To stay close to the property investment ground, I’m also a realtor. That’s how you sniff out interesting deals like estate sales, trustee sales and bank sales aka mortgagee sales. Below is a selection of some deals on offer for April. And yes, do you know that you can buy HDB shophouses too? Here’s a preview!

Interesting deals for April 16 !

Trustee Sale - LANDED

SIXTH AVENUE. Single storey detached house. 12,562 sqft of freehold land. Near Sixth Avenue MRT station. Asking < $16 million.

Estate Sale - LANDED

JALAN KERAYONG. Freehold 2½ sty Detached. 4+1 Bedroom. Land area 2,906 sq ft. Asking price < $3.1 million. Rare Detached in Sembawang Straits Estate. Balinese style with lift & pool.  Approx built up area 2,620 sq ft.

Bank Sale - LANDED

1) ESTRIVILLAS, Jalan Lim Tai See. Freehold Strata Semi- Detached. 3-storey + basement+attic. 5 +1 Bedroom. 5,188 sq ft. Asking Price < $4 million. Modern Design, Quiet surrounding. Good schools in vicinity ( Nanyang Primary, Henry Park Primary, Raffles Girls Primary School, Methodist Girls School, Hwa Chong International, National Junior College) Holland Village MRT.

2) JALAN TARUM. Freehold 2½ sty semi-detached. Land Size: 3461 sq ft. Built up: 4263 sq ft. Asking Price < $4.3 million. Near future Mayflower MRT station / wet market / food centre. Walking distance to CHIJ St Nicholas school.

3) JALAN LANGGAR BEDOK. Freehold. 2 Storey Semi-Detached. Land area 3,727 sq feet. Asking Price < S$4 million. Walking distance to Tanah Merah MRT station/Bedok Market Place complex

HDB shophouses for Sale!

1) Kim Tian Rd. 80 Yrs wef 1995. HDB Shop with Living quarter. Asking Price <$1.8 million. Approx 948 sqft per floor (total 1,895 sqft), with HDB upgraded utility. Tenanted $5,650/mth. No GST.

2) Jalan Bukit Merah. 80 Yrs wef 1994. HDB Shop with Living quarter within neighbourhood centre. Asking price less than $2.1 million, Approx 753 sqft per floor (total 1,485 sqft), Tenanted $6,150/mth, No GST, faces road.

3) Ang Mo Kio Central. 86 yrs wef 1993. Single level HDB Shop, currently used as a family restaurant. 1,389 sq ft. Asking < $5 million. Walking distance to Ang Mo Kio MRT Station. Tenanted.

4) Toa Payoh Lorong 6. 88 yrs wef 1994. HDB Shop. Approx 603sqft, Asking <$2 Million. No GST No ABSD. Ample parking. Tenanted to tuition centre @ $3,900 per month.

5) Woodlands St 31. 99 yrs wef 1992. 2 storey HDB Shophouse. Asking price  < $3.3M. Selling with vacant possession. Shop area: 93 sqm, Apt area: 89sqm.

Which one/s do you think are the best buys and why? Stay curious!

My Best,

Douglas Chow 

First, what is a penthouse?

1) There are many variations of a penthouse. The common denominator is that they are located at the topmost floor of a building. And that is where the similarity ends.

2) Some come with higher floor to height ceilings than the units below. Others have a dedicated second storey, uncovered deck above the living areas below. Some take up the entire uppermost floor of a building while others are simply located on a building’s top floor, along with several others, and follow the same layout as the other apartments on the other floors below.

3) High end penthouses usually come with their own pools or jacuzzis. Private lifts goes without saying and there are unobstructed views.

Why do people buy penthouses?

4) People who buy penthouses don’t think too much about capital appreciation nor fuss about livable space. After all they are not going to subdivide the unit into living quarters and squeeze out maximum yield from the property.

5) Rather, they buy it for lifestyle reasons, to have an open deck that serves as an entertainment space for friends, family and business associates. Private outdoor living space is key and if you liken an open deck to a garden outside a landed property (minus the need to garden and weed), you get the idea. Those who like suburban living will go for a landed property with a garden. Others who prefer high rise city living and fuss free maintenance will go for a penthouse.

How do the ultra-rich pick their penthouses?

A) The more iconic the building the better. So that your business associates won’t need to google search your location when you invite them over. The moment you mention it, they go, “Ah…that one.”

B) Location. The ultra-rich want to live in a community with equally well-heeled people. You will never see luxury penthouses built in poor neighbourhoods. Being close to the CBD and lifestyle hubs is a plus.

C) Ample carparking. The ultra-rich love their cars. The more carparking lots allocated, the better, especially if the whole clan is living in the same unit.

D) Uniqueness. A penthouse that occupies the entire building floor is way more special than one that shares a floor with other penthouses.

Any interesting penthouses in Singapore?

6) In Singapore, Guocoland is testing this luxury segment by listing a 21,108 sq ft penthouse for sale at about $50 million. A 99 yrs leasehold unit, it will occupy the entire top three floors of the 64-storey WallichResidence. At 280 m up in the air, it will be the highest penthouse in Singapore.

7) At less than 65% of the price, in the landed neighbourhood of Goodwood, a brand new penthouse is for sale too. Fully furnished, at 9,612 sq ft, it’s going for only $16.87m or $1,755 psf. It will be able to hold its own against the other competing penthouses for the following reasons.

- 5 mins walk – Newton MRT

- Freehold

- Huge Land of 2.5 hectares and low density of only 210 units

- Magnificent view of Goodwood Hill

- 80% Landscape

10) Check out the floorplans below

Value Buy! – Be rewarded when you purchase this unit or introduce a buyer! Way more worth than Sentosa Cove!

After a convincing victory by the PAP, folks have asked me which way the property market will go.

The Singapore government’s mandate to rule has been built on many things, among which, its management of Singapore’s economy and lifting living standards.  PM Lee has said his government will continue to carry out policies which they feel necessary, even if they are unpopular. One policy target comes to mind, and that is to increase Singapore’s population (resident and non-resident).

Singapore has been, and will remain a pragmatic country. Assuming the stretch population target of 6.9 million is on track, the government cannot wait for an increase in 1.4 million people to come from organic growth of its current population. Total life birth in Singapore average about 40,000 in recent years. Total death averages about 19,000, bringing a net increase in population of about 21,000 a year. To hit a target of a 6.9 million population from the current 5.5 million, it would take 67 years based solely on organic growth. That will take too long. And it is going to be expensive. Even if you can turbocharge the birth rate, imagine the additional schools, and teachers required to match the population growth. Imagine the extra childcare facilities and  baby and infant medical care necessary to be put in place. It doesn’t make economic sense and is not cost effective.

The standard argument for population growth and its benefits to the economy is that it brings in more hands to work for production and contributes to economic growth.  The increase in population leads to the increase in demand for goods and when the market for such goods expands, economies of scale can be achieved and we can all live the “cheaper, better, faster” slogan.

To boost the economy immediately, you need ready, qualified workers, who are already well trained and can hit the ground running.   In short, you need to import workers if you don’t have enough of them in Singapore.

On 14 Sep, it was reported that Singapore plans to give citizenship to between 15,000 and 25,000 foreigners each year as part of the strategy to grow Singapore’s core citizen numbers. There is no mention how many additional foreign workers will be brought in but the direction is crystal clear. Singapore’s population will increase.

The challenge ahead will be to ensure  that social and business infrastructure here can support the weight of a more crowded Singapore.

Property owners, the light at the end of the tunnel is here. The excess supply in the property market today will eventually be mopped up over time and if the government calibrates property supply competently and continues to make Singapore an attractive place to live, work and play, your property investment should appreciate considerably.

Think about it. Plan ahead. Not all properties perform the same. Feel free to reach us for advice.

Douglas Chow

Principal Coach

That High Park Residences sold out more than 1000 units in 4 days, drawing envy from rival developers is the talk of the town. Yes, pricing played a big part. But what was not reported by the press was how the High Park Residences’ developers gave careful consideration to the layout, orientation and the design of its units.

As I am involved in this project located near Jalan Kayu (specifically Fernvale), I would like to share the design aspect of the units, using its 5 bedrooomers (private lift included) as a case study. Starting from $1,271,000 for the patio unit (stack  35) for a 1,421 sq ft unit or $894 psf, this layout gives potential buyers a sense of luxury at mass market prices. I will let the pictures speak for themselves and I’m sure rival developers are studying High Park Residences floor and site plans with a vengence!

Douglas Chow

Our Best, Always!

Got a question for us, need advice or just wanna share your thoughts? Write to us!

