anything pasal HOUSING

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Singapura : 19 September 2008         
         
CAKAP PASAL HARTANAH

ANTARA KRISIS AMERIKA DAN PASARAN FLAT HDB ...

Oleh
Sazali Sarwan

BARU-BARU ini, berita mengenai krisis perbankan di Amerika Syarikat mendapat perhatian ramai pelabur.

Ramai yang bimbang dan membuat keputusan menjual pelaburan mereka untuk mengurangkan kerugian. Mereka cuba memastikan mereka mendapat balik wang pelaburan mereka kembali.

Bagaimanapun pasaran hartanah di sini pula masih lagi kelihatan mantap. Ini menunjukkan para pelabur masih lagi yakin dengan pasaran hartanah di Singapura ini. Sentimen yang baik untuk pelaburan hartanah di Singapura masih lagi dapat dirasakan.

Tetapi ada pula segolongan kecil mengambil langkah berhati-hati.

Bagi mereka kesan krisis di Amerika itu kemungkinan dapat dirasakan sedikit bagi hartanah-hartanah mewah di Singapura ini seperti banglo mewah dan hartanah eksklusif.

Bagi flat HDB pula, saya ramalkan ia hampir tidak akan terjejas.

Ini kerana pembelian rumah flat HDB dihadkan bagi warga Singapura dan warga tetap (PR) sahaja.

Walaupun laporan menunjukkan kian ramai PR sudah mula memiliki flat jualan semula HDB, sebahagian besar bagaimanapun adalah dari Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China dan negara-negara Asia lain.

Berita baiknya ialah, pasaran flat jualan semula HDB tidak bergantung kepada pelabur dari negara Barat terutama Amerika Syarikat.

Jadi, bakal pembeli yang menunggu harga flat jatuh ekoran krisis itu mungkin kecewa kerana ia tidak akan berlaku dalam waktu terdekat ini.

Sebaliknya pula, tinjauan saya menunjukkan harga flat HDB sudah menunjukkan kemantapan secara keseluruhan.

Malah, harga flat tiga bilik dan empat bilik masih meningkat secara sederhana.

Urusan jual beli flat di pasaran terbuka itu dirancakkan lagi dengan rancangan pemerintah hendak meningkatkan jumlah penduduk Singapura kepada enam juta.

Saya rasa kita masih lagi dapat melihat permintaan kukuh daripada pembeli-pembeli asing yang mahu membeli flat HDB di pasaran terbuka.

Begitu juga permintaan tinggi untuk flat sewa HDB di pasaran terbuka kerana tidak semua PR mampu membeli flat HDB.

HDB juga sedang melancarkan projek untuk membina flat-flat baru.

Bagaimanapun ini hanya akan menarik pembeli yang membeli buat pertama kali dan golongan yang tidak berbajet tinggi atau tidak mempunyai wang tunai untuk membayar COV (cash over valuation). Jadi ramai yang masih akan melihat ke pasaran terbuka.

Bagi pasaran hartanah privet pula, kesan krisis itu masih belum jelas.

Mungkin juga permintaan akan lebih baik kerana para pelabur akan berasa lebih yakin melabur di Asia berbanding dengan ekonomi Barat.

Ekonomi yang mantap dan pemerintah yang stabil dapat mendorong pelabur terus melabur di Singapura.

Memanglah jumlah pembelian hartanah privet tidak begitu rancak pada bulan lalu namun ia lebih disebabkan 'bulan hantu', bukan kerana krisis Amerika.

Saya yakin pelaburan dalam hartanah adalah lebih baik bagi para pelabur yang inginkan risiko yang lebih rendah dalam ekonomi sejagat yang tidak menentu.

fatz2

Sep 27, 2008
Priciest flats go on sale
Pinnacle@Duxton units are among 992 released for sale yesterday
By Fiona Chan, Property Reporter


The seven blocks of Pinnacle@Duxton dominates the Tanjong Pagar skylin. Forty-four units cost more than $600, 000. -- ST PHOTO: STEPHANIE YEOW

FOR sale: the most expensive flats ever released by the HDB.

They are the remaining 111 five-room units at the iconic 50-storey Pinnacle@Duxton in Tanjong Pagar, which is due to be completed this year.

Prices start at $545,000 and go up to an eye-popping $645,800 for a 49th storey unit, making them Singapore's costliest new flats by a long shot. Forty-four cost more than $600,000.

The current record for a new HDB flat is held by a five-room unit at Toa Payoh, which was released for sale in February at $531,500. This excludes the premium flats built by private developers under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS).

Pinnacle@Duxton also has 317 four-room units still unsold, which were made available at prices ranging from $457,000 to $555,000. These units are left over from when the development was launched in 2004. The flats were then priced between $289,200 and $439,400 and met with overwhelming response.

But not all the units were eventually sold, and some were returned to HDB after the buyers withdrew from their planned purchases.

The remaining flats were among 992 new flats released for sale yesterday under HDB's latest balloting exercise, which also included surplus units from the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) in Ang Mo Kio, Jurong West, Kallang/ Whampoa and Queenstown.

While the prices for the Pinnacle@Duxton flats seem steep, the HDB said they were still lower than the prices of resale flats in the area.

'Despite their pricing, units at the Pinnacle@Duxton are especially attractive as they are priced below the market prices of similar flats in the resale market,' a spokesman said.

'Their high prices are supported by recent open market resale prices of comparable flat types in the vicinity, for example at Cantonment Close, Tanjong Pagar and Jalan Membina. Overall resale prices in these areas have gone up in recent years.'

HDB provided figures showing that prices for five-room flats in Jalan Membina recently hit $670,000 for a unit above the 20th floor. The average price of a five-room flat sold in Jalan Membina and Cantonment Close over the last three months was $624,000.

Still, whether buyers will respond well to these prices remains to be seen.

Housewife Lily Lee, who is in her 30s, said the prices for the Pinnacle@Duxton units were 'very high'.

'I wouldn't pay $600,000 for a five-room flat, I don't think any HDB flat is worth that value,' she said.

But Mr Zhao Bing Yao, 29, thought the price seemed 'reasonable in this market'.

