Duchess Residences @ Duchess AVE - Singapore - District 10

Duchess Residences @ Duchess AVE - Singapore - District 10

Developer Tenure Description Address Estimated Site Area Total No. of Units

No. of Carpark Lots Expected TOP date Expected Legal Completion Date Location

Development’s Facilities

: Duchess Walk Pte Ltd

: 999 years wef 27 December 1875

: 4 blocks of 5 storey low rise condominium development

: 102 /106/108/110 Duchess Ave

: 152,250 sq ft

: 120 Residential units

(a) 24 garden maisonettes
(b) 63 three bedrooms
(c) 9 four bedrooms
(d) 24 penthouses

: Approximately 150 lots

: 30 April 2011

: 30 April 2014

: Located within the prime residential

District 10.About 10 minutes drive to the bustling Orchard Road shopping area andin close proximity to prestigious schools.

: (a) Reflecting Pools
Waterwalls

Infinity Lap Pool

Children’s Pool

Jacuzzi

Quiet Scent Garden

Step Cascades

BBQ Area

Multipurpose Deck

Sun Deck

Sun Lawn

Lily Pond

Gymnasium

Clubhouse-Function Room-Steam Rooms

Nearby Amenities

Educational Institutions

Est. Maintenance Fees
Architect Interior Design Landscape Consultant

: Close proximity to shopping amenities
such as Coronation Plaza, Kings’ Arcade, King Albert Park.

: -Close proximity to prestigious schools
like Raffles Girls’ Primary, Nanyang Primary, Hwa Chong Institution, Nanyang Girls High, National Junior College.

: Garden Maisonettes: TBC

3 Bedrooms: TBC

4 Bedrooms: TBC

Penthouses: TBC

: MPKL Architects

: Tree Studio

Unit Info:(Duchess Residences)

Total Units: 120 in a 4-storey development.
3 Rooms: 136 to 149 sq.m. (1464 to 1604 sq.ft.)
4 Rooms: 174 to 229 sq.m. (1873 to 2465 sq.ft.)
Garden maisonettes: 274 to 320 sq.m. (2949 to 3444 sq.ft.)

Singapore Real Estate - Buy, Sell, Rent, invest, Singapore Property

Buy, sell and rent Singapore real estate: private property, residential apartments, commercial and industrial properties. HDB flats for sale and rental. Foreign investors, buyers, tenants or relocating expats can easily find their ideal landed house, bungalow, semi-d, terrace, condominium, townhouse, private apartment, HDB, HUDC, office, shop, factory, warehouse & land right here.

MINDY YONG

( +65 ) 91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com ( email me )

http://www.hotvictory.com

Belvedere @ Meyer Road - Singapore - District 15

Belvedere @ Meyer Road - Singapore - District 15

The luxurious life have a new name, Belvedere. As soon as you have seen it, you for which is nowhere else aroused curiosity living. A towering structure of prestige, the knack and the exclusiviteit at one coveted address.

Without claim with weakened schittering, Belvedere the new stamp of refined living in the east is. The sauce eventual luxury and improvement took in seven 25-verdieping crams on, which spreading out country and sea faces overlook themselves.

Developer : Sherwood Development Pte Ltd (keppel Land)
Tenure : FH
TOP : 12/2008 expected
Property Type : CONDO
Disctrict : 15
Unit Info

• All ground floor units comes with a private enclosed space.
• All upper units comes with a balcony.
• Total Units: 167 units in two 25-storey towers.
• 51, 53 Meyer Rd
• 2 Rooms (#01) (1 unit): 112 sq.m. (1206 sq.ft.)
• 3 Rooms (#01) (6 units): 122 to 150 sq.m. (1313 to 1615 sq.ft.)
• 2 Rooms (22 units): 94 sq.m. (1012 sq.ft.)
• 3 Rooms (132 units): 115 to 128 sq.m. (1238 to 1378 sq.ft.)
• 4 Rooms penthouse (5 unit): 239 sq.m. (2573 sq.ft.)
• 5 Rooms penthouse (1 unit): 224 sq.m. (2411 sq.ft.)

