Commentary

Unaffordable Homes In Singapore Are Causing The Younger Generation To Rent: Is This A Good Idea?

In a recent PropertyGuru survey, two-thirds of Singaporeans aged 22 to 29 said they’re renting because home ownership is still out of reach. Indeed, this is a trend that’s been noticed since last year, with more young Singaporeans also sharing…

• 12 Sep 2022
• 7 min read
• 3

We Reveal How Much Property Agents In Singapore Are Really Making: Here’s A Detailed Breakdown

With commission rates of around 2 per cent (it can even be 3 to 4 per cent for new launches), there’s an impression that property agents are rolling in dough. Many clients certainly feel that way, with the average commission…

• 11 Sep 2022
• 8 min read
• 10

How Bad Is The Price Gap Between Resale HDB Flats And Private Condos In 2022?

While we’ve seen a record number of million-dollar flats, private home prices have also reached new peaks in 2022. In a recent news report, OrangeTee has even stated that new suburban condos now cost 53.6 per cent more than million-dollar…

• 7 Sep 2022
• 5 min read
• 0

Are HDB Upgraders Getting Priced Out Of New Launches In 2022?

HDB upgraders have been a dominant force in the property market, over the past few years. As of the past year however, this may be changing – fewer HDB owners have bought private properties in 1H 2022, and the most…

• 1 Sep 2022
• 7 min read
• 1

A New Study Reports That Singapore HDBs Are The Most Affordable Housing In Major Asian Cities: Is This Really True?

In a Reddit post today, it was pointed out that Singapore has the most affordable housing in Asian countries. That’s a pretty provocative statement, especially in 2022 when home buyers are complaining of sky-high prices on both private and public…

• 29 Aug 2022
• 9 min read
• 0

Do We Really Need To BTO Still? 8 Outdated Property Practices That Need To Change In Singapore

We have seen perhaps more change in our real estate industry over the past decade, than in the past 30 or 40 years. From higher stamp duties, to a transformed resale flat market, there is a lot to process. At…

• 22 Aug 2022
• 9 min read
• 4

China’s $90 Billion Property Crisis: 4 Important Lessons We Can Learn From In Singapore

China’s developer crisis has wiped out around US$90 billion in market value, and home prices there have fallen for 11 straight months. It’s often a shock to the public when this happens to property developers – there’s an image of…

• 19 Aug 2022
• 6 min read
• 1

We Reveal 4 Truths About Property Agent Commissions That You Need To Know

Property agent shenanigans are much more toned down these days, thanks to the Internet/social media. It also helps that buyers/sellers are much more educated than before, and are able to provide more resistance. However, this sensitive issue can still prompt…

• 18 Aug 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

Your Condo Management Or MCST Can Affect Your Future Profits: 7 Must Know Tips To Deal With Issues

Singaporeans have a bad habit of ignoring the condo MCST, until it’s way too late. Sometimes they only take an interest when they suddenly hear about an en-bloc attempt; or when something happens that directly affects them (e.g., a side-gate…

• 9 Aug 2022
• 8 min read
• 1

5 Hard Truths About Being A Property Agent In Singapore No One Tells You

Everyone has an agent friend whom they’ve known from secondary school/army and is now seemingly leading a glamorous life. It’s almost a parody by now that a successful agent will be driving a BMW/Mercs/Audi, along with the regular social media…

• 1 Aug 2022
• 8 min read
• 6

5 Certain Property Predictions That Ended Up Very Wrong (No Thanks To Covid-19)

As Covid-19 was the most major event in the country (and possibly the world at the time), it’s inevitable that many of the causes below are directly or indirectly linked to the pandemic. We’ve often said there’s no good crystal…

• 26 Jul 2022
• 8 min read
• 0

Why SERS Is Tough On Elderly Singaporeans And What Should We Do Beside 50-Year Leases?

Most Singaporeans consider the Selective En-bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) to be a good thing. The recent SERS in Ang Mo Kio, however, shows it’s not always a bed of roses: older Singaporeans can suffer greater drawbacks from SERS, and it’s…

• 18 Jul 2022
• 6 min read
• 3

10 Old Iconic Private Apartments In Singapore In The 1970s/80s: A Conversation With Finbarr & Samantha

Did you know that high-rise apartments have actually been accused of many unpleasant outcomes? Chief of these are themes like fear, dissatisfaction, stress, behaviour problems, suicide, poor social relations, reduced helpfulness, and hindered child development. (Adapted from Robert Gifford, The…

• 11 Jul 2022
• 8 min read
• 0

What The Future Of Singapore Real Estate Could Look Like: 6 Exciting Predictions

Let’s imagine for a second that you are in art class and the teacher gave you this description to create: “A medieval painting of the wifi not working” How would you go about drawing that? As crazy as it might…

• 27 Jun 2022
• 9 min read
• 0

5 Mental Models To Rethink Your Property Investment Choice In Singapore

Some people call them mental models. Some call it frameworks. To me, it is simply a way to think about the world and the evolving situation. I adopt mental models as a way to focus on the important levers –…

• 20 Jun 2022
• 6 min read
• 1

5 Things Property Agents Are Not Required To Do (But Might Anyway)

Singaporeans expect quite a bit from their property agents, given the service fees they pay. You may be surprised, however, to learn how limited the job scope technically is; quite a number of services provided are not actually within the…

• 17 May 2022
• 6 min read
• 0

Why You Will Never Buy When There Is A Market Crash

The stock market is the only market where people run away when things are on sale.  A seemingly innocent sentence, but perhaps none truer than what is happening in the markets right now. Stocks, crypto, the shocking implosion of Luna…

• 13 May 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

Is $2,000 PSF Going To Be The New Norm For New Launches In 2022 And Beyond?

There’s an old saying that, if you want to view a more expensive property, you should just revisit the same unit next week. It’s an exaggeration of course; but as of 2022, it’s closer to the truth than some home…

• 5 May 2022
• 5 min read
• 4