Commentary

6 Ways Property Data Can Trick You: Avoid Being Fooled By These Common Misconceptions

If you’ve asked for property comparisons before, you might notice two different agents can show you two different data sets. And as some readers have pointed out, they can encounter prices that are far higher than the project’s average (or…

• 4 Nov 2023
• 7 min read
• 0

A $2 Million HDB Flat? Here’s When We May Possibly See The First One

I remember the first time we hit a million dollars for an HDB flat (this was an Executive HDB at Mei Ling Street in 2012). The idea of spending a seven-figure sum on an old resale HDB flat seemed ludicrous…

• 31 Oct 2023
• 5 min read
• 0

The Hidden Risks Of Investing In Freehold Luxury Properties In Singapore

If you’re new to Singapore’s property market it may shock you to learn this, but freehold luxury properties may not be as good as investment as you may think. These properties are considered the cream of the crop – but…

• 13 Oct 2023
• 2 min read
• 0

4 Young Homebuyer Trends That May Change Singapore’s Property Market

Forget the stereotypes about millennials and their avocado toast obsessions; when it comes to home buying in Singapore, this generation is proving to have a stronger focus on liveability than before. Far from being frivolous or impractical, these younger homebuyers…

• 27 Sep 2023
• 5 min read
• 0

Making $1 Million Dollars In Profit From An HDB: Why Pinnacle @ Duxton May Be The Most Unique Property In Singapore

Pinnacle@Duxton remains the poster child of the “lottery effect” – the proof that certain desirable BTOs go on to make a killing for their lucky owners. In fact, it is probably Singapore’s most profitable HDB project (for its residents). When…

• 25 Sep 2023
• 5 min read
• 0

How Bad Are Singapore’s 5 Worst Google-Rated Condos? We Take A Closer Look At The Reviews (Part 2)

Before making any purchase today, anyone’s first instinct would be to turn to Google for online reviews, and condos are no exception. However, any review system is bound to have its flaws, along with a kernel of truth. When it…

• 21 Sep 2023
• 6 min read
• 2

The Difficult Relationship We Have With Condo Security Guards In Singapore

Over the past week, we were looking for condos that had negative reviews, and the possible reasons. It occurs to me upon reading the comments, that a lot of this revolves around “rude security guards”, or “rude management” (and for…

• 7 Sep 2023
• 5 min read
• 0

Singapore’s Worst-Rated Condos On Google: Are They Really That Bad?

Most home buyers know that online reviews have to be taken with a pinch – nay – a heaping spoonful – of salt. Depending on the platform, these can be gamified or even fake – there are even businesses online…

• 4 Sep 2023
• 8 min read
• 0

Is This The End Of Real Estate Agents As We Know It? Here’s How AI Can Transform Real Estate

Besides insurance agents, property agents are often one of the most “hated” professions. Whether it’s the hefty commissions or the sometimes less-than-transparent practices, many people have dreamed of a world where tech could completely replace the traditional property agent. But…

• 2 Sep 2023
• 9 min read
• 2

Debunking Leasehold Decay: Are Old Condos Actually Underrated Or Are Freehold Condos Still The Best?

In our last deep dive, Ryan talked about how most condos in Singapore hardly last more than a couple of decades before they go en bloc. The magic number? 19 to 24 years. So naturally, that leads us to the…

• 30 Aug 2023
• 7 min read
• 1

We Tried To Eliminate Property Agents In Singapore: Why We Failed & The Challenges New Platforms Face

Here we go again: a couple of websites have sprouted up that seek to replace property agents. It’s not the first time we’ve heard the story, and in most cases, the same thing happens: the platform that tries to replace…

• 15 Aug 2023
• 9 min read
• 14

This Rare Condo Has Both 99-Year And 993-Year Leases: We Explore Unusual Mixed-Lease Properties In Singapore

For most properties these days, it’s a clear-cut case of them being freehold or leasehold. But head back into the 1970s or 80s, and you’ll find things weren’t so neat back then. For reasons we no longer fathom (but are…

• 14 Aug 2023
• 4 min read
• 1

Is The $16k EC Income Ceiling Too Low? A Look At How New EC Prices Have Risen And Why It Should Be Raised

The income ceiling for Executive Condos currently stands at $16,000. But there has been discussion lately over whether it’s time to raise this income ceiling, along with that of BTO flats. It doesn’t surprise us to hear it: amid rising…

• 3 Aug 2023
• 7 min read
• 9

How Grand Dunman “Helped” To Sell The Continuum: The Hidden Influence Of Price Anchoring In Real Estate

Imagine intending to buy a stock, but it’s jumped from $50 to $100 since you started tracking it. Suddenly, $50 becomes your anchor point, making $100 seem costly. But is $100 truly expensive? It’s hard to tell. If the company’s…

• 2 Aug 2023
• 6 min read
• 0

Why DBSS Flats Are Defying The Odds: Achieving Record Million-Dollar Prices Despite Past Criticisms

Approximately a decade ago, when the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) came to an end, the event was largely met with nonchalance. From property blogs to casual conversations, the consensus seemed to favour the scheme’s termination. For most people,…

• 24 Jul 2023
• 7 min read
• 1

From The 70s To The Present: The Evolution Of Singapore’s Condo Layouts

Our tastes as homeowners have changed over the years, and so have regulations. From the experimental era of the ‘70s, to the developers “min-maxing” profits with giant air-con ledges in the early ‘00s, condo unit layouts have seen many trends…

• 19 Jul 2023
• 10 min read
• 0

How To Lower Property Prices In Singapore: More Loan Curbs Or ABSD?

The Additional Buyers Stamp Duty (ABSD) is seen as a core component of cooling measures. Every time prices creep too high, we see the government ramp up ABSD – most recently on 27th April 2023, when the ABSD on foreign…

• 27 Jun 2023
• 7 min read
• 1

Singapore Vs Vienna Public Housing: Is Vienna Doing It Better Than Singapore (And What Can We Learn)

Imagine a city where public housing doesn’t just meet basic living standards, but can be architectural masterpieces as well, scattered in prime locations throughout the city. And no, we’re not talking about Singapore. Welcome to Vienna, Austria, where public housing…

• 21 Jun 2023
• 9 min read
• 0