Facilities

• Tennis court
• Swimming pool
• Children’s pool
• Gymnasium
• Children’s play area
• BBQ
• Eco-ponds
• Water wall
• Bubbler fountains
• Thickets of flowering trees and majestic palms

Singapore Real Estate - Buy, Sell, Rent, invest, Singapore Property

Buy, sell and rent Singapore real estate: private property, residential apartments, commercial and industrial properties. HDB flats for sale and rental. Foreign investors, buyers, tenants or relocating expats can easily find their ideal landed house, bungalow, semi-d, terrace, condominium, townhouse, private apartment, HDB, HUDC, office, shop, factory, warehouse & land right here.

MINDY YONG

( +65 ) 91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com ( email me )

http://www.hotvictory.com

Where to find Singapore HDB resale flats for less than $200,000

Where to find Singapore HDB resale flats for less than $200,000 

Choices are limited to three- and four-roomers in outlying areas like Yishun and Jurong West

By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent 
DEMAND for new Housing Board (HDB) flats has been overwhelming even though their prices have been increasing in line with those of resale flats.
Those who want to move into a flat almost immediately but do not want to spend more than $200,000 will, understandably, find their choices fairly limited in today’s market.

For one, five-room flats are out of the question. In addition, four-room flats for that price can be found only in certain outlying areas.

Choices for three-roomers are much more varied, but even then, flats in a few locations - such as the central area, Marine Parade and Bukit Timah - are mostly priced out of reach.

In order to facilitate a quick deal, homebuyers will also need to have at least $20,000 to $25,000 handy for the cash-over-valuation sum, which has to be paid in cold, hard cash, say property agents.
Advice for buyers
‘If you are in urgent need and can’t wait, buy what you can afford. Don’t overstretch. Waiting doesn’t mean that prices will go down, as demand for HDB flats is still very strong.’
MR EUGENE LIM of ERA Realty Network
Look at outlying areas

THE median resale prices for a four-room flat in various HDB towns are all above $200,000.

And in the coveted district of Marine Parade, a four-room flat costs at least a whopping $310,000, based on caveats lodged with the HDB.

Mr Eugene Lim, the assistant vice-president of ERA Realty Network, said four-room resale flats which cost below $220,000 can be found in Bedok Reservoir, Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang, Hougang, Jurong West, Woodlands and Yishun.

A search on the HDB website shows that four-room flats priced at $200,000 and below can be found only in far-flung towns such as Woodlands and Yishun.

A 94 sq m unit in Marsiling Drive was approved for sale this month at $178,000. The block is about 28 years old.

Newer flats in the same area are going for a bit more. A five-year-old Marsiling Drive flat on a high floor went for $198,000 recently.

But when it comes to rentals, a four-room flat in Woodlands can fetch a median rental rate of $1,440 a month, not far from the monthly median rent of $1,500 in Ang Mo Kio.

Generally, if buyers try harder, there are keen sellers out there who are not asking for the moon.

Mr Siaw Ah Seng, 39, told The Sunday Times that he bought a low-floor, four-room flat in Yishun late last year for $188,000.

The price included a cash-over-valuation amount of $7,000, which is reasonable, given that the median cash-over-valuation amount for four-room flats in Yishun is $18,000.

The printing firm supervisor said he found the seller through a friend after he had gone to check out several flats in Yishun.

‘The rest were asking for $20,000 to $30,000. Where do I find that kind of money?’ he said. His flat is about a 10-minute walk from the Yishun MRT Station.

In Sengkang, the sellers of a four-room flat are asking for just $5,000 cash above valuation.

‘It’s a divorce case, so they want to sell it off quickly,’ said Mr Eric Cheng, the executive director of HSR property group. ‘The flat is on the second floor, not near the MRT station and not well-renovated.’

If you do not mind a three-room flat, you will have more choices.

The fourth-quarter median resale prices for three-room flats range from $161,300 to $300,000.

In Ang Mo Kio, approved resales of three-room flats this month were priced as low as $162,000, while a 65 sq m three-room flat on a high floor in Marsiling Lane in Woodlands went for $163,000.

In Tampines Avenue 4, a 67 sq m three-room flat on a low floor was approved for sale this month at $185,000.

But certain locations such as the central area, Holland Close and Marine Parade will still be beyond the reach of those with a $200,000 to $220,000 budget.

If smaller flats are not an issue, there are two-room flats in areas such as Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Clementi, Pasir Ris and Toa Payoh. These are priced below $200,000 but are limited in number.
What’s ahead

ERA’S Mr Lim has this advice for buyers: ‘If you are in urgent need and cannot wait, buy what you can afford. Do not overstretch.