'My friend just spent about $400,000 for a four-room flat in Clementi that is 30 years old, so I think it's okay to pay up to $600,000 for a brand-new five-room flat near town,' said the director of an IT company.

Mr Mohamed Ismail, the chief executive of property agency PropNex, said that HDB 'has no alternative but to price at market norms'.

'If they price too low, it will have an impact on resale prices in the area,' he said, adding that private homes in Tanjong Pagar cost mostly above $1,000 psf.

Still, he noted that the target group of buyers for the Pinnacle@Duxton flats will be 'very small', given the $8,000 monthly household income ceiling. Buyers of the five-room flats would be paying almost $3,000 in monthly mortgage instalments, he said.

For 'young couples and those who are not ready to pay the higher prices for flats in Pinnacle@Duxton', HDB suggested applying for the other types of flats released in yesterday's balloting exercise.

These include 285 flats in Jurong West along Corporation Drive, with three- room flats starting at $142,000, four- room flats starting at $213,000, and five- room flats starting at $270,000.

There are also four- and five-room flats in the Kallang/Whampoa area next to Kallang MRT, and 128 studio apartments in Ang Mo Kio that elderly buyers can opt for.

As at 5pm yesterday, 1,271 applications had been received for the 992 flats.

[email protected]

fatzcomel

URA expects Q3 private home prices to fall 1.8%
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 02 October 2008 1401 hrs



SINGAPORE: Private home prices in Singapore fell by 1.8 per cent in the third quarter, according to flash estimates released on Thursday by the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

This is the first time the index of private residential properties has dipped in four years to 174.3 points in the third quarter, compared to second quarter's price index of 177.5 points, which was a 0.2 per cent increase over the previous quarter.

The cost of high-end properties in prime districts continues to taper, with prices falling by 2 per cent quarter-on-quarter, but those in the mass market segment grew marginally by 0.1 per cent.

Some industry watchers say the figure is better than expected, given deflated investor sentiments amid concerns of a brewing global economic storm.

They expect a gradual sell-down of properties if prices trend down further and the economy takes a turn for the worse.

Director of Savillis, Ku Swee Yong, said: "There has been an increased urgency to sell. The good thing that is preventing that from happening on a very widespread scale is interest rates are still pretty low. We are worried about the potential job losses, but that has yet to happen in a big way."

Analysts project prices of private residential properties will slide by 2 per cent over the next 6 months. But they add that this is unlikely to trigger substantial sales as buyers will bide their time until prices bottom out.

Director of Consultancy & Research at Knight Frank, Nicholas Mak, said: "Developers will try to resist cutting prices, they may give different sorts of soft discounts. For example, they may give furniture vouchers, they may give renovation vouchers or other methods in a way to try to encourage the growth."

With the financial crisis unfolding in the US, market players say some investors are considering parking their funds in the property market instead of investing in financial instruments.

One analyst said that the number of enquires on properties has gone up since the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers.

In contrast, prices of resale public housing flats rose 4.2 per cent in the third quarter.

This is slightly lower than the 4.5 per cent increase registered in the second quarter, but property watchers say demand in this segment will continue to be robust.

Real estate agency Propnex says the Resale Price Index (RPI) of 137.4 is now the highest mark reached by the RPI since the last quarter of 1996, which saw an RPI of 136.9.

Property agents believe demand for resale flats will continue to be robust despite the Housing and Development Board's plan to offer more new units in the coming months, and the overall price outlook for the year could see a growth of between 15 and 17 per cent.

- CNA/yt

fatzcomel

Oct 2, 2008
Home prices fall after 4yrs
HDB resale flat prices still rising but at a slower pace.
By Fiona Chan


For the first time since 2006, the URA did not highlight the number of upcoming homes in the flash estimates, after concerns that the large headline supply figures would further dampen already gloomy sentiment. -- ST PHOTO: STEVEN LIM

PRIVATE home prices in Singapore fell between July and September - the first time in over four years and after almost a year of deadlock between buyers and sellers in which home sales all but dried up.

Official estimates released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Thursday showed that overall prices of private residential properties slided 1.8 per cent in the third quarter, led by homes in the central region, which fell by about 2 per cent.

Suburban home prices, however, held steady with a marginal 0.1 per cent rise.

HDB resale flat prices are also still going strong, but at a slower pace. They rose 4.2 per cent in the third quarter, on top of a 4.5 per cent increase in the second quarter.

So far this year, private home prices have risen 2 per cent, while HDB resale prices have increased 13 per cent.

For the first time since 2006, the URA did not highlight the number of upcoming homes in the flash estimates, after concerns that the large headline supply figures would further dampen already gloomy sentiment.

Instead, the agency said housing supply statistics will be released along with the full set of third-quarter property data at the end of October.

The URA said early estimates showed the price index for private residential properties dropped to 174.3 points from 177.5 in the previous three-month period.

This is the first decline in the index since the first quarter of 2004, amid concerns over the global financial turmoil that has caused home sales to slump.

Private home sales in Singapore plummeted 81 per cent in August from a year ago, to the lowest level since March as a combination of global financial turmoil and the traditionally 'unlucky' Hungry Ghost month spooked buyers.

Poor demand and a looming housing glut are threatening to plunge the property market into a prolonged downturn, which could deal a blow to Singapore's top developers such as CapitaLand, CityDev and Keppel Land.

The advance estimates are compiled from transaction prices lodged during the first 10 weeks of the quarter as well as data from new apartments that have been booked.

The URA will release the official price index in four weeks

fatzcomel

Private home buyers cautiously optimistic about Singapore's property sector
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 04 October 2008 2015 hrs


The Peak@Balmeg

SINGAPORE: Early estimates show prices of private residential properties fell for the first time in four years in the third quarter. Concerns are that times ahead may be rough.

Still, about one-third of MCL Land's latest mid-range condominium project - The Peak@Balmeg - was snapped up over the last two days during its private launch.

Among the visitors at the launch were Panneer Selvi and her family, who have been shopping for their ideal home.

Over the last four months, they have visited 12 condominium projects, comparing prices, features and home loan packages.

Panneer Selvi said: "We have not made up our mind to buy one, we are checking with the bankers, at the same time looking around for a suitable unit."

