Now that the new cooling measures and the White Paper on population has had time to sink in, it’s time to figure out what the effects are, and how they will impact the property buying/selling decision.
Continue reading “After the Cooling Measures and White Paper: Is Property Still Viable?”
We originally planned to retire this section with the start of 2013, but have received a couple of requests for it since. In the interests of dedicating our time and efforts to topics/segments that our readers wish to read, we’re holding a poll. If we have 50 or more interested readers, we’ll start up this section again! Please vote! You may also wish to let us know which topics/areas you would like us to cover in the near future.
Below is the press release from URA regarding the new shock and awe cooling measure, starting 12 Jan 2013.
11 January 2013
Additional Measure to Ensure a Stable and Sustainable Property Market
The Government announced today a comprehensive package of measures to cool the residential property market. It also introduced a Seller’s Stamp Duty on industrial properties for the first time, to discourage speculative activity in the industrial market.
Cooling Measures for the Residential Property Market
The Government has implemented several rounds of measures to cool demand and expand supply, so as to moderate the increase in housing prices. While these measures have dampened speculative buying, the demand for residential property remains firm and prices have continued to rise.
Here’s an update on what has happened since my post on the subject:
1. On 19 Dec, the offer documents were despatched to shareholders
2. On 26 Dec, SC Global’s IFA, PrimePartners Corporate Finance, released a statement to offer their opinion that the offer was fair and reasonable, being 15 – 20% discount to their calculated RNAV
3. On 30 Dec, Simon Cheong released a statement that he has no intention of raising the offer. As such, the Takeover Code forbids him from subsequently changing the offer.
4. In response to an analyst’s speculation that there may be a chance for the privatisation to go through with joint privatisation of Wheelock, the Board of SC Global released a statement affirming that there are no talks with Wheelock and that the Code forbids any such transaction.
Talk about throwing a spanner in the works! Well, now we know 2 things. The first is that $1.80 is the only game in town for now with no chance of increase. The second is that the privatisation will fail, assuming that Wheelock stick to their guns.
Continue reading “SC Global Privatisation Update”
Executive condomiums (“ECs”), in case you weren’t familiar with the term, are 99-year leasehold properties that are developed and sold by private developers within certain restrictions imposed by HDB. ECs have condo facilities such as pools, gym, etc.
To be eligible to purchase from the developer, buyers have to be Singaporean and the joint purchaser has to be Singaporean or PR, the buyers have to form a proper family nucleus, purchasers cannot own or dispose properties 30 months prior to application, buyers cannot earn more than $12,000 per month etc. Click here for the full requirements at the HDB website. Eligible direct buyers are able to obtain housing grants from HDB.
Additionally, purchasers of units have to be the principal occupiers of the property for the first 5 years starting from the TOP of the project, meaning that they cannot sell the place or rent out the whole unit. From the 6th year from TOP, Singaporeans and PRs can buy resale without restrictions. From the 11th year onwards, foreigners can buy without restrictions. Buyers of resale ECs are not eligible for HDB subsidies. From the 6th year onwards, the whole unit can be rented out.
In other words, ECs are condos that are meant for own-stay buyers who intend to stay there for at least 5 years. After that, they can pretty much sell it as a private condo (subject to citizenship restrictions).
Continue reading “ECs: Why so unfair?”
Straying slightly away from straight property market commentary, I’d like to weigh in on Simon Cheong’s bid to take SC Global private. For those who haven’t been paying attention to the news, here are the terms of the offer:
The all-cash General Offer price is $1.80, representing:
49.4% premium to the last transacted price before the announcement; and
39.5% premium to the highest closing prices in the 12 months prior to the announcement.
Reasons given for privatisation were the usual generic few: low liquidity, no requirement for market access, management flexibility and savings on listing costs.
Continue reading “SC Global Privatisation”
Something’s been bothering me. I keep hearing people blaming rising housing prices on truckloads of hot money coming into Singapore and blowing bubbles into the property market, and how the property market will subsequently implode when the funds inevitably leave.
Continue reading “The Myth of Hot Money”
Here’s a flow chart to (hopefully) make things clearer for those still confused by the new ruling:
Continue reading “Sixth property cooling measure: What’s the impact on you?”
We asked you, our readers, to vote on where you think the property market will be at the end of 2015 relative to beginning 2012. Thanks to all those who voted! Here are the results!
An overwhelming majority (80%) voted either down or up by less than 10%, with slightly more voting on the downside. To be honest, I had expected a higher number of people voting the extreme cases, but I guess our readers are a little more conservative with their opinions. In any case, let’s have a thought about what to do in each scenario.
Continue reading “Poll Results”
As you may already have read in the papers or watched on the news, Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the US Federal Reserve, just announced the initiation of further quantitative easing, dubbed QE3. The Fed will be purchasing additional mortgage-backed securities of US$40 billion a month until jobs data look better. Additionally, they are extending their low rate outlook until mid-2015. Well, that’s great and all, but how does that affect us here in Singapore?
Continue reading “QE3: Why should you care?”
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