The Rochester averages $1,300 psf

The Rochester averages $1,300 psf
All 366 units sold at $900 to $1,600 psf in benchmark price for District 5
By KALPANA RASHIWALA
UNITED Engineers has achieved an average price of $1,300 per square foot (psf) after discounts for The Rochester, a 99-year leasehold condo in the one-north precinct.
Designer home: The Rochester is designed by Paul Noritaka Tange of Tange Associates and developed by a wholly owned subsidiary of UE
The price - a new benchmark for District 5 - easily exceeds the $900 psf average achieved earlier this year for One North Residences just a stone’s throw away.

Sales of The Rochester began on July 16 and all 366 units have been snapped up at prices ranging from $900 to $1,600 psf.

UE staff bought about 13 per cent of the units and foreigners, excluding permanent residents, about 10 per cent.

Foreigners - including Koreans, Japanese and Britons - bought seven of the nine penthouses. The average price per penthouse was about $6 million.

The units were sold through an expression-of-interest exercise.

‘We are extremely pleased to have set a new benchmark of $1,300 psf in average price for private property in District 5,’ said UE Group’s managing director and chief executive, Jackson Yap.

The Rochester, designed by Paul Noritaka Tange of Tange Associates, is being developed by a wholly owned subsidiary of UE.

The last time the group sold a private residential development in Singapore was more than a decade ago - UE Square at River Valley Road.

In two or three months, UE hopes to launch a boutique condo at Balmoral Crescent, in a joint venture with Kajima Overseas Asia.

This freehold development, designed by award-winning SCDA Architects, will comprise about 40 large apartments.

The current target price is $2,500 psf on average but this will be finalised closer to the launch, a UE spokesman said.

The condo will be developed on the former Balmoral View site that Kajima and UE bought in August last year for $52 million or $733 psf of potential gross floor area including an estimated $7.9 million development charge.

The 51,080 sq ft freehold site is zoned for residential use with a 1.6 plot ratio and a 12-storey height limit.

Source :  Business Times - 07 Aug 2007

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985
mindy@mindyyong.com

Airport hotel to target MICE visitors

Airport hotel to target MICE visitors
Crowne Plaza Changi to open next April, expects 65-75% occupancy
By UMA SHANKARI
AIRPORT hotels normally cater to transit and transient travellers, but the upcoming Crowne Plaza Changi Airport is casting its net wider. The US$60 million hotel plans to aggressively target the corporate and meetings incentives, conventions & exhibitions (MICE) traveller segments.

Touch down: The 320-room Crowne Plaza Changi will be linked to Terminal 3’s arrival hall. Mr Winterton (above) expects average room rate to be over $200
The 320-room hotel at Terminal 3 will start operations in April 2008, said Mark Winterton, the hotel’s newly-appointed general manager. Crowne Plaza is one of the brands managed by UK hospitality group InterContinental Hotels.

‘Our key markets will be the MICE, corporate and leisure travellers,’ Mr Winterton told BT in an interview. ‘But just by the nature of the location, we will also pick up the transit business.’

He does not see the location as being a hindrance to drawing MICE travellers. The hotel itself has facilities to host events for up to 250 people in its ballroom.

Mr Winterton said that the average room rate at the four-star Crowne Plaza will be ‘over $200′. He predicts that the hotel will see an occupancy rate of 65-75 per cent next year - and it will only get better.

The hotel has already started marketing itself as a location for MICE events abroad, and so far, the response has been ‘very good’, Mr Winterton said.

In 2008, nearly 45 per cent of the hotel’s guests are likely to be corporate and MICE visitors, he said. Another 15 per cent of the guests are expected to be drawn from the transit crowd. The rest will be made up of leisure travellers, among others.

The hotel, which was designed by local architecture firm Woha Designs, is conceptualised as a uniquely Singaporean - tropical and Asian - environment.

The hotel’s interior will use open walkways and outdoor gardens to create what it says will be a ‘balmy tropical ambience’.