Some visitors said they are not overly concerned with negative market sentiments. And with prices of private apartments expected to fall over the next six months, they hope to cash in on a good deal.

Michael Tan, a potential home buyer, said: "I am not plunging into it. Sometimes buying a home, if it's for a home, then there are other considerations other than just pricing alone."

Ronald Wee, a property investor, said: "I do not foresee a slump like in 2003 or 2004. It's just that if you have a good piece of property with a good location and nice view, I guess mid- to long-term is still very promising, especially the IR (integrated resort) is coming up next one to two years."

Wee Hian Woon, a potential home buyer, said: "The market condition is so bad, the financial market is in the news all the time, the general sentiments I think are quite weak, so the feeling is that prices are likely to drop, then go up."

MCL Land said it has yet to decide whether the project will be launched for public sales. The 180-unit project, going for S$1,000 per-square-foot, will be completed in 2011.

Overall, many home hunters are still confident that Singapore will be able to weather the financial crisis and economic slowdown in the US because the country has strong fundamentals in place.

- CNA/ir

fatzcomel

Demand for HDB flats high
By Elizabeth Wilmot

DEMAND has been red-hot for two recent launches from the Housing and Development Board (HDB), with more than 10 times as many applicants than flats available.

An offering of 150 smaller flats - studios to three-roomers - was swamped with 2,426 applications in the space of just a week.

And, last Friday, the half-yearly sale of three-room premium, four-room and bigger flats achieved an extraordinary response: 7,036 applications have been submitted for 683 units, yet the offer still runs until Thursday.

The launch of the smaller units featured three-roomers, two-roomers and studios in estates across the island, including Bukit Merah, Geylang, Jurong East, Sengkang, Ang Mo Kio and Marine Parade.

There were 582 applications for studios and 1,844 for two- and three-roomers combined in the offer from Oct 2-8.

Studio prices range from $62,900 to $116,400. The two-roomers go for $74,000 to $106,300, while a three-room flat will set you back $134,500 to $275,200.

PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail was not surprised at the robust demand: 'HDB prices, although subsidised, have gone up. Lower-income households are left with not much choice but to turn to three-room flats as a starting platform.'

fatzcomel

Singapura : 17 Oktober 2008         
         
CAKAP PASAL HARTANAH

POTENSI RAIH UNTUNG DARIPADA SEWA FLAT

Oleh
Sazali Sarwan

KRISIS kewangan di Amerika Syarikat telah mendapat perhatian ramai.

Kesan pada krisis ini dapat dirasakan pada banyak sektor dan sekali gus memberikan gambaran ekonomi yang tidak menentu.

Ramai sekarang yang bersikap berhati-hati sebelum melakukan pelaburan termasuk dalam hartanah.

Namun, yang jelas, walapun kenaikan harga perumahan privet akan lebih perlahan, kenaikan harga perumahan awam kelihatan masih kukuh.

Perangkaan awal Lembaga Perumahan dan Pembangunan (HDB) menunjukkan indeks flat jualan semula naik 4.2 peratus - lebih tinggi berbanding 1996 yang dianggap tahun yang baik bagi pemilik flat.

Terdapat dua sebab utama:

# Permintaan kukuh daripada pemilik flat yang inginkan flat lebih besar.

# Permintaan daripada penduduk tetap (PR) yang mendapat kelayakan untuk membeli flat HDB di pasaran terbuka.

Trend ini diramalkan akan berterusan pada akhir tahun ini.

Satu aspek yang menarik adalah harga flat sewa di pasaran terbuka yang juga diramalkan naik.

Jumlah flat sewa yang diluluskan oleh HDB naik kepada 7,700 flat pada suku tahun kedua.

Ini menunjukkan permintaan flat sewa masih lagi kuat dan kelihatan positif.

Permintaan kuat ini mendorong harga flat sewa bagi semua jenis flat naik.

Kenaikan harga sewa flat HDB dapat lihat terutama pada flat tiga bilik dan empat bilik.

Kenaikan permintaan flat sewa bukan saja daripada penduduk asing malah daripada warga Singapura yang tidak mempunyai rumah.

Berdasarkan fakta, terdapat beberapa perkara yang menyebabkan kenaikan ini.

Permintaan flat sewa masih lagi tinggi disebabkan oleh:

# Kekurangan flat sewa dari HDB.

# Permintaan flat sewa HDB daripada warga Singapura masih tinggi kerana HDB mengenakan syarat ketat bagi pemohon yang baru menjual rumah flat mereka.

# Pemerintah ingin mencapai enam juta penduduk menjelang 2010.

Lantaran itu, bagi pemilik-pemilik flat yang mampu menyewakan flat mereka, inilah waktu yang sesuai untuk mereka meraih keuntungan yang lumayan.

Mengambil contoh flat empat bilik yang disewakan pada kadar $1,700 sebulan, ini bermakna pendapatan setahun daripada sewa boleh mencapai $20,400.

Pendapatan tambahan ini dapat membantu mereka yang kehilangan pekerjaan atau tersepit oleh kedudukan ekonomi yang meruncing.

Permintaan yang kuat bagi flat sewa di pasaran terbuka ini dijangka berterusan pada baki tahun ini dan tahun depan.

Harga sewa flat diramal akan mula jatuh hanya apabila pemilik projek-projek kondominium yang baru selesai ingin mendapatkan penyewa.

Ini kerana pemilik memerlukan duit sewa itu untuk membiayai bayaran ansuran bank mereka.

Bagaimanapun ramai berpendapat krisis kewangan yang berlaku sekarang menunjukkan pasaran hartanah di Singapura masih lagi mantap dan secara keseluruhan harga pasaran perumahan privet dan HDB tidak begitu terjejas. Ini adalah berita baik untuk kita.

fatzcomel

Sembawang Town Council to make all lifts in the town CCTV-ready
Posted: 19 October 2008 1853 hrs

SINGAPORE: The Sembawang Town Council has taken steps to make all lifts in the town CCTV-ready.

By March next year, 75 per cent of the total number of lifts will have cameras installed to monitor anti-social behaviour such as urinating and vandalism.

The Sembawang Town Council is also cutting down on energy consumption.

