HDB REsales price

[Throttle2]

just a quick question for those who have rented out their properties, say if your agent found a tenant for you and you paid commission then, upon renewal do you still need the agent to continue with the rental?, do you need to pay full commission for the two years rental? thanks

 

 

Answer is no.

 

I always make sure that in the tenancy agreement , renewal of tenancy is between tenant and landlord, got nothing to do with agent anymore.

 

Just sign a new tenancy agreement after you nego with tenant on the new rental.

Get it stamped and carry on.

[Throttle2]

The logic is flawed leh, how high can property rise with average Singaporeans wages ?

 

It's like " oh it's great news that property prise rise again, but average singaporeans wages still stagnant " . Yes it's good news, but paper value only. For now it's good as sell off will make profit, but don't forget sell high, buy also high. So end up those keep pushing up property price will really put a lot of pressure in average singaporeans which many had already feel it. What happen next?? In future still keep rising which average singaporeans salaries can't keep pace with it ?? By then when price too costly and there is no demand, good luck to those taking huge loan on property lor.

 

 

Can rise, of course.....heh heh in line with higher debt levels too. Thats the problem as we all know

[Throttle2]

Life not so gd now, running a failing biz lol

 

I think u r too harsh with ordinary ppl...u r blessed with ability to make gd money n blessed with foresight to make wise economic decisions with your money...but primarily it's even possible because of your earning power.

 

If I can, I also wish to buy car in cash, buy houses that I only pay with 10% of my income n still be able to save 50% of my income every month. But it's clearly not possible because I, like many others, lack money-making ability. If want to blame, blame my forefathers for lousy genes, blame myself for laziness n blame God why didn't make me like Warren Buffet :p lol

 

Not fair statement on me, mate.

 

I am not born with silver spoon.

I lived in a hdb with my parents till i was 27.

My money didnt come easy, i had to earn it.

No windfall.

 

Cannot start the blame game lah.

Otherwise end of discussion already, everyone will just blame everything.

 

I think that 1. we must stick to our principles, 2. Put our money where our mouth is.

After that whatever comes , comes.

 

Cheers

 

[Enye]

that area also unblock view ...

 

inside imh no good view

 

that's why I must come out to get good view

 

[Enye]

Yes, Ecopolitan. Yalor, small, but total area still bigger than my HDB flat now so that's gd for my 3 kids n 2 dogs.

 

Yeah not cheap, in fact I think downright expensive....but just my wife's CPF enough to pay for it already so I'm not overstretching....luckily I married capable wife....my biz not doing so well haiz but nevermind lah got hands got legs, fall down just climb up again.

 

wah your wife very capable

 

unlike me, cannot afford EC for my family

 

can only tell my kids sorry papa too poor to give them a place

 

with swimming pool...

 

Edited August 8, 2013 by Enye

[Animian]

inside imh no good view

 

that's why I must come out to get good view

 

Can see nice sunset leh

[Enye]

Can see nice sunset leh

 

see sunset means face west

 

no good no good

 

very hot afternoon sun

 

[Animian]

see sunset means face west

 

no good no good

 

very hot afternoon sun

 

I know Lolz West sun damn hot one but good for hanging clothes to dry Lolz

[Wt_know]

so, we should expect no further CM?

good time to buy liao ... huat ah !!!

 

NDP message

 

My fellow Singaporeans,

I am speaking to you from the new SAFRA clubhouse in Toa Payoh. This is where SAFRA built its very first clubhouse in 1975. We have just rebuilt it with better facilities for NSmen and your families. It is a small gesture to thank you for your many contributions and sacrifices. It is also an example of how we are upgrading our amenities and environment as Singapore develops, year by year.

We have made steady progress this past year. We have cleared the queue for HDB flats, stabilised BTO prices and tightened up on property speculation and excessive borrowing. We have added more buses and increased the number of bus routes. We are trying out free early morning MRT rides into the city. We will add more trains to the existing lines. Phase One of the Downtown Line will open in December, and more MRT lines after that. We also celebrated several successes in the arts and sports, including our LionsXII team winning the Malaysian Super League.

