The Straits Times Property News Heat Map: Season 2

Here is season 2 of the blockbuster The Straits Times Property News Heat Map:

Week of	Negative	Neutral	Positive	Total
13-May	1	6	3	10
20-May	2	6	3	11
27-May	2	13	5	20
3-Jun	2	8	2	12
10-Jun	0	10	2	12
17-Jun	1	15	2	18
24-Jun	3	11	2	16
1-Jul	2	10	3	15
8-Jul	0	11	1	12
15-Jul	3	10	3	16
22-Jul	2	7	1	10
29-Jul	3	4	2	9
5-Aug	2	6	2	10
12-Aug	1	7	2	10
19-Aug	3	7	2	12
26-Aug	1	5	0	6
2-Sep	1	6	0	7
Total	29	142	35	206
%	14.08%	68.93%	16.99%	100.00%

Headlines:

28-Aug-13	New three-generation flats to be launched next month	(Neutral)
28-Aug-13	Correction in home prices likely, says WingTai chairman	(Neutral)
29-Aug-13	Shoebox units lift resale home prices	(Neutral)
29-Aug-13	Property stocks badly hit by new curbs	(Negative)
29-Aug-13	PRs may switch to mass-market condos	(Neutral)
2-Sep-13	Developers dangle rental guarantees to attract buyers	(Neutral)
2-Sep-13	21,000 Mt Vernon niches to make way for Bidadari estate	(Neutral)

–

26-Aug-13	Cooling measures, loan curbs top concerns at seminar	(Neutral)
28-Aug-13	New three-generation flats to be launched next month	(Neutral)
28-Aug-13	Correction in home prices likely, says WingTai chairman	(Neutral)
29-Aug-13	Shoebox units lift resale home prices	(Neutral)
29-Aug-13	Property stocks badly hit by new curbs	(Negative)
29-Aug-13	PRs may switch to mass-market condos	(Neutral)

–

19-Aug-13	Perils of having a non-market housing segment	(Neutral)
20-Aug-13	New housing grant ‘should come with income cap’	(Neutral)
20-Aug-13	Improving the housing status quo	(Neutral)
20-Aug-13	Jewel at Changi will offer travellers stunning welcome	(Neutral)
21-Aug-13	Prospects for airbase land excites developers	(Positive)
22-Aug-13	Good times over for luxury home market	(Negative)
22-Aug-13	Transport corridor, lifting of height limits after airbase moves	(Positive)
22-Aug-13	$10m – $12m price tag for Tampines coffee shop	(Neutral)
22-Aug-13	Luxury homes market still bogged down	(Negative)
22-Aug-13	Making sure Changi remains a Jewel	(Neutral)
23-Aug-13	Smaller developers teaming up for bids	(Neutral)
24-Aug-13	Surge in new homes ‘will push rents,prices down’	(Negative)

–

12-Aug-13	Suburban launches ‘to cross $1,200 psf’	(Positive)
12-Aug-13	More HDB flat owners renting out units	(Neutral)
13-Aug-13	Overstretched borrowers unlikely to default: Minister	(Neutral)
15-Aug-13	Some Parc Oasis owners contesting new parking fees	(Neutral)
15-Aug-13	Take ‘vertical kampung’ concept to new heights	(Neutral)
16-Aug-13	Sales of new private homes plunge 73%	(Negative)
16-Aug-13	No-go for Harbour View Gardens sale	(Neutral)
16-Aug-13	$924m top bid for CBD site beats forecasts	(Positive)
17-Aug-13	Kovan sparkles with new condo launches	(Neutral)
17-Aug-13	Freehold Tessarina takes top spot	(Neutral)

–

6-Aug-13	Singles’ demand for 2-room flats hit 50 – 1	(Positive)
6-Aug-13	Condo RV Residences launching at month end	(Neutral)
7-Aug-13	8,500 singles apply for 155 flats	(Positive)
7-Aug-13	Suicidal’ now to bid hard for sites, says CDL chairman	(Neutral)
7-Aug-13	Tai Seng factory bosses squeezed by share rental hikes	(Neutral)
8-Aug-13	Non-landed private resale prices stalled by loan rules	(Negative)
8-Aug-13	COVs for flats fall to 2 1/2 year low	(Negative)
10-Aug-13	Future of 18 Queenstown sites still uncertain	(Neutral)
10-Aug-13	Watch the wording in ‘offer to purchase’ letter	(Neutral)
10-Aug-13	Tranquil homes in the north a draw	(Neutral)