‘Waiting does not mean that prices will go down, as the demand for HDB flats is still very strong.’

Property consultants have said that the mass market segment of Singapore’s property market will do well this year, notwithstanding the general weak market sentiment, as demand remains strong.

Last year, HDB resale prices climbed 17.5 per cent, the highest growth in a decade.

The good news for those who have yet to buy a flat is that sellers have become more realistic these days as there is less competition among buyers, said Mr Cheng.

‘We see that the cash-over-valuation sums have come down slightly in the past two months,’ he said.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan recently said HDB resale prices were stabilising.

The HDB Resale Price Index, he said, grew by only 1 per cent last month, and HDB prices are expected to grow at a more moderate pace this year.

Mr Mah also said the proportion of resale transactions with a positive cash over valuation, as well as the median cash over valuation, dipped marginally last month.

Generally, about 25 per cent of total deals in recent months were concluded with a cash-over-valuation sum of $10,000 and below.
 
Source : Straits Time  - 24 Feb 2008

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

How to claim one’s rightful share of estate? - Singapore

How to claim one’s rightful share of estate?  - Singapore

Q I AM among the beneficiaries of an estate that is made up of the proceeds from the sale of a property. However, I am facing the problem of getting my rightful share from the executor.
I have a certified true copy of the will but I do not know what my rights are and how to go about claiming my share of the estate.

I was told that the executor has already committed a breach of trust by not distributing my share to me.

Please advise if there is any waiting period before I can take legal action, since I know that the property has been sold and the executor has taken the proceeds.

If there is, how long do I have to wait? What type of legal action should I take and what are the chances of recovering my share?
A An executor has a duty under the law to ensure that the assets in the estate of the deceased are distributed in accordance with the wishes as stated in his will, whose authenticity has been proved in the courts.

In your case, it appears that the deceased’s will has already been proved and that a grant of probate naming the executor has already been obtained. This is typically required before realisation of any assets can take place, such as the sale of the deceased’s property.

Prior to the distribution of the estate to the beneficiaries under the will, the executor also has a duty under the law to pay all the deceased’s debts and the reasonable estate expenses. This may, in certain cases, result in a delay in distribution.

Other factors causing delay include legal complications in administering the assets or being unable to determine the full extent of the estate, which will create difficulties in accounting for the exact amount that each beneficiary ought to receive.

In your case, given that as far as you are aware, the estate of the deceased comprised only of the property’s sale proceeds and that you are one of the named beneficiaries in the estate, it would be prudent of you to ask the executor about the status of the administration of the estate.

You can also, if you wish, ask for an account of the estate, which you are entitled to, as all executors are bound by duty to keep accounts of their management of the estate.

If the executor does not give you an explanation, or gives you one that you find unreasonable, you should seek legal representation in order to make a claim against him for an account of the estate, and subsequently for your share of the estate.

Such a claim will involve court proceedings and may be an expensive and lengthy task in the event that the executor contests your claim.

In such proceedings, you may also ask the court to grant orders to the effect that distribution of the estate (in the absence of any other impediments) be distributed to you within a specified time.

The length of time that has elapsed from the sale of the property will also be a relevant factor.

Navin Lobo
Lawyer
Harry Elias Partnership 

Source : Straits Time  - 24 Feb 2008

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

Adding an artistic touch to a modern home - Singapore

Adding an artistic touch to a modern home  - Singapore
ON THE MAIN WALL OF MR TONG’S LIVING ROOM hang three abstract oil paintings done by him which show the shape of an eye and represent how one looks at the world from different angles and various perspectives. — ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN
 
‘WITH my busy lifestyle, I like coming home to a neat and uncluttered home. It makes me feel relaxed after a hectic day at work.
It is also easier to maintain a home that is simple and tidy.

While keeping my home neat, I want to make it look modern as well. To achieve that, I have stuck to a colour scheme of white and red. My walls are white to make the place look brighter and more spacious.

I have enjoyed drawing and painting since I was young. I have done three abstract works for the walls of my living room. These oil paintings show the shape of an eye. Basically, they represent how one looks at the world from different angles and various perspectives.

Hanging the paintings on the walls allows me to show off my art pieces.

To complement the walls, I placed an off-white fabric sofa set in the living room. I chose fabric instead of leather or suede because it is modern yet feels cosy.

A stainless steel coffee table with a glass top has been placed in the middle of the living room to enhance the modern theme.

