Daily Archives: 16 Sep 2009

‘Be prepared for W-shaped recovery’

The downturn looks to have bottomed out and signs of recovery are there, but Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong reiterated the warning that “it is going to be a long, hard climb back up”.

“The outlook is not bad, but please be psychologically prepared for a slow pickup, and even for surprises,” he said. “Do not assume that the worst is over.”

While employment figures are improving and the stock markets have recovered, Mr Lee warned that the possibility of a W-shaped recovery remains.

Asked by a student about the Government’s strategy going forward, Mr Lee said the task at hand is to decide what measures Singapore needs in 2010 “in case the economy turns bad again”. The Government will make a decision in the coming month on the Jobs Credit scheme which runs out at the year’s end.

Source : Today – 16 Sep 2009

Minister: Bridging loans will increase flat prices

Loans to help buyers pay cash-over-valuation?

ARE HDB resale prices rising too quickly, a situation worsened by exorbitant cash-over-valuation (COV) requests?

That is the hot topic among many Singaporeans over the past few months, as they find the booming property market pushing flat prices beyond their reach.

Several of them have voiced their grievances in letters to the media, and now netizens have started an online petition urging the Government to do something to curb the rises.

COV rises when buyers are willing to pay more than the market value of the resale flat, which is determined by professional valuers.

This issue was raised in Parliament yesterday when Dr Lim Wee Kiak, MP for Sembawang GRC, raised the question of whether COV was a significant barrier for those buying resale HDB flats.

He asked whether there should be an alternative.

‘Many people are CPF-rich but cash-poor when they want to buy a flat,’ he said. Continue reading