We are tackling longer term issues too, especially marriage and parenthood, as well as population. The White Paper on Population in January provoked strong reactions, but the debate helped us to understand the issues better. We face difficult choices: We need foreign workers to serve our economy and Singaporeans’ needs, and immigrants to make up for our shortfall of babies. But we also worry about crowding and congestion, and maintaining our Singaporean identity. So we are feeling our way forward carefully, conscious both of our needs and our limits, and seeking the best outcome for Singaporeans.

Our economy is holding steady amidst global uncertainties. We are attracting more quality investments. Unemployment remains low. We grew by 2.0 per cent in the first half of 2013, and expect to grow by 2.5 to 3.5 per cent this year, higher than previously expected. Even as we tighten up on foreign workers and immigration, we must maintain investor confidence and keep Singapore open for business.

The world is changing rapidly and unpredictably. Technology is transforming our lives. Societies everywhere feel under pressure: Jobs have become less secure, wages are rising more slowly or even stagnating, families are working harder, and parents worry whether their children will do better than themselves.

Singapore is changing too. The economy is maturing and our population is ageing. Different groups in society now have more diverse and even conflicting interests. Older Singaporeans worry about healthcare and costs of living. Younger ones aspire to wider education opportunities and more affordable homes.

Our road ahead will be different from the road we have travelled. So we must reassess our position, review our direction, and refresh our strategies to thrive in this new world.

In my Message last year, I said that Singapore should always be our best Home, with Heart and Hope. We launched Our Singapore Conversation to define our shared future together. Many have participated actively and passionately. We heard many valuable suggestions. Thank you for taking part in this effort.

Our Singapore Conversation has helped us crystallise what we aspire to: A Singapore which gives its citizens opportunities to succeed and live fulfilling lives. A nation which defines success in many ways, and offers multiple paths to many peaks. A society with safety nets that give people peace of mind. A community where the disadvantaged get help, and those who have done well in turn do more to help others.

We will set goals and work out plans to realise these aspirations. We must match these aspirations against the world we live in – our competition, our opportunities, and our potential as a people.

Today Singapore stands tall internationally. Many countries admire us. Developed countries and emerging economies want to pick up ideas from us. Every citizen gains from our strong Singapore brand – our workers enjoy a premium in wages, and our people studying and working abroad are welcomed and respected.

At the same time, other countries are rapidly progressing and catching up. We must stay ahead of the competition, and maintain our standing in the world.

To succeed under changed circumstances, we must adapt our basic approach to nation building. We must strike a new balance between the roles of the individual, the community and the State.

We must strengthen our sense of community. We need to give greater mutual support to one another – helping the less fortunate in big ways and small; volunteering for causes that we care about; organising ourselves to work for the common good.

We already do this, especially during crises. When dengue and the haze threatened us, we stood together and took care of one another. That is Singapore – not just separate individuals, but a community with a shared purpose and a sense of collective responsibility, taking the initiative to help one another in good times and bad. We need to strengthen this spirit of togetherness.

The Government will also play a bigger role to build a fair and just society. We will do more to enable every Singaporean to succeed, through education and lifelong learning. We will keep avenues to rise wide open to all. We will help those from families with less get off to a good start in life, beginning from pre-school. We will tackle the cost of living, for example healthcare costs, especially for the elderly. We will foster a more equal society, by helping every family afford their own HDB flat, and giving low income workers a better deal through Workfare. In Singapore, everyone will always have a stake in this country, and ample chances to make good in life.

But remember: Each one of us must still do our best, and be self-reliant and resourceful. Because Singapore can only succeed if each one of us contributes his part.

