Commentary

How Do We Keep HDBs Affordable & Accessible? Singaporeans Share Their Opinions On PSP’s Public Housing Scheme

The recent debate on affordable housing has brought up several possible alternatives, but we don’t think all of them will go down well with everybody. It’s beginning to look a bit like a zero-sum game, where someone – be they…

• 14 Feb 2023
• 6 min read
• 2

Why Buy A Million-Dollar HDB Flat Instead Of A Condo? 4 Singaporeans Share Their Experience

2021 and 2022 both saw record numbers of million-dollar flats; and while these are still outliers, they are becoming almost expected in some areas like Tiong Bahru, Queenstown, and more specific projects like Pinnacle @ Duxton. But is this a…

• 10 Feb 2023
• 6 min read
• 0

How I’d Invest $12 Million On 4 Properties: My Toto Hongbao Draw Winning Plans

Ever wondered what are your chances of having identical quadruplets? 1 in 13 million. Winning the yearly Toto Hong Bao draw? 1 in 14 million. When put in such a perspective, it’s much easier to see just how insanely fortunate…

• 1 Feb 2023
• 10 min read
• 0

Love It Or Hate It: Singaporeans Weigh In On Common HDB Rules

HDB flats are a staple of Singapore living; but amid the rules and regulations to create a harmonious estate, some things aren’t well received. This week, we want to find out the main likes – and dislikes – of existing…

• 12 Jan 2023
• 7 min read
• 0

I Sold 3 Condos In My First Month As An Agent, But Nothing For 18 Months After: Here’s Why New Agents Need To Worry

With the property market being at a new peak, we’ve seen a familiar phenomenon; one that we also witnessed back in 2013: there’s a flood of new realtors looking to join the market. The Straits Times reported 4,487 new agents…

• 10 Jan 2023
• 6 min read
• 0

8 Common Feng Shui Property Problems Even For People Who Don’t Believe In It (Yes, It May Affect The Next Buyer)

Whether you roll your eyes at Feng Shui, or you’re a hardcore believer, it still matters if it isn’t going to be your forever home. Regardless of your views, a future buyer – or even a tenant – may care…

• 3 Jan 2023
• 7 min read
• 0

Our 10 Most Read Articles About Singapore Real Estate In 2022

As 2022 draws to a close, it’s time to look back and see which of our editorial pieces has really resonated with you, our readers.  And from what we can see, it’s probably safe to say that effort sometimes doesn’t…

• 30 Dec 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

Better Housing Policies For Singles? 4 Things We Wish To See In The Singapore Property Market In 2023

2022 was one of the toughest years on record for property buyers. Home prices reached record highs across the board, and it was pricey even to rent. Nonetheless, there were some silver linings, and both developers and government bodies were…

• 29 Dec 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

Should We Build More HDB Maisonettes? 5 Convincing Reasons Why

HDB stopped building maisonettes way back in 1995, but Singaporeans never got over their love for it. As we’ve pointed out before, a significant portion of million-dollar flats are maisonettes; and if Singaporeans are buying them despite the advanced lease…

• 23 Dec 2022
• 5 min read
• 0

7 Useful Questions To Ask Your Property Agent Before You Buy Or Sell Your Property

Most of us know the routine questions to ask a realtor, such as “how long have you been in the industry,” or “where was the last place you sold,” and so forth. These questions are so common that most realtors…

• 7 Dec 2022
• 6 min read
• 0

6 Reasons Why You May Want To Avoid A Friend/Family As An Agent

It’s a common enough practice in Singapore: you have a friend or relative who is a property agent, so you’d feel bad not asking them to manage the buying or selling of your home. But what happens when something goes…

• 30 Nov 2022
• 6 min read
• 0

We Spoke To BCA To Clear Common Property Misconceptions In Singapore: Here Are 9 You Need To Know

Singapore has a high-quality built environment, so most of us don’t’ ponder questions like “what if my condo runs out of money?” Or “will the government kick out an incompetent management council?” These are questions to which we often receive…

• 29 Nov 2022
• 6 min read
• 2

Cheapest Condos And HDBs In Singapore: Here’s How Much Prices Have Risen Since 2020

With private home and resale flat prices rising across the board, is a cheap home even possible in 2022? It’s a tough year for first-time home buyers, and even HDB upgraders have been slowly starting to be priced out. Here’s…

• 28 Nov 2022
• 4 min read
• 0

A Fight Over The Sale Of An HDB Flat: 3 Interesting Takeaways From A Co-ownership Tussle

In recent news, we’ve heard of the struggle between a widow and her brother-in-law, over an HDB flat. Her husband had left his portion of the flat to her (30 per cent) after passing on. Her brother-in-law (who owned the…

• 22 Nov 2022
• 4 min read
• 0

Not Every Property Agent Wants To Sell/Rent Your Home: We Reveal 5 Reasons Why

Property agents are usually hungry for work, so it’s a surprise when they put you on the back-burner. This has been increasingly common in 2022, as the market is hot and agents are spoiled for choice of clients – and…

• 19 Nov 2022
• 6 min read
• 2

Why Singapore Property Is A Hotspot For The Super Rich: The Rise Of The Centi-Millionaires

At this stage of cooling measures, there’s growing concern that even Singapore’s stable climate might put off foreign property investment. The Additional Buyers Stamp Duty (ABSD) rate for foreigners now stands at 30 per cent; this is against a backdrop…

• 7 Nov 2022
• 5 min read
• 0

Singaporeans Share Their Frustrations About “Affordable” Public Housing: Here Are Some Of The Best Points From Reddit

There have been some split opinions on the affordability of HDB housing, following an infographic in the Sunday Times. Of late, the topic seems to hold two divergent opinions: the first that HDB is too expensive and these infographics are…

• 26 Oct 2022
• 6 min read
• 1

A Condo Built Specifically For The Elderly In Singapore? 5 Features We’d Like To See In Such A Development

Let’s face it: Singapore’s unofficial senior care body has become HDB. When it comes to housing for retirees, there’s an overwhelming assumption that most people can sell their private property and move into flats. That’s why HDB constantly has to…

• 25 Oct 2022
• 8 min read
• 2