The Monetary Authority of Singapore’s recent fine-tuning of refinancing rules relating to the total debt servicing ratio (TDSR) governing property loans is a strong nudge towards deleveraging. Stretched borrowers who hold investment properties will have to think about actively managing down their debt, especially as rental income is under pressure and economic growth is easing. Far from stimulating...
Refinancing
The current low interest rate environment has led to a trend of home buyers refinancing their loans to take advantage of promotional rates. Most analysts agree that it may no longer be attractive for investors with longer loan terms to do so, given the 35-year cap on new home loans. Most home buyers refinance their mortgages in the third or fourth year of their loan repayment period. This as interest...
A PROPERTY is, perhaps, one of the most expensive items a person will purchase in his lifetime, and the mortgage debt is often a big concern for many. However, there are various means through which one can significantly manage such debt and gain financial freedom quickly. Besides cultivating sharp financial habits to spend less and save more to pay off the loan early, financial experts recommend that one...
Where do you see this? In finance articles and websites relating to home loans. What does it mean? It is prudent to review your home loan once in a while by checking on the available loan packages at your existing bank and those of other lenders. You refinance when you switch to a new home loan either with your existing bank or another bank. And when you switch to a new loan with lower interest rates...
Should you join the crowd? If you have top-notch credit, and expect to stay in your home for several years, refinancing may make financial sense. You probably won't have any difficulty getting a loan, provided you have adequate income that you can document. But for everyone else, the calculations have become increasingly complicated. And you're unlikely to qualify for the lowest advertised...
A group representing Asian property investors and developers has asked the Singapore government to step in, if necessary, to help real estate investment trusts (REITs) to refinance an estimated S$4 billion in debt due this year. The Asia Pacific Real Estate Association (APREA) has written a background paper on the issue. It said that real estate is a capital-intensive business, but at present there is...
More people are looking to refinance their home loans in the past few months with lower interest rates, but not without difficulties. Key benchmark interest rates have been dropping since governments around the world embarked on their rate cutting campaign a few months ago to revive the slumping economy. As a result, the Singapore Interbank Offered Rate (SIBOR) has more than halved in the past three to...
The global credit crunch and increasing competition for funding spell tough times ahead for Commercial-Mortgage Backed Securities (CMBS) in Singapore. Fitch Ratings says such securities will face difficulties when it comes to refinancing this year. This is due in part to growing competition for funding from various real estate and casino developments in Singapore. However, the recent strong cash flow...
ASIAN debt managers expect real estate developers and companies in China, South Korea and Australia to provide them with the most investment opportunities next year, an industry survey shows. Economic recession, slowing consumer spending and shrinking bank lending indicate a growing number of Asia-Pacific companies will face difficulty refinancing debt next year, according to a survey of 100 hedge fund...
Investment trusts are losing their attraction as good defensive options for investors in the current turbulent markets. As lending from banks begins to dry up, these trusts are facing refinancing difficulties. Analysts said their once attractive yields no longer seem as enticing, and real estate investment trusts (REITs) are no exception. REITs that have the backing of sponsors such as Mapletree and City...