Guides

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

“My Dad’s Agent Used Misleading Data To Pressure Him To Sell His HDB” 4 Pushy Sales Tactics You Need To Know

While real estate is a much more regulated industry these days, there are always the grey areas of…well, let’s call them “aggressive negotiation tactics.” A number of buyers have even told us they dislike going to show flats or calling…

• 17 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

How Do You Decide What’s The Right Price To Sell Your HDB Flat In 2024?

The resale flat market may be at a crucial turning point: from the introduction of the HDB resale flat listing service (so you can sell your flat on your own), to the recent news of a $1.73 million flat which,…

• 14 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

Can You Afford To Upgrade From An HDB Flat To A Landed Property? Here’s The Math

Maybe it’s due to diligent savings, maybe it’s due to the meteoric rise in resale flat values since Covid, or maybe it’s both. But on the ground, we’ve seen younger homebuyers show interest in recent years to skip the “condo”…

• 12 Aug 2024
• 4 min read
• 0

5 Untold Risks Of Buying An Old Freehold Condo In Singapore You Need To Know About

Freehold condos have always held a strong allure for Singaporeans. The idea of owning a property “forever” or being able to pass on a legacy is part of the appeal. Given the high prices of property now though (new launches,…

• 10 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

How To Decide What Is A “Fair” Price For Your HDB Flat In 2024

Most first-time homebuyers start with an HDB flat; and given how high resale flat prices are of late, it can be a tough call. The situation is a little more difficult now with seeing frequent headlines of million-dollar HDB flats,…

• 8 Aug 2024
• 7 min read
• 0

Should You Make A Partial Prepayment On Your Home Loan In 2024? Here’s How To Decide

Over the last two or three years, home loan interest rates have been rising – and several homeowners have been warned about future refinancing options. Simply put, the era of low interest rates, which we saw from around 2008 to…

• 6 Aug 2024
• 6 min read
• 0

How To Spot An “Undervalued Property” In Singapore In 2024: 6 Simple Tips

Undervalued properties have become a lot harder to find in today’s market. Unlike in the past, when the market was more opaque and dependent on word-of-mouth or the classifieds, the internet allows everyone to compare prices with a few taps…

• 5 Aug 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

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

5 New Launch Condo Red Flags That Some Property Agents May Not Tell You

New launches are tricky, as everything exists on plans, in concept, or in a show flat that accentuates the good points and “hides” the not-so-good points. And whilst agents have a strong incentive not to lie (they have a license…

• 25 Jul 2024
• 6 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

How Much Do You Need To Comfortably Afford A 4/5-Room Resale HDB In 2024?

There are multiple scenarios why more couples have sought out resale flats as their housing solution in the last couple of years. Stricter BTO requirements (salary caps, one person must be Singaporean and the other be a PR), long waiting…

• 15 Jul 2024
• 9 min read
• 1

15 Condos That Lost The Most Money In 2024 (Largest At $2.5m!)

Singaporeans are so inundated with stories of property tycoons, million-dollar profits, and “safe haven” theories, we forget that property can sometimes become a liability. While it’s far from the norm, some property owners do get burned when it comes to…

• 13 Jul 2024
• 4 min read
• 0