anything pasal HOUSING

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HDB revises flat application rules
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 May 2008 1907 hrs



SINGAPORE: The Housing & Development Board (HDB) has revised the application process for its Build-to-Order (BTO) and Balloting Exercise (BE) modes of sale to address recent increases in non-selection of new HDB flats. The changes will take effect from the May 2008 BTO exercise.

Under the revision, first-timer applicants who reject two chances to select a flat will have their first-timer priorities removed for a one-year period in HDB's sales exercises.

This means that they will be treated like second-timer applicants, and will no longer be able to ballot for the 90% of publicly available flats which HDB safeguards for first-timers. They will also not be eligible for the Married Child Priority Scheme which gives them two additional tries.

Additional chances for repeatedly unsuccessful first-timers - that is those not invited to select a flat - will be limited to only BTO exercises in non-mature estates. No additional chance will be accorded if they participate in the BE or the Quarterly/Half-Yearly Sales Exercise, where the supply of flats is limited.

The additional chances will be accorded to first-timer applicants who had been unsuccessful twice (that is, starting from the third try), instead of the existing practice where additional chances are only given starting from the fifth try.

HDB said the above measures will encourage applicants to consider their options carefully before participating in an HDB sale exercise. The measures will also help to minimize non-selection of HDB flats by applicants who repeatedly participate in sales exercises and thus divert HDB's time and resources from those with urgent housing needs.

Recent launches of Build-to-Order flats have seen an overwhelming number of applications, especially those in mature estates, leading to speculation that there is a shortage of new flats. But HDB said, on the contrary, the bulk of applicants often do not end up making a purchase.

The recent Coral Spring project, for instance, saw about 30% of flats not taken up even after all applicants had been invited to book a flat.

HDB said in the last four Build-to-Order exercises, about 50 to 70 percent of applicants rejected their chance to book a flat, citing reasons like location and cost. However, HDB said such information was readily available to applicants when the projects were first announced.

It said it had considered other options - such as raising the administration fee and reverting to the old queue system. However, these measures are not necessarily effective deterrents, and in the case of the latter, may in fact lead to an over-supply.

Reactions to the changes were mixed, with most first-timers cheering the increased priority.

"For a first-time buyer, to get a flat is very important. For second-time buyers, maybe they already have a flat... but (for first-time buyers like us), we are just starting to build a family, so we should have more priority," said a flat applicant.

For those who have rejected the allocated flats, some said the HDB should consider such applicants on a case-by-case basis.

Eric Chong, a first-time flat buyer, said: "There must be a reason why people want to reject, because they might not like a second-floor flat, or other reasons. I must purchase the one that I like most, because it's a big investment."

The new rules kick in with HDB's latest BTO projects - Compassvale Pearl in Sengkang, and Punggol Sapphire. These will add another 1,485 new flats to the market.

Including upcoming projects in Punggol, Sengkang, Woodlands and Bukit Panjang, to be launched in the second half of this year, the total planned supply for 2008 is 8,000 flats. The number is more than the 6,000 in 2007 and 2,400 in 2006. - CNA/ir

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May 23, 2008         
More homes coming up in Punggol, Sengkang
Over 1,400 premium flats launched yesterday. Total this year: 8,400 units
By Jessica Cheam


PRICEY MAKEOVER: $25 million will be spent on landscaping and architectural work for Punggol's 4.2km waterway, says HDB.

NEW LAUNCH: An artist's impression of the upcoming Punggol Sapphire, one of two new projects under HDB's build-to-order system.


THE Housing Board (HDB) yesterday launched more than 1,400 premium homes in Punggol and Sengkang for sale, as it moved to meet increasing demand.

This brings the total supply for the year to about 8,400 units - more than the 6,000 homes launched last year and the 2,400 in 2006.

The new projects - Compassvale Pearl in Sengkang and Punggol Sapphire in Punggol - are offered under HDB's build-to-order (BTO) system, where flats are built only when a certain demand is reached.

Yesterday's launches follow the release last week of detailed plans to develop Punggol into a 'waterfront town'.

The HDB said it will spend $25 million on landscaping and architectural work for Punggol's 4.2 km waterway and a further $5.1 million on its upcoming town park.

Both features are part of the 'Punggol 21-plus' vision mentioned by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at last year's National Day Rally.

Punggol Sapphire offers 1,065 flats: 760 four-room units, 282 five-room premium flats and 23 five-room loft units, which have higher-than-normal ceilings allowing for a loft.

Premium flats have better finishes, making them slightly more costly, said the HDB.