The reception and lobby area on the first floor will be linked to Terminal 3’s arrival hall. Guests will also be able to conveniently reach Terminals 1 and 2 through a ‘people mover’ system that will link all three passenger terminals.
Source :  Business Times - 07 Aug 2007

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985
mindy@mindyyong.com

Buyers sue Horizon Towers sellers for $800m to $1b

Buyers sue Horizon Towers sellers for $800m to $1b

By MICHELLE QUAH

(SINGAPORE) The Horizon Towers saga has taken a new twist, with the thwarted buyers of the Leonie Hill property moving to claim up to $1 billion from the sellers.

Horizon Towers: The buyers of the property served notice on the sellers that they are in breach of contract
After the Strata Titles Board (STB) threw out an application for a collective sale order on Friday last week, the buyers of the Leonie Hill development served notice on the sellers yesterday that they are in breach of contract.

Technically, each of the owners of the 173 units who signed off on the deal to sell Horizon Towers en bloc in February is now personally liable for up to $5.78 million.

The move also puts the position of the minorities - the owners of the 37 units who opposed the en bloc sale - in doubt. While they are not being sued, the development means they are now no longer assured of keeping their homes.

Things appeared to be going their way when STB ruled on Friday that the collective sale could not go through because certain legal requirements had not been complied with.

It is believed that insufficient notices were posted and some documents were not filed.

STB’s decision effectively killed the en bloc sale as it stood because it meant the issue could not be resolved to meet the Aug 11 sale deadline.

Minorities cheered the outcome - but now the tide could be turning the other way.

Allen & Gledhill (A&G), acting for the buyers - Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), Morgan Stanley Real Estate and Qatar Investment Authority - has sent a letter to Tan Rajah & Cheah, representing the sellers.

A&G alleges the sellers are ‘in clear breach of their obligation…to file a proper application to the STB which complied with the requirements of the Act’.

It wants the sellers to extend the deadline for the completion of the sale by four months and file a fresh application to STB for a collective sale order, or appeal to the High Court to reconsider STB’s decision.

‘Our client’s current estimation is that its loss, if the contract is terminated, is in the region of $800 million to $1 billion,’ A&G said.

The buyers agreed to pay $500 million for Horizon Towers’ two 99-year leasehold blocks.

The sellers now have until tomorrow to respond.

Some 84 per cent of Horizon Towers owners backed the collective sale - more than the 80 per cent requirement - but STB’s approval was still needed for the deal to go through.

Source : Straits Times - 07 Aug 2007

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985
mindy@mindyyong.com

US sub-prime fears rattle markets again

US sub-prime fears rattle markets again
Singapore STI’s 3.7% fall is sharpest among major markets in the Asia-Pacific
By CONRAD TAN
(SINGAPORE) Stock markets around the region were savaged yesterday as the troubles which started in the US sub-prime mortgage market continued to spread.
The Straits Times Index (STI) fell 127.05 points, or 3.7 per cent, to end at 3,308.99, the lowest since April 19.

In percentage terms, the plunge was the steepest among major stock indices in the Asia-Pacific region, and the STI’s biggest one-day fall since Feb 28.

Earlier in the day, the index was down as much as 4.1 per cent as the three Singapore-listed banking groups led losses in the blue chips.

The banks came under intense pressure as investors and analysts cast a spotlight on their exposure to sub-prime, or high-risk, property loans in the US through their investments in collateralised debt obligations or CDOs.

These are essentially portfolios of bonds or loans sliced into tranches that give investors in each tranche different rights to the cash flows earned on the underlying debt.

By repackaging the debt, CDO issuers can create a wide variety of new securities, ranging from low-yielding, fixed income debt with the safest triple-A credit rating to riskier, equity-type instruments with higher but variable income.

The top-rated tranches in CDOs have been seen as particularly attractive investments in recent years by institutions and wealthy individuals seeking higher yields than those offered by government bonds without too much additional risk.

In an unusual move, OCBC Bank issued a statement yesterday afternoon giving details of its CDO holdings and estimated exposure to US sub-prime mortgages (see CDO story, left). Its share price fell 5.2 per cent yesterday to $8.25.

OCBC’s larger peers also saw sharp declines in their share prices. United Overseas Bank’s share price fell the most, dropping 6.2 per cent to $19.70, while shares in DBS Group ended 4.6 per cent lower at $20.90 each.

Since the stockmarket fallout from the US sub-prime market woes began last week, the STI has fallen 6.7 per cent.