Law Minister K Shanmugam, who is also an MP for Sembawang GRC, said the Town Council's use of technology has led to cost savings in energy consumption of about S$1.9 million.

He added that by just replacing common area lighting at residential blocks with more energy-efficient lighting would result in an estimated savings of about S$1.8 million per year.

He was speaking at the launch of Sembawang Town Council's Green Plan on Sunday morning.

- CNA/ir

virgomal

EJEN LESAP SEBELUM JUAL BELI FLAT SELESAI

Pembeli dan penjual urus sendiri transaksi

Oleh

Saini Salleh

LEBIH enam bulan baru urus niaga flat yang dibeli di Tampines Street 71 selesai - suatu tempoh yang agak lama dan tidak munasabah.

Bukan kerana urus niaga flatnya itu menghadapi masalah atau pihak penjual 'main tarik tali', tetapi disebabkan ejen rumah lesap separuh jalan.

Akibatnya, Cik Yanti, 30-an tahun, dan suaminya, seorang teknisyen, yang membeli flat empat bilik itu terpaksa menguruskan sendiri transaksi flat tersebut bersama pihak penjual hingga selesai.

Beliau mendapatkan khidmat seorang ejen rumah yang terkenal daripada syarikat PropNex pada Oktober tahun lalu bagi menjual flat empat biliknya di Teban Gardens.

Ejen itu pula menyerahkan kepada anak buahnya yang bernama Ding untuk menguruskan flat yang ingin dibeli Cik Yanti di Tampines.

Janji temu pertama dengan pihak Lembaga Perumahan dan Pembangunan (HDB) bagi flat di Tampines itu adalah pada April lalu.

Harga yang dipersetujui ialah $280,000.

'Biasanya tiga bulan dah selesai tetapi dalam kes saya ini, kami terpaksa menunggu hingga lebih enam bulan.

'Saya tak tahu sebab ejen berkenaan menghilangkan diri dan sukar dihubungi.

'Akibat terlalu lama, kami periksa dengan pihak HDB mengapa tiada susulan urus niaga flat yang saya hendak beli itu, tetapi diberitahu ejen rumah kami tak dapat dihubungi.

'Kami buat keputusan menguruskannya sendiri hinggalah ke peringkat serah kunci,' kata Cik Yanti dengan rasa hampa.

Ibu dua anak yang juga suri rumah itu sedar kelewatan tersebut disebabkan perbezaan harga taksiran asal sebanyak $288,000 dengan harga taksiran baru $318,000 apabila transaksi itu didaftarkan.

Beliau terpaksa membuat rayuan agar dikecualikan daripada menokok perbezaan harga taksiran itu dengan wang tunai.

Kelewatan itu juga disebabkan Cik Yanti terpaksa menjual dulu flatnya di Teban Gardens kerana kekurangan wang Tabung Simpanan Pekerja (CPF) untuk membeli flat di Tampines.

'Ding sepatutnya membantu kami hingga selesai, tetapi dia lesap sehingga membuat kami terkapai-kapai. Saya tak akan beri dia komisen bagi flat Tampines atas kerumitan yang kami hadapi,' tambah Cik Yanti.

Rayuan beliau akhirnya diterima - berdasarkan harga taksiran asal.

Beliau, yang akhirnya mendapat kunci flatnya sehari sebelum Aidilfitri, tetap bersyukur kerana harga flat tersebut lebih rendah daripada harga pasaran.

virgomal

PROPNEX BERI SURAT AMARAN KEPADA EJEN TERLIBAT

SYARIKAT ejen hartanah PropNex telah memberi surat amaran kepada seorang ejen rumahnya kerana lepas tangan sehingga pihak penjual dan pembeli terkapai-kapai dalam transaksi sebuah flat empat bilik di Tampines.

Seorang jurucakap PropNex berkata pihaknya juga akan menjalankan siasatan ekoran aduan pihak pembeli pada Ogos lalu itu.

Menurut beliau, siasatan yang dijalankan selepas menerima aduan itu menunjukkan bahawa pembeli flat di Tampines Street 71 itu menghubungi seorang ejen syarikatnya untuk mendapatkan khidmatnya menjualkan flat empat biliknya di Teban Gardens.

Bagaimanapun, urusan membeli flat di Tampines itu diserahkan kepada salah seorang ejen pasukannya yang dikenali sebagai Ding.

'Pembeli flat di Tampines itu mendapat harga yang baik sekitar $280,000. Memandangkan pihak pembeli tidak mempunyai cukup wang dalam akaun biasa CPF-nya, beliau terpaksa menjual flatnya dulu di Teban Gardens.

'Pihak penjual pula sedia menunggu sehingga urusan flat di Teban Gardens itu selesai.

'Malangnya, proses penjualan flat itu memakan masa dan menyebabkan kelewatan pendaftaran flat di Tampines,' kata jurucakap PropNex.

Kelewatan itu menyebabkan harga taksiran flat di Tampines itu meningkat kepada $318,000 - $30,000 lebih tinggi daripada harga taksiran asal.

Disebabkan harga jualan $280,000 yang dipersetujui adalah $38,000 lebih rendah daripada harga taksiran, pihak penjual perlu menokok kekurangan itu dalam bentuk tunai.

Jurucakap PropNex menarik perhatian bahawa di sebalik kelewatan itu, termasuk proses membuat rayuan, pihak penjual membenarkan pembeli menjalankan kerja-kerja ubah elok dan berpindah lebih awal ke flat di Tampines itu.

Harga yang dibelinya tetap $280,000.

'Pembeli tidak mengalami sebarang kerugian kerana harganya begitu baik dan mereka juga dapat berpindah awal,' tegas jurucakap itu lagi.

Menurut beliau, ejen syarikatnya telah membayar duit sewa flat di Tampines kepada penjual atas dasar muhibah.

'Kenaikan harga taksiran adalah di luar kawalan sesiapa dan tiada pihak yang harus dipersalahkan,' tambahnya.

