Category Archives: Property Market / Real Estate

Tycoon spends $70 million on Grange Infinite units

Indonesian magnate and philanthropist Tahir has acquired 12 units at the 36-storey Grange Infinite condominium in District 10 for more than $70 million, reported the media.

Brokered by Quillion Global, the sale comprises 11 four-bedroom apartments measuring between 2,560 sq ft and 2,700 sq ft each, and a 6,039 sq ft “junior penthouse” located on the 20th level of the freehold project. All the units were sold vacant.

Notably, the acquisition price translates to an average price of $2,050 psf for the apartments and around $1,950 psf for the penthouse.

Market watchers expect to see more bulk transaction of luxury condo units in Singapore since sellers are now more willing to negotiate and reduce their asking price.

In some cases, sellers could be fund management outfits looking to exit for various reasons. One of which could be the end of the fund life, or a move to divest their holdings in the residential market and focus on other investments, said a seasoned property consultant.

“On the other hand, developers of high-end residential projects would be more inclined to hold on to their prices for as long as they can,” he noted.

Tahir acquired the 12 units from Asia Dragon Fund (ADF), which is managed by ARA.

The transaction is reportedly being effected via the sales of shares in two overseas incorporated companies, of which one is holding the junior penthouse and the other, the 11 apartments.

Over the past few years, Tahir – who is the son-in-law of Indonesian tycoon Mochtar Riady – has ramped up his real estate holdings in Singapore, with his property portfolio including office buildings like 135 Cecil Street and ABI Plaza. He also has investments in residential units in prime projects such as St Regis Residences, One Shenton and Four Seasons Park.

Tahir is the founder and chairman of an Indonesia-based conglomerate Mayapada Group, which has interests in the banking, property, retail and healthcare businesses.

Challenging times ahead for shoebox landlords

Landlords of shoebox apartments located outside the city centre will find it “challenging” to rent out their units once the influx of new homes enters the market next year, said experts quoted in the media.

Most of the 53,900 new condo units set to hit the market over the next 30 months are small or shoebox apartments, or units measuring up to 506 sq ft.

“Owners of such units for investment would not be as successful at getting the kind of rentals they want going forward,” said Desmond Sim, Research Head at CBRE.

“There will be pressure on vacancies, as they will be facing competition from the broader market too.”

While there are no official figures on the number of shoebox units in the market, in September 2012 the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) estimated that there were around 2,400 completed units as at 2011, with the number climbing to 11,000 by the end of next year.

From 2009 to 2012, shoebox units featured heavily at newly launched projects including the 72-unit Suites@Guillemard in Lim Ah Woo Road, the 138-home Parc Imperial in Pasir Panjang Road and the 293-unit Alexis in Alexandra Road.

Although they tend to have a higher psf price due to their small size, investors find the overall quantum “more palatable, especially amid tightened financing”, noted Chia Siew Chuin, Director of Research and Advisory at Colliers International.

Typically, rental yields of shoebox units range from three to four percent, up from the two to three percent yields for residential developments islandwide.

However, experts warn investors looking to acquire shoebox apartments that rents for such units are expected to moderate in line with the flood of newly completed homes.