Monthly Archives: September 2009

Pssst, want to buy ‘fraction’ of a condo?

Firm marketing shares in apartments; industry watchers still wary

A new way of selling condominium units here has emerged amid the recent resurgence in the property market.

Registered three months ago, Primespace Investments Pte Ltd is marketing ‘shares’ in apartments to investors with at least $62,000 to spare.

It has two studio units available – one at One-North Residences in Buona Vista and the other at One Shenton near Raffles Place.

While Primespace says it is selling ‘fractional ownership’, investors will not own the properties directly. The apartments will be bought and held by other private limited companies, and what investors pay for are shares in those vehicles. BT understands investors will not lodge caveats on the properties.

Each of these companies’ share capital will be split into 15 lots. An investor has to pay $62,000 for one lot in the company which owns the One-North unit, or $110,000 for one lot in the company that owns the One Shenton unit.

After the share capital is allotted to investors, Primespace will continue to manage and rent out the properties. It says it will distribute rental income to investors every year, and it is offering a guaranteed yield of 5 per cent for the first year of investment. If an apartment’s value increases by ‘a certain level (usually 40 per cent)’, Primespace will sell it and share the profit among investors. Continue reading

Don’t bank on en-bloc jackpot yet

There is a bit of action in the en-bloc sale market as individual owners scramble to get a foot into the fast-rising private home market, which has left many developers hungry for land.

The strong response shown by developers at recent tender exercises is a clear motivating factor.

But for those who are banking on an en-bloc jackpot, it is best not to count on a sure-win yet.

Unless property prices pick up quickly, a speedy success may elude these owners for now. This is because most developers are unlikely to rush for the available collective sale sites at the prices the owners want, said experts.

So far this year, five residential sites have been put up for sale en bloc, and more are expected in the next few months.

A few tenders have closed, but no sale has been concluded.

‘The en-bloc sale market won’t move very fast because owners are asking high prices,’ said property consultant Nicholas Mak, a real estate lecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Collective sale prices tend to be on the high side as owners look to a premium above the value of their individual units. But those days of large profits made in quick sales have yet to return. Continue reading