The estate is next to Punggol MRT station and a stone's throw from the future town centre, which will have a mix of entertainment, sports and recreation facilities.

It is also located near the upcoming waterway, which will have homes lining its banks, as well as recreational facilities and other amenities nearby.

Prices at Punggol Sapphire will range from $234,000 for a four-room flat to $477,000 for a five-room loft unit.

The HDB said it expects another 4,900 units to be completed by 2011, making a total of more than 20,000 homes in Punggol.

At Compassvale Pearl, 420 units are being offered - 336 four-room units and 84 five-room premium flats. Prices range from $216,000 for a four-room flat to $367,000 for a five-room unit.

The estate is at the junction of Punggol Road and Compassvale Drive and is served by LRT stations.

The HDB website www.hdb.gov.sg yesterday showed 400 applications for both new projects. Applications close on June 4.

Both projects are expected to be completed by 2011. Models of the estates are on display at the HDB Hub Habitat Forum at Toa Payoh until June 4.

[email protected]

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May 23, 2008         
$63 million in conservancy and rental rebates for HDB households
By Theresa Tan
OVER 770,000 HDB households will receive $63 million worth of conservancy charges and rental rebates this fiscal year, which is from April 1 to Mar 31 next year.

All eligible households will get service and conservancy charges (SCC) rebates, of which families living in three and four-room flats will get two months worth of SCC rebates.

Among poor households renting flats from the Housing Board, those eligible one-room households will get four months of SCC rebates and three months of rental rebates.

These rebates are part of the $4 billion GST offset package, announced last year, to help Singaporeans cope with the rise in the GST in July last year.

The HDB will send letters to notify all eligible households by the end of this month to inform them of the amount of rebates they will be getting.

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Kallang, Paya Lebar to be developed as new commercial hubs
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 23 May 2008 2029 hrs




SINGAPORE : Kallang and Paya Lebar will be developed into new commercial hubs, just like the Jurong Lake District. This is part of the government's Draft Master Plan, which charts land use over the next 10 to 15 years.

Marina Bay and the city centre will continue to be the key commercial node in Singapore. New growth areas like Tanjong Pagar, Beach Road and the Ophir-Rochor corridor will also be developed.

However, more commercial hubs will be needed outside the city, to offer alternatives to businesses and bring jobs closer to homes.

One regional centre will be in Paya Lebar. About 12 hectares of land are available for development, and half a million square metres will be set aside for office, hotel and retail spaces.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said at least 1,400 hotel rooms can be built in the area. And in the near future, residents will be able to shop and dine by the Geylang riverfront.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said: "When the Marina Barrage is completed some time later this year, we will be able to stabilise the water levels in Geylang River.

"Around the Geylang River area, we will be able to integrate very attractive public spaces, malls and so on. The plan is to realign the Geylang River so that it runs through the new commercial developments."

The proposals will build on the area's distinctive Malay identity, so there will be a new Geylang Serai Market and Civic Centre. The Civic Centre will house a Community Club, community development offices and even a library.

More activities and bazaars can also be staged at a new plaza, next to the upcoming Paya Lebar MRT interchange.

As for Kallang Riverside, it has been earmarked as the next lifestyle precinct. Urban planners said new parks, waterfront residences and recreational spaces can be developed at the 64-hectare area.

About 600,000 square metres of land will also be devoted to commercial use, with 3,000 new hotel rooms in the pipeline.

About 4,000 waterfront homes have been planned for the area. And the new properties will have a variety of storey heights, stepping down towards the waterfront. This will allow those living further inland to also enjoy the views of the waterfront.

Parts of the historic Kallang Airport will also be conserved and redeveloped into a new entertainment and retail attraction. Also in the works are an integrated second-storey linkway to connect Kallang MRT station to the Old Airport Square and the future Sports Hub.

All in, URA said there are plans to add 327,200 new homes around the island over the next 15 years.

Members of the public can send their feedback on the Draft Master Plan through the URA website.

The Master Plan 2008 will be gazetted after incorporating views from the public at the Draft Master Plan exhibition at the URA Centre. - CNA/ms

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The latest built-to-order exercise for new flats - Punggol Sapphire (above) and Compassvale Pearl - has received overwhelming response, notwithstanding the new criterion imposed by The Housing Board. -- PHOTO: HDB

New flats under stricter rules in hot demand
By Jessica Cheam
DEMAND has been strong for the latest batch of Housing Board (HDB) flats - despite new rules designed to prevent frivolous applications.

As at 5pm on Tuesday, 2,397 applications had poured in for the 1,485 premium flats launched by HDB just last Thursday.

