Commentary

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

Can An Old Condo Perform Better Than A New Condo? Here Are 3 Real-Life Examples

A common sales pitch is that newer condos tend to outperform older ones; whether due to the shiny newness factor, having newer facilities, or maybe a more suitable, modern layout. Some seasoned property investors have also disputed this, however, with…

• 22 May 2023
• 7 min read
• 0

Do We Still Need Property Agents In 2023?

With property portals and the HDB resale portal now so established, buyers and sellers alike have started to wonder: why do we still need realtors? Has Proptech evolved to the point where we can cut out the middlemen? The answer…

• 3 May 2023
• 9 min read
• 1

What’s With The Rising Defects In New Launches In 2023?

Perhaps it’s due to tough construction issues during the Circuit Breaker, or perhaps it’s just slipping standards due to the rush, but we’ve been hearing an inordinate number of complaints about recent new launches. While we don’t want to point…

• 26 Apr 2023
• 5 min read
• 1

I’ve Been A Landlord For 18 Years: Here’s Why I Don’t Rent To Singles And Only Families

Co-living has been a roaring trend since last year, with many landlords adding rooms to get as many tenants as possible. There’s always one or two contrarians, however, such as SK, who absolutely refuse to follow the crowd. A landlord…

• 16 Apr 2023
• 6 min read
• 0

New Housing For Low-Income Singles: We Share What Some Older Singaporeans Think

We’ve had some time to think of HDB’s new pilot rental housing scheme: the Single Room Shared Facilities units. While this is a new kind of flat, the concept is not entirely new – it’s somewhat comparable to co-living. But…

• 14 Apr 2023
• 4 min read
• 0

Will Rental Rates Drop Soon? Here’s What Landlords (And Tenants) Need To Know

As a landlord, if you had the choice between a short and a long lease – which would you choose? On the surface, it seems like such an obvious answer. Who wouldn’t want to have a longer lease? But over…

• 7 Apr 2023
• 6 min read
• 0

My Experience Staying In A Ground Floor Unit: Here Are The Pros And Cons To Know

‘When buying my first property, I was cautioned by my realtor: “Either you buy very high, or buy very low – don’t buy in-between.” This saying suggests that – whilst most people acknowledge higher floors are better – there are…

• 6 Apr 2023
• 7 min read
• 2

Could This Be The Real Reason Why ACS Moved? Uncovering The Future Potential Of Newton/Novena

There’s been a lot of talk over the moving of ACS Primary from its Barker Road location, to Tengah. However, the attention so far has been on brand obsession issues, the age-old complaints of elitism, and the discussion on whether…

• 4 Apr 2023
• 5 min read
• 2

Can Every HDB Flat Be A Valuable Nest Egg For Retirement? Not Everyone Agrees. Here’s Why.

We’ve heard some angry arguments bounding around lately, both for and against HDB flats as retirement assets. The root of this seems to be a recent incident when it was claimed that “Every HDB flat will be a valuable nest…

• 27 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 5

The URA Master Plan Can Make Or Break Your Property’s Potential: Why You Need To Pay Attention

When it comes to the URA Master Plan, most homeowners are familiar only with big upcoming changes – announcements like the planned move of Paya Lebar Airport, or the development of a Punggol Digital District. These are blasted in the…

• 17 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 0

6 Unusual Rules That Have Shaped How Condos Have Been Built (For Better Or Worse)

Property developers in Singapore have a solid reputation, but a common criticism is that our projects are all “cookie-cutter”. There’s only one Interlace for every dozen other similar-looking projects. But there are reasons why developers build this way, just as…

• 13 Mar 2023
• 7 min read
• 0

Property Agent Flyers On Your Gate Illegal? 6 Surprising Things You May Not Know About Singapore Property

As we near the middle of 2023, a lot of strangeness has surfaced in the property market. From blatant privacy intrusions by agents to new buyers puzzled over key collection times, there are some things that need clearing up. Gathered…

• 6 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 0

“So How Much Does It Cost To Build A HDB?” 7 Intriguing Real Estate Data That We Want To Know In Singapore

Long-time readers of Stacked will know that we love data, and the chance to observe quantifiable trends. Unfortunately, the information isn’t perfect – and in some cases, the data that was once published has now become untraceable. In this list,…

• 4 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 1

“How Do They Know Where I Live!?” New Property Agent Tactics Targeting New Condo Owners

Imagine this: You bought a new launch condo a while back, and it’s now getting closer to key collection day. You open the mailbox in your current home and are faced with the usual deluge of mail. Out goes the…

• 2 Mar 2023
• 6 min read
• 0

Are Property Prices REALLY To Blame For Our Falling Birth Rates In Singapore?

Singapore’s fertility rate was at a record low in 2022, and we’ve seen online discussions and news outlets pin it on housing prices, albeit to varying degrees. Some claim high property prices as the main cause of the falling birth…

• 1 Mar 2023
• 7 min read
• 1

Will Increased Housing Grants End Up Making HDB Resale Flats Pricier?

Budget 2023 increased the possible grants for resale flats, by another $30,000. This may benefit over 10,000 first-time homebuyers in the first year. But even on the day itself, commentators from Reddit to the local coffee shop were already saying…

• 21 Feb 2023
• 5 min read
• 0

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