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I’m quite in a dilemma. My 3 bedder condo recently TOPed but my partner and I felt that it is not ideal to what we imagine it would be and also facing the uncertain job security.
We bought this in 2020 and then we have a child born after so now I guess our priorities have also changed. We actually wanted a BTO but couldn’t get it because 1. We tried applying but failed twice. 2 we are already reaching 40s and cannot wait. 3. Our income ceiling at that time due to change of job, the salary went above the limit.

Issues I have here:
1. I foresee either my partner and I will likely downgrade our job with less salary soon so we may not be able to sustain the house payment for long.
2. If we sell now, we face 15 months wait out which mean need to rent and rental is high.

I have three options to go but Would like to know which one is best option to move forward:
1. Stay in the new condo and try to wait to see how market goes in the future and wait for the 15months wait-out restrictions to change and then sell (maybe when that happen, everyone probably rush to sell as well which impact the sale). Also have to pray hard that we can grind and hold our jobs. ( then again what is the point of having a “condo life” if we are stressed with work and juggling a family).
2. Sell condo now and use the little profits to rent a place to stay and while renting, hunt for resale home. (Say bye bye to condo life)
3. Sell condo now, one of us quit the job, appeal to HDB to apply Sales of balance (this option is if we want BTO housing not resale)

Regarding option 3 does anyone know how possible or viable is this option? What would help in the appeal? Would having a kid reason enough?

I’m a genuine first time home buyer without much knowledge.
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9 Answers

Rental prices have more or less stabilised based on the current market which I have been experiencing on the ground, thus it could be an option for your consideration. Besides, you may actually sell your current condo with the option of leasing it back, thus it could actually give you better stability during this period since you are able to negotiate your rent terms based on selling price if the prospective buyer is looking for investment.

Option 1 and Option 3 are not advisable since they are not firm situations. You will need to appeal to HDB or wait for HDB to change its regulations which are all outside what you can control. For better certainty, Option 2 will be better.

I have been in the real estate business since 2009, with more than 13 years of experience serving the Singapore real estate market.

I am very active in the residential segment of Singapore real estate market, having transacted hundreds of deals from HDBs to private condominiums and landed properties in Singapore, and have handled many unique cases in sales and purchases as well as rental deals.

Over the years, I have also established a network reaching out to more than 9,400 expatriates, bringing my market presence to both in and outside of Singapore. This has created an additional exposure when I manage my client's portfolios, on top of the conventional on and offline platforms, where other estate agents are relying on. This has allowed me to consistently convert leads into results.

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Hi there, if you guys are really quite sure that there will be a change in your income in the near future, it would be advisable to downgrade your current property. have you guys done up your financial planning with regards to the 3 plans stated above? my suggestion would be to sit down with a trusted realtor and go through each scenario and see how it plays out. besides the above 3 action plan, there should be another few options available to you guys. but before I start recommending options, i would like to get to know your situation better as in your financial health, your next couple of years planning, child care options etc. Do drop me a text/ call for a more in depth discussion and maybe we can point you in the right direction, Thanks and Regards
Rix Jim
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Hi Sir/Mdm,

Option 3 is not advisable, as you will be flying in blind since you are taking a risk to go with 1 income only, and also the appeal is unlikely to succeed since for subsidized flat my take is that HDB will prioritize for applicants with more urgent needs and less financial means.

Option 1 is a bit tricky, I don't think the 15 month rule will be removed any time soon, it will cause another surge in demand for resale hdb and spike up in hdb and overall prices which will undo all the work of the earlier cooling measures.

I agree option 2 sounds better, you can either negotiate for a 15 month lease with your condo buyer to be ready to get your resale HDB. Or another way is to get a older resale condo at a more reasonable price in a nearby location.

I am contactable at 97432395  for further discussion.

May I have more info and requirements about your plans so as to make better recommendations? Thanks and look forward to value-add to your housing plans.

Warm Regards,

Ivan Ng Realtor
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Hi Sir/Mdm,

In my opinion, the better option is to first stay in the new condo first and try to appeal for the 15 months wait out period since your family situation has changed since the time that you purchase the condo. Condo prices have gone up by quite a bit over the past few years and it is likely that you are sitting on some profit.

Selling and renting may not be the best option since rental prices are at a high and the profits that you have made earlier will be eroded by the rental.

If appeal does not work out. Resale condo is another possible option because the psf price are lower and therefore they are generally more affordable and therefore not so stretching on your finance.

Please contact me so that I can gather the relevant information from you, do the calculations and share with you which is the better approach moving forward.

Regards,
Nick Tan
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1
Hi, appreciate your sharing. Able to discuss what is best for your family before making the move. Able to check with bankers for loan before you decide whether to keep or dispose current condo.
Looking forward to assist you at 9696 4398  or email me at stewartlim96964398@gmail.com

Cheers
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Hi,

1) In general, the property upgrade route is recommended to be:
HDB -> EC -> Condo -> Landed. So the downgrading route would be similar.

2) In your case, you skipped the 1st 2 and jumped straight to the 3rd.

3) So you may consider downgrading to a resale EC instead of downright to the HDB, be it a BTO or resale.

4) My personal opinion is the govt will not revise the 15-month policy soon, less likely to be happening this year. Since the HDB price only starts to see stabilization.

Please give me a thumbs-up if the answer provided is relevant to your main concern. Thanks!!!

Hope the above answer your main concerns, but if there are more queries, please feel free to contact me at 90110636  , or email: ling.ck7@gmail.com if more information is needed.
I'll be glad to assist.

Best regards
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"If you need more assistance with property matters:

like renting / selling, buying / or investing, I'm here to help!

WhatsApp me at >>9856 9255 or through this link.:https://wa.me/6598569255.

(Unfortunately, this platform doesn't allow direct contact, but you can easily reach me )

You can check out my reviews here: https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/agent/able-s-k-toh-61591.

For buyers, I offer solutions for sourcing resale and new private homes at no charge.

I can connect you with reputable bankers for private housing loans free of charge and with no obligation.

I also have partners to assist with mortgage home insurance matters.

Let's seal this affinity by technology; please PM me your contact for assistance with your real estate needs. So, I believe in Affinity (Chinese word: 缘份) :), let's SEAL this AFFINITY Not by blood but by Technology > Please PM, Private Message your contact so that I CAN BE (EXTRA) PAIR OF HANDS / BRAIN and LEGS to Assist you NOW or FUTURE REAL ESTATE NEEDS!

*** You can reach me at my Singapore mobile: (+65)>>9856 9255>> or email me at Able.selling@gmail.com.

From: ABLE Toh- Your Property ASSISTANT :)

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Hi, hopefully you managed to get your doubt or query answered. If so, then congrats! Hopefully you are doing well now.

If you are currently or planning to find a property agent, I can assist.

If you are interested in prices of houses in your neighbourhood, you may visit this website to find out more or contact me.

https://www.era.com.sg/R064892F

If you are currently planning to go on a property journey selling/buying/renting/investing, I can be of assistance. Do feel free to reach out to me for more queries and assistance.

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