Housing experts say demand looks likely to stay healthy, although the total number of applications may drop as HDB's new rules begin to deter time-wasting and frivolous applications.

The latest flats are likely to be three times oversubscribed, they say - a drop from comparable sales earlier this year, which were about five times oversubscribed.

HDB's two newest projects - Compassvale Pearl in Sengkang and Punggol Sapphire - are being offered under HDB's build-to-order (BTO) system, where flats are built only when a certain level of demand has been reached.

HDB tweaked its application process last week to address concerns over relatively low take-up rates for new flats despite thousands of applications.

Under the new rules, a first-time buyer who rejects an offer to buy a flat twice at HDB's BTO or balloting sales exercises will lose his first- timer priorities for a year. That effectively puts him at the back of the queue with the second-timers.

The new rules raised fears that buyers offered leftover flats will be penalised.

HDB has since said it may exercise flexibility if applicants at the back of the queue have good reasons for rejecting available flats.

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June 4, 2008         
Rental flats: HDB to weed out errant tenants
It will conduct more checks to identify those who sublet subsidised flats illegally
By Jessica Cheam

THE Housing and Development Board (HDB) is clamping down harder on the abuse of its heavily subsidised rental flats.

Enforcement blitzes to identify illegally rented flats will be stepped up and they will be extended across a wider area of the country, said the HDB on Wednesday.

Its response comes amid growing disquiet on several fronts about the abuse of subsidised rental housing.

MPs, residents of rental blocks and eligible Singaporeans who feel they have been left in the queue while foreign workers snap up cheap flats have all called for action.

The Straits Times reported last week that an increasing number of tenants have been illegally subletting HDB flats to cash in on the demand for low-priced accommodation. The flats are often leased to workers from Malaysia, China and India who are either in the dark about rules or just want the cheapest rental option.

Some MPs told The Straits Times that residents had alerted them to the illegal rentals and demanded more enforcement.

HDB rental flats have soared in demand over the past year, with the waiting list up by at least 30 per cent in recent months. There are about 4,000 applicants in the queue with a waiting time of 15 months - double the wait in 2006.

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June 5, 2008         
Applications for HDB flats halved after new rules
Despite this, experts say take-up rate likely to be high
By Jessica Cheam

IT LOOKS like the time-wasters have got the message after the Housing Board tightened rules for flat applications.

The launch of 1,485 premium flats in Punggol and Sengkang closed on Wednesday with 4,050 applications - still oversubscribed but at about half the level seen before the new rules kicked in.

Some sales launches had become free-for-alls, with thousands of people who had no real intention of buying still lodging applications just to their options open.

This was evident in the actual take-up rate for flats, which was sharply lower than the number of applicants.

Apart from creating an administrative headache for the HDB, such frivolous applicants also meant deserving buyers were pushed further back in the queue.

Now a first-timer who twice rejects an offer to buy a flat at a build-to-order (BTO) or balloting sales exercise will lose his first-timer priorities for a year.

In other words, he will be sent to the back of the queue with the second-timers.

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June 6, 2008         
Time-wasters steer clear of BTO projects
HDB's two new projects still oversubscribed but at half the level seen before change of rules
By Jessica Cheam




IT LOOKS like the time-wasters have got the message after the Housing Board tightened rules for flat applications.

The launch of 1,485 premium flats in Punggol and Sengkang closed on Wednesday with 4,050 applications - still oversubscribed but at about half the level seen before the new rules kicked in.

Some sales launches had become free-for-alls, with thousands of people who had no real intention of buying still lodging applications just to keep options open.

This was evident in the actual take-up rate for flats, which was sharply lower than the number of applicants.

Apart from creating an administrative headache for the HDB, such frivolous applicants also meant deserving buyers were pushed further back in the queue.

Now, a first-timer who twice rejects an offer to buy a flat at a build-to-order (BTO) or balloting sales exercise will lose his first-timer priorities for a year.

In other words, he will be sent to the back of the queue with the second-timers.

The shake-up has certainly made first-time buyers like Ms Lynne Huang, a 25-year-old teacher, more cautious.

'The new rule is quite harsh, so home buyers like me really have to think twice before applying for any project,' she said.

'If I apply, it's likely that I will buy a unit unless it's on a very low floor.'

The amended regulations have raised fears that buyers offered leftover flats would be penalised, but the HDB has said it could be flexible if applicants at the back of the queue have good reasons for rejecting available homes.

HDB's new rules had their first try-out in two new projects - Compassvale Pearl in Sengkang and Punggol Sapphire (below).

They were offered under the BTO system where flats are built once a certain level of demand is reached.

Compassvale Pearl received 977 applications for the 420 flats on offer, and Punggol Sapphire attracted 3,073 bids for 1,065 flats.

That put the ratio of applications to flats at 2.3 in Compassvale Pearl and 2.9 in Punggol Sapphire - roughly half the figure for projects launched earlier this year.

Applications for the Punggol Spring sale in February and Jade Spring @ Yishun Phase 2 in March were about five times the number of flats offered - or five would-be buyers for every home.

Punggol Spring received 2,765 applications for 494 flats, and Jade Spring @ Yishun Phase2 had 2,828 bidders for 576 flats, the HDB told The Straits Times.

Housing experts had anticipated the dip in applications following the rule change, but they still expect the take-up rate to remain strong due to real demand in the market.

PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail said buyers are now showing discretion in their applications.

'But I think the more interesting thing to watch is the actual take-up rate, if demand continues to meet the supply,' he said.

Mr Colin Tan, head of research and consultancy at Chesterton International, believes there is 'a lot of pent-up demand' in the market and it was likely the HDB could even see higher take-up rates from more serious buyers.

In the second half of last year, buyers took up about 54 to 72 per cent of flats in new HDB projects in Punggol, Sengkang and Bukit Panjang.

Unsold stock has reached an all-time low of 1,200 flats - a stark contrast to the 25,000 unsold flats at its peak.

HDB is ramping up supply to about 8,400 units this year - 40 per cent more than last year's new supply.

[email protected]

SQ154

HDB upgrading pace will continue despite rise in construction costs



SINGAPORE: National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said the Housing and Development Board (HDB) is containing construction costs as much as it could even though they have gone up significantly recently.

HDB is doing this by simplifying some of the projects or by combining them so that there are more economies of scale. A recent example is the Punggol Sapphire project which has more than a thousand units against the usual number of some 500 units per project.

But Mr Mah assured Singaporeans that public flats would continue to be affordable, despite the rising costs. The pace of HDB upgrading under the Main and Interim Upgrading Programmes will also not be affected by rising costs.

Mr Mah was speaking to reporters on Tuesday after an event to congratulate the HDB for winning the United Nations Public Service Award.

HDB said the award is in recognition of the Home Ownership Programme, which has successfully provided over 80 per cent of Singaporeans with affordable quality flats, of them 95 per cent own these homes.

While the challenges for public housing today may be different, they are no less formidable than those faced by the HDB when it started Singapore's public housing programme in 1960.

HDB said flat buyers now have varying aspirations. There is also the challenge of differing income levels. So the HDB will continue to meet the housing needs of the majority as well as lower income Singaporeans.

Mr Mah said: "Someone with an income of S$1,000 to S$1,500 is eligible to rent a flat. But I would much prefer that they would own a flat, even if it is a small flat because from there, they can build a base, earn some assets and later on when they do well in life, they can upgrade."

Mr Mah added that another challenge is to rejuvenate the older housing estates so that Singapore maintains the quality of living in these estates and the value of the flats.

But HDB抯 immediate task is to tackle rising costs as the construction industry has not been spared from the global phenomenon of increasing prices of raw materials.

He said: 揜aw material prices and energy prices have increased. All these are feeding through into the construction cost index for the moment. What we have to do first is to manage the costs as much as we can by simplifying some of the projects or by combining them so that there are more economies of scale, (and) by using more economical materials."

Mr Mah said that the government is also helping to reduce the construction pressure by withholding some projects. But the minister added that the government does not expect a major delay in the completion of the two mega integrated resort projects due to rising construction costs. - CNA/vm

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HDB wins UN Public Service Award for home ownership programme


SINGAPORE: Singapore's public housing agency - Housing and Development Board (HDB) - has been given the United Nations Public Service Award.

HDB said the award is in recognition of the Home Ownership Programme, which has successfully provided over 80 per cent of Singaporeans with affordable quality flats, of them 95 per cent own these homes.

Describing it as a significant milestone in its history, HDB said the award represents the international community's recognition of Singapore's public housing programme.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan visited the HDB headquarters at Toa Payoh on Tuesday to congratulate the management and staff on this achievement.

In his speech, Mr Mah spoke on the dual challenges of providing for more vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the lower-income, as well as making HDB flats attractive to more well-off Singaporeans.

He also felt that a shared experience of HDB living was important to developing a collective Singapore identity.

HDB's "Remaking Our Heartland" programme is set to give new, middle-aged and old HDB estates a major makeover, to turn them into "vibrant homes."

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June 26, 2008         
Over 780,000 HDB households to get next tranche of utility rebates


For most households, the rebates are more than sufficient to cover the tariff increases in the course of this year, said the ministry. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA

MORE than 780,000 eligible HDB households will get the next tranche of their Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebates next month, given to to help low and middle-income Singaporeans cope with the GST increase.

Together with the first rebates given out in January, they will amount to $134 million this year.

One and two-room households will get $220 worth of U-Save rebates, which come to as much as 30 per cent of their average utility bill.

The rebates for the other HDB households are $200 for three-room flats, $190 (four-room), $120 (five-room) and $80 (executive flats).

A Finance Ministry statement on Thursday said the U-Save rebates are part of the $4 billion GST Offset Package announced in last year's Budget to help Singaporeans, especially low and middle-income households, adjust to with the GST increase in July 2007.

For most households, the rebates are more than sufficient to cover the tariff increases in the course of this year, said the ministry.

The U-Save rebates will cost the Government $550 million over five years.

Singapore Power Services will notify all eligible households of their U-Save rebates in their July 2008 bill.

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HDB to launch new site at Toa Payoh for tender under DBSS
By Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 26 June 2008 1941 hrs




SINGAPORE : The Housing and Development Board is launching a new site for tender under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) on June 27.

The site, located at Lorong 1A Toa Payoh, will be the sixth site to be offered under the scheme.

The plot has an area of 27,480 square metres and an allowable gross floor area of 115,416 square metres. The site is in a mature estate, just minutes away from the Toa Payoh Town Centre.

Tender packets will be available during office hours from June 27 at S$100 each at The Procurement Office (Basement 1), HDB Hub, 480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh.

The tender will close at noon on August 19. - CNA /ls

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HDB resale flat prices up an estimated 4.4% in Q2
By Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 July 2008 1505 hrs


Straits Vista @ Marsiling

SINGAPORE: Prices of HDB resale flats rose 4.4 per cent in the three months to June over the previous quarter, according to the Housing and Development Board's flash estimate.

This was slightly higher than the 3.7 per cent increase in the first quarter.

In the first half of the year, HDB has launched a total of 4,524 new flats.

Subject to demand, HDB plans to offer about 3,900 new flats under the Build-To-Order (BTO) system over the next 6 months in various towns.

The total planned BTO supply of 8,400 new flats this year will surpass the BTO supply in 2007.

This will be in addition to flats offered under the Balloting Exercise for surplus replacement flats under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme, and the other exercises for sale of balance flats from previous offers.

- CNA/yb

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July 2, 2008         
Prices of HDB resale flats still climbing
4.4% jump in second quarter, given strong demand, tight supply and higher valuations
By Jessica Cheam

THERE is a buzz in the property market and it is in the heartland.

HDB homes are continuing their bull run - even as private home prices stagnate - with prices rising 4.4 per cent in the second quarter.

This is according to flash estimates released by the Housing Board yesterday.

The latest jump is higher than the 3.7 per cent first-quarter rise in HDB flat prices.

Housing experts point to an underlying healthy level of demand for resale flats, tight supply and higher valuations as key reasons for the rise.

The onward march of HDB flat prices comes after prices rose 17.4 per cent last year.

In contrast, private home prices inched up only 0.4 per cent this quarter, compared to 3.7 per cent in the previous quarter, flash figures from the Urban Redevelopment Authority showed.

Last year, private home prices soared 31 per cent.

One reason public flats are outperforming private homes now is that HDB price rises are still lagging behind those of private homes which shot up in the housing boom, say market watchers.

Knight Frank director of research and consultancy Nicholas Mak said HDB prices still have room to rise as they were slow to take off at the start of the recent property boom.

Higher valuations of resale flats are also likely to have contributed to the price rises, said PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail.

He expects public-housing prices to continue their rise, by another 5 per cent, for the rest of this year. That would mean a full-year jump of about 13 per cent.

Both men agreed that the tight supply of HDB flats is another factor keeping the market buoyant, with demand from upgraders, downgraders and permanent residents.

'With Singapore's economic fundamentals still intact, the buzz in the HDB resale market is expected to continue in 2008,' said ERA Realty's assistant vice-president Eugene Lim.

'A buoyant HDB resale market is good news for developers of mass-market condominium projects as HDB upgraders are their primary target market,' he added.

However, with the stream of new flats coming into the market, some demand will move away from the resale market to new flats, he said.

During the first half of this year, HDB launched 4,524 new flats.

Subject to demand, HDB said in a statement that it plans to offer about 3,900 new flats under the Build-to-Order system over the next six months, in towns such as Punggol, Sengkang and Bukit Panjang.

The full data for the second quarter will be released at the end of the month.

[email protected]

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July 5, 2008         
Soaring rents pushing PRs to buy flats
They account for 20% of resale-flat purchases, say agents
By Jessica Cheam

PERMANENT residents (PRs) are flocking to buy Housing Board resale flats as high rents start to make ownership a more attractive option.

Sales to PRs have rocketed in the past two years, say property agents, and the keen army of buyers is helping to keep prices buoyant in an otherwise-flat market.

Property agencies PropNex and ERA Realty told The Straits Times that in recent months, about 20 per cent of total HDB home sales were driven by PRs.

This is a four-fold increase from two years ago, when PRs bought just 5 per cent of the homes sold, said ERA's assistant vice-president Eugene Lim.

Last year, PRs accounted for about 10 per cent of sales, said PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail.The sales figures are even more striking for smaller flats like three- or four-roomers, with PR buyers snapping up 45 to 50 per cent of the stock, added Mr Lim.

HSR Property Group reports similar figures. PRs bought about 18 per cent of HDB homes recently, said executive director Eric Cheng.

The three agencies command about 80 per cent of the HDB resale market.

Last year, 29,436 resale flats changed hands. If the volume holds for this year, it will mean about 6,000 flats could be snapped up by PRs.

With HDB rents rising so fast, buying now 'makes more economic sense' than renting, say analysts.

Rents for a four-room flat in an established estate ranged from $1,000 to $1,200 two years ago. Today, they are $1,800 to $2,000, said Mr Ismail.

The penny has dropped for Mr N.E. Shanmugam, who had been renting here for eight years.

He pays $1,200 for a three-room flat in Tampines and was initially looking for a bigger unit to move when his lease expired next month. But with rents shooting up, he faced a monthly outlay of $1,800 for a five-roomer.

'It didn't make sense. I'm better off buying my own home,' said the 56-year-old project manager, who is married with a one-year-old son.

Mr Shanmugam has just bought a five-room flat in Sengkang valued at $380,000. His mortgage will be $1,500 - well under what his rent would have been.

Singapore's burgeoning PR population - and their purchasing power - has been singled out as one of the factors driving HDB resale prices.

While private home prices inched only 0.4 per cent this quarter, HDB flat prices climbed 4.4 per cent, following a 3.7 per cent rise in the previous quarter.

Singapore's PR population rose from 287,500 in 2000 to 386,800 in 2005, according to the Department of Statistics.

Property agencies say about 70 per cent of the PR buyers are from China and India with the rest from countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines.

[email protected]

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Who throws such things out of their windows?
By Shila Naidu, newsroom intern

SERIAL high-rise litter-bugs have reared their ugly heads again, this time at Block 307D, Anchorville Road in Sengkang.

It started with half-eaten food and other rubbish, but it was a soiled sanitary pad that finally made one resident blow her top.

A housewife, who wanted to be known only as Madam Soh, said her entire day was ruined when she spotted the pad splattered on the ledge of her master bedroom window.

'I saw the pad near the aircon condenser after I woke up that morning. I was very upset and insisted that the town council do something about it,' she said.

She said the town council later asked a cleaner to go up to her flat and remove it. Home owners above her were also given reminders on littering.

Madam Soh, 48, said she had earlier found other rubbish on her window ledges, including egg shells, dirty rags, and half-eaten packs of food like nasi lemak.

She no longer puts her laundry outside and does the drying indoors as she is afraid of what may land on her clothes.

Madam Soh, who has lived there for about six years, said the littering problem has plagued the estate in the last couple of years.

Another resident, 44, said: 'When the people living above throw out papers and plastic it is not so bad.

'But sometimes they throw half-eaten food and dirty rags.

'I have called the town council about this problem a few times.'

According to her, the town council appointed a cleaner to sweep the ledge, but she feels it is very dangerous as she lives on a high floor.

'I don't want to endanger the life of the sweeper,' she explained. 'I wish the town council can educate the residents about being responsible.'

When contacted, Mr Michael Ngin, public relations manager for Pasir Ris-Punggol town council, said they are working with the National Environment Agency (NEA) on the littering problem.

He added that they would issue advisories and educational notices to the residents living above those who are affected by the litter. They also put up educational posters on notice boards.

ENFORCEMENT

A spokesman for the NEA said that the more common forms of high-rise litter include cigarette butts and boxes, tissue paper, plastic bags, fruit seeds and cores, nail clippings and sweet wrappers.

Urging residents to be more civic-minded, the spokesman said: 'Enforcement against high-rise litter bugs is very manpower intensive and time consuming. It involves long hours of staking out under flats to catch the offender.'

Last year, the NEA took enforcement action against eight cases of high rise littering.

While a $200 fine awaits those who throw out cigarette butts and parking coupons, those who throw out food wrappers and plastic bags may be sentenced to a corrective work order.

Litter that poses a threat to public health such as soiled sanitary pads and diapers may set first-time offenders back by $1,000. Subsequent offenders can be fined up to $5,000.

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CAKAP PASAL HARTANAH

NAK PINDAH KE FLAT HDB ATAU RUMAH PRIVET?

Oleh
Sazali Sarwan

RAMAI anggota masyarakat Melayu kita yang berada dalam dilema untuk membuat keputusan dan teragak-agak untuk ke rumah privet.

Seperti contoh seorang yang memiliki flat eksekutif HDB yang dibeli daripada Lembaga Perumahan dan Pembangunan (HDB), tiada pilihan kecuali mendapatkan pinjaman daripada bank jika beliau mahu berpindah ke rumah lebih besar (upgrade) atau berpindah ke rumah lebih kecil (downgrade).

Dilema pertama ialah rumah privet secara umumnya memanglah kecil. Selalunya keluarga Melayu kita lebih senang dengan ruang tamu yang lebih besar terutama waktu keramaian dan berhari raya. Oleh itu, keramaian dibuat di 'Function Room' atau bilik serba guna.

Dilema yang kedua adalah dari segi kos perbelanjaan rumah sebulan.

Kebiasaannya, golongan keluarga ini akan membuat perhitungan kewangan dengan ejen mereka secara lebih prihatin.

Apabila dihitung kos untuk tinggal di kondominium berbanding di flat HDB, lebih kurang sama.

Ini terutamanya bagi keluarga yang mempunyai dua buah kereta.

Rumah kondominium dikenakan bayaran penyenggaraan lebih kurang $250 hingga $350 sebulan dan ini termasuk tempat meletak kereta.

Juga, kalau gaya hidup kita termasuk suka bersenam di gim dan seronok ke kolam renang, kondominium adalah jawapannya.

Bagaimanapun, buatlah pengiraan teliti dan perancangan kewangan terlebih dahulu agar tidak terjerat dengan ansuran bulanan.

Beberapa perkara yang perlu diambil kira termasuk:

# Gaya hidup

# Pekerjaan stabil (jangan mengharapkan 'overtime')

# Kos perbelanjaanuntuk rumah sebulan (termasuk kos tempat letak kereta)

# Bayaran ansuran dengan bank

Nasihat saya adalah jangan menggunakan kesemua wang CPF dan wang tunai anda untuk tujuan mengurangkan pinjaman.

Ramai yang menghadapi masalah pinjaman rumah rendah tetapi CPF kosong.

Adakan sedikit wang simpanan (reserve funds) untuk saat darurat.

Simpanan wang itu dapatlah digunakan untuk menokok apa sahaja yang berkurangan untuk bayaran rumah. Simpanan ini khusus untuk rumah. Kita mesti berdisiplin diri agar wang ini tidak digunakan untuk perbelanjaan harian lain.

Walaupun pinjaman untuk rumah yang diambil lebih sedikit, masa depan keluarga dapat dipelihara.

Juga, elakkan menggunakan pinjaman bank kalau kita downgrade.

Kita akan sambung perbincangan ini dalam rencana akan datang.

fatz2

July 18, 2008         
HDB condo-like flats in Ang Mo Kio open for sale next week
By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent


Park Central is the third project under the Housing Board's Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS). -- PHOTO: UNITED ENGINEERS

ANOTHER condo-like public housing is coming up, this time in the heart of bustling Ang Mo Kio.

Developer United Engineers, through its subsidiary Greatearth Developments, is launching its 578-unit project for sale next Wednesday.

Located at Ang Mo Kio Street 52, Park Central@AMK offers four 30-storey towers with four and five room flats.

Every unit will come with condo-style trappings such as built-in wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, air-conditioning system.

The average selling price will range from $490 per square foot to $500 psf, or between around $400,000 to just below $700,000.

Park Central is the third project under the Housing Board's Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS), which allows private developers to design, build and price the HDB flats for sale.

fatz2

Singapura : 23 Julai 2008        
         
FLAT BARU KEKAL MURAH MESKIPUN KOS BINA NAIK

Projek pembinaan berjumlah $4.7 bilion ditangguh bagi reda permintaan

HARGA flat baru Lembaga Perumahan dan Pembangunan (HDB) akan kekal dijual pada harga lebih rendah berbanding harga pasaran, meskipun kos pembinaan kini telah meningkat, kata Menteri Pembangunan Negara, Encik Mah Bow Tan.

