General

Housing Board flats were launched in two northern towns, but those in Punggol garnered more attention than the ones in Yishun. As of 5pm yesterday, there were 5,608 applications for 1,221 three-room and larger flats - 4.6 times as many - in the new waterfront district of Punggol Point, the most north-eastern part of the town where it meets the Johor Strait. In contrast, there were just 60 per cent as...

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) on Tuesday (Sep 4) announced it will progressively roll out over the next five years 24 “design guides” for each of its towns, beginning with Woodlands in the north. Each guide will be a unique, comprehensive document broken down into three different levels - town, neighbourhood and precinct. It will provide a common reference point for different agencies,...

The chief minister of the Malaysian state of Johor said on Tuesday (Sep 4) foreigners are welcome to buy property in Chinese developer Country Garden's controversial US$100 billion Forest City project on Malaysia's southern shore. Forest City is a 30-year project that provides jobs for Malaysians, Chief Minister Osman Sapian said, in comments that appeared to contradict Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's...

Tengah, a new public housing estate in western Singapore, will have land about a third the size of a football field for community gardening and farming. In the 2,000sqm space, residents may grow their own plants and produce, and even sell what they harvest at farmers’ markets set up in the precinct, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said in its latest announcement. The community gardens can...

Vehicle inspection firm Vicom has agreed to buy a six-storey warehouse from Mapletree Logistics Trust (MLT) for S$22.4 million. The property, located at 531 Bukit Batok Street 23, will in time replace Setsco's present premises at Teban Gardens Crescent, which has been zoned for re-development under the government’s plans for the Jurong Lake District, Vicom said on Tuesday. MLT acquired the Bukit...

ESR-REIT requested a lift of its trading halt on Monday morning before trading hours began, days after unitholders approved a merger with Viva Industrial Trust (VIT) that bringsthe sending the real estate investment trust (Reit) closer towards becoming Singapore’s fourth-largest industrial property trust. Viva Industrial Trust also requested a lift of its trading halt on Monday morning. At the...

Since the July 6 measures to preempt runaway prices in the Singapore housing market, valuations of real estate stocks have fallen somewhat. But analysts caution against jumping in too quickly, unless the counter is a diversified play. On July 5, the government announced adjustments which saw higher additional buyer's stamp duty (ABSD) and tighter loan-to-value (LTV) limits on residential property...

Sabana Reit announced it had issued a notice of termination on Aug 31 to Adviva Distribution, the tenant at 10 Changi South Street 2, due to the tenant's "failure to pay rent and other sums payable" under the lease agreement. In a late Friday filing, Sabana Reit said that the tenant owes S$2.14 million in rental arrears. "Sabana Reit intends to set off the outstanding rental arrears and damages owed...

Buyers for a 50-year-old HDB flat today can very likely expect prices to continue to appreciate over the next 10 years, Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan said at a dialogue with youths yesterday. Mr Khaw debunked claims that HDB flats are not assets just because the lease is for a limited 99-year period. "If you buy a 70-year-old flat, there is still appreciation potential especially because this...

Kampung Admiralty, the pioneering retirement community recently lauded by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day message, has won two awards in design and construction, announced the Housing and Development Board (HDB) on Sunday (Sep 2). The dual honour will be presented as part of 31 HDB awards for design, construction and engineering feats. It recognises Kampung Admiralty’s...