Around the region, too, stocks took a battering.

The market turmoil followed sharp losses in US equities on Friday amid a slew of bad news there, including massive layoffs by American Home Mortgage Investment - the 10th largest mortgage lender in the US - due to sub-prime mortgage losses, and an employment report showing weaker-than-expected jobs growth.

In Asia, large losses were not confined to stocks in the financial sector.

‘Market concern has spread to the broader US economy from the sub-prime issue and investors are re-evaluating their bullish view of exporter stocks,’ said Hiroshi Chano, who helps manage US$7.3 billion at Yasuda Asset Management Co in Tokyo, according to Bloomberg. ‘Financial shares were also sold on speculation they will be affected.’

The Nikkei-225 index ended 0.4 per cent lower after falling as much as 1.8 per cent earlier in the day.

China was the only major Asian market which rose yesterday, with the CSI 300 index finishing 2.3 per cent higher. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 2.7 per cent, while South Korea’s Kospi index lost 1.2 per cent.

In South-east Asia, the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index ended 3.3 per cent lower, while key indices in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines lost 2.6-3.6 per cent.

European stock markets also got off to a weak start. London’s FTSE-100 index was down 0.7 per cent at 10am in the UK.

Source : Straits Times - 07 Aug 2007

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985
mindy@mindyyong.com

Different this time? Be very afraid…

Different this time? Be very afraid…
Real culprit is complacency fed by a 4-year liquidity-driven bull market
By R SIVANITHY
ACCORDING to conventional wisdom, the source of the problem in stock markets all over the world is the rapid deterioration in the US credit market caused by the sub-prime mortgage crisis.

If one were to trace this back even further to divine the ‘real’ cause, fingers could be pointed at a crashing US property market and high interest rates which have triggered massive defaults on those mortgages which in turn then caused the present crisis.

These are undoubtedly symptomatic factors that have contributed to the current turmoil in financial markets. The real culprit, however, is something far more insidious.

It is complacency, born from a four-year liquidity-driven bull market which had investors believing that ‘this time is different’; complacency bred on an uncommon conditioning to believe that all corrections would be short-lived because, well, because ‘this time is different’.

Thus far, it appears that most observers are holding on to this view, the consensus outlook being that although the market may undergo more short-term pain in the next few weeks, its strong fundamentals should eventually prevail.
In its Aug 3 Global Investment Strategy for example, Canadian research house BCA Research summarised this view when it said that although the damage from the sub-prime fallout will persist for a while because problems are more pervasive than first believed, it does not believe the recent selloff signals the beginning of a bear market.

‘There is plenty of growth outside of the US economy: economic news from China and the rest of Asia has been very strong . . . suffice to say that the world economy is still in a low-inflation boom, driven by an enormous supply-side expansion’, it said.

It all sounds very appealing - in cliched broker jargon, the present mini-crash qualifies as a ‘much-needed correction’ for an ‘overbought’ market that might even present ‘bargain-hunting’ opportunities.

Once ‘overbought’ becomes ‘oversold’ and once the market has ‘digested’ the bad news, it should easily be able to resume its uptrend.

To be honest, such a happy scenario is entirely possible. The problem, however, is that ‘this time is different’ can cut both ways. Over the past 15 months global markets have been rocked as violently as they are now on three occasions - in May last year when US Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke unwittingly stoked inflation/interest rate fears, in February this year when China crashed 9 per cent in one day and in April when China again crashed on fears of the unwinding of the yen ‘carry trade’.

In each instance prices recovered quickly, thus enhancing the complacency and conditioning referred to earlier. So it’s no surprise that the prognosis for the present crisis is the same as before - a brief period of pain before the bull run resumes.

But surely the spreading rot from the sub-prime crisis suggests the rather inconvenient truth that this time really is different because it is the crucial financial sector which is under threat, and that it would be too simplistic to expect a swift return to the heady days of May and June when stocks regularly rose to all-time highs?

US broker Morgan Stanley is possibly the only big name so far to share this view. In its Aug 5 assessment of the exposure Singapore banks have to the US mortgage fiasco, it hit the nail on the head when it wrote ‘the market has for some time exhibited excessive optimism, driven by liquidity rather than fundamentals and hence has been willing to extrapolate the positive and ignore the negative’.