–

30-Jul-13	Row may block Gilstead Court collective sale	(Neutral)
30-Jul-13	Resale home prices down 0.4% last month	(Negative)
31-Jul-13	More help for low-income singles to buy new flats	(Neutral)
31-Jul-13	Turning point looms in property cycle: Redas chief	(Negative)
1-Aug-13	Wave of new condos drive down rents	(Negative)
1-Aug-13	Batched tenders to go on despite price records	(Neutral)
3-Aug-13	Two-bedder private units back in demand	(Positive)
3-Aug-13	Record home prices should set alarm bells ringing	(Neutral)
3-Aug-13	New EC set to hit $800 psf mark	(Positive)

–

22-Jul-13	Residential market poised on a knife-edge; Record number of new homes nearing completion clouds outlook	(Neutral)
24-Jul-13	Private units under $1,000 psf still available	(Neutral)
25-Jul-13	Expect aggressive property launches; But Colliers says prices unlikely to fall significantly for rest of the year	(Neutral)
25-Jul-13	Interest rate rise ‘could hurt many households’	(Neutral)
26-Jul-13	Forum: Borrowers need reality check	(Neutral)
26-Jul-13	Loan curbs expected to hit home prices, sales; CapitaLand’s statement comes as it reports 0.7% dip in Q2 earnings	(Negative)
27-Jul-13	Suburban sales drive up private home prices	(Positive)
27-Jul-13	HDB resale price rise slows down as market stabilizes	(Neutral)
27-Jul-13	Cracks start to show in private rental sector	(Negative)
27-Jul-13	Popular homes close to nature and shopping malls	(Neutral)

–

15-Jul-13	Debt ratio curbs ‘won’t be widened to non-property loans’; Supervision by banks more useful than more rules, says Tharman	(Neutral)
15-Jul-13	iPark revitialises mature Paya Lebar; Work-play concept in industrial estate wins over tenants like Breadtalk	(Neutral)
15-Jul-13	Unease as property fuels rise in household debt; Debtors could be hit hard if interest rates rise or economy dips: Analysts	(Neutral)
16-Jul-13	New home sales up 24% on suburban demand; 1,806 private units sold in June, but new loan curbs could bite this month	(Positive)
16-Jul-13	Why property is still investors’ pick; Singaporeans are often said to have a love affair with property. But the issue may be wider than that. The search for yield and a fear of the alternatives is what drives many to keep daith with property	(Neutral)
17-Jul-13	Higher fixed rates for home loans	(Negative)
17-Jul-13	Tampines Ave 10 site sees 10-way bidding war; Winning bid of $289.7 million by Chinese developer surprises analysts	(Positive)
17-Jul-13	Business parks command strong Q2 leasing demand	(Positive)
18-Jul-13	New 2-room flats to offer flexible design	(Neutral)
18-Jul-13	Asia reining in foreign property buyers; Rapid rise in home prices prompting governments to curb purchases	(Neutral)
19-Jul-13	Debt ratio curbs for property loans: mAS replies	(Neutral)
20-Jul-13	Fewer HDB dwellers buy private property	(Negative)
20-Jul-13	More ECs up for grabs	(Neutral)
20-Jul-13	Plenty of amenities in north-east	(Neutral)
20-Jul-13	S’pore buyers flock to Johor’s Medini project	(Negative)
20-Jul-13	Forum: Upgraders shouldn’t hold on to HDB flats	(Neutral)

–

8-Jul-13	Tharman urges caution on home loans; Borrowers face overextending risk as interest rates could easily rise: DPM	(Neutral)
9-Jul-13	Singapore property market will ‘stay healthy’; Cooling measures will leave impact but market won’t crash: OCBC chief	(Neutral)
9-Jul-13	Prime office space rents up for first time since 2011; Occupancy rates also continue to rise in Raffles Place, Marina Bay: Report	(Positive)
10-Jul-13	Forum: Two-pronged approach to public housing	(Neutral)
11-Jul-13	Property market stabilising but curbs will stay; He says US stimulus withdrawal will not pose fundamental risk to region	(Neutral)
12-Jul-13	Work starts on Jurong Lake District hotel; Genting’s seventh hotel here sited in new business-leisure hub	(Neutral)
12-Jul-13	380-unit exec condo launching in Sengkang	(Neutral)
13-Jul-13	Property agents want sellers to pay GST on fees	(Neutral)
13-Jul-13	Household debt worries in S. Korea, Malaysia and S’pore; Among highest in Asia, further rise will cause vulnerability during crisis	(Neutral)
13-Jul-13	Investment homes face declining rental yield; Trend a result of property prices rising faster than the increase in rent	(Neutral)
13-Jul-13	New property projects to test market reaction	(Neutral)
14-Jul-13	HDB coffee shops are not District 10 bungalows; They were built by the HDB to serve residents on state land acquired for a public purpose	(Neutral)

