Hey, it's Friday. TGIF! Wait, it's Friday again. Will the government announce any new measures today to cool the property market? More than once, Friday has being picked for reporting such 'exciting' news. New policies mentioned today are likely to be made effective tomorrow, before everyone have a 'nice' weekend. For many who have a stake in the industry – be it … [Read more...]
Can licensing turn property agents into professionals?
Eight out of ten consumers are satisfied with their property agents, according to the Public Perception Survey conducted by the Council of Estate Agencies (CEA). Consumers put service excellence as most satisfied while agents’ knowledge of the real estate industry (financial matters, accurate and up-to-date property information) could be improved. National Development … [Read more...]
The lesson of Spain’s property bubble
Looking for overseas properties? Forget about Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, UK, or even US. Europeans are now making their property buying trips to Spain. Fancy a posh rental apartment in Madrid? What about a vacation home in Costa del Sol? (It's the authentic sunny coast south of Spain, not the Singapore sound-alike, ok?) Why not? Prices have been slaughtered … [Read more...]
The fear of losing out (part II: eCO showflat)
One Sunday afternoon hubby and I drove past the second property that I bought in 2003. Next to it, we were surprised to see the carpark almost full at the eCO showflat. The site of eCO is an empty slope right in front of Bedok Court. I remember the grass on this slope has been replanted at least twice in three years, probably to hold the loose soil. On the left of … [Read more...]
The fear of losing out (part I: cooling measures)
In his book Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, there’s an interesting line from the author T. Harv Eker: Rich people play the money game to win. Poor people play the money game to not lose. I've taken the liberty to change the last few words to describe the Singapore property scene: The pros play the money game to win. The amateurs play the money game not to lose … [Read more...]