The truth is that no one knows yet the full extent financial stocks everywhere are exposed to the US sub-prime market’s problems and it may take several weeks or maybe months before all the rot is uncovered. And if the financial sector is undermined, so is the entire market.

Until then investors will remain nervous while hoping for salvation from the US Fed in the shape of interest rate cuts (the futures market is now pricing in at least two rate cuts over the next 12 months).

However, buying heavily into ‘this time is different’ too soon would be a dangerously risky proposition because ironically, this time round, it is not the reasons to buy which are different but the reason to sell.
Source : Straits Times - 07 Aug 2007

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985
mindy@mindyyong.com

Mitre Hotel site, iconic building up for sale

Mitre Hotel site, iconic building up for sale
Mitre plot may fetch $200 million or more and Pearl Bank Apartments, $750 million
By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent
AN ARCHITECTURAL icon and a site that housed a dingy hotel once famous for its bargain-priced beer were put up for sale yesterday.
The more prominent of the two is Pearl Bank Apartments, which was in the news with architects lamenting its impending demise given its status as a key piece of local design.

But most owners of the 37-year-old building in Outram Road want to sell and cash in on the booming property market.

The building is on a conveniently located 99-year leasehold site expected to fetch at least $750 million, said Knight Frank, which is handling its collective sale.

The land price works out to $1,445 per sq ft of potential gross floor area, including an estimated $137 million to top up the lease. This assumes the site can be fully developed to a gross floor area of about 56,999 sq m.

The tender for Pearl Bank, which has 280 apartments and eight commercial units, closes on Sept 18.

In Killiney Road, the site housing the Mitre Hotel built in the 1870s and a small two-storey adjacent building was finally put up for sale after a court ruling gave the go-ahead in April.

The dilapidated building had been left untouched for years because its owners - the Chiam family - were caught in a lengthy legal battle over its sale.

The hotel, which started in 1948, ceased operations when its licence was not renewed in 2002. It continued to operate its bar and regulars used to gather around the crumbling furniture to take advantage of its cheap beer.

But Mr Chiam Heng Hsien, who owns 10 per cent of the property, had resisted his cousins’ attempts to sell the plot for the past 10 years until the court ruled against him.

It seems the timing for the sale has never been better, though it is subject to a valuation being done and the sale price exceeding it.

Property experts, pointing to the way nearby sites have rocketed in value recently, reckon the Mitre plot could fetch $200 million or more.

This works out to at least $1,800 per sq ft of potential gross floor area, with one expert tipping a price of up to $2,000 psf of potential gross floor area.

The freehold site, which is close to Oxley Rise, has an allowable building height of up to 10 storeys. and could be built up to a gross floor area of 111,922 sq ft.

The development charge for intensifying the land use will be be about $700,000 or more, depending on the rates revision on Sept 1.

Jones Lang LaSalle, which is marketing the site, says its tender closes on Sept 12.
Source : Straits Times - 07 Aug 2007

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985
mindy@mindyyong.com

Horizon Towers’ failed buyers allege breach of contract

Horizon Towers’ failed buyers allege breach of contract
By K.C. Vijayan, Law Correspondent
IN THE wake of a scuppered Horizon Towers deal, the failed buyers have sent a letter to lawyers representing the majority owners who signed the original sales deal, alleging the sellers are in breach of contract.
The three joint buyers - Hotel Properties Limited, Morgan Stanley Real Estate and Qatar Investment Authority, the investment arm of the Gulf Arab state of Qatar - estimate their loss arising from the aborted deal to be in the region of $800 million to $1 billion.

Hotel Properties’ group executive director Christopher Lim confirmed yesterday that the letter had been sent to law firm Tan Rajah & Cheah.

The consortium of buyers are urging the sellers to consider alternative courses of action. These include extending the deadline for the sales option beyond this Saturday.

There is currently provision for the sales committee to extend the deadline by four months. This would enable a fresh application be filed with the Strata Titles Board.

The move is the latest twist in the contentious collective sale of Horizon Towers. The sale was aborted late last week after months of bitter wrangling between neighbours and lawyers.