My television set is wall-mounted within a custom-made feature wall so that it takes up less space. Having a feature wall allows me to hide the cables and it also gives depth to my living room.

My suspended wooden TV console is custom-made as well so that it takes up less space.

For the lighting, I have a stainless steel chandelier as opposed to halogen lamps or spotlights, which are common in many modern homes. The design of my chandelier is unique and futuristic, adding a modern touch.

I also have a stainless steel standing lamp in a corner of the living room to jazz up the area. Sometimes, I switch on only the standing lamp and the living room feels much cosier.

My balcony is laid with custom-made wooden planks that form an extension to the living room and make it look bigger.

I enjoy coming home and spending time in the living room after a long day at work. It makes me feel relaxed and rejuvenated.’
Source : Straits Time  - 24 Feb 2008

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

Inaugural Youth Olympic Games will boost S’pore’s tourism industry

Inaugural Youth Olympic Games will boost S’pore’s tourism industry

By Patwant Singh,

SINGAPORE : Sports is not the only winner as Singapore hosts the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

Tourism too is set to benefit, according to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), which say the Games is expected to generate a minimum of 180,000 visitor nights for Singapore.

This is even more than the visitor nights generated when Singapore hosted the IMF/World Bank meeting in 2006.

The scrutiny from the international media will also help the Republic get additional worldwide coverage.

When Singapore last hosted the 117th IOC Session in 2005, the economy got an injection of US$24 million.

And with the Youth Olympic Games a larger scale event, the impact on the economy would be greater.

Catherine McNabb, Director, Strategic Clusters, STB, said: “The number of visitor arrivals for the Games itself, will be somewhere, we are estimating between 15,000 if you include the athletes, all of the IOC officials, media and spectators. So that in itself is a very large event, but I think what we will see is an increase in arrivals between now and 2010 in the leadup to the Games.”

Also expected to see a gradual build-up, the media coverage from the international media.

All in, STB estimates it could be hundreds of millions of dollar worth of publicity over the next two and a half years.

More than enough to outweigh the US$75 million cost of staging the Games.

Tourism aside, the private sector too is set to benefit when Singapore hosts the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, many small- and medium-sized companies are looking at marketing or sponsorship deals related to the event.

One of them, local fashion retailer 77th Street, which was an ardent supporter of the Singapore bid.

Elim Chew, President and Founder, 77th Street, said: “(It has to be) affordable for a small medium enterprise. Because we are still very much local, if they have different criteria, different ranking, or different amounts then we can sponsor.”

So Singapore will indeed score both on and off the competition arena when it stages its most important sporting event in the country’s history. - CNA/ch
Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 24 Feb 2008

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

Budget debate will place spotlight on Singapore government’s role

Budget debate will place spotlight on Singapore government’s role

By Asha Popatlal,
SINGAPORE : Is the government taking too much? Or giving too little?

These are among some of the questions that will have to be discussed during the two-week Budget debate in Parliament starting from Monday.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said this in response to reporters’ queries at a community event on Saturday.

There has been a lot of feedback from both households and businesses since the Budget was announced.

Businesses are naturally concerned about the cost situation and the Finance Minister felt there will be debate on the appropriate role of government - whether they are doing too much or too little.

Households too will have similar concerns.

Mr Tharman said: “We have to decide what we expect to see in a Budget - in terms of whether we should be providing households with more assistance, how often this assistance should be provided? And it ultimately boils down to the type of society we want to have. Government has to play a role but how much of a role? These are some of the questions that will arise.”

Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 24 Feb 2008

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

Survey shows S’poreans place financial security as top priority

Survey shows S’poreans place financial security as top priority

By Chio Su-mei

SINGAPORE : Nine in ten Singaporeans feel that life is getting more stressful, and they want more fun!

Financial worries also top the list, as 99 percent think they need more money to survive.

These are some findings from 500 respondents in an online survey conducted in September last year.

The survey is part of a 16-nation Asia Pacific study called the “Eye on Asia” conducted by advertising and marketing firm Grey Group late last year.

And it found that 82 percent of Asians found life stressful, with South Korea topping the list at 96 percent.

Singapore fared close with 90 percent.

“Having studied in Australia for the last five years, and worked in Australia, life here it’s comparably more stressful having to work longer hours, shorter rest time,” said one respondent.

“No, I don’t think it’s very stressful at all, because it really depends on how an individual manage his or her time, you know, your workload and stuff like that,” said another.

