Recent blog posts - Property Launches & Investments

Further declines predicted for private home prices and rents in 2015

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Saturday, 20 December 2014 in Property News

PRICES of private condos could drop by another 5-10 per cent next year, consultants predict, as it looks unlikely that the measures designed to cool down the property market would be tweaked or lifted soon. However, the price tags on new sales could be “stickier” because developers have strengthened their holding power.

South Beach eyeing big names in retail, F&B

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Saturday, 20 December 2014 in Property News

Move is to set Beach Rd development apart from nearby Suntec, Raffles City

HIGH-END retailers and celebrity chefs might be added to the mix at South Beach, Singapore’s largest mixed development.

The project’s retail component is scheduled to open its doors in the fourth quarter of next year.

Falling property prices in Singapore expected to dive next year by up to 20%

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Saturday, 20 December 2014 in Property News

Singapore's private residential property prices experienced steady declines in September, according the latest quarterly data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Both private and public home prices continued to slip in the third quarter of the year. Private home prices fell 0.6% and are now down 3.8% on an annual basis. This is the fourth straight decline, albeit a slight deceleration, after a fall 1.0% in the second quarter. But private home prices are still 56% above the last trough in 2009.

Asia- Occupier’s Market: Positive Growth Expectation Prevails

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Saturday, 20 December 2014 in Property News

The office-leasing market in Asia should remain healthy in 2015. Although it is likely that we will see an interest-rate hike in the United States during the year, we are still in a low-cost environment for borrowing in terms of historical averages. Multinationals are also benefitting from the decline in energy costs that took place in mid-2014. These two factors are helping to reduce the cost structures of many companies and allowing them to maintain or improve profit margins. This improvement in profitability is a welcome sign, as top-line growth expectations are expected to be only mildly positive.

Asia Overview Supply led Demand to Boost Volume

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Saturday, 20 December 2014 in Property News

The key theme for 2015 is going to be an increase in real-estate transactions in Asia, driven by greater supply that is finally starting to meet strong demand. There is pent-up underlying demand from both occupiers and investors, primarily due to the lack of stock, and that will gradually be satisfied by what we anticipate as a growing volume of new supply in 2015. One of the prime drivers is that there is a significant number of property funds that are due to expire in 2015, a significantly higher amount than that in 2014. This group of willing sellers will certainly increase supply. At the same time, there will be an increase in new developments in a number of Asian cities. Those properties will be all the more attractive given that they mesh with the continued enhancement of transportation connectivity between the city core and the fringe districts.

Singapore Property Outlook for 2015

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Saturday, 20 December 2014 in Property News

The private residential sector in Singapore will be interesting to watch in 2015, according to some analysts.

Although transaction volume has been declining and prices have been softening, wealthy individual buyers and investors will be keeping an eye out for good-value opportunities, especially in the luxury segment.

“With asking prices expected to become more realistic in 2015, narrowing the gap between buyers and sellers, residential volume (especially in the luxury segment) could improve. There could be slightly more momentum in the year ahead compared to what has certainly been a lackluster 2014,” Colliers International’s Managing Director Terence Tang said.

A Boom in Real Estate Transactions is Expected in Asia for 2015

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Saturday, 20 December 2014 in Property News

According to Colliers International’s Asia Property Outlook 2015, the number of real estate transactions in Asia will substantially grow in 2015, as an increase in supply begins to match the demand from investors to bolster their holdings in the region.

Mr Dennis Yeo, Interim Chief Executive Officer | Asia of Colliers International, says, “There is pent-up underlying demand from both occupiers and investors, primarily due to the lack of stock, and that will gradually be satisfied by what we anticipate as a growing volume of new supply in 2015.”

Here is why Singapore is the most desirable country for business expansion

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Wednesday, 17 December 2014 in Property News

Businesses hoping to expand into the overseas markets would do well to consider Singapore as an option.

In a recent study carried out by communications solutions provider BT, the country was revealed as one of the top Asia Pacific (APAC) destinations for business expansion. What's more, global rankings for the same thing placed Singapore at sixth on the list.

Buying a Property – Use up CPF before it vanishes into Retirement Account at 55

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Saturday, 13 December 2014 in Property News

Buying a Property – Use up CPF before it vanishes into Retirement Account at 55

For Singaporeans, reaching 55 years old marks a major milestone from the perspective of personal financial planning.

At 55, you can withdraw a portion of your Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings.

Yes, finally after years of waiting, you can use the money locked up at CPF!

But hang on… before you start planning for your next holiday destination or researching for your second property…reaching 55 does not mean you can simply go to the CPF to withdraw any amount you want.

The CPF, Singapore’s pension scheme, has other plans for your funds.

Changes under JTC Circulars 24th November 2014

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Saturday, 13 December 2014 in Property News

1.Businesses that use software to conduct business electronically, for example in marketing and consultancy work (i.e. activities previously classified as Type 2 e-business), and non-core media activities will now be regarded as commercial uses. These activities should be located in commercial premises and will no longer be allowed within the 40% ancillary component of industrial developments.

2.Previously, only digital call centres (i.e. those that involve the use of IT) were allowed in industrial developments. With the current pervasive use of IT, this distinction is no longer meaningful. URA will now allow all call centres to be located in only Business Park and Business 1 developments, as part of the 60% predominant component levied Industrial “D” rates.

