Dear baby, It's been a week since you arrived in this world. Welcome again to the family! I am secretly happy that you and I have the same eyes, lips, chin, temper, horoscope, blood type … Baby, when you grow up, will we share the same philosophies about money and investment? Will you have the passion for properties like what Mommy has? Maybe one day we can go … [Read more...]
Let’s separate marriage with property
There’s a 'uniquely Singapore' way of proposing to a lady, "Let's apply for a flat together." Unknowing to both parties, this is often the root of future problems. During my 1st year in Singapore, I rented a 4-room HDB flat from a young lady through referral from work. Back then the rent was $850, including utility costs. One evening, I heard someone opening the … [Read more...]
Why I won’t buy at new launch
Many Singaporeans, especially 1st time buyers, like to shop at condo new launch. Very often, units are booked with TOP dates a few years down the road. Not for me! 1) What your deposit means I know many people have strong 'belief' that the price of their unit will increase significantly by TOP. Honestly, unless you're quite sure that you're buying near the bottom; … [Read more...]
Running – an analogy for property speculation
I've been suffering from plantar fasciitis (an inflammation causing heel pain) since early part of this year. I can't run this year's Singapore Marathon --- the 1st time I can't make it after joining for four consecutive years. I saw photos of runners posing in front of Orchard's Christmas light up and Sentosa's Universal Studio. How I wish I could be … [Read more...]
Lessons from the lizards
A friend visited Singapore and we went for a getaway in Bintan. Inside the resort, there's a spa with open-air rooms. We decided to go for a 1½-hour massage and body scrub treatment. While enjoying the breeze and the sound of the waves, I couldn't doze off and ended up staring at the ceiling. There was a bunch of lizards lying up there just like us. The difference was that … [Read more...]