And perhaps that is why 93 percent of Singaporeans think it’s more important to engage in enjoyable activities, than have material possessions.

This is higher than the Asian and Western average of 85 percent.

The Western countries polled were the US, UK, France and Germany.

All Singaporean respondents listed financial security as a top priority, and 99 percent think they need more money to survive, while only half (52 percent) feel financially secure,

“I’ve got savings plans with insurance companies and various institutions, so to a certain extent, I think I’ve got myself covered in that sense. But how well am I prepared for retirement? I can’t really say,” said one respondent.

About 82 percent of Singaporeans are willing to engage in environmentally-friendly practices, which is more than the Western average of 78 percent, but lower than the Asian average of 86 percent.

“In the office, print less paper, reuse, recycle the paper, and the government should set up more recycle dustbins”

But only 57 percent of Singaporeans would pay more for green products.

“I think factory farming is unnatural. And so from that perspective, I think that’s not very environmentally-friendly. Choose to go free-range and buy food that’s ethically produced.”

Looking ahead, 93 per cent of Singaporeans are confident that the nation will rise to become even more of an Asian powerhouse.

“We’ve plans for the integrated resorts, we’ve got plans for the Youth Olympics that they just announced. So I think we’re going to do quite well,” said one Singaporean

“I mean, if we travel enough, we will really understand and appreciate the goodness that we have.”

So perhaps, there is quite a bit to look forward to. - CNA/ch
Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 24 Feb 2008

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

What, Me Worry? Not Anymore

What, Me Worry? Not Anymore.

by Carol Giannantonio

Many of us work very hard to organize our lives and work to minimize surprises and problems. However, despite your most diligent efforts, things don’t always turn out this way. Life is unpredictable. Life happens.

I have been the so called “worrying” type for many years and can relate to the pain and no gain of worry. However, by setting a goal around easing my worry, I am now able to control my worry situations and turn them into positive productive, happy moments in my life. As a result, I experience less stress, more happiness and success. Not a bad prize for taking a few simple yet committed action steps towards changing my worry times to wonderful times.

Worry sets in for most of us when our plans don’t turn out as we expect and our life takes a few sharp turns or we are faced with a decision to make. Ultimately, worry is a form of fear and anxiety caused by lack of decision.

However, spending hours of worrying is unproductive. You begin to feel trapped, confused, frustrated. You loose your ability to focus on solutions. You find yourself caught in the drama of the situation- a situation that may not be as severe as you perceive it to be because your focus is blurred by your worrying. However, by shifting your perspective to gain clarity on your situation, you can begin to focus on realistic solutions. It is these solutions that will stop your worrying.

Here are four steps to get you started living a worry free and wonderful life.

One: Gain Clarity on the “current reality”. Define the worry situation clearly in writing. Most of our problems can be solved by clearly defining them in writing. Remember, “Awareness and Acceptance is half the battle.

Two: Determine the worst possible outcome of the situation. What is the absolute worst that can happen?

Three: Resolve to accept the worst should it occur. The first step in dealing with any negative situation is to be willing to have it so. Once you resolve to accept the worst, your mind will become calm and clear and you’ll be ready to take constructive action.

Four: The final step is to take immediate action. Begin doing everything you possibly can to improve upon the worst. The cure for worrying is to engage in meaningful action daily.

Involve yourself in positive actions that move you forward. These actions alone will get your mind excited about the new possibilities that lie ahead vs. worrying about what has passed or what may happen. You’ll find you don’t have time to worry since your too busy taking positive actions and enjoying the excitement.

As you take action, your confidence, courage and sense of control will return. Your fears and anxiety will disappear. Infect, you will feel happy and energized.

Try these three action steps and you’ll be amazed how quickly your worries disappear.

1. Take out a piece of paper and make a list. Down one side of a page list all the situations causing you stress or worry at the moment.

2. On the other side of the page, write out the worst possible thing that could happen as a result. Review your list. Read it out loud. You’ll be amazed to see much of your worry disappear with this simple exercise.

3. This is my favorite, when you catch yourself worrying stop, close your eyes and remember how good it feels when you are not worrying!

Carol Giannantonio
Certified Life, Business & Executive Coach
http://www.carolgcoach.com 
carolgcoach@aol.com

Developing Successful Leaders and Profitable Businesses
in a Global Economy.

“People with goals have vision, act with
purpose and achieve success” .– Carol Giannantonio