while Singapore…

• 22 Jul 2021
• 7 min read
• 2

4 Ways Singapore Population Trends Can Impact Home Buyers

Despite the current trend toward bigger homes, Singapore household sizes are shrinking. Chalk it up to smaller families, fewer Singaporeans having children, and an ageing population. This matters to property buyers, as homes are long-term investments; and it’s worth considering…

• 16 Jul 2021
• 6 min read
• 0

Can Resale Condos Maintain Their Momentum For The Rest Of 2021?

First-time buyers and upgraders were hit by more bad news, for end-June 2021. It was expected that a return to Phase Two (Heightened Alert) might cool prices a bit, and buyers aiming at the resale market were hoping new launches…

• 15 Jul 2021
• 6 min read
• 0

Are Home Prices Finally Cooling Again In 2021?

2021 has been a tough year for buyers; especially first-time home seekers. We’ve seen prices rise in almost every property segment, from resale flats to condos to landed homes. The end of Q2 2021, however, may give buyers a glimmer…

• 5 Jul 2021
• 6 min read
• 0

Holland V Condo Price War (Hyll on Holland vs Leedon Green): Should You Jump In?

The Singapore private property market is on an uptrend, to the point where even new cooling measures are being considered. Despite all that, even in this supposedly strong seller’s market, some new launches are struggling. We recently talked about a…

• 25 Jun 2021
• 8 min read
• 2

An Inside Look Into Co-Broke Deals: 5 Things You Must Know To Help In Your Property Purchase

Have you heard of co-broking? It is basically a term that describes the sharing of commissions between 2 agents on opposite sides. If you are not an agent, perhaps this word might not be important to you. But if you…

• 23 Jun 2021
• 8 min read
• 1