–

1-Jul-13	New loan rules may stay to stabilise property market; Measures aimed at investors, not potential home owners: Khaw	(Neutral)
1-Jul-13	HDB coffee shop in Hougang sold for record $23.8m	(Neutral)
2-Jul-13	HDB resale flat prices ease up in 2nd quarter; Price index records slowest growth in four years, but private market up	(Positive)
2-Jul-13	Q2 property prices up on suburban condo sales; Cooling measures seemed to have hit luxury segment instead, say analysts	(Positive)
2-Jul-13	Impact of home loans on banks likely limited; Analysts say most mortgages already meet criteria of newly tightened rules	(Neutral)
2-Jul-13	Loan curbs target rising rates, but other dangers lurk	(Neutral)
4-Jul-13	CBD office rents ‘bottoming out’	(Positive)
4-Jul-13	Freehold Coronation Rd shop for sale ‘at $33m’	(Neutral)
5-Jul-13	Changi complex to be sold for $518m	(Neutral)
5-Jul-13	No Great S’pore Sale for rent in Orchard area; Monthly rent in prime space holds steady, buoyed by new retailers	(Neutral)
6-Jul-13	COVs for resale flats fall to two-year low	(Negative)
6-Jul-13	New two-room flats: Few singles likely to bite	(Neutral)
6-Jul-13	Loan curbs hit variable income earners	(Negative)
6-Jul-13	Private resale prices up slightly	(Neutral)
6-Jul-13	Insight: Stiff home loan curbs a long-term measure; Property is not a one-way bet to wealth	(Neutral)

–

24-Jun-13	New condo sells half its units in 2 hours	(Positive)
25-Jun-13	Thomson en-bloc sale: Hearing starts; Objectors claim some residents were paid to consent to $590m collective sale	(Neutral)
25-Jun-13	Retail rents in Orchard area, suburbs stabilise after Q1 dip	(Neutral)
26-Jun-13	Five executive condo sites put up for sale; Demand for ECs being met despite uncertainty over their future: Analysts	(Neutral)
27-Jun-13	Serial vandalism at Jurong condo	(Neutral)
27-Jun-13	Taking HDB walkways to the next level…literally; Path in new Punggol district to be above ground, lined with greenery and will link HDB blocks to LRT and sea	(Neutral)
27-Jun-13	$5,000 psf units ‘not sign of rise in market’; Analysts say luxury-home buyers are still few as leasing demand not there	(Neutral)
27-Jun-13	Tuan Sing forks out $349m for Robinson Point	(Neutral)
28-Jun-13	Havelock Road site up for sale for boutique hotel; Plot with 60-year tenure expected to attract small hotel developers	(Neutral)
29-Jun-13	Fresh curbs on property loans; Factoring in all debt obligations among steps to encourage financial prudence	(Negative)
29-Jun-13	Rare HDB terrace house sold for $1.02m; 266 sq m corner home with a garden is one of just 285 HDB ‘landed’ properties	(Neutral)
29-Jun-13	Go west – for town of the future; 700ha site will feature research, manufacturing and residential areas	(Neutral)
29-Jun-13	New lending rules ‘could reduce home sales’; Analysts say investors may opt for foreign property and smaller homes	(Negative)
29-Jun-13	Resale home prices fell last month; Fears over higher interest rates, slew of new launches pull prices down	(Negative)
29-Jun-13	Jurong East condo almost sold out on launch day	(Positive)
29-Jun-13	Hot spot: Condos near town without steep prices; Checking out the page views on the STProperty website gives an instant snapshot of what projects buyers are keen on. This week, we look at developments in districts 13 and 14 that have drawn the most attention	(Neutral)