Last Friday, the Strata Titles Board ruled in favour of the protesting minority owners of the two tower blocks in Leonie Hill, which were due to be sold for $500 million to the developers.

The ruling in favour of minority owners was the first such ruling in seven years, and came after the board decided that the proper sales procedures were not followed.

The saga began soon after the neighbouring Grangeford condominium was sold en bloc at a far higher asking price per sq ft than the price offered for Horizon Towers.

Unhappy Horizon Towers residents banded together to call an extraordinary general meeting to replace their sales committee. Several of the original members subsequently resigned.
Source : Straits Times - 07 Aug 2007

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985
mindy@mindyyong.com

Singapore Property Elite Partner Program in Singapore Real Estate

Property Elite Partner Program in Singapore Real Estate

The Singapore based real estate agency led Mindy Yong has announced its strategic partner program with the help of which they will be able to introduce and tie-up with Property Elite partners for Singapore real estate and property. Currently Mindy Young is a property agent of DTZ and her team partner is Property-Elite.com . The main aim is to help the Property Elite Partners to sell, buy or rent real estate property in Singapore. They are currently looking for firms and individuals who are interested in a lucrative and mutually beneficial partnership.

The Property Elite partner program is based on a five point strategy targeted at real estate buyers and sellers. The program has been created to enhance buyer-seller relationship by using a common platform.

The five point strategy will provide the Elite partners with the following:

1. Assistance: Their team of experienced industry professionals will provide information, tips and various real estate buying or selling methods to their prospective clients

2. Suggestion: They have a dedicated team whose core value is to offer meaningful and priceless suggestion.

3. Development: Under this program, sellers will be able to market their real estate property.

4. Listing System: They have a strong listing system which is updated on a regular basis to include different real estate properties from condominiums to homes in Singapore.

5. Monitoring: This is the final phase under which their agents will help in closing the sale, getting the documentation ready and monitoring of the entire process from signing of the contract to closing.

With the use of effective marketing techniques and an in-depth understanding of the market, Mindy Young is planning to offer her Elite partners a special experience.

An innovative business model will enable them to operate in an efficient manner and offer savings and commission to their Property Elite partners.

Their core value is based on: Customer First and the company vision is to become the leader in the real estate market and revolutionize their approach with continuous self-improvement, entrepreneurship and autonomy and respect for their clients.

About Mindy Young

Mindy young is one of property agents associated with DTZ in Singapore offering buyers, sellers and investors top quality service using state of the art technology. Her website http://www.hotvictory.com  , http://www.property-elite.com  , http://www.choachukang.com  , offers every possible service and information on buying, selling, rentals, investment, in different types of properties in Singapore. Mindy specializes in offering services to foreign investors, relocating expats and homebuyers in Singapore. She has been dealing in bungalows, townhouses, condominiums, private apartments, office space, HDB, shop spaces, HUDC, warehouse space, and factory space.

Contact:
Mindy Yong
mindy@mindyyong.com

Tel: (+65) 91002985
Fax: (+65) 64021826

Why Buy Investment Property in Singapore

Why Buy Investment Property in Singapore

Buying investment property in Singapore is a definitely a great opportunity to earn money in a short time. Here’s why:

Development

Since gaining independence in 1965, Singapore has witnessed a dramatic rise in its standard of living. And fortunately, the Singaporean government has been proactive in bringing on an island-wide industrialization and the modern economy of this island-country is firmly balanced on manufacturing and electronics. Singapore has gained immensely from the direct foreign investments and the status of an entrepot and commercial hub for Southeast Asia which is why investing in property in Singapore is an exciting opportunity, and it’s all thanks to the island’s strategic location in the continent.

Economy

Singapore is a great example for all countries as it overcame its lack of natural resources to become not just the 18th wealthiest country in the world, but to also become one of the juggernaut economies of the Asian subcontinent. With foreign reserve of $139bn, today’s Singapore is a far cry from the old fishing village it used to be.

Singapore is also one of the Four Asian Tigers along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. The country has also been rated as the most commercially viable economy world-wide and attracts thousands of foreign expatriates who find work in multi-national corporations, increasing the demand for real estate and experts tout this to be the right time to for investing in property in Singapore. While the Singaporean economy grew by 6.4% in 2005, it’s created a record of sorts when it grew by 7.9% in 2006!