'Kami difahamkan ejen kami itu (Ding) tidak dapat dihubungi dalam tempoh genting itu. Kami amat menitikberatkan soal profesionalisme dan kerana itu PropNex telah memberi surat amaran kepada ejen berkenaan dan kami akan menjalankan siasatan lanjut.'

fatzcomel

Singapura : 2 Disember 2008         
  
HARGA FLAT JUALAN SEMULA JENIS BESAR DIJANGKA TURUN

Oleh
Linilidia Hamid

HARGA flat jualan semula lima bilik dan ke atas dijangka turun pada paras atau bawah harga taksiran dek kegawatan ekonomi yang belum nampak tanda-tanda pemulihan dalam masa terdekat ini.

Namun, pemilik flat-flat tiga dan empat bilik masih boleh tersenyum kerana mereka tetap boleh meraih komponen wang tunai atas harga taksiran (COV) tetapi tidak setinggi beberapa bulan lalu.

Ini berdasarkan temu bual Berita Harian dengan beberapa ejen rumah ketika ditanya trend harga pasaran flat jualan semula di tengah-tengah kemelesetan ekonomi sekarang ini.

Pengarah Pasukan Kanan, ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd, Encik Noor Haidi A. Malek, menjangkakan COV bagi flat empat bilik akan turun antara $5,000 dengan $15,000.

Pemilik flat tiga bilik pula boleh menjangkakan COV antara $10,000 dengan $20,000.

'COV masih tinggi bagi flat tiga bilik kerana permintaan tinggi bagi flat jenis itu di pasaran terbuka,' tambahnya.

Mengenai sentimen pasaran bagi flat jenis besar, Pengarah Eksekutif, Operasi dan Sumber Manusia City Homes, Encik Ghazali Safrain, berkata: 'Ramai pembeli tak bersedia mengeluarkan wang tunai kerana mereka lebih berhemat dalam keadaan ekonomi yang meleset sekarang.'

Pengarah Pasukan Kanan, HSR, Encik Harizan Salleh, pula mengatakan ketidaktentuan ekonomi menyebabkan penjual mula rasa panik dan ingin segera menjual flat mereka sebelum harga jatuh. Ini menambahkan bilangan flat jualan semula di pasaran.

Penolong Pengarah Bersekutu, OrangeTree.com, Cik Susan Mariam, berkata: 'Kesan daripada keadaan ekonomi yang kurang baik, ramai yang ingin tinggal di flat yang lebih kecil, sementara mereka yang tinggal di flat kecil takut untuk beli flat yang lebih besar kerana khuatir tidak mendapat pinjaman bank atau daripada HDB.'

Menurut beliau lagi, pihak bank dan HDB kini mengenakan syarat yang lebih ketat sebelum memberikan pinjaman.

Pengarah Urusan Mitra Pte Ltd, Cik Junaidah Tarjo, akur kebimbangan tentang bilakah keadaan ekonomi akan pulih bakal menjejas harga flat dalam masa enam bulan akan datang.

'Ada golongan pembeli yang masih sanggup mengeluarkan COV yang tinggi jika flat yang diidamkan berada di lokasi bernilai tinggi, sudah diubah elok dengan baik dan dekat dengan pelbagai kemudahan.'

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO), PropNex Realty, Encik Ismail Gafoor, menjangkakan permintaan bagi flat-flat jualan semula HDB akan terus ada kerana ia merupakan satu keperluan dan bukan pelaburan.

'Jika permintaan merosot ia mungkin hanya sebanyak 3 peratus,' ujarnya.

Beliau ingin memberikan nasihat kepada para pembeli flat supaya membeli mengikut kemampuan, jangan tergesa-gesa, fikir masak-masak dan dapatkan ejen bertauliah membantu mereka.

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Ministry reviewing adequacy of town councils' sinking funds
By Dominique Loh, CNA 06 Dec, 2008, posted on 2221hrs


HDB flats
SINGAPORE: The National Development Ministry is reviewing the adequacy of sinking funds in all town councils.

Senior Minister of State Grace Fu said there is a misconception among some Singaporeans that these are excess funds and therefore such money should be returned to them.

But a preliminary ministry study shows the sinking funds are not excessive and town councils need them.

Her ministry is also trying to further understand the plans of town councils so as to ascertain the adequacy of such funds.

Ms Fu was speaking during a visit to the Serangoon North neighbourhood to spread the energy saving message to residents on Saturday.

She told residents her ministry is keeping a close eye on the financial operations of all town councils.

Debate over how a town council handles its sinking funds started after it was revealed in Parliament recently that funds from eight PAP town councils were exposed to financial products of failed Lehman Brothers. These invested funds totalled some S$16 million.

But Ms Fu stressed the need for such funds to keep daily maintenance works in housing estates going as well as for long-term projects.

She said town councils need to have a sound and competent financial system, which includes proper procedures and policies, just like a big commercial company, taking into consideration a town council's scale of operations and the impact of the decisions they make.

Right now, the National Development Ministry will study how to implement a performance management system.

It will help to benchmark town councils, to include indicators such as cleanliness and making sure lifts run smoothly.

And this review includes assessing the adequacy of sinking funds in a town council.

Ms Fu said: "It is not quite easy for residents to pick up a financial report and decide whether it's adequate. The number of units are different, the lifespan, the age, the configuration of the flats are different. So we are looking at ways...perhaps (to) grade the adequacy of sinking fund, and if we can make that transparent, it will help residents decide for themselves."

This process will involve consultations with town councils and is expected to be finished in 12 months.

- CNA/ir

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HDB to offer 4,000 smaller flats over the next two years
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 December 2008 2246 hrs


Home buyers view a HDB showflat

Scale model of HDB flats

SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has launched a new Build-To-Order (BTO) project at Yishun. It has the highest proportion of smaller flat types among BTO projects.

This is in line with HDB's plan to supply more smaller flats.

The latest Build-To-Order project is Dew Spring@Yishun. 43 per cent of its 864 units are 2- and 3-room flats, the largest proportion in a BTO project so far.

Tan Poh Hong, deputy CEO, Estates & Corporate, HDB, said: "We are looking into building smaller flats because we think there will be people who need to downgrade to smaller flats as well as first-timer families who also would like to start with a smaller flat in order to be financially prudent."