–

17-Jun-13	Turmoil in bond market the real worry; Soured appetite may affect interest rates and hit investors with mortgages	(Negative)
18-Jun-13	5 sites on sale can yield 3,600 homes; 2 EC tenders to close on same day in bid to moderate bids	(Neutral)
19-Jun-13	Over $1b given to low-income to buy HDB flats	(Neutral)
19-Jun-13	More low-income households buying flats with Govt grants	(Neutral)
19-Jun-13	Eunosville seeks $688m in collective sale bid; Ex-HUDC estate in Sims Avenue makes maiden attempt to go en bloc	(Neutral)
19-Jun-13	Fierce bidding for Faber Walk site; Tender closes with top bid of $157m after 18 bidders vie for residential site	(Positive)
19-Jun-13	$624m offer prompts tender of CBD site	(Neutral)
20-Jun-13	Rental relief: Two-year rent freeze for low-income earners whose monthly wages cross the $800 threshold	(Neutral)
20-Jun-13	Parc Oasis bid to cover fund shortfall; Condo residents vote in favour of parking charges	(Neutral)
20-Jun-13	Developer gets nod to sell Forestville EC units; Sales had to be halted after Hao Yuan failed to secure URA approvals for changes	(Neutral)
20-Jun-13	Housing ‘more affordable’ now if measured against income growth	(Neutral)
20-Jun-13	22 industrial land sites up for grabs; Smaller parcels with shorter tenures will help cool market, say experts	(Neutral)
21-Jun-13	Resale price growth: Landed homes outperform non-landed ones; Terrace houses the most popular choice in landed home market	(Positive)
21-Jun-13	Landed housing plot gets top bid of $366m; District 10 site in Coronation Rd could yield 140 landed homes	(Neutral)
22-Jun-13	Discounts offered for unsold penthouses; Smaller buyer pool, rental market prompt developers to dangle offers	(Neutral)
22-Jun-13	Hot Spot: Condos near the city, close to MRT; Checking out the page views on the STProperty website gives an instant snapshot of what projects buyers are keen on. This week, we look at developments in Districts 11 and 12 that have drawn the most attention	(Neutral)
23-Jun-13	Parking crunch a headache for condos; Residents bemoan lack of spaces for additional cars and visitors, while buyers get more savvy	(Neutral)
23-Jun-13	Tussle for shop space in Tiong Bahru; While some shop owners sell or rent their units to new joints, others hang on to the business they hold dear	(Neutral)

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11-Jun-13	Forum: Promote dual-key apartments for seniors	(Neutral)
11-Jun-13	No broker’ Gilstead Court tender closes; At least one bid put in for freehold condo with reserve price of $150m	(Neutral)
11-Jun-13	Just one property launch over weekend as pace slows	(Neutral)
12-Jun-13	Young families home in on balance flats; High demand as apartments are nearer completion or already built	(Neutral)
12-Jun-13	Bullish prices for Jurong condo launch; Average prices at J Gateway in new growth area tipped to hit $1,650 psf	(Positive)
12-Jun-13	Bukit Timah Soho sales off to a slow start	(Neutral)
14-Jun-13	Parc Oasis owners upset over parking fee proposal; Condo trying to raise money in bid to cover shortfall in maintenance fund	(Neutral)
14-Jun-13	Ideas to help seniors unlock flats’ value; But some suggestions may mean heavier tax burden on younger Singaporeans	(Neutral)
14-Jun-13	Short-term rates ‘set to stay ultra-low’; Experts reckon three-month Sibor won’t move till late next year at least	(Positive)
14-Jun-13	Sengkang condo site draws top bid of $257m; Developers ‘still hungry’ as bullish bids for Fernvale Close beat forecasts	(Neutral)
15-Jun-13	Still commanding premium prices; Checking out the page views on the STProperty website gives an instant snapshot of what projects buyers are keen on. This week, we look at developments in districts 9 and 10 that have drawn the most attention	(Neutral)
15-Jun-13	Hot Spot: Condos near popular schools in the north; Options for parents eyeing schools such as Rosyth	(Neutral)

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4-Jun-13	13,600 flats on track to be ready by end of year; But Govt also wants to ensure there is no oversupply, says Khaw	(Neutral)
4-Jun-13	Robust property sales over weekend; Influx of newly launched homes and commercial units draws buyers	(Positive)
5-Jun-13	Demand for balance flats in latest launch	(Neutral)
6-Jun-13	Home loan interest rates creeping up; Increase is small so far, but spike feared as global economy improves	(Neutral)
6-Jun-13	One applicant for each BTO flat	(Neutral)
7-Jun-13	Only one in 10 seniors rents out room or flat; Survey shows that many prefer their privacy, seeing subletting as last resort	(Neutral)
7-Jun-13	Schemes to monetise flats ‘can be simpler’	(Neutral)
8-Jun-13	HDB resale prices, COVs dip on fewer transactions; Analysts point to cooling measures, HDB launches for downward trend	(Negative)
8-Jun-13	Prices up in all but four districts; Area with biggest drop over seven months was District 8	(Positive)
8-Jun-13	Marginal overall dip as curbs’ impact is felt	(Negative)
8-Jun-13	West condos near popular schools; Units still up for grabs in projects near schools as P1 registration nears	(Neutral)
8-Jun-13	Schools, street life draw buyers; Checking out the page views on the STProperty website gives an instant snapshot of what projects buyers are keen on. This week, we look at what’s attracting attention in districts 5 and 8.	(Neutral)