At the same time, all this is only possible if we are one united people, and not divided by race, social class, or political faction. We must always have able, honest and committed leaders, who can be trusted to serve Singaporeans. We need a good Government that thinks and plans ahead, and more importantly feels for our concerns and hopes. That is the way to build a better Singapore – together.

We have come a long way, but our best years are ahead of us. We have the power to shape our destiny and write a new chapter in the Singapore story. Let us stand together, and dedicate ourselves to building in Singapore a brighter future for all.

Happy National Day!

Edited August 8, 2013 by Wt_know

[Enye]

another income/investment opportunity in HDB

 

Huat ah!

 

 

Reit to deal with HDB demand-supply challenges?

 

Singapore

 

ONE day, your neighbour in your public housing estate may be renting his flat from or co-owning it with a real estate investment trust (Reit).

 

A group of academics from the Singapore Management University (SMU) and a noted property consultant are making the case for a Reit comprising Housing and Development Board (HDB) residential and commercial units.

 

SMU professor David Lee is one of the authors of the paper that moots this idea, among others to deal with excess demand in the housing market.

 

"It's just a starting point of a discussion . . . to stimulate some out-of-the-box thinking," he said yesterday. The other authors of the paper are SMU professors Phang Sock Yong and Phoon Kok Fai, SMU researcher Karol Wee, as well as Alan Cheong, head of research at Savills Singapore.

 

The paper noted that the strong demand for public housing, which already has a low vacancy rate, has pushed up HDB rental yields. This coincides with a rising population and an increasing proportion of foreigners who tend to be tenants.

 

Building more is the answer, but this has to be balanced against creating too much supply which may crash the market. A marginal oversupply is optimal, the authors believe, and having an HDB-focused Reit can tackle some of these challenges simultaneously.

 

Here's how the scenario may play out. First, a number of units to be built by HDB will be sold to the Reit, which will put them up for rental. This can help to create a bigger pool of rental units, reducing pressure in that market.

 

"A very simple example, everytime you build a new block, 10 per cent is for rental, so instead of building nine blocks, now you build 10 blocks," Prof Lee said.

 

There can also be an option for the Reit to be a co-owner in the units, which makes home ownership cheaper as well.

 

Being able to tap capital markets means that HDB bears a smaller financial burden than if it were to supply the extra flats on its own, making public financing issues less of a worry.

 

The homes injected into the Reit can be sold to Singaporean CPF members, with HDB or banks as financiers and a subsidiary of HDB as the Reit's manager. The tax-exempt rental income earned by the Reit is returned to investors in the form of distributions.

 

There are no residential Reits in Singapore at the moment because yields for private homes have been low, the authors said.

 

Having this Reit can provide investment alternatives for Singaporeans. Prof Lee said that investors enjoy the upside of the property market without having to buy a physical home which can be illiquid.

 

Examples of beneficiaries are buyers constrained by funds who will not need to settle for shoebox units and CPF members who can draw down on their savings for investments beyond real estate.

 

The Reit can also provide higher yields than rental income due to the tax-free dividends, which can help to cool interest in property as a hedge against inflation.

 

Rental increases at the Reit's properties can be managed through regulation and not fully subject to market forces, the authors suggested, to ensure that social objectives are not at the expense of bottom lines.

 

Prof Lee acknowledged that the "devil is in the details" at this stage, and the team plans further studies to shed more light on the implementation of such a housing Reit.

 

But there is no such thing as a free lunch, and he urged caution should the idea come to pass eventually.

 

"It is not totally risk free," he said.

 

It may sound radical, but the concept of using Reits to provide affordable housing has been adopted in other countries. The first social housing Reit was set up in Britain last year, while the US's second such Reit was formed in April.

Edited August 8, 2013 by Enye

[Animian]

Cheem

[Skunk]

Not fair statement on me, mate.

 

I am not born with silver spoon.

I lived in a hdb with my parents till i was 27.

My money didnt come easy, i had to earn it.

No windfall.

 

Cannot start the blame game lah.

