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Showing posts from September, 2011

Own a Semi-Detached Bungalow for the price of a HDB

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Imagine leasing your HDB out and using the rent to service the loan for your dream home in Iskandar Malaysia, just 10 minutes away from Singapore. Well, opportunity comes to those who takes action now.  The Straits View Residences (Phase 4) A freehold strata land parcel development located in the centre of the Iskandar Malaysia, just 10 minutes to Singapore. It consists of distinctively designed 186 exclusive semi-detached homes and 32 luxurious bungalows within a well gated and guarded community. This low density luxurious development offers an exclusive clubhouse for the residents and the panoramic view of the Straits of Johor and Singapore.      The Straits View Residences are proudly developed by Permas Jaya Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Bandar Raya Developments Berhad. BRDB is Malaysia’s premier high-end property developer responsible for creating some of Malaysia’s most desirable addresses, including the award-winning The Troika, designed by worl

Caution in the local property market

SINGAPORE - The drop in the number of bids for land sale sites appears to indicate that a degree of caution has settled in the property market. A recent Urban Redevelopment Authority land tender for a commercial site along Robinson Road and Cecil Street closed with only three bidders. According to a report by DBS Group Research, the "response was lukewarm" on the back of the global uncertainties and potential knock-on impact on the office rental market. The winning bid for the commercial site was S$311.8 million, or S$882 per square feet per plot ratio (psf ppr). Still, DBS said the winning bid was "fair despite being below at the lower end of earlier market expectations of S$995 psf ppr. Meanwhile, bids by developers for residential government land sales have also moderated.   More details at  http://www.todayonline.com Source : MediaCorp Press Ltd  by Linette Lim

Real estate exam deadline extended

SINGAPORE: Property agents who are struggling with a mandatory industry examination will have another six months to prepare for the test. This applies to agents with provisional licences who need to pass the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) examination to continue practising. The Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) said the deadline has been extended from December 31 this year to June 30, 2012. The exam was introduced as part of new rules in January this year to raise the level of professionalism in the industry. Agents who had not passed the exam could continue to work on a provisional basis but must pass the exam within a year.   More details at  http://www.channelnewsasia.com Source : MediaCorp Pte Ltd by Joanne Chan

MBS architect to design condo in Bishan Central

SINGAPORE: The upcoming condominium in Bishan Central, which will launched early next year, shares something in common with Marina Bay Sands. The condo will be designed by renowned international architect Moshe Safdie who also designed Marina Bay Sands. Residents will enjoy a full suite of recreational facilities, including a 50-metre lap pool, leisure pools, children's pool, play areas, a tennis court, barbeque pits, function rooms, karaoke rooms and a gymnasium. But property analysts said local buyers are usually more concerned about the price and facilities rather than its design. They added that local buyers are also more concerned about the credibility of the developer than the designer.   More details at  http://www.channelnewsasia.com Source : MediaCorp Pte Ltd by Ng Puