On September 29 (Thursday) evening, the government announced new property cooling measures again. The new rules aimed to moderate demand and ensure prudent borrowing amid rising interest rates. They were also meant to address the public concern of rising home prices and to improve housing affordability. While industry stakeholders and homebuyers were caught by surprise, some … [Read more...]
Property cooling measures, here we go again!
Yesterday (December 15) right before midnight, the government announced new property cooling measures, with higher ABSD (Additional Buyer's Stamp Duties), lowered LTV (Loan-to-Value) and tightened TDSR (Total Debt Servicing Ratio). The predictable pattern to impose new curbs We had the last round of cooling measures just three years ago in July 2018. Let's recall the … [Read more...]
Podcast Ep#9: The Truth Behind The New Curbs
Here comes part two of the new cooling measures show with the government raising five percent Additional Buyer Stamp Duty and lowering five percent for Loan-to-Value on July 5. In the midst of frantic last-minute buyers and discontented industry stakeholders, let me show you the true picture in this video: 1. How analysts prove to be the worst predictors again? 2. … [Read more...]
New cooling measures: The show has just begun
What a roller-coaster week for Singapore’s real estate market. It is a surprisingly well-coordinated good show put up by the Singapore government, complemented by the parts played by different stakeholders in the industry, with an unexpected ending of the cooling measures announcement. The show leading to the announcement Day 1: URA Q2 Estimate and PropNex IPO The … [Read more...]
MAS makes commentators look foolish again
Last Thursday, Managing Director of Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Ravi Menon mentioned at the annual report media conference that it is “not time yet to ease the cooling measures”, “they remain necessary” and “easing the measures now would send a wrong signal”. Sorry, cooling measures are to stay Menon cited two reasons for the decision: 1) Good pick-up of … [Read more...]