JTC revises industrial property rules
Industrialists and third-party facility providers including property funds and developers that own industrial properties located on JTC-leased sites are now mandated to hold on to these properties for a longer period prior to selling them, media reports said.With effect from 15 November, JTC also...
Continue Reading • 9 Dec 2013
Govt to impose cap on foreign tenants in HDB flats
In a bid to maintain the character of Singapore's heartlands, the Ministry of National Development (MND) has agreed to impose a cap on the number of flats sublet to foreigners in HDB blocks, said National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan in a recent blog post.But he remains mindful of the need...
Continue Reading • 9 Dec 2013
S'pore home loan growth slows: MAS
Property cooling measures are main reason for the slowdown. Growth in the home loans market slowed to 12 percent in September, down from the peak growth of 22 percent in September 2010, according to the annual financial stability report released by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)...
Continue Reading • 5 Dec 2013
Draft Master Plan 2013 - What it really means
So the much anticipated public secret is out – Draft Master Plan 2013. What hope is in store for the public and developers at large? Similarly, what disappointments come with it? To be honest, it is difficult to come to grips with this new release because of the information overload....
Continue Reading • 3 Dec 2013
David Beckham to make property debut in Singapore
Integrated resorts developer Las Vegas Sands has announced that it’s joining forces with former football superstar David Beckham’s company Beckham Ventures, to develop the resort properties in Singapore and Macao. This partnership will see the development of retail, leisure and...
Continue Reading • 28 Nov 2013
IRAS: 95% of owner-occupied homes to pay lower property tax
The majority of owner-occupied homes will pay lower property tax next year, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) revealed.Under the new Progressive Property Tax Rates announced in Budget 2013, all owner-occupied HDB flats and three quarters of owner-occupied private homes (or 95...
Continue Reading • 27 Nov 2013
URA: Jalan Kayu, other areas to be preserved
To preserve the unique characteristics of Jalan Kayu, Holland Village and Serangoon Garden, the government has designated these areas as ‘identity nodes’ under the URA Draft Master Plan 2013.This boosts the total number of identity nodes in the country to 18 and includes Balestier,...
Continue Reading • 22 Nov 2013
Singapore raises growth forecast
The Singapore economy is expected to grow by 3.5 to 4.0 percent in 2013, an increase from the earlier forecast of 2.5 to 3.5 percent. In a statement, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) revealed that GDP rose 5.8 percent year-on-year in Q3 2013, up from the previous quarter’s 4.4...
Continue Reading • 22 Nov 2013
URA: More regional centres in the works
In a bid to improve the work-life balance of Singaporeans, the government plans to grow more regional employment centres and industrial parks near homes under the URA Draft Master Plan 2013. “Integrating more commercial clusters and industrial parks in different regions of the island will...
Continue Reading • 21 Nov 2013
URA: Marina South, Kampong Bugis next property hotspots
The URA Draft Master Plan 2013 seeks to build townships that are strong in community interaction.As such, the new housing concepts at Marina South and Kampong Bugis are envisioned to be “non-gated”, featuring green housing developments that will encourage greater interaction between...
Continue Reading • 21 Nov 2013
URA: Plan excites analysts
The government’s announcement this morning of the URA Draft Master Plan 2013, which provides detailed information on the future physical development of Singapore in the next five years, has been well-received by property analysts.In a nutshell, the plan will see more townships built for...
Continue Reading • 20 Nov 2013
URA: Preserving Singapore's past
Protecting Singapore’s culture and heritage is clearly an important part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Draft Master Plan.More than 70 buildings will be added to the 7,100 in the city-state that are currently protected as part of the latest Draft Plan.A total of 15 places of...
Continue Reading • 20 Nov 2013
URA: Draft Master Plan revealed
Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has revealed details of its Draft Master Plan 2013, titled ‘Our Future, Our Home’ with the aim of building townships for all ages that are green, healthy, connected, strong in community interaction and spirit, and to bring quality...
Continue Reading • 20 Nov 2013
Industry veteran Shaun Poh joins Cushman & Wakefield
Property consultancy Cushman & Wakefield recently appointed Shaun Poh (pictured) as Executive Director, where he will be responsible for managing its national capital markets and investment team in Singapore.An industry veteran, Poh spent 22 years in DTZ where he served as Head of Investment...
Continue Reading • 19 Nov 2013
New Code for Buyers' Agents
The Property Ombudsman in the United Kingdom has revealed plans to launch a new Code of Practice to cater to the growing number of Buying Agents acting for consumers buying property in the country.The Ombudsman, an official who is appointed to investigate complaints against a company or...
Continue Reading • 19 Nov 2013
Singapore economy grows: survey
Singapore’s economy is expected to grow by up to 3.7 percent in 2013, revealed the latest Business Times-UniSim Business Climate Survey which was reported in the media. This figure, which is more than double last year’s growth of 1.3 percent, beats the government’s official...
Continue Reading • 18 Nov 2013
Marina Coastal Expressway to open next month
The much-anticipated Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) will open on 29 December four years after construction work started, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) revealed today. The 5km-long MCE is Singapore’s tenth and most expensive expressway, built at a cost of S$4.3 billion or S$860 million...
Continue Reading • 13 Nov 2013
Khaw gives update on infrastructure development
National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan revealed that the government is on track to deliver 13,600 new flats this year, with around 200,000 new units to be ready by 2016, or equal to four Ang Mo Kio towns. This was in response to MP Christopher de Souza’s parliamentary query on whether...
Continue Reading • 13 Nov 2013
Property measures limited foreign buying, speculation: Khaw
The number of foreigners buying property in Singapore fell to 330 or seven percent of overall private property transactions in Q3 this year, following tough cooling measures introduced by the government, revealed National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan in Parliament on Tuesday and reported in...
Continue Reading • 13 Nov 2013
CapitaLand, Ascendas among most transparent
The Securities Investors Association (Singapore) or SIAS has recognised CapitaLand for its excellence in transparency and corporate governance at the recent SIAS Investors' Choice Awards 2013.SIAS is Asia's largest organised investor lobby group that actively promotes investor education,...
Continue Reading • 12 Nov 2013