I was in Hong Kong last week. To find out why Hong Kong people flocked to Shenzhen on weekends, I decided to cross the border for a personal experience. Singapore’s infamous train fault There is a Chinese saying that “Good things aren’t heard outside the house. Bad things spread a thousand miles. During this trip, whoever I met, the first thing they mentioned was … [Read more...]
Who is to blame for China’s property crisis?
China’s property crisis has been lingering for over two years. The latest development was Hui Ka Yan, the founder and chairman of China’s largest property developer the Evergrande Group, was arrested and placed under police surveillance at an undisclosed location. To what extent are developers responsible for China’s property crisis? Rich Chinese flocking to Singapore … [Read more...]
What did deflation of China’s property bubble tell us
Investors are holding their breath as the world witness the gigantic China property bubble deflate. Last week all eyes are on Evergrande to see whether China’s most indebted developer will default. The company is due to pay US$83.5 million in interest on September 23 and another US$47.5 million on September 29. It is nothing but a dead cat bounce A day before the … [Read more...]
Property investment is all about timing
When I presented “When Is The Best Time To Buy or Sell?” in September’s SMART Expo, I talked about timing in property investment. I mentioned that property agents often tell you it is impossible to time the market. You may not be able to time the market. But you can never be too good if you can’t tell the difference between a good versus a bad time to buy. You don’t have … [Read more...]
Chinese developers: Who exactly are they?
Since the start of the year, cash-rich property developers from mainland China have been actively participating in Government Land Sales (GLS) tenders. Aiming to expand their footprint in Singapore, they have set new records in bidding prices for residential sites. This is no doubt a big windfall for the government. But not for local developers who may be involuntarily … [Read more...]