Homebuyers are prone to making dumb property decisions because of human weaknesses. Hong Kong author Suhei (素黑) said human beings have five major weaknesses - greedy, confused, lazy, stubborn and dumb. We need conscience and guts to admit that we have made a mistake. However, it is not difficult for us to confess that we can be greedy, confused, lazy or stubborn at times. … [Read more...]
New project with most returned units. The winner is …
Lately, there were media reports every other week on a new condo launched with a bang. On the other hand, a check on URA monthly data on sales by developers also reveals the fact that the number of returned units from buyers is on the rise. What are returned units to developers? Returned units are new units of uncompleted projects. Homebuyers have already placed a … [Read more...]
Why people miss the big picture
If you observed the property market long enough, you would notice that homebuyers and investors tend to go with the flow. Many are ready to trust what others said and follow what most people do. However, believing a half-truth is what makes people lose sight of the big picture. We are often carried away by what is happening at this moment. After reading some headlines in the … [Read more...]
Know who to trust in your property decision
I must admit that I am the type of person that won’t trust others easily. Very often, I question what strangers say, especially what salespeople tell me. I am not born skeptical or cynical. It is learned over the years. After two decades investing in properties and other assets, I have my fair share of trusting the wrong source or person. There were many times I regretted … [Read more...]
Why we only buy when prices are high
The title of this blog post is not meant to be sarcastic. It is about human nature to follow the herd, especially the irrational urge to buy something when prices are high. A second-hand HDB home for over a million? Our local media have the tendency to report properties that were recently sold at an unbelievably high price. Or the purchase price had just set a new … [Read more...]