Standard of Living

Singaporeans love to earn money and live lavishly, a fact that is reflected in the Cost of Living Survey conducted this year by Mercer HR Consulting, which ranked the country as the 5th most expensive in Asia and 14th most expensive country to live in across the world! Investing in property in Singapore is bound to reap rich rewards for you as the standard of living is high and the infrastructure is excellent, coupled with a cosmopolitan and secular approach has made Singapore a favorable destination for expats, and foreigners who enjoy the excellent quality of life, myriad tastes of Asian cultures, and a traditionally modern outlook of this beautiful island state. An enchanting blend of different cultures, traditions and religions, Singapore has a knack to charm you and embrace you in its open arms.

Climate/Environment

Singapore has a tropical rainforest type of climate with no specific seasons. The temperatures range from 22°C to 34 °C with relative humidity of around 90% in the morning and 60% in the afternoon. The hottest months are June and July, while November and December are wet months and August to October are severe due to dust storms.

Forests and nature reserves make up for 23% of the land and the major rainforest is Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

Real Estate in Singapore
The real estate market in Singapore is dynamic with average residential price being around US$ 540,000. For all of you who are planning to purchase, or invest in the Singaporean property market, there are a wide range of housing options. All modern constructions come with a plethora of excellent facilities that aid in maintaining a high standard of living in beautiful and clean environs and many offer panoramic views of the sea!

These reasons should be sufficient for you to realize that investing in property in Singapore now means only one thing – profit!
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

Singapore Property Real Estate Boom

Singapore’s Property Boom

If figures are anything to go by then property investments in Singapore have set a new record of sorts and just within the first half of 2007.

According to CB Richard Ellis, Singaporean investors have spent as much as $21.4 Billion on real estate investments within the first half of 2007 alone! It is expected that the momentum will continue and break the record of $30.51bn that was set in 2006.

Sales figures for real estate prices at $5 million or more have already touched 48%, which is much higher than the value that was attained for the same period in 2006.

The executive director of investment properties, CB Richard Ellis says that “At this halfway point, there is every reason to expect that investment sales for the whole of 2007 will surpass last year’s figures, and may hit $35 billion.”

The first quarter sales for land sales, en bloc sales and other properties in Singapore climbed heights of $11.7Bn and the second quarter has already recorded over $9.67Bn till date which is 16% more than during the same period last year. With 86% sales or almost $18.5Bn being chalked up by the private sector alone, the public sector land sales are estimated at around $2.9Bn alone.

Couple of the biggest property transactions of the year include the Government sale of Tampines Grande for $225 million to City Developments and the purchase of the hotel site by the Carlton Group at the Gopeng Street/Tanjong Pagar Road for a staggering $123 million. These transactions are especially significant as they signify the enormity of Singapore’s property boom.

Transactions of just over $14.6 billion or 68% have been made in the first half of 2007 in the residential sector alone and this includes deals involving first class bungalows as well.

Much of the Singapore’s property boom can be attributed to the fact that developers are in a rush to grab well-located plots to build up the land banks and are not shying away from spending mega bucks to meet this target. So as the first half of this year was witness to sales of 67 plots totalling a huge $7.92Bn alone!

If experts are to be believed then the real estate investment market in Singapore is set to better its performance in the second half and public sector sales will be a major contributor. While the ascent of the Singapore property market is great news for everyone – buyers, sellers, investors – those who have lived and survived the bust of the property market in the 1990s are especially wary.

Poised on the plans to make Singapore a tourist capital, and the fact that over a billion dollars have been invested in various resorts projects across the island, together with ongoing endeavour to become a hub for private wealth management, Singapore’s property boom is a great chance for investors to make some good money within a small time horizon. And perhaps the most important question on everyone’s mind is: for how long can this property boom last?  For the time being, the signs are encouraging!
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985

Property Market in Singapore

Property Market in Singapore

There cannot be clearer signs that the property market in Singapore is becoming more appealing and attractive to foreigners as well as domestic investors. Providing further impetus to the booming property market in Singapore is the economy. Poised at a healthy position currently, the first half of 2007 has seen a record breaking performance with rise in GDP exceeding over 7.5%. Far better than what was expected and this is just between January and March 2007!