2-room flats at Dew Spring will cost S$76,000 to S$90,000. 3-room flats will cost S$120,000 to S$146,000 and 4-room flats will cost S$197,000 to S$238,000.

For the first time, HDB also provided prices of nearby resale flats to highlight the subsidy HDB buyers enjoy.

There are no 2-room flats nearby for comparison. HDB said it uses a market-based approach in pricing the flats.

First, professional valuers work out an equivalent market price. Then HDB makes adjustments to reflect individual attributes such as design and location before a subsidy is determined.

If market prices fall in the months ahead, then HDB flats will become cheaper, just as the converse is true.

HDB said it expects demand for Dew Spring@Yishun to be good despite the current economic downturn.

A Build-To-Order project in Punggol launched last month was 3.2 times oversubscribed, demonstrating that demand for public housing continues to remain strong unlike that for private developments.

There are plans for another 1,180 units to be launched by year's end, including 280 units of smaller flats.

In the next two years, HDB will offer 4,000 smaller flats, which is welcome news for those hit by the financial crisis and want to downgrade. - CNA/vm

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HDB launches 2 new BTO projects in Choa Chu Kang, Punggol
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 30 December 2008 1626 hrs


Sunshine Court

Punggol Regalia

SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) launched two new housing projects in Choa Chu Kang and Punggol on Tuesday in its last sales exercise of the year.

It will offer a total of 1,181 flats, from studio apartments to 5-room units, under the Build-To-Order (BTO) system - where flats will be built only after most of the units in a specific site have been booked. This brings the total number of flats launched for 2008 to 7,793.

The first project is called Sunshine Court, where 164 studio apartments, 117 3-room flats and 171 4-room flats will be built and sold at between S$58,000 and S$236,000.

Located along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3, the estate will be situated opposite a neighbourhood centre, which has amenities such as a supermarket and food court.

This is the first time that studio apartments are being offered in Choa Chu Kang and they will be fitted with elderly friendly features like grab bars and non-slip flooring.

The second project, Punggol Regalia, which will be located near the future Punggol Town Centre, offers premium flats with better finishes. There will be 546 4-room and 183 5-room flats, costing between S$252,000 and S$428,000.

In light of the recent debate on new HDB flat prices, the Board said the units are priced affordably, with average households forking out about 20 per cent of their monthly income to service their mortgage, which can be fully paid using CPF funds.

For example, a family with a household income of S$2,200 will end up paying a monthly mortgage of about S$460, after factoring in the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) of S$20,000, for a typical 3-room unit at Sunshine Court that is priced at S$135,000.

Applications for the new flats can be submitted online from December 30 to January 12 at www.hdb.gov.sg.


- CNA/so

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Private home prices down 5.7% in Q4, HDB resale flat prices still up
By Desmond Wong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 02 January 2009 1436 hrs



SINGAPORE: Prices of private, non-landed residential properties in Singapore fell 5.7 per cent in the last quarter of 2008.

The quarter-on-quarter drop in private home prices is more than double the 2.4 per cent decrease in the July-September quarter.

Experts said the steep fall is fuelled by deteriorating sentiment. Market players are also matching prices to falling valuations.

Nicholas Mak, consultancy and research, Knight Frank, said: "The individual sellers are being more realistic in their offer price, though there are some segments of sellers who are still resisting, or still hoping to sell at break-even (prices) or at a profit."

In contrast to the decline in private home prices, new HDB data on Friday showed HDB resale flats continued to buck the trend, climbing 1.5 per cent in the fourth quarter - following a 4.2 per cent increase in the third quarter.

Experts said this resistance to downward pressure in the HDB resale market is expected to continue despite the economic downturn.

Eugene Lim, associate director, ERA Asia Pacific, said: "Buyers are coming from people who are upgrading (and) people who are downgrading... also, from the increase in the population of PRs (permanent residents). So the (demand for) HDB resale flats is very strong."

Observers said they expect flat or slow declines for public housing prices compared to steeper devaluations in the private home sector. They added this is the trend during times of uncertainty when home buyers opt for the safer option of HDB flats.

Knight Frank estimated that by the end of 2009, private home prices could come down as much as 20 per cent, while HDB flat prices could decline by 5 to 10 per cent.

In a statement released on Friday, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) also reported price changes in three geographical regions for the fourth quarter.

Non-landed private residential property came down by 6.3 per cent in the Core Central Region, while it dipped 5.5 per cent in the rest of the Central area. In areas outside the Central Region, prices slid by about 4.7 per cent.

- CNA/yb/ir

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Jan 8, 2009
Unsold: 1,200 lux flats
CBRE says growing supply overhang may see prices drop by up to 15%
By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent



A STOCKPILE of up to 1,200 luxury homes in prime districts remains unsold, adding to a growing supply overhang that is likely to drag prices lower this year.

That grim assessment of the very top end of Singapore's property market has been made by leading property consultancy CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).

However, it has also concluded that despite the challenging market conditions, some developers may be able to hold on to projects until the market recovers.

'Developers who are laden with unsold units in projects that were already launched would prefer to focus on clearing them rather than launch new projects,' it said.

'This would inevitably lead to price cuts,' the consultancy added.

CBRE is projecting a decline this year of about 10per cent in the prices of good-class bungalows (GCBs) - the most prestigious bungalow type here - and 10 to 15per cent price falls for luxury apartments.

Last year, 49 GCBs worth about $785million were sold, down from 87 GCBs worth $1.15billion in 2007 and 119 GCBs worth $1.23billion in 2006.

Average prices of GCBs hit $822 per sqft (psf) last year, up from $681 psf in 2007 and $501 psf in 2006.

The top-priced GCB deal last year was a 52,528 sqft Leedon Park property sold for $43.2million in May. On a psf basis, the most expensive deal was at $1,303 psf for a Leedon Road property, also in May.

CBRE said GCB prices hinge on the location and land characteristics.

Given the current downturn, buyers will be looking to pay competitive prices for GCBs, but fire sales will be hard to come by as most GCB owners have the capacity to hold, said director of luxury homes Douglas Wong.

The luxury apartment market also saw a drastic fall in sales last year, with just 1,096 caveats lodged. Government data showed this worked out to just 19per cent and 32per cent of sales in 2007 and 2006 respectively, said CBRE.