Otherwise end of discussion already, everyone will just blame everything.

 

I think that 1. we must stick to our principles, 2. Put our money where our mouth is.

After that whatever comes , comes.

 

Cheers

 

My point isn't that u didn't struggle, work hard to earn your money, my point is, your unique situation allows you to make decisions others cannot make.

 

You work hard, I work hard, toilet cleaner also work hard. You can choose not to play stupid money games like taking loans that cripple, make wise investment decisions n eventually lead a good life. I have no choice but to play some of the stupid money games but hopefully everything will turn out well and my life might not be so bad afterall. The toilet cleaner from Day 1 has to contend with being born with probably not too smart genes, have to support disabled/alcoholic/gambler parents or other burdens we do not face. Ironically he, same as you, do not have to play stupid money games (haha) but his life probably sucks to the core.

 

I just think that people do make unwise financial decisions but many of the times (not all I agree) they have no choice not to play the game, just like so many things in life where we have no choice. If people really have absolute Free Will, many would have chosen not to be born :(

 

[Skunk]

wah your wife very capable

 

unlike me, cannot afford EC for my family

 

can only tell my kids sorry papa too poor to give them a place

 

with swimming pool...

 

 

I've been spending so much time away from my children building my business, my eldest daughter asked me why am I always at the shop working?

 

I told her so I can make a lot of money, buy her a lot of toys and buy her a big house.

 

She told me not to go to work, picked up an old broken toy and said "I still got many toys". And the she laid down on the floor and flailed her arms, "look daddy our house is so big already, I can lie down!!!"

 

After that I wept bitterly.

 

[Skunk]

But I definitely do agree with your fav phrase, 不要打肿脸充胖子 and buy a property one cannot afford just to look good and show off. In the first place I don't see what's there to show off....a 1 room flat or a mansion, both are made from stones. Ferrari or Chery QQ, both made from metal.

 

Things worth showing off are Courage, Integrity , Compassion, etc...

[RadX]

Well bro... That is a decision u hv to make and clearly the dau misses you. To her the daddy is impt and you are blessed that she looks to you like that... Simply a priceless moment!

 

How much $$ you make at the end of the day the family to me is still there. Hope you see thru this rough time and that there will be the bonding between u and the family gg forward

 

Take care!

[BlueOldMan]

I've been spending so much time away from my children building my business, my eldest daughter asked me why am I always at the shop working?

 

I told her so I can make a lot of money, buy her a lot of toys and buy her a big house.

 

She told me not to go to work, picked up an old broken toy and said "I still got many toys". And the she laid down on the floor and flailed her arms, "look daddy our house is so big already, I can lie down!!!"

 

After that I wept bitterly.

 

I super duper agreed with radx on this!

No $ really cannot but what is enuff?

No amt is enuff one bro......,

 

But knowing how to be contented is a fortune

Growing up kids need love more than $

 

That's y I learnt to cook for my family for past 3 years

Seeing them eating my food was so satisfactory

 

Since my boy gng pri 1 nex year

Now I slowly cut down on cooking to concentrate more on work

Work life balance very impt one

 

Gd luck bro

[Duckduck]

I think one entire generation has been lost in pursuit of gdp growth. This group is d current 25-40yr old. No amt of money or incentive can make them decide to have more children. I I don't want to dwell on d past but hope policy makers see this as their main priority

[Skunk]

I think one entire generation has been lost in pursuit of gdp growth. This group is d current 25-40yr old. No amt of money or incentive can make them decide to have more children. I I don't want to dwell on d past but hope policy makers see this as their main priority

 

That's because children are viewed as a liability, a burden, not an asset. When we see people with bungalows, luxury cars and expensive watches, we view them as "rich" because these things give them joy in life. Actually, the joy that children give is much much more than all these, but do we think the same when we see a family with 4 or 5 kids?

 

Don't talk about feeding n educating the children, because bungalow also need maintenance works, luxury car and watch also need servicing lol