The government of Singapore is promoting the property market in Singapore as an investment market on a international level that is a good indicator that the economy of this island country is bound to do exceptionally well over the next one – two years at least. The appeal for not just investment, purchase, and selling in the property market in Singapore is on a rise including renewed interested in off plan properties. Here’s why:

1. The latest statistics concerning GDP and economic growth in Singapore from Jan-March 2007 suggests that the property market in Singapore (construction industry) can play the role of a great benefactor to the economy despite the slow down of the American economy.

2. People across the world are now looking at Singapore as an excellent investment market and the appeal is at an all time high currently making property market in Singapore a safe option for investors.

3. Due to the attractive offers for foreign companies to set shops in Singapore, there has been a rise in demand for residential units. Off plan property in Singapore provides investors with an excellent entry point into the property market in Singapore.

4. The government and the city planners are working to ensure that Singapore is physically a more attractive and charming place to live, work, do business and enjoy a vacation. This move is also expected to have a significantly positive effect on the property market in Singapore and on the property prices.

5. Plenty of new and exciting things have been planned to provide a face-lift to Singapore. Two new mega gaming resorts are to be built at the cost of destroying ugly old high rises. The new resorts will be state-of-the-art, visually stunning architectural masterpieces with an International appeal and sensibility.

6. Plans are taking shape to make Singapore a city within a garden by maximizing the existing natural water resources of the island and enhance the overall appeal and charm of the country. Property market in Singapore is going to get a fillip with such exciting urbanization plans, some of which have already been set into motion.

7. At the recently held Cityscape Asia real estate exhibition the Singaporean Prime Minister’s representative Mah Bow Tan stated categorically that his government is committed on an ongoing basis to ‘further its efforts to make Singapore more vibrant and exciting to attract even more overseas real estate investors’ and so far all efforts are paying off.

8. The residential off plan real estate is selling out quickly and the property market in Singapore is hot with investments from international buyers. Additionally, direct foreign investment in Singaporean real estate market reached a staggering 5.4 billion Singapore dollars in 2006. And in the first quarter of 2007, the residential property prices have appreciated by an incredible 4.6% in the first quarter alone – the steepest quarterly increase witnessed in over seven years!

Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

http://www.hotvictory.com

Living in Singapore

Living in Singapore

Singapore is a tropical island of around 646 square kilometers in size, located at the southern tips of the Malay Peninsula and shares its southern border with Malaysia, and northern with Indonesia. Singapore is also the smallest city-state country in the Southeast Asian region. Living in Singapore allows you to easy access to Malaysia, Indonesia, and other countries such as India and Thailand.

Today’s Singapore is a far cry from the old fishing village that was full of opium dens and pearl luggers, now the island is dominated by concrete, glass and steel cityscape while hi-tech wizardry is commonplace and living in Singapore is a fun ride.

However, the contradictions are immense from steamy rickshaw to spotless streets and ethnic settlements that often remind of the colonial era that Singapore has been a part of.
A distinctly Asian city, Singapore has 71% population as Chinese followed by Malay and Indian. So you have a concoction of traditions and cultures that create an exciting and colorful contract to the big city life. The fact that Singapore is undoubtedly cosmopolitan makes it’s a highly attractive option for expatriates to come settle here. Added to this, the availability of luxurious residential real estate at reasonable prices adds to the allure. The real estate market in Singapore is an all-time high with dramatic GDP growth aided by record breaking investments by foreign investors.

Living in Singapore is completely safe and there is a lot to do here. From shopping to religious activities, to water sports, to theatre and other cultural activities, Singapore even has a throbbing party scene. You will be able to enjoy cuisines from different countries with various eateries lined along the sea front.

With many different varieties of cuisines to offer, living in Singapore means being able to enjoy Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Western, Italian, Peranakan, Spanish, French, Thai and even Fusion, each of which is readily available everywhere on the island.

While Indian food is known for its relatively spicier flavor, Chinese food, especially the seafood dishes are an equal rage. Malay cooking makes extensive use of coconut milk making the food very tasty.