3.To expand the range of food options within industrial estates, URA will now allow such canteens to serve not only the workers of the same building but also external customers. These canteens which serve primarily workers in the industrial estate will now be termed as “industrial canteens”. Capped at a size of 700 sqm or 5% of the total proposed Gross Floor Area (GFA) per development, whichever is lower

4.Showrooms can be allowed in industrial developments under the existing guidelines. Under the revised guidelines, URA will only consider showroom proposals as part of a Change of Use application, after the building has obtained the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) and when the potential occupier or business operator for the spaces is known. Commercial “A” rates

5.URA will now allow selected commercial uses (i.e. clinic, banking hall/ATM, minimart and fitness centre/gym) in outlying industrial estates which are located far from existing commercial nodes, as these are basic amenities which serve the needs of industrial workers. Capped at a size of 200 sqm or 10%, whichever is lower. First storey.

6.Under the revised guidelines, all childcare centres within industrial developments will be levied Civic & Community Institution (C&CI) “E” rates.

Cooling Measures Update

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Friday, 12 December 2014 in Property News

One conclusion that we can draw from the Cooling Measures is that placing limits on borrowing is more effective than levying stamp duty taxes at bringing Singapore property prices down.

According to the SRX Property Index for Private Resale Flats, the first Additional Buyers Stamp Duty (ABSD1) did little to impact both resale volume and prices.

Singapore Property Market Cooling Measures

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Friday, 12 December 2014 in Property News

Below is a comprehensive view of the latest government policies related to the residential property market. These policies are often referred to as the 'Property Market Cooling Measures'.

Navigating the Unpredictability of Cooling Measures (Part 1)

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Friday, 12 December 2014 in Property News

According to numbers released this week by SRX Property, HDB resale prices in November have decreased 9.8% since their peak in April 2013.

This decline of 9.8% is double the 5% target set by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan.

In May 2013, one month before announcing TDSR, Mr. Wan, speaking in Mandarin, told participants at an Our Singapore Conversation dialogue on housing, "If housing prices keep rising, it won't be good. If we can maintain them or even lower them by a few percent, for example 5%, that's good. When I came into MND...that was my target."

Does this mean the government will end the Cooling Measures?

HDB Resale Prices Down 9.8%, Nearly Double MND's Target for Cooling Measures

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Friday, 12 December 2014 in Property News

HDB resale prices down in November. HDB resale prices dropped by 0.8% in November compared to October 2014. HDB 3, 4, 5 - Room and Executive flats resale prices all slipped by 0.8%, 1.2%, 0.2% and 2.2%, respectively.

According to the SRX HDB Price Index:

HDB Resale prices in November 2014 hit a 40-month low since Aug 2011;
Year-on-year, prices have dropped 6.3% from November 2013;
Prices have declined 9.8% since the peak in April 2013;

What constitutes a "good location" buy?

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Thursday, 11 December 2014 in Property News

Someone asked us what we consider as “good locations” when buying property in Singapore. Below is our list of the top eight factors that make a good location.

Eye on Kampong Glam: A New Living Heritage

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Thursday, 11 December 2014 in Property News

While Kampong Glam is better known as a cultural and historical zone, its excellent location on the outskirts of the city centre is drawing some attention from developers and potential home buyers.

Kampong Glam generally refers to the areas and estates in the vicinity that stretch out from Beach Road and Crawford Street (North Bridge Road) to Rochor and Selegie.

Eye on Yishun: Star of the north

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Thursday, 11 December 2014 in Property News

In earlier days, Yishun was home to various pepper and pineapple plantations. Named after industrialist and rubber magnate Lim Nee Soon, Yishun became one of the HDB towns to be developed in the 1980s as part of a project called the Yishun New Town Project.

The project was initially allocated 907 hectares of land for public housing and industrial development, but the land area was subsequently increased to over 919 hectares. After resettling the villages that once dotted the area, construction work for Yishun began in 1977.

Eye on Sengkang: Still room for more growth

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Thursday, 11 December 2014 in Property News

As one of Singapore’s relatively new residential towns, Sengkang is an increasingly vibrant new town in the northeast of the island. Originally a fishing village along Sungei Serangoon, the area used to be home to rubber and pepper plantations and fishing villages but in recent decades, it underwent rapid development to transform it into a modern housing district.

Home Loan Refinancing: Massive Savings Await!

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Wednesday, 10 December 2014 in Property News

Life is like a box of chocolates: it has an expiry date. And yet, a large part of our limited time is wasted on paying off our home loan. And on raising children so that some day, they can pay offtheir home loan, and we can sit around saying things like “Now then you know”. But this dark cycle has got an escape clause: clever refinancing.

What is Refinancing?

Big corporations like Singapore’s ease of business

Posted by Property Launch Invest on Thursday, 04 December 2014 in Property News

The population of Singapore has risen 26 per cent in the decade to the end of 2012 – not surprisingly as a series of reports have shown this wealthy island state is the best value city for overseas business.

The World Bank has ranked it as the easiest place to do business for seven straight years.

The city offers businesses the best property-rental value compared with the size of its economy.

Big corporations love Singapore.

PROPERTY LAUNCHES & INVESTMENTS

Property Launches & Investments

Move is to set Beach Rd development apart from nearby Suntec, Raffles City

What is Refinancing?