Menyatakan demikian dalam jawapannya kepada pertanyaan Cik Cynthia Phua (GRC Aljunied), Encik Mah juga mendedahkan bahawa bagi meredakan permintaan pembinaan, agensi-agensi awam juga telah mengenal pasti lagi beberapa projek pembinaan bernilai $1.7 bilion yang akan ditangguhkan.

Ini sekali gus menjadikan nilai sebenar projek yang ditangguh pemerintah mencecah $4.7 bilion, meningkat daripada $3 bilion sebelum ini yang ditangguhkan sehingga selepas 2009.

Encik Mah menerangkan bahawa Indeks Harga Tender Binaan oleh Penguasa Binaan dan Bangunan (BCA), yang memantau kos peralatan dan sumber manusia, telah meningkat sebanyak 19 peratus pada 2007 dan meningkat 4 peratus lagi bagi suku pertama tahun ini.

'Memandangkan harga flat baru HDB tidak berdasarkan kos, mereka tidak terjejas secara langsung oleh kenaikan pada kos binaan.

'Harga flat-flat baru akan terus ditetapkan pada kadar diskaun berbanding harga pasaran, jadi pembeli akan menikmati potongan harga yang besar,' ujarnya.

Dari segi kos pembinaan secara keseluruhan, maklum balas daripada firma-firma utama juruukur pembinaan (quantity surveyor) menunjukkan kadar kenaikan adalah sekitar 20 hingga 30 peratus pada tahun lalu dan kira-kira 3 hingga 5 peratus bagi suku pertama tahun ini.

Encik Mah menambah, kenaikan kos pembinaan yang mendadak umumnya disebabkan oleh permintaan tinggi daripada seluruh dunia bagi sumber dan bahan-bahan pembinaan. Ini ditambah pula dengan kenaikan harga minyak.

Sebagai contoh, harga palang besi telah meningkat sehingga 85 peratus sejak Jun tahun lalu.

Konkrit pula kini berharga sekitar 18 peratus lebih tinggi dari tahun ke tahun.

Dalam hal ini, pemerintah telah melaksanakan beberapa langkah bagi melonggarkan kesempitan sumber.

Kementerian Tenaga Manusia (MOM) telah melonggarkan nisbah penggantungan bagi sektor pembinaan daripada 1:5 kepada 1:7 dan meningkatkan kuota Pas S, iaitu pas yang diberikan kepada pekerja berkemahiran yang bergaji sekurang-kurangnya $1,800 sebulan, daripada 15 peratus kepada 25 peratus.

HDB juga telah melaksanakan beberapa langkah bagi mengurangkan kesan kenaikan kos seperti meningkatkan usaha-usaha promosi di luar negara untuk menarik lebih banyak kontraktor asing menyertai tender HDB.

HDB juga membuat pembelian simen dan pasir secara borong bagi mengurangkan tekanan ke atas kontraktor HDB.

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Public housing hots up while private cools
Posted: 25 July 2008 1442 hrs



SINGAPORE : Prices for public housing on the resale market have risen, while those for private property have moderated for the second quarter of 2008.

According to latest official figures, there has also been little upward movement in the private property rental market.

Data for the HDB resale and rental markets based on transactions in Q2 saw HDB's Resale Price Index (RPI) up 4.5 per cent, compared to the 3.7 per cent increase for the previous quarter.

Reflective of the interest in public housing was the rise in resale transactions, from about 6,360 cases in the first quarter to about 7,760 cases in the second quarter, an increase by about 22 per cent.

Meanwhile, subletting transactions in HDB flats increased by about 15 per cent to about 4,120 cases in the second quarter from about 3,580 cases in the first quarter.

In contrast, the private property market was a little more subdued, with home prices increasing 0.2 per cent, the third straight quarter of slower growth, signalling a definite slowing of the four-year housing boom.

Prices for non-landed properties saw a modest 0.1 per cent rise compared with 3.7 per cent in the previous quarter as prices for condominium and apartments in districts 9, 10, 11, downtown district and Sentosa fell 0.1 per cent compared to similar properties in areas outside of the region which rose between 0.7 and 0.9 per cent.

As for landed property, prices rose 0.6 per cent compared with 3.9 per cent in the previous quarter.

Indicative of the cooling in the property market are the 43,473 new units still unsold from a total supply of 67,569 uncompleted units from private housing projects.

This number includes more than 12,000 which developers have held back from launch and another 28,282 which are pending approval.

- CNA/sf