Guides

The Ultimate Guide to Home Flooring Costs

Given that it’s just something to walk on, you wouldn’t think flooring is a huge cost. But in some renovations, flooring alone can account for as much as a tenth of the overall renovations; and if there’s a delay, about…

• 22 May 2020
• 9 min read
• 0

How To Pick The Right-sized Rental Unit For Renting Out

When you first bought your rental unit, it was all so simple: it’s a few hundred metres from the MRT, in a central location, and working expatriates would be lining up to rent. But then reality sinks in: You’re losing…

• 18 May 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

Why It’s Never As Easy As “Just Refinancing” To A Cheaper Home Loan

Your eyes pop out a little when the mortgage banker shows you their rate: 1.2 per cent per annum? That’s less than half the interest rate your CPF accrues at. It’s “practically borrowing for free,” you’re told.  But then you…

• 14 May 2020
• 5 min read
• 2

The ART Of Framing

Some people have described art frames to be as important as the art itself. In fact, as put so eloquently by Emma Crichton-Miller of Christie’s, “Frames are the Cinderellas of the art world; they do a tremendous amount of work.”…

• 14 May 2020
• 3 min read
• 0

Beware Of Social Proof When It Comes To Buying Property

It’s a Saturday morning. You have your cup of coffee before heading down to open the letterbox (wearing a mask, of course). Among the usual mass of property advertisements, there are 3 in particular that catches your eye – each…

• 12 May 2020
• 7 min read
• 0

Here’s Why A Property Valuation Is A Big Deal When Getting Your Home Loan

It’s every buyer’s worst nightmare: you’ve agreed on the condo price, you’ve put your old flat up for sale for this upgrade, and – at the crucial moment – you find you’re $50,000 short of the asking price, and the…

• 10 May 2020
• 4 min read
• 2

All You Need To Know: The Income Requirements For Getting A Home Loan

You’ve spent the last few months talking to three different banks, and each time your hopes have sunk further. As you pick up today’s mail, you realise it’s probably your last chance of securing a home loan, before you lose…

• 9 May 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

How Does Pinnacle@Duxton Keep Producing These Million-dollar Flats?

Pinnacle@Duxton just saw a record-breaking $1.232 million transaction, for a five-room flat. It’s the highest price to date for an HDB flat; but as million-dollar flats go, it’s just one more in a long line. There’s already been around 40…

• 5 May 2020
• 6 min read
• 1

Here’s How You Should be Comparing New Condo Vs Resale Units

Reuben wrote a really intriguing piece the other day on cognitive biases and why they affect your property purchases. Perhaps the thing that struck me most was the confirmation bias bit. And it’s something that I am looking to touch…

• 28 Apr 2020
• 7 min read
• 0

The No-Nonsense Guide To The “Sell One, Buy Two” Property Investment Strategy

You’re no doubt seen this by now: SELL ONE, BUY TWO, the advertisement yells – HOW TO OWN TWO PRIVATE PROPERTIES WITH NO ABSD! (Insert excessive line of emojis). Your first reaction is probably to think “scam”. Your second is…

• 26 Apr 2020
• 6 min read
• 2

My Income Situation Changed After Signing The Option To Purchase. How Now?

It’s got a floor to ceiling picture window, a pool perfect for re-enacting half the Pirates of the Caribbean scenes, and a walk-in wardrobe that was the size of your flat growing up. It was your dream home, and you…

• 24 Apr 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

Complete Guide To Getting Your Home Loan Approved This Month

So you’ve reset your SingPass, you’ve handed over three months of your payslip, you’ve filled in all the forms after an hour at the bank – the second time over. And now, as you open the letter, you see the…

• 23 Apr 2020
• 7 min read
• 0

HDB vs. SIBOR vs. Fixed Deposit: Which Home Loan is Best Right Now?

You’re at the bank listening to the mortgage banker talk, and you know this is important. But 15 minutes in, you realise all those comprehension lessons at school have failed you. You understand the individual words coming out of the…

• 22 Apr 2020
• 7 min read
• 6

Covid-19 and the Singapore Property Market Outlook: What The Experts Say

Just like predicting a stock market bottom, any attempt to pinpoint an end to the current Covid-19 catastrophe might come across as…futile at best.  That said, it never hurts to have an idea of the possibilities that might await us. …

• 21 Apr 2020
• 7 min read
• 0

How A Home Equity Loan Will Save You From Having To Sell Your Property

It’s a plain looking letter, but the final loan repayment on your house marks a real milestone in your life. Or perhaps it’s so close you can practically feel the weight coming off your shoulders – one final decade of…

• 20 Apr 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

10 Cognitive Biases That Are Affecting Your Property Purchases!

Someone say Sentosa?

• 19 Apr 2020
• 12 min read
• 2

Help! I’m About To Miss The Six-month Deadline For ABSD Remission!

Losing your Additional Buyers Stamp Duty (ABSD) remission is a huge deal; the financial damage can take years to recover from, and it’s a real risk for upgraders who buy into new units before selling their current ones.  In today’s…

• 17 Apr 2020
• 5 min read
• 0

One Way To Find Undervalued Property

One of the most common lead up questions I usually get asked at a consultation meeting is this: “Can you find me an undervalued property?” That’s the million-dollar question isn’t it, because who doesn’t want to buy a property today…

• 15 Apr 2020
• 3 min read
• 0