Following the revelation that 4 feet corridors are quite the norm in recent DBSS BTO flats, the team decided to search around for 4 feet corridors. As you can tell from the picture on the right, two persons can hardly walk past each other without slanting their bodies or squeezing through.

According to SCDF’s “Fire Safety Guidelines for HDB Estates”, a minimum clear escape passage of 1.2 m clearance is to be maintained from the parapet wall where the shoe rack is to be allowed. No objects are also to be placed along common corridors less than 1.2 m wide.

It is little surprise then that DBSS developers keep to the minimum requirement stipulated by SCDF in an attempt to do the bare minimum. We chanced upon another place that also measures 4 feet in corridor width. Just count the number of square tiles. That this particular washroom is severely flawed by design is plain to see. The moment 2 gentlemen are back to back against each other, no one can pass through to use the facilities at the rear of the corridor. Perhaps the designer assumes that everyone will behave and use the facilities at the rear first before moving to the front. We know this doesn’t always happen in real life.

Thankfully, should there be a fire, it will be easily put out since water of all nature is available a step away! That should meet SCDF’s fire safety objective.

As if to compensate for the narrow corridor, the DBSS developer for Pasir Ris One installed a makeshift pull up bar along the corridor so that residents can keep fit. Fitness will be a crucial factor to escape in the occurence of fire. It is such a hidden hush hush feature that it probably did not catch the attention of the units with direct access to this secret fitness station, tuck away in an attempt not to clog up the corridor.

The swell of unhappiness from buyers of the Pasir Ris One DBSS is opportunity for all developers to reflect on the quality of the projects that they deliver to their buyers. Yes, you may have met the minimum requirement as stated by the authorities. But does it mean that it is good enough for your buyers vis-a-vas the price they paid for your inventory? Don’t you owe them a sense of duty?

Our Best, Always!

Got a question for us, need advice or just wanna share your thoughts? Write to us!

Executive condos (EC) developers struggling to move inventory are set to receive a lifeline as HDB will raise the income ceilings for BTO HDB flats and ECs sometime in August or September 2015.

From the official reasoning, this regulation update is in response to the increase in median monthly household income from S$7,037 in 2011 (when the income ceilings were last raised), to $8,292 in 2014. Assuming a 30 yrs loan based on a household income of $8,292 with no other debt obligation, a typical household buyer of an EC/BTO flat can take a loan of up to about $550,000 under the existing Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR)and Mortgage Service Ratio (MSR) framework. That is why in today’s market, the bulk of transactions is below $1 million as buyers can no longer qualify for huge loans, relying on cash and cpf to make up the difference. Many end up buying smaller units. Larger EC units are having a difficult time finding qualified and willing buyers.

With the income ceilings raised, larger EC units will more easily find buyers. We expect all currently unsold EC units, big and small, to benefit and this is a much needed lifeline to EC developers.  MND is signaling to EC developers, “Sorry folks, I’m not going to lift cooling measures anytime soon. In the meantime, here’s a larger pool of potential buyers for you. Our SG50 gift to you.”

In principle, we agree that no one should be denied a chance to apply for a HDB BTO flat/EC, regardless of income level as long as that HDB BTO flat/EC remains a principle home of stay.

Some preliminary thoughts on ECs as a result of the upcoming change

1)      Will EC developers start to raise prices? Yes, if they are confident that their units are priced competitively vis-a-vas the competition. No, if their focus is to clear their inventory as soon as they can. But they can hold off slashing their prices for now and adopt a wait and see approach.

2)      Will EC developers start building bigger units that comes with a bumped up price tag to cater to the new pool of qualified higher income earners? Possibly, though price must be managed for affordability. It doesn’t mean that just because one can pay a price, one would want to pay that price.

3)      Private developers will be at a disadvantage now that some of their customers can now qualify for comparatively cheaper ECs. Oops.

4)      Will EC pricing inch up towards private development prices or private developments’ pricing inch down towards EC pricing?

5)      Will the median income households be muscled out of the smaller units by larger income households? Will there be rules to ensure that larger income household are restricted to larger units only? The devil is in the details.

We are more concerned on the impact of BTO pricing and unit allocation now that higher income households can join in the fray. Already new BTOs are consistently oversubscribed.

1)      Will lower and  median income households miss out on their units because of competing applications by larger income household?

2)      Will HDB build more flats or more rigorously divert qualified buyers who are out-balloted to balance flats (either repossessed or unsold flats from previous BTO launches) that number about a couple of thousands.

