The Urban Redevelopment Authority just released the 1st Quarter 2018 real estate statistics last Friday (April 27, 2018). The media, analysts and industry stakeholders can interpret the way they like. But numbers don’t lie. What are the numbers telling us? Where is the hidden time bomb? I will be sharing 3 things with you in this podcast: 1) The 3 different property … [Read more...]
Property Soul Podcast Episode #1: Home Sharing
It's exciting to announce the birth of my first Property Soul Podcast. I have picked a highly debated topic on home sharing or short-term rental, especially after the URA proposal that came out last Monday. The video answers four main questions of home sharing: 1. What is home sharing or short-term stay? 2. What are the likely outcomes of URA’s proposal? 3. Should … [Read more...]
How easy is it for Singaporeans to fall victim to herd mentality?
We were waiting for the lift in a shopping mall. Only two lifts were in service for the whole building, including the top few parking levels. More people joined us after they parked their cars. Two families moved next to us. Another three groups stood right behind. The lift on the right was full after it reached the fourth storey. Instead of continuing to go up, it … [Read more...]
Singapore property game: The winner takes it all
I used to see property investment as a means to achieve financial freedom. That was also the drive to build my first property portfolio in the 2000s. Sixteen years later, my knowledge on the subject has increased more than tenfold. Now I finally understand that property investment is nothing more than a game. Property: a popular Singapore game Many Singaporeans are … [Read more...]
How the 4% Buyer’s Stamp Duty makes speculators look foolish again
Singapore Budget 2018 has only bad news for the property industry. The top marginal Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD) rate is raised from 3 to 4 percent for residential properties valued over $1 million. The revised rate is effective immediately on or after 20 February 2018. The Finance Minister explained this is done to enhance “progressivity” in our tax system. For industry … [Read more...]