Then HDB should have ruling that forbid residents having assets more than a million to buy HDB properties.Originally posted by eagle:Do you know how many people, whose properties/homes at Tulip Garden and Farrer Court are on en bloc sale, and with 2+ million dollars at hand, are buying HDB flats around the queenstown and holland village area?
1) You have a choice not to buy at QueenstownOriginally posted by iamgoondu:Then HDB should have ruling that forbid residents having assets more than a million to buy HDB properties.
So HDB is subsidising the rich? Rather than provide affordable houses to masses?
Originally posted by iamgoondu:If so many people can sign up to register for the 740k 5-rm flat at Boon Keng, how many people do you think can already afford them?
Here's HDB OBJECTIVE (from HDB WEBSITE)
To formulate and implement housing policies and programmes to provide [b]affordable quality homes and foster cohesive communities
[/b]
FYI, in 1997, for a batch of new flats just walking distance from Serangoon JC and about two bus stops away from Kovan MRT, an executive flat costs 600k. This price was 10 years ago.That's the price before the Asian Crisis, that's the price when the Bishan flats are asking for a million!
My current flat, bought also in 1997, 2nd hand and 5+yrs old, executive flat, costs 500++k at that time.You are buying from resales market. Now the price quote is direct selling price from HDB. So HDB feels that the market price for those new flats in Queenstown should be alot more than 500K (else where the subsidies?)
Following your own arguments, that was the price before the Asian Crisis.Originally posted by iamgoondu:That's the price before the Asian Crisis, that's the price when the Bishan flats are asking for a million!
With the impending US recession, are HDB setting another bogey trap for our residents to step on?
Jan 5: Straits TimesOriginally posted by iamgoondu:You are buying from resales market. Now the price quote is direct selling price from HDB. So HDB feels that the market price for those new flats in Queenstown should be alot more than 500K (else where the subsidies?)
I see no irony in my earlier statement. I would say the recent skyrocket of properties prices has entice even the HDB to put up their surplus flats for sales. Why won't put up for sales in 2012 (when the flat will be ready). My gut feel would be the imminent US or global recession will plummet the estate properties price.Originally posted by eagle:Following your own arguments, that was the price before the Asian Crisis.
And now is impending US recession.
Hmmm...
Explain the following: why would a young couple buy a 5-rm HDB for 500k if they cannot afford it? It is similar to buying a new computer; do you need to buy a $8000+ graphics card when you can get one for $400? Do you need to buy 4GB of RAM when you do not even use more than 2GB of RAM?Originally posted by iamgoondu:I see no irony in my earlier statement. I would say the recent skyrocket of properties prices has entice even the HDB to put up their surplus flats for sales. Why won't put up for sales in 2012 (when the flat will be ready). My gut feel would be the imminent US or global recession will plummet the estate properties price.
Anyway if I have a million, I would be able to pay the 500K in hard cash. But if one has a million, do we still allow him to buy HDB? I am worried about young couples who seek 500k BANK LOAN, and had to toil for 20years servicing 5k monthly bank loan.
So may I say that the 500K new flat in Queenstown are catering to those millionaires in Singapore...
Over a decade ago even at 300k it was not affordable to many. Deal with it, properties in prime areas are not for the average young couple...HDB or otherwise.Originally posted by iamgoondu:I see no irony in my earlier statement. I would say the recent skyrocket of properties prices has entice even the HDB to put up their surplus flats for sales. Why won't put up for sales in 2012 (when the flat will be ready). My gut feel would be the imminent US or global recession will plummet the estate properties price.
Anyway if I have a million, I would be able to pay the 500K in hard cash. But if one has a million, do we still allow him to buy HDB? I am worried about young couples who seek 500k BANK LOAN, and had to toil for 20years servicing 5k monthly bank loan.
So may I say that the 500K new flat in Queenstown are catering to those millionaires in Singapore...
I had read that story too, even a 30 years old 5RM flat in Ghim Moh is selling at 840K! I hope they won't faint when they seek mortages to those HDB houses, bank is able value those 30YEARS (WITH 69 YEARS LEASE) 5RM flats above 800K?Originally posted by eagle:Jan 5: Straits Times
Queenstown flat sold for record $890k!
Two intense days of door-knocking and a record $890,000 later, the buyer has his dream home - and the most expensive Housing Board flat in the country.
The owners had paid just over $300,000 for the 1,614 sq ft flat, which has four bedrooms, a living room and a study, in 1992.The old record for an HDB flat was $780,000 - also for an executive flat in Mei Ling Street - achieved last November.
Five other such flats in Mei Ling Street changed hands between November and December, ranging in price from $728,000 to $765,000.
Bank valuation only half of market rate
I AM currently selling my freehold semi-detached property, which is in brand new and move-in condition. Based on the transacted rate of $720 per square foot (psf) in October last year for another house in the vicinity, and the conservative indicative price from DBS at $2.3 million (which works out to slightly above $580 psf), I asked for $2.4m for my property.