3)      Will HDB BTO flats pricing start to increase even though they are priced at a discount from prevailing market price, there.

There are a lot of details that must be ironed out. As a former smart regulation advocate in the government, I hope the officers in charge think through every possible scenario and come up with a fair, sensible implementation. Policies are easy. As mentioned before, the devil is in the details and the policies’ implementation. The overwelming unhappiness over the quality  of recent DBSS flats is a reminder that regulators must keep their eye on the ball, have the ability to see far ahead and anticipate problems down the road.

As of now, ECs developers will be cheering at this upcoming rule change. Private developers will have to continue their price discounts.

Our Best, Always!

Got a question for us, need advice or just wanna share your thoughts? Write to us!

Sandwiched between HDB flats and Executive Condos, (Design, Build and Sell Scheme) DBSS flats which are priced higher than HDB BTO flats and built by private developers, are no longer relevant as a stepping stone for HDB upgraders and hence HDB suspended the scheme in 2011.

Besides being made irrelevant, recently completed DBSS projects have made headlines for the wrong reasons.

For the Trivelis DBSS in Clementi, nearly 500 Trivelis residents faced various problems with the development, such as shattered shower glass panels and narrow common corridors that are prone to flooding. Some owners found problems with their units such as defective stove knobs, rusty dish racks and poor quality laminate flooring. Some units also differ from the showflats. The show flats did not show sanitary pipes in the service yard in the showflat but such pipes were eventually placed there.

Buyers of the Parkland Residences DBSS in Upper Serangoon also had their fair share of grief from defects arising mainly from design flaws and poor workmanship, compromising the level of liveability and security. When it pours, some residents would run to their units after getting out of the lift to avoid being drenched, as the common corridor provides little shelter.

Pasir Ris One, the latest DBSS project to be delivered is already making the rounds on facebook as a drab prison with narrow corridors. Hopefully, their buyers will have less grief than those who collected their keys for the Trivelis.

Having been alerted, we just had to make a trip down to Pasir Ris One. We’ll keep this post short and let the pictures speak for themselves. Feel free to share this post! It’s hard to say if Pasir Ris One buyers have been shortchanged for the corridors were definitely not part of their buying consideration. A buyer would naturally assume that the exterior works and specifications would be of an acceptable standard. Unfortunately, unlike finishes that can be replaced with better quality ones, there is nothing that can be rectified for the corridors. Maybe brighter colours for the grilles instead of prison grey for the window and door grilles?

Our Best, Always!

Most will agree that a little pressure brings out the best in people. This might also apply to the developer behind High Park Residences, located just behind the famous Jalan Kayu eatery stretch, next to Thanggam LRT station and a 5 minutes walk from Seletar Mall where Shaw Cineplex is located.

A cooled property market appears to have brought out the best in High Park Residences’ developer, CEL Development. We studied the specifications, floor plans and site layout of the project and are pleased that CEL Development has addressed the common gripes of most purchasers these days.

Gripe 1: The units are so close together, I can see the logo of my neighbour’s Polo Tee in the opposite block!

High Park Residences Counter: By combining 2 plots of land into a single plot, a larger plot of 366,000 sq feet was created, allowing the space between one block to the next adjacent block to go up to 74 m (243 feet)! All units will be bright and airy due to the generous space allowance between the 6 blocks. Due also to the large combined site, blocks are positioned for predominant north-south facing.

Gripe 2: The 2 bed-roomers come with only 1 toilet. This is very inconvenient either for own stay or for renting out.

High Park Residences Counter: The majority of 2 bed-roomers comes with 2 toilets!

Gripe 3: Maintenance fee is high these days!

High Park Residences Counter: With economies of scale from having 1,376 units, maintenance fees can be kept low. The fees are estimated to range from about $188 to $275 for condo units and $320 to $360 for strata houses.

Gripe 4: Not every condo project comes with one car park lot per unit.

High Park Residences Counter: One car park lot per unit is the default for all condo units in High Park Residences.

Gripe 5: It’s rare to see strata houses in condo developments these days.

High Park Residences Counter: The project will have 4 Bungalows and 10 Semi-Detached houses. And each will have 2 carpark lots!

Gripe 6: Condo amenities can be so crowded

High Park Residences Counter:  A large plot means amenities can be spread out to reduce overcrowding. 2 tennis courts and a half basketball court are one of many features provided for this project. There is also enough space for 8 shops and a childcare centre.

