Tag Archives: Housing Development Board

Married, but no place of their own

Posted on 20 Sep 2009 | Comments Off on Married, but no place of their own

Mr Jayce Ng and his wife Jacelyn, both 30, live in separate homes as they wait for an affordable flat. — ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

Each time after a movie or dinner date, married couple Jayce Ng and Jacelyn Yong return to separate homes.

He goes to his parents’ apartment in Hume Avenue and she to Hougang.

The couple, who are both 30 and registered their marriage last year, have yet to find a home to call their own, priced out by the current property rally.

‘I recently received a text message from an agent, who gave a listing of 10 Bukit Panjang flats, all asking for cash over valuation (COV) of between $40,000 and $50,000,’ said Mr Ng, a process analyst. ‘But we just can’t fork out the cash.’ Continue reading →

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Are flats too pricey or buyers too choosy

Posted on 20 Sep 2009 | Comments Off on Are flats too pricey or buyers too choosy

Experts advise buyers to keep an open mind in terms of location, size

Mr Jason Zheng is getting married next month, but he and his fiancee have yet to find a place of their own.

The 27-year-old IT consultant does not want to wait three years for a new flat but has been priced out of the resale market due to the current property rally.

Sellers have been asking for cash of up to $60,000 above valuation, which he cannot afford.

He also struck out twice at the Housing Board’s half-yearly sale where most of the units on offer are completed.

His dilemma is not unique. In the past month, at least 15 people have written to The Straits Times Forum, venting their frustrations over escalating prices, premiums over official valuations and a perceived undersupply of HDB flats.

But have buyers really encountered a wall when it comes to housing options?

Or is it also a matter of some people being too choosy and unrealistic in their expectations?

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan urged buyers to take a bigger view in Parliament last Monday. For a household that earns $4,000 a month, he said the options might be: Continue reading →

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