Category Archives: Property Market / Real Estate

Property auctions market sputters along

Singapore’s property auction market saw a subdued start to the year due to the effects of the additional buyer’s stamp duty (ABSD).

Of the 198 properties put up for auction in H12012, 191 were listed by owners while seven were put up by mortgagees.

“This continues the trend of declining mortgagee listings since Year 2007, which reflects the improved financial position of mortgagors on the back of the continued low interest rate and high liquidity environment, as well as a healthy rental market,” according to Colliers International.

But from the total number of listed properties, only 10 were sold achieving a total sale value of S$34.3 million, the second lowest figure since the 2008 global financial crisis.

The value is 50.5 percent below the S$69.25 million recorded from 33 properties auctioned in the same period last year.

Nevertheless, the total sale value remained 30.1 percent higher than the S$26.37 million seen in H22011.

“While there is a substantial 30.1 percent increase in the total sale value in H12012, it is largely attributed to the sale of a petrol station along Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim, which was sold for S$12.73 million,“ said Grace Ng, Deputy Managing Director at Colliers International.

Meanwhile, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) reported that the value proportion of commercial and industrial properties auctioned in H12012 to date saw a new three-year high of 78 percent compared to 32 percent in H12010.

“This has come off the back of a sustained, and some may feel worrying, “herd-mentality” shift in investor interest toward the non-residential sector,” noted JLL.

However, the total value of residential properties sold during auctions stood at 22 percent in H12012, down from 28 percent in H12011 and 61 percent in H12010.

In the near future, the attractiveness of the non-residential sector could be reduced “given the elevated level of policy risk and clustering of investors into the sector”.

Source : PropertyGuru – 2012 Jun 28

Faber Drive bungalow goes on sale

A bungalow at 44 Faber Drive has been put up for sale by Expression of Interest (EOI), according to a statement by Knight Frank.

With features that include a garden and swimming pool, the site has an area of 11,719 sq ft and is adjacent to The Clementi Mall, Clementi MRT station/Bus Interchange, and NUS.

The property has a guide price of S$12.5 million and can be subdivided into two plots to make way for smaller detached homes.

“With the financial crisis in Europe and concern for slower economic growth, even the wealthy who are interested in residential properties in Singapore are careful where to park their money,” noted Knight Frank.

The latest cooling measures imposed on residential properties have made buyers more cautious when it comes to the right location and type of housing for investment or owner-occupation.

Knight Frank added that landed homes such as semi-detached, terrace and small bungalows have shown resilience due to their reasonable prices.

The EOI for the Faber Drive bungalow will close on 20 July.

Source : PropertyGuru – 2012 Jun 28