Commentary

1,480 New Condos Sold In 1 Weekend: Why Are Singaporeans Rushing Despite “High” Prices?

If you haven’t heard the news, well, new launch fever has hit town. Emerald of Katong sold out 99 per cent of its 846 units over the launch weekend, Nava Grove moved 65 per cent of its units, and Novo…

• 19 Nov 2024
• 6 min read
• 1

Are New Launch Condos In 2024 Really Shrinking In Size? The Surprising Truth About Efficient Layouts

By now, it’s hard to dispute that condo units have shrunk in terms of square footage. Back in the ‘80s, even 700 sq. ft. could be considered a mere one-bedder; today, even 800 sq. ft. is sometimes marketed as a…

• 15 Nov 2024
• 4 min read
• 0

Could Your HDB Flat Be Worth $1 Million? Here’s How Many Are Close In 2024

As the old saying goes, don’t focus on the ball but on where the ball is going. We’ve seen an explosive rise in the number of million-dollar flats in the past few years, even if they’re still the minority of…

• 24 Oct 2024
• 4 min read
• 0

Are We Finally In A Buyer’s Property Market? Why The Recent Price Dip May Not Tell The Full Story

Speak to some agents and sellers, and you may be told the tide has turned: the housing supply crunch is over, and it’s buyers who now have more negotiating power. There’s also a dip in private home prices between July…

• 22 Oct 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

October 2024 BTO Breakdown: Prime And Plus Projects Revealed (And Key Details To Note)

The October 2024 BTO launch is just around the corner as we write this, and it’s one of the most significant in recent years. This will be the first launch using the new classification system, where flats are divided into…

• 10 Oct 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

An Overview Of The Bedok Property Market In 2024: HDB Price Trends And Key Developments

Bedok is one of the most transformed parts of Singapore, between the post-independence generation and today. This area used to be a coastal town; the aptly named Bayshore was the literal shoreline before East Coast Parkway and Marine Parade came…

• 8 Oct 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

With Singapore’s Population At 6.04 Million, Who Wins And Who Loses In The Property Market?

There’s been quite the uproar about Singapore’s population reaching a historic high of 6.04 million, mostly driven by non-residents (their number rose by around five per cent over the previous year). This is a sore spot among many Singaporeans, who…

• 2 Oct 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

How Much Will The Falling US Interest Rates Affect Singaporean Homeowners?

The United States Federal Reserve (the Fed) recently cut interest rates by 0.5 per cent. This is a big move, as the Fed typically raises or lowers the interest rate in smaller increments (0.25 per cent). This has a knock-on…

• 28 Sep 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

5 “Benchmark” Condos In Singapore To Pay Attention To 

In Singapore’s dynamic property market, certain condos have come to serve as unofficial “benchmarks.” These aren’t guidelines laid out in any rulebook, but rather an unspoken consensus among buyers, agents, and investors. Whether it’s their prominence, their size, or simply…

• 22 Sep 2024
• 7 min read
• 0

When My Gong Gong With Dementia Went Missing: Are Singapore’s Neighbourhoods Prepared For An Ageing Crisis?

Just the other day, I received a distressing call from my panic-stricken auntie asking for help.   “Cheryl, your gong gong is missing! He left home alone without me knowing and I don’t know where he is now. I need help…

• 17 Sep 2024
• 9 min read
• 0

Can Lower-Income Singaporeans Better Afford HDB Flats In 2024? Here’s What The New Measures Mean

Since the news of the cooling measures in August, we’ve written about how it has impacted the middle-class group in Singapore. However, the news comes with a silver lining for the lower-income group – the maximum Enhanced Housing Grant (EHG)…

• 7 Sep 2024
• 3 min read
• 0

Are Middle-Class HDB Homebuyers Losing Out After The Latest HDB Loan Restrictions?

The latest cooling measures on 20th August 2024 had a target: to slow the rising prices of HDB flats. To this end, the maximum Loan To Value (LTV) ratio for HDB loans has now decreased to 75 per cent, down…

• 28 Aug 2024
• 6 min read
• 4

What Singaporean Homebuyers Really Want In New Launch Condos In 2024

When we ask questions at showflats, we’re often given answers that begin with “People like…” or “Buyers prefer…” But we’ve learned to take that with a grain of salt. After all, we were once told the reason for gigantic planter…

• 21 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

“Surprise” New Property Cooling Measures Aug 2024: How New Loan Curbs And Grants Will Affect HDB Homebuyers

Following the NDP rally speech, MND has rather quickly followed up with the numbers. In our last piece on whether the Cash Over Valuation (COV) is still relevant in today’s context, we mentioned that the situation with the high resale…

• 20 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

5 Key Future HDB Plans You Need To Know From NDR 2024: BTO Priority For Singles And 120km Coastline

The first National Day Rally by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong covered some upcoming changes to the HDB market. While they are significant, we feel most of the changes (barring a parental proximity change for singles) are going to take a…

• 19 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 1

An Overview Of The Jurong Property Market In 2024: HDB Price Trends And Key Developments

As of 2024, Jurong is, broadly speaking, the jewel of west-end locations; in particular Jurong East. Jurong’s days of being a swampy industrial area are being left behind, and we’ve heard assertions that Jurong East can beat city fringe locations…

• 14 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 1

Is A New Launch Condo Really Better Than A Resale? We Debunk 5 Common Agent Sales Pitches

Perhaps it’s the higher commissions from new launch condos, or perhaps it’s a lack of availability. Still, some property agents are dead set on convincing you to stay away from resale condos. We’ve seen a lot more of this of…

• 1 Aug 2024
• 7 min read
• 0

Why We Need To Be Careful About A Property Oversupply In Singapore

Recent real estate troubles in China have shown how Governments can, and do, intervene in real estate. The Chinese government’s attempts to support its struggling property industry have come at the cost of investors and homeowners, as former policies are…

• 17 Jul 2024
• 6 min read
• 1