Tag Archives: Singapore Permanent Residents

Can HDB step up enforcement

Posted on 13 Jul 2012 | Comments Off on Can HDB step up enforcement

I refer to the report “Stricter rules for PRs subletting flats” (July 12), about the Housing and Development Board stepping up enforcement against unauthorised subletting.

I wish to ask: Do its officers carry out enforcement work if no one blows the whistle on offenders? Does HDB have other ways to catch offenders? How often does it conduct checks?

A few years ago, an older woman and a younger man moved in as neighbours to a friend of mine in Woodlands. Soon after, a Singaporean couple who wanted to rent the flat for a few months, until their private property renovations were ready, moved in.

My friend began to chat with the couple, who seemed to realise that the owners had lied about the minimum occupation period.

My friend did not tip off the HDB. The couple did not create any nuisance and he worried that they and the owners might suspect him if he did so. I cannot help but feel that HDB may not have the means to effectively come down on unauthorised subletting.

From Edmund Lim Chuan Yang

Source : Today – 2012 Jul 13

See : HDB has stepped up its efforts against illegal subletting

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Posted in HDB

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16% of private home buyers in S’pore in Q1 are foreigners

Posted on 25 May 2011 | Comments Off on 16% of private home buyers in S’pore in Q1 are foreigners

Foreign buyers accounted for 16 per cent of private home purchases in Singapore in the first quarter of this year, setting a new record high, according to real estate consultant DTZ Research.

The previous high of 15 per cent was recorded in the fourth quarter of 2007.

DTZ defines foreign buyers as non-Singaporeans and non-permanent residents.

Singaporeans’ share of private property purchases fell to 67 per cent in the first quarter, from 70 per cent in the previous three months.

The proportion of mainland Chinese among non-Singaporean buyers – comprising foreigners and PRs – hit a new record high of 24 per cent in the first quarter of 2011.

It is the first quarter that Chinese nationals are the top foreign purchasers of residential properties in Singapore.

“The residential market appears to have taken the January 2011 cooling measures in its stride,” said Ms Chua Chor Hoon, head of DTZ South East Asia Research.

“However, local concerns about high housing prices and the influx of foreigners that were magnified during the recent General Election will be a catalyst for the review of immigration and housing policies, which could dampen demand in the residential market in the coming months,” she added.

According to DTZ, small units continue to be popular among home buyers, especially the HDB upgraders.

The proportion of buyers with HDB addresses who bought units below 1,000 square feet increased 5 per cent in Q1 2011, compared with a 2 per cent increase among buyers with private addresses.

DTZ’s analysis also revealed that a higher proportion of foreigners bought into the high-end market during the quarter.

For transactions costing S$1.5 million and above, the proportion of purchases made by foreigners increased the most – from 17 per cent to 21 per cent.

For purchases below S$500,000, the proportion of transactions made by Singaporeans was 80 per cent, up from 72 per cent a quarter earlier.

This reflected the smaller budget among Singaporean buyers. “At the lower end of the price scale, locals are the main drivers of demand,” said DTZ.

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 25 May 2011

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Posted in General, Property Market / Real Estate

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