Caveats lodged for high-end apartments worth $1million to $3million stood at 777, which is about 22per cent of the 3,566 caveats lodged in 2007 and 29per cent of caveats lodged in 2006.

But a considerable number of more expensive homes were sold last year, with 82 caveats lodged for apartments worth $10million and above, though 63 were units in Nassim Park Residences. This compares with 143 in 2007, 22 in 2006 and none in 2004-2005.

Price-wise, new luxury projects saw average launch prices drop to $2,000 psf to $2,600 psf by the end of last year, from $2,000 psf to $4,000 psf in 2007.

Prices of existing luxury developments, such as Ardmore Park and Grange Residences, hit $2,000 psf to $2,400 psf, from $2,000 psf to $3,300 psf in 2007 and $1,600 psf to $2,000 psf in 2006.

Most of the luxury projects launched in early 2007 have been fully sold. But several projects remain on the market, especially those launched in the second half of last year when the sub-prime crisis hit.

As of last November, only 41per cent of units offered at these launches had been sold.

This year, luxury sales activity is expected to be lukewarm, similar to the second half of last year, said CBRE.

[email protected]

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Electrical fire in generator room leads to 2-hr blackout in Jurong West
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 10 January 2009 0103 hrs

    

SINGAPORE : Some residents of Jurong West were left in the dark - literally - when a small electrical fire led to a blackout across several housing blocks on Friday.

The Civil Defence Force said the fire occurred shortly after 7pm at the generator room of Block 442, Jurong West Avenue 1. It was put out within minutes.

But for residents, the inconvenience of the sudden blackout - including lift shutdowns - lasted for at least two hours.

By about 10pm, electricity had been restored in most blocks. - CNA /ls

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More flats for the elderly
HDB cites good demand for smaller, affordable units as S'poreans age
By Theresa Tan


Most of the 2,400 studios built, or being built, by the HDB since their launch in 1998 have been snapped up. -- ST FILE PHOTO

THE Housing Board will continue building 30-year lease studio apartments reserved for seniors, as such compact and affordable units have proved popular with older Singaporeans.

The HDB will launch 'a few hundred' studio apartments each year in different estates, and not just in mature ones, said Mr Yap Chin Beng, HDB's director of estate administration and property department, at a forum on ageing yesterday.

The forum, organised by the Tsao Foundation, looked at the challenges and possible solutions in housing and other issues facing Asia's ageing population.

With about one in five flats owned by people aged 55 and older, and given Singapore's rapidly ageing population, the HDB has introduced various flat types targeted at seniors before.

But response to these flats, such as multi-generation units, which are four- and five-room units with self-contained annexes for the old folk in the family, was poor, Mr Yap said.

He added: 'We found that many buyers did not want to house their parents. They just wanted a bigger flat.'

He said the HDB built about 400 such units before pulling the plug on them. In contrast, most of the 2,400 or so studios built, or being built, since their launch in 1998, have been snapped up.

Such units can be bought only by Singaporeans aged 55 or older and applicants' household income must not exceed $8,000 a month. Singles, too, can apply.

Prices of studio apartments launched in Choa Chu Kang last December range from between $58,000 and $66,000 for a 35-sq m unit to $72,000 and $80,000 for a 45-sq m flat.

A larger studio is the size of a two-room flat, said Mr Yap.

These flats come with elderly friendly features such as non-slip flooring and grab bars.

The executive director of HSR property group said studio apartments are popular because of their elderly friendly facilities and their low prices.

Mr Eric Cheng said: 'Most people we spoke to can afford to buy a $60,000 or $70,000 flat just by using their CPF savings. They don't have to fork out any cash from their pockets.'

A Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports survey of 44- to 61-years-olds released last Friday shows that housing preferences among older Singaporeans have evolved, with three-quarters of some 3,000 baby-boomers wanting to live on their own in their old age.

The study's authors, Associate Professor Angelique Chan and Dr Yap Mui Teng, said this suggested that today's baby-boomers value their independence and privacy. They could also be more wary of the likely tensions of living with their children's families.

Another key issue among seniors is how much income they have to live on after retirement or in their old age.

To address these concerns, the HDB has also introduced policies to enable the elderly to 'unlock' the value of their flats.

For example, in its lease buyback scheme, the HDB will buy back two- or three-room flats from owners who are aged 62 and older, and allow them to live in their flats for 30 more years.

The scheme, which starts this year, involves shortening the flat's lease to 30 years, with the HDB paying the owners the value of the foregone lease.

[email protected]

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Raking in rent - minus the rant

By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent

The private homes leasing market is softening as the financial turmoil continues to wreak havoc.

Residential rents are falling and there has been a noticeable rise in the number of tenants cutting short their leases and leaving behind debts.

And with new developments still being completed, tenants now have more choice than ever before.

Indeed, it is now a tenants' market, so landlords need to have realistic rent expectations, be more flexible and do more in order to secure a good tenant, those in the property business say.

Condominiums that were recently completed or are being completed may have a few hundred units for rent, so landlords have to be willing to lower their asking rents, said Savills associate director Patrick Lai.

For instance, the 1,111-unit The Sail@Marina Bay still has many units available for rent and owners there have generally lowered their expectations.

In a hot market, landlords can easily rent out their properties, even if they are run-down or have only old appliances. Things have since changed. Tenants can now take their time to choose, property specialists said.

'Now you need to invest first in your property if you want to attract a good tenant,' said Ms Jacqueline Wong, Jones Lang LaSalle's residential head.

Spruce up or lose out

Landlords have to make sure their property is in a 'reasonable tenant- able position', she said.

This is something some landlords do regardless of market cycles, but it becomes more of a necessity in a down cycle.

'You need to do the basics, such as putting on a fresh coat of paint, proper lighting and reasonable appliances,' said Ms Wong.

Be creative

There are different ways of making a property attractive to tenants as long as landlords are flexible and creative.

One way, said Ms Wong, is to leave the property vacant or partially furnished and give the tenant a budget to buy whatever he likes, such as a sofa set.

For a two-year lease, the budget can be anywhere between 1.5months' and two months' rent.