One buyer was keen to buy the house after viewing it, and checked with his bank, Citibank, for valuation. After getting Citibank's valuation at $1.4 million, a staggering difference from my asking price, the buyer backed out.
When I called Citibank in disbelief, the female officer gave me an indicative price at $1.6 million after checking with the bank's 'only approved valuation agency, Knight Frank'.
I called back shortly after and asked to talk to someone at a higher level. An AVP named Adeline Wee called me back.
First, she asked me if I was a Citibank customer. Once she found out I was not, she told me in an unfriendly manner that her officer had given the correct indicative price based on 'a few valuation agencies'. This differed from what the earlier officer had told me - that Knight Frank is Citibank's only approved valuation agency. I pressed Ms Wee for the names of the other agencies, and she named DTZ. She then reminded me that since I am not a Citibank customer, I have no right to question the accuracy of its indicative price. Does she not realise my buyer and I are potential customers? Also, whether I am a customer or not should not change the fact that Citibank should be diligent and professional enough to seek valuations from more than one agency, a practice I believe other banks follow. Such an inaccurate property valuation directly impacts property sellers like me.
I then called Knight Frank to check further. A director of valuation, Ms Lydia Sng, called me back after checking for a few hours. She insisted that its valuation was correct and based on the 'latest and only caveat' for a property near mine. I then told her that based on the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) publicly available caveat records, there are three comparable houses nearby which were sold recently at $720 psf (October last year), $620 psf and $605 psf (July last year). She was surprised and did not seem aware that such records are available, which is astonishing considering she is in the property industry and I am not.
When I searched URA's caveat records for details of the caveat she had based the valuation on, I was shocked to find it had been lodged way back in June last year, before prices of suburban housing started moving up. This is serious as the resulting difference in price valuation is a million dollars, or roughly half the current market rate. Does Knight Frank base all its valuations on outdated transacted prices? If so, aren't the resulting property valuations a poor reflection of true market trends?
Does any authority or professional organisation evaluate valuation practices in the market?
It is due to demand and supply.Originally posted by iamgoondu:I had read that story too, even a 30 years old 5RM flat in Ghim Moh is selling at 840K! I hope they won't faint when they seek mortages to those HDB houses, bank is able value those 30YEARS (WITH 69 YEARS LEASE) 5RM flats above 800K?
I'd rather go freehold for twice the price.Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:jalan membina, 30th floor, 5 rm.
going at 900k. anybody?
If there is buyer for a 30 years old 5 RM flat in Ghim MOh at 840K, I don't forsee any difficulties for you in selling ur Jalan Membina flat.Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:jalan membina, 30th floor, 5 rm.
going at 900k. anybody?
Don't you think the subsidy is just another pricing instruments for HDB to up the selling price of the resales flats. And in turn with higher valuation and selling price, the HDB can sell their new flats based on higher valuations...Originally posted by eagle:It is due to demand and supply.
Anyway for young couples, they could always opt to buy a flat near their parents and get an amount of subsidy. Last time it was $60k subsidy, now I'm not very sure... $40k? or?
I am glad that you are seeing what I see. So don't you think that HDB is riding on this property fever to release their surplus flats? Even for flats due completion in 2012.Originally posted by eagle:I foresee that the property fever is dying down. And I think that HDB flats prices will drop more while landed property prices might be more sticky downwards as developers could hold on to it for long periods or simply rent it out till a time when the prices go up again.
Whether they are really riding on it is up to question. The fact is, there are still lots of people who demand such HDB flats at those prices. although I have no idea why. Only benefit is, they can loan at 2.5% interest rate while those buying private properties can only loan from the banks at a 4% housing loan rate.Originally posted by iamgoondu:I am glad that you are seeing what I see. So don't you think that HDB is riding on this property fever to release their surplus flats? Even for flats due completion in 2012.
I don't think HDB releasing those surplus flats to ease the current property fever, rather now the properties prices are at their peaks. A US recession is imminent.
Most of Marine Parade flats are transacting at that price last year.Originally posted by iamgoondu:New 5RM flats (to be ready in 2012) in Queenstown are being selling at 500K! What an obscene amount to quote.
Strange the household income ceiling still set at $8000.
A salaried person probably have to toil for 20years, paying house loan at 5K/monthly, to complete payment for that flat.
Are we setting the HDB prices at prices beyond the means of most people? Are HDB suppose to provide affordable housing to the masses?
Now we know why the flats in Seng Kang so cheap, I guess the flats in Seng Kang will go down further after...................Originally posted by deathbait:location location location
it's queensway.
If you can't afford it, you can join me at applying at seng kang along with the rest of us young kids.
As long as HDB is still supplying cheap flats to the public, does it matter how they price the good location flats? It's obviously not targetted to the young family.
Originally posted by iamgoondu:However if I am the owner of the Jalan Membina flat, I won't hesistate to let go of my house at 900K. I would take the monies and run away to Australia.