How times have changed. A HDB flat being sold at S$1 million, COE for cars at S$70,000 and bungalows being marketed at S$100 million. Singapore is now one of the world's most expensive cities to live in. For many, change has come fast and furiously. Q2 2011 data shows that more than half of private property sales were "mass market" homes sold below S$1,200 per sq ft - what would have been a hefty price...
Property Buying Guides
There is growing interest among Singaporeans in investing in residential properties outside the country following the fourth round of property market cooling measures announced in January. The measures include increasing the holding period for the imposition of seller's stamp duty to four years and lowering the loan-to-value-limit to 60 per cent on second and subsequent mortgages. With a bullish...
Gone are the days when location fundamentally mattered in most private residential purchases. While the recent aggressive bids in Government land tenders for centrally- located suburban sites showed the importance of location and how location still underpins a property's value, home buyers are now increasingly open to properties in more diverse places. There are also many people who have ventured to...
Bear in mind the importance of value investing as you look for your ideal property DESPITE the numerous government measures introduced to cool the property market, the high-end residential market in Singapore has not been adversely affected. To begin with, the measures so far are targeted at the mass market which has seen property values rising ahead of economic recovery. Based on Jones Lang LaSalle...
IN THE rush to secure a home amid escalating property prices, first-time homebuyers, especially young adults, may inadvertently commit themselves to properties beyond their means. Since mortgage payments and other home bills take priority over other basic necessities, rising mortgage rates may push some homebuyers to suffer a housing-induced fall in their standards of living. It is important, thus, to...
Why are freehold properties preferred to leasehold properties? Given that the current median life span in Singapore stands at 81.4 years, a 99-year leasehold property, whose ownership reverts to the State after this period, offers a more than adequate home for any one generation. But setting aside owner-occupation, if you expect your property to be an investment for wealth preservation or a legacy for...
The number of commercial units, typically shophouses and strata units for office and shops, sold in 1H 2010 remained similar to that in 2H 2009. A total of 495 commercial units were transacted in 1H 2010, reflecting a 4 per cent decrease compared to that in 2H 2009. Although economic conditions have tremendously improved in 1H 2010, the number of commercial properties transacted was subdued, underpinned...
A home is a place of residence or refuge and comfort. It is usually a place where an individual or usually a family can rest and relax, communicate, share, feast and be able to collect and store their personal properties. Therefore it is important that when you consider a place to call your home, it must be a safe and pleasant place to be in. Buying a house is more often than not, the single largest...
Buying a home is one of the biggest purchases you will make in your lifetime, so it's important to do your homework before you apply for that loan. Prepare in advance You must pay at least 1 per cent of the purchase price in exchange for an option to purchase. After that, you have 14 days to decide whether to proceed with the deal and pay the balance of 9 per cent for a completed property or 4 per cent...
THE recent rush to buy properties has spawned a record rush of complaints about housing agents - but it has also become obvious that some homebuyers have been setting aside caution in their eagerness to buy. "We have received complaints even from educated people who sign off at the end of forms without reading them and with nothing filled in. It's just like signing a blank cheque," said Singapore...