Although considered a market that was secure, Singapore’s popularity with property buyers has fallen.

Singapore’s appeal like a home investment destination for institutional buyers has reduced in 2013, in Japan and Australia, especially when compared with developed Asia Pacific cities.

This decrease in recognition continues to be attributed to the property cooling actions, and also the flood in-office and logistics place amid consumer sentiment, said UBS From The Straits Times in a written report.

157 percent was surged by inbound investment to Singapore to US$3.4 million in 2015 on the yearly basis, based on knowledge from Actual Capital Analytics. But this can be still a cry from the outbound cash people$28.7 million, which posted a progress of 49 percent.

Meanwhile, more income has been moved into Japan’s and Australia house sectors, compared to those in Sturdee Residences Singapore, Hongkong and China. Property yields in Australia are also considerably greater compared to riskfree prices available in the market.

Infact, property prices, along with the volume of real estate deals and loans, when the chilling procedures had not been launched would have been bigger by around 33 percent, explained the main bank.

Nonetheless, some institutional investors watch Singapore as being a market that is secure, and there has been no exodus of property buyers, in accordance with UBS Asset Management’s Head of Global Real Estate for Asia Pacific, Graham Mackie.

“Australia is a relatively reliable industry with strong tip of law. The dollar has depreciated somewhat from the USDollar, and shareholders who’re more affected by currency considerations observe Australia as somewhat cheaper,” added Mackie.

The four bright coloured housing blocks will probably be demolished to make way for a new expressway.

Rochor Centre, a public housing estate in the Bugis area dating back to the 1970s, will be demolished by the finish of this year to make way for the brand new North-South Expressway, reported The Straits Times.

Constructed in 1977, it consists of four brightly coloured HDB blocks that originally placed 183 shops and 567 families. While 36 families have relocated as of January 2016 but due to its certain redevelopment, 106 shops have closed.

However, many longtime residents are saddened about having to move out of Rochor Centre.

Victor Devan, 70, an Indian who speaks English, Teochew, Hokkien and Cantonese, calls it a heartland in Singapore.

In accordance with Member of Parliament for Jalan Besar GRC, Denise Phua, which includes Bugis, life will not be the same for the residents, but they are able to look forward to more greenery and a tranquil environment compared to that in Rochor that is chaotic.

Of this, 15 percent chosen to relocate to units close with their relatives or former neighbours in Rochor Centre.

Rochor Centre is just one of three historical public Parc Riviera housing estates that’ll shortly be torn down for redevelopment. The others are Dakota Crescent and four low-rise HDB blocks in Siglap, that were built in 1964 and 1958 .

S P Setia Berhad is recognised as Malaysia’s top listed real estate player with a successful track record of innovation-driven and standard-setting developments. The Group’s strength lies in its art in creating significant environments depending on its development doctrine of Live Learn Work Play.

The developer has built a solid base in Malaysia offering an extensive product range which includes eco sanctuaries townships, luxury residences, business parks, commercial and retail developments.

Incorporated in 1974, S P Setia started out as a construction company and was listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (now Bursa Malaysia) in 1993. In 1996 it refocused its core company to property development with encouraging companies in infrastructure, building and wood -based manufacturing.

Award winning Developer

S P Setia is the only Malaysian developer to be recognised six times from the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) for three Finest Master Plan Developments, one Best Residential (Low Rise) Development, a Specialised Endeavor (Purpose-Built) and a Greatest Retail Development award.

S P Setia’s merchandise and service quality is recognised by the business and attested by its No.1 ranking in The Edge Malaysia Top Property Developers Awards which it won for the 8th time in 2013. No other developer has achieved this feat since the beginning of the awards.

A Growing International Presence

In the past seven years, the Group has also spread its wings to Singapore, Vietnam, Australia and more recently the United Kingdom.

Following this success, the Group has additionally launched a mixed development project called Eco Xuan at Lai Thieu in Tuan A District, Binh Doung Province.

In 2009, S P Setia created an office in Singapore and two years afterwards, the Group acquired a 29,440 sq ft site to develop a high rise condominium called 18 Woodsville. The successful start of the project spurred the developer to acquire another parcel of land for the luxury high rise project of Eco Sanctuary.

In June 2011, the Group previewed its first project in Melbourne called Fulton Lane, a KL Eco City Price high-rise condominium with distinctive buildings given by the acclaimed Karl Fender of Fender Katsalidis Architects.

The successful start of Fulton Lane spurred S P Setia to look at more opportunities in Melbourne along with the Group acquired another piece of land, this time on the upmarket St Kilda Road, additionally for its Parque project in the City of Melbourne.

In April 2012, S P Setia was invited by the Malaysian Government to direct the Malaysian consortium formed to collectively develop the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park (QIP). In September Battersea Power Station was acquired by S P Setia through a joint venture consortium collectively with the Employees Provident Fund as well as Sime Darby.

Driving the Malaysian Property Sector

S P Setia enjoys a solid presence in the state of Selangor, Malaysia through its main projects, the 2,525-acre Setia Alam and 791-acre Setia Eco Park. In the city of Kuala Lumpur, the developer has assembled three high-end projects which are Duta Tropika Duta Nusantara and Setiahills.

Leveraging on the strong demand for investment and commercial grade properties, S P Setia has also expanded into the commercial sector with projects for example SetiaWalk, the first maiden retail mall project of the Group, Setia Avenue called Setia City Mall and also the coming KL Eco City.