The island is a cosmopolitan society and living in Singapore is a peaceful and harmonious experience. You will also get to interact with different races on a common place basis and find mixture of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European influences, all of which have been woven into the cultural fabric of the country.

But cultural diversity aside, Singapore is a fledging hub of many commercial activities and at the top of these are the manufacturing, trading and tourism industries. Singapore is the world’s 4th largest Foreign Exchange Trading center after London, New York, and Tokyo. It’s expected that Singapore may overtake Tokyo to stake claim at the 3rd position by 2008 if the economy does as expected.

With a tropical climate with no distinctive seasons throughout the year, living in Singapore allows you to enjoy sunshine, and spend time going for family get-togethers and outings.
Truly a great place, living in Singapore means ensuring a great future for your family providing them with the best of everything. Try Singapore today!

Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985

Buying Property in Singapore

Buying Property in Singapore

In the early part of the 21st century, property market in Singapore suffered a significant slowdown and correction after a period of economic instability.

However, now the Singaporean economy is on a rebound and things are changing for the better. The property market in Singapore is recovering at a dramatic pace and the residential real estate is setting new records of investments. In 2006, the off plan property saw a complete sell-out and the first quarter of this year has been no different. The GDP growth from Jan-March 2007 has already touched a record breaking 7.2% already!

Here are some reasons why buying property in Singapore is such a fantastic opportunity for those who want to benefit from the booming property market in Singapore –

1. Singapore is the 18th wealthiest country in the world. It has foreign reserve of over $139Bn.

2. Singapore’s economy is on an ascent and the economic revival can be credited to the government’s initiative to sell Singapore as a commercial hub with excellent infrastructure.

3. Singapore is one of the Four Asian Tigers along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan with a strong presence in Asia.

4. The Singaporean economy grew by 6.4% in 2005, and zoomed to set a new record when it grew by 7.9% in 2006!

5. The property market in Singapore is witnessing a boom. The boom is expected to last for the next 3-5 years and this is an excellent time for investors to invest in retail and commercial property as there is a strong potential suggesting gains of around 20%-25% in over 2 years.

6. A cosmopolitan and secular approach has made Singapore a favorable destination for expatriates. Many foreign nationals are shifting base to Singapore and rentals rates have also seen a hike since the past couple of years.

7. Singaporean government is launching a series of incentives to reignite the retail, commercial and residential property markets in Singapore. A direct outcome of these initiatives is that Singapore is likely to prove a positive prospect for the medium to long term for investors and buyers alike.

8. Singapore offers a tropical rainforest type of climate with no specific seasons. The temperatures range from 22°C to 34 °C with relative humidity of around 90% in the morning and 60% in the afternoon.

9. A highly favorable and popular tourist destination, Singapore has seen an increase of tourists in the recent past.

10. The tourism industry provides employment to many and the demand for quality accommodation for rent or sale has increased and is not likely to abate anytime soon.

11. Land deals at record rates have also added to the confidence levels of the local developers and the buzz in the property market in Singapore is that the demand will only grow from here.

12. A number of new and exciting developments on the Sentosa Island are already proving to be tremendously popular for foreign property investors who are buying off plan property and then finding a strong demand for resale of these properties or a market for rental properties upon completion.

To summarize, Singapore is in an excellent position currently and the government is committed on an ongoing basis to managing and bettering this island country’s fortunes. Investors should draw confidence in the property market in Singapore from these facts.

Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

http://www.hotvictory.com

Success = Love + Time + Knowledge + Money + Health + Opportunity

Opportunity

Singapore Expatriates Resources and Property Guide

Singapore Expatriates Resources and Property Guide – Your all-in-1 Singapore property shop which includes solutions to renting, leasing and purchasing property in Singapore for own use or for investment. Here at Singapore Expat Choice, you are able to learn more about Singapore residential properties, relocation of expatriates, living and working in Singapore, procedures on renting, relocating and moving, and some other useful resources.

Search from our widest database of properties for rent, lease and buying in Singapore. Properties included range from apartments, a condominium, conservation house, colonial bungalow, HDB flat, landed house, townhouse, penthouse, terrace, serviced apartment, shop, warehouse, factory, and JTC flatted factory.

 
Mindy Yong
(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com