Be flexible

A standard lease is for two years, but one-year leases become more common in bad times when rents are falling.

While it may be better to lock in rents for a longer period, landlords may have to agree to one-year leases if their tenants insist on them.

What landlords can do then is to negotiate a slightly higher rent for a shorter lease, said ERA Asia-Pacific associate director Eugene Lim.

Go for corporate leases

For personal leases, once a tenant leaves the country, there is little the landlord can do to get back any rent owing. It would be too costly to track the tenant down.

The ones who run away are usually low-level executives tied to low-budget rental deals, property agents say.

If possible, go for corporate leases. With such leases, the company is the tenant and even if the occupier gets sent home, the company will still have to pay the rent.

Get an experienced agent

To mitigate risks such as tenants defaulting, landlords should appoint an experienced agent who can carry out due diligence for them.

'We do a lot of tenant profiling, so the likelihood of the tenant defaulting is low,' said Ms Wong.

A high-risk tenant may be someone who is very young and who is new to the job and the country.

Do your own homework

Said Mr Lim: 'Find out more about what your tenant does before committing to a deal. For example, if he is here to develop a new business at present, he could prove to be a high-risk tenant.'

Have a diplomatic clause

Landlords should insist on collecting a two-month deposit for a standard two-year lease.

Furthermore, they should make sure their tenancy agreements have a diplomatic clause. This allows tenants to break a lease legally after a year by giving two months' notice if they lose their job or have to leave Singapore for good.

It is to protect tenants but in bad times, it may also protect landlords as the tenant will have to pay for a minimum of 14 months before breaking the lease, said Mr Lim.

There tend to be more pre-terminations in a downturn.

Don't forget the minor repair clause

Disputes in tenancy agreements usually centre on general repair works and replacement.

To avoid disputes over minor items, landlords should put in a minor repair clause in tenancy agreements.

It means that tenants are responsible for minor repairs. The amount can range from $150 to $250 for condominiums, said Ms Wong.

The amount for landed properties varies greatly, depending on the state of the property and the standard of furnishings, she said.

When major disputes happen...

In cases of disputes over larger repair items, landlords and tenants can turn to mediation to solve their problems.

Property agents usually become mediators when disputes arise. Some landlords and tenants also turn to the Small Claims Tribunal, which extended its jurisdiction in early 2006 to include tenancy disputes arising from a residential lease of two years or less.

The number of claims filed rose to 1,137 last year, from 665 in 2007 and 401 in 2006, according to data from the Subordinate Courts. Most of them were filed by tenants.

However, about 90 per cent of the claims were resolved at the consultation stage without the need to proceed to a hearing, it said.

The maximum one can claim is $10,000, but it will raise that to a maximum of $20,000 if the parties involved agree.

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Singapura : 16 Januari 2009        
  
JUALAN RUMAH PRIVET MEROSOT KE PARAS TERENDAH

URA: Hanya 132 unit dijual bulan lalu

Oleh
Norhaiza Hashim

JUMLAH unit rumah privet yang dijual di Singapura merosot sebanyak 32 peratus bulan lalu daripada November tahun lalu.

Perangkaan terbaru Penguasa Pembangunan Semula Bandar (URA) menunjukkan sebanyak 132 unit rumah privet dijual bulan lalu daripada 193 pada November - yang merupakan antara paras terendah dalam sejarah.

Ia menunjukkan pasaran hartanah di Singapura bertukar menjadi lebih buruk, menjadikan 2008 sebagai tahun terburuk dalam sektor hartanah sejak 1990.

Jumlah unit rumah privet yang dilancarkan oleh syarikat-syarikat pemaju hartanah juga merosot kepada 157 unit bulan lalu, daripada 382 pada November lalu - satu kemerosotan sebanyak 59 peratus. Ia merupakan paras terendah sejak statistik URA itu disediakan pada pertengahan 2007.

'Para pemaju hartanah mengambil petanda daripada sekitaran pelaburan yang lemah dan mengelakkan diri daripada melancarkan projek-projek mereka pada bulan lalu,' menurut Pengarah Kajian firma rundingcara hartanah Knight Frank, Encik Nicholas Mak.

Sebanyak 436 unit rumah privet dijual pada suku keempat tahun lalu, sedikit lebih tinggi daripada 427 unit yang dijual pada suku pertama 2003 apabila wabak Sars menular dan menjejas kegiatan ekonomi.

Bulan lalu, projek yang paling laris dijual ialah kondominium Newton Edge yang mempunyai 104 unit di Makeway Avenue. Syarikat pemaju hartanah, Macly Capital, menjual 43 unit bulan lalu pada harga median sebanyak $1,200 bagi setiap kaki persegi (psf).

Projek Nova 88 yang mempunyai 88 unit di Balestier juga mencatatkan prestasi memuaskan, dengan 10 unit rumah privet dijual pada harga median $988 psf.

Kebanyakan projek perumahan lain hanya dapat menjual kurang daripada tiga unit bagi setiap projek.

Hanya lapan unit rumah privet dijual pada harga melebihi $3,000 psf bulan lalu, dengan harga rumah privet termahal dijual pada harga $3,709 psf. Kesemua lapan unit itu dijual di The Ritz Carlton Residences, dengan harga jualan median sebanyak $3,086 psf.

Unit rumah privet yang dijual pemaju hartanah bulan lalu pada harga yang terendah ialah di Rosewood Suites yang dijual pada harga $524 psf.

Secara keseluruhan, sekitar 6,212 unit rumah privet dilancarkan tahun lalu, kurang daripada separuh yang dilancarkan pada 2007.

Ia juga lebih rendah daripada perangkaan 2005 dan 2006 di mana sekurang-kurangnya 8,000 unit dilancarkan bagi setiap tahun itu.

'2008 merupakan tahun di mana sentimen pasaran hartanah merosot dengan drastik dan minat membeli rumah terjejas. Pembeli lebih berhati-hati dan lebih realistik dalam kriteria pembelian mereka sedang keadaan ekonomi dan peluang pekerjaan lemah,' jelas Encik Mak, yang meramalkan kegiatan penjualan rumah privet pada separuh bulan pertama tahun ini dijangka terus lemah.