S P Setia is also well established three other key economic regions in Malaysia, in the state of Johor, Penang and Sabah.

The prices of property and petroleum might not be directly related, but the economic impact of falling oil prices could still affect property prices.

Petroleum prices are constantly in the headlines. While other states have seen prices of petroleum and fuel -based products go down, costs in Singapore stay high. Alfred Chia explains how property prices and petroleum costs are joined.

Falling oil prices have been in the news for the last six months, and property costs can also be Gem Residences on the decline. Will there be a link between them both?

Before we could comprehend oil costs, we must first comprehend how they are calculated. Generally speaking, when we talk about oil costs, we are referring to the prices of Brent crude, a particular level of petroleum extracted in the North Sea.

Figure 1 compares Brent oil prices with housing prices that are world-wide. World-Wide home costs are derived from the Global Housing Price Index by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is an aggregate of real (i.e., inflation adjusted) house costs across nations.

At first glance, there seems to be little correlation between these two asset classes. As there is an entire global economic boom which pushed up costs of most asset classes, including bonds, equities and commodities both assets appreciated.

Before plunging due to production outpacing international demand yet, alongside the worldwide ecoomy, oil prices regained from 2009 onwards. Worldwide property prices failed to follow the oil price trend, demonstrating little correlation between those two asset categories.

On a worldwide level at least, we do not see a correlation between home prices and oil prices.

When we compare the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) Singapore Property Price Index and oil prices, it might appear that they move in tandem (refer to Figure 2). Nevertheless, oil price movements happen to be more volatile, especially since June 2014, when it began to drop dramatically.

URA’s price index stays comparatively stable though it’s on a downwards trend. Like worldwide housing prices, there seems to be little correlation between Singapore property costs as well as the prices of oil.

However, while oil prices aren’t strongly correlated with property prices, it’s an essential commodity that may have an indirect impact on housing prices, and paints a picture of the worldwide economy. Brent crude oil costs have dropped from a high of USD115.19 per barrel on 19 June 2014, to a low of USD26.01 per barrel on 20 January 2016.

The most discussed reason for this drastic fall is overcapacity and overproduction since the beginning of 2014. Yet, apart from supply side reasons, prices are additionally affected by international demand with this commodity. A global economic slow down places downward pressure on costs and reduces the interest in oil.

Now, with all the world facing a global market slowdown, notably in China, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has forecasted that global need for oil will drop in 2016. In the short run, low petroleum costs will place pressures on the oil and gas (O&G) sector, and associated industries. This might adversely affect the banks which have high exposures for this sector. Furthermore, it is likely that volatility in the equities and commodities markets will continue.

It is more likely a worldwide economic slowdown will adversely affect property prices in Singapore. With off staff, property and O&G already strike and companies laying banking buyers might be more hesitant to enter the market, particularly if job security is a concern.

As the cost of production has dropped to the overall economy, low petroleum costs will be a large boost in the long run. This might lead the following phase of growth. Thus, low oil prices may not be the cause of gloom and doom that many news reports mention.

Aside from oil prices being a useful indicator of global economc growth, there are several other indexes which have a more direct impact on the property market in Singapore, such as interest rate movements, the demand for and supply of properties, and government policies.

While cooling measures appear to have affected the property marketplace, they can be necessary to make sure the market continues to be sustainable, and does not overheat. Nonetheless, having an impending world-wide economic slowdown, it is necessary to keep a close watch out there, to be sure it is just not overly adversely hit, and maintains steady growth.

With different indexes signalling a significant thunderstorm on your way, and lowered prices in Singapore, property owners should review their financial predicament. As a top priority, property owners find out if they have been able to refinance into a more secure rate of interest package, to manage their interest costs and should review their loan packages.

More importantly, property owners also must ensure they can afford their properties. For those who are facing fiscal pressures, they might have to consider biting the bullet and downgrading. Nevertheless, property owners who are financially fit can contemplate taking advantage of lowered prices, and consider rearranging their property portfolios, or updating.

Experts discuss suggestions for Fresh Start Housing Scheme

This scheme helps HDB renters buy their own flat, with a focus on families with young kids, and individuals who formerly owned a dwelling.

However a key dilemma is finetuning the eligibility standards to make sure that such help is actually deserved by the beneficiaries, said DTZ’s Research Head Lee Nai Jia.

“I believe this is a remarkable scheme. The essential kingsford hillview peak problem is how we’re going to identify this group as well as their income limit, and (how we’re going to define) the kind of benefits to give this group.”

According to Saktiandi Supaat, member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for National Development, the system provides a second opportunity to families currently leasing a HDB flat, particularly those who were made to sell their first unit due to an issue that is unavoidable.

However, the support should take into account the different circumstances of each and every family.

“There might be more support in terms of grants and there could also be some states for the grants to vision exchange jurong be disbursed,” said Saktiandi. For instance, families would need to show proof that they have the means to pay for the brand new flats.

Besides providing the actual house and also grants, it is also important to educate families about financial management, responsible homeownership, and tasks to maintain their kids in school, explained the Fei Yue Family Service Centre.

“We don’t desire to come to a stage where they are on the scheme, and then there is a drawback, and they are penalised or thrown out of the scheme,” said the centre’s principal social worker, Lilian Ong.

“We could introduce some kind of readiness or transitional programme to prepare the entire family for this”, and this should run for six months, she said.

The Ministry of National Development as well as the Housing Board have held public consultations to collect suggestions on executing the scheme. The comments includes supply of concessionary loans and more grants, along with shorter leases.