–

27-May-13	Some Suntec shops struggle to stay afloat	(Negative)
28-May-13	HDB snags global award for My Waterway@Punggol	(Neutral)
28-May-13	Paragon’s value up by over $100m in 6 months; Freehold mall to be injected into new SPH reit on 99-year leasehold basis	(Positive)
28-May-13	Orchard Hotel shopping mall to get $25m facelift; Year-long project aims to make arcade a family-oriented plaza	(Neutral)
28-May-13	Courtyard house up for sale	(Neutral)
29-May-13	Resale home prices rise as cooling measures lose sting	(Positive)
30-May-13	2 Corals at Keppel Bay units sold for over $10m each	(Neutral)
30-May-13	Metro to launch S’pore residential project this year	(Neutral)
31-May-13	HDB releases 8,000 flats for sale; New rules kick in to help groups like couples expecting a baby get a unit	(Neutral)
31-May-13	Tenants mope as malls get makeover; Shops at Suntec City and Marina Square see drastic drop in business	(Negative)
31-May-13	Qingjian’s $246m bid tops Sengkang EC site tender	(Neutral)
1-Jun-13	Forum: Scrapping valuation doesn’t lower prices	(Neutral)
1-Jun-13	Dual-key, double tenancy; Buyers of such units can rent both out, avoid additional stamp duty	(Neutral)
1-Jun-13	Sea change as condos sprout in Jalan Loyang Besar; The new developments are set to transform the quiet waterfront neighbourhood	(Positive)
1-Jun-13	Elevated industrial prices ‘here to stay’; Freehold prices for upper-storey units post largest increase of 3.1%	(Positive)
1-Jun-13	Buyers look at transport options, waterfront views	(Neutral)
1-Jun-13	Bids for prime Cecil St site tipped to draw a premium; Tender set for 99-year leasehold site after developer’s $624m commitment	(Positive)
2-Jun-13	Sembawang’s beachfront ‘kampung’; Waterfront homes in northern S’pore offer rustic, tranquil lifestyle	(Neutral)
2-Jun-13	Property agents keeping their nose clean; Fewer misdeeds since council set up to raise industry’s standards, mete out punishment	(Neutral)
2-Jun-13	OrangeTee MD swears by real estate; 1990s property boom helped him clear debt, and he says prices will rise in long term	(Neutral)

–

21-May-13	Robust weekend sales of mass-market condominiums	(Positive)
22-May-13	District 11 bungalow plot up for tender	(Neutral)
23-May-13	Opinion piece: Have ECs lost their objective?	(Neutral)
23-May-13	Forum: Build larger flats to get couples to live with parents	(Neutral)
24-May-13	Bedok Mall over 85% leased ahead of opening; It is set to open before Christmas; condo on top almost 96% sold	(Positive)
24-May-13	Fewer luxury homes sold to foreign buyers; Indian, Chinese and Indonesian buyers retreated in first quarter	(Negative)
25-May-13	COVs at lowest level in almost a year; Experts attribute the slowdown to cooling measures in January	(Negative)
25-May-13	Developers use “Soho” label to draw buyers; Same label used to market residential and commercial units	(Neutral)
25-May-13	Rents for Keppel Bay condo take a hit; Reflections faces challenge with launch of Corals, but units have held value	(Neutral)
25-May-13	Districts 1, 2 popular despite high prices	(Positive)
25-May-13	CDL plans Buangkok project launch next week; 616-unit Jewel @ Buangkok will have average selling price of $1,250 psf	(Neutral)

–

13-May-13	Making Marina Bay shine for businesses; Towering effort involved in building up Marina Bay Financial Centre	(Neutral)
14-May-13	No luxury home price hikes for S’pore, HK	(Neutral)
16-May-13	Marina Bay set to get even livelier; More growth in store with new homes, offices and shops: Analysts	(Positive)
16-May-13	New private home sales down by half; Drop in April due to fewer launches, buyers holding out for better deals	(Negative)
16-May-13	Tampines housing site for sale; Plot can yield 530 units; four other parcels released on reserve list	(Neutral)
17-May-13	Forum: Impose curbs on PRs for HDB flats; No ‘imbalance’ in private home sales	(Neutral)
17-May-13	No confirmed buyer for $300m Nassim property	(Neutral)
18-May-13	Healthy outlook for retail space demand; Singapore still drawing global interest despite rising costs, labour crunch	(Positive)
18-May-13	At least five home launches coming up; Soft launches and previews for units with prices starting from $900 psf	(Neutral)
18-May-13	Hougang abuzz with private property launches	(Positive)