I have written to The Straits Times Forum regarding the problem of inconsistent and incomplete private property transaction data. Below is my letter (Dec 18, Thursday) and reply from URA (Dec 23, Tuesday). Public deserves reliable, consistent data Published on Dec 18, 2014 THE computation of the HDB’s resale price index has recently been improved to give a more … [Read more...]
Achieving a meaningful market correction of property prices
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam told the press that there is "some distance to go in achieving a meaningful correction”, hinting that the property cooling measures are here to stay. I am surprised by Mr Tharman’s creative use of the word ‘meaningful’. It is an adjective or a descriptive word that leaves much room for imagination. It is up to … [Read more...]
The resurrection of property prices
The past Easter holiday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death on the third day, a critical belief in Christianity. By coincidence, the past Easter holiday also marks the resurrection of the purchase price for a private property bought in the mid-1990s by a friend of my father-in-law. I am not surprised that it takes him almost 20 years to break-even. I just … [Read more...]