Gripe 7: When will we see prices of new launched private condos (Not ECs) below $1000 psf

High Park Residences Counter:  Although prices have not been firmed up, the average price is expected to be below $1000 psf.

That CEL Development took consumers’ feedback seriously is reflected in the specifications of this mega project. In a cooled property market that has developers struggling to sell more than 40% of total units in a project, this could make that significant difference in moving inventory. Booking starts on the 17th July and we’ll be visiting the showflat on the 4th July!

Our Best, Always!

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Smacked between its bigger neighbours, Woodlands (Popuation: 171,800 people) and Yishun (Population: 159,400 people), sleepy Sembawang only has 28,510 residents.

That is all set to change with upcoming residential developments in the pipeline. How serious is the government to house more people there? You have to look no further than the upcoming Canberra MRT station which will be built over the existing MRT line between Yishun MRT station and Sembawang MRT station. Not only will Canberra MRT station serve the industrial estate between Yishun and Sembawang, it will support the expansion of the population currently residing in Woodlands and Yishun.

As you can see from the picture below, a lot of land has been set aside for residential use. The authorities probably opine that there are enough mega malls nearby (think Northpoint, Northpark City and Causeway Point). Hence, under current land use planning, no land is reserved for a shopping mall near Canberra MRT Station.

This means that Sembawang Shopping Centre which always seem to be in the wrong place (Shouldn’t it be where Sun Plaza is?) might soon stake its claim as the de facto mall for Canberra MRT Station. It could lobby the authorities to make the mall more accessible to Canberra MRT Station. Cutting a path through the landed enclave will however not sit too well with the residents there.

For those who think that Yishun and Woodlands are too crowded, Sembawang may be the sweet spot for you. With 2 MRT stations serving this estate, similar to how Khatib MRT station and Yishun MRT station serve Yishun, Sembawang will not be as ulu as before. And it will be a mighty long time before Sembawang’s population swell to the numbers of Woodlands or Yishun.

The design of the upcoming HDB flats (Eastlink One & Two) look pretty good and you have two Executive Condos (Skypark Residences and The Brownstone) to choose from. It’s clever of HDB to name the latest development in Canberra Eastlink One and Two. Naming it Northlink One and Two will just reinfoince the distant ulu impression of Sembawang!

Our Best, Always!

It is clearly a tenants’ market today. Tenants are spoilt for choices and where possible, they want a better location, a newer place and new neighbours. And did I forget to mention, at a lower rental than what they had previously paid.

Yet, as I survey the scene, some landlords are still trapped in the “good old days” of a few years back, where they could be very selective and adopt a take it or leave it attitude.

Here are some “No, nos” I’ve observed and if you’re guilty of it, time to pull your act together.

1) Lighting without cover exposing bare bulbs. First impression counts. Your potential tenants are not scientists and are not interested to know the inner workings of your lightings. Clothes please.

2) Bare windows with no curtains. “Oh, I’ll put it up when the tenant ask for it. ” Seriously, you won’t get a second chance. Never doubt the power of curtains. Good curtains. Not the ones that look like you recycled them from your grandma’s moth bitten ones.

3) Tired looking walls. A fresh coat of paint can brighten up the whole place. Dirt streaked across and the occasional blood stain will not be interpreted as an Andy Warhol masterpiece.

4) Unfurnished. Yes, there will be the odd few tenants who demand an empty place. But by and large, furniture gives a warm fuzzy, move in feel. And no tenant will complain about free furniture, a big tv and the usual creature conforts. It’s safe to leave out the mattress as most tenants will prefer to buy their own mattresses. That said, $200 will easily get you a decent one. And don’t forget comforters and pillows for that complete “Awww” impact.

5) Toilets that look repulsive. Easily a deal breaker when everything else seem to be going fine. The smell of mothballs is revolting. You are not preseving Jurassic bones in the toilet, are you? Get rid of all visible stains. It should smell fresh. Not musky and certainly not antiseptic like a hospital.

6) Tidiness please. I’ve seen stickers on furniture, chairs arranged like the place had been used as a gambling den and toys strewn all over.  Aim for that showflat look. When tenants see how “showflat-ish” the place looks, subconsciously, they get the message that this is the standard to maintain when they move in.

There’s a lot more tips but if landlords and their agents can do the above, it’s more than half the battle won in the war for tenants who will call the shots for the next 2 years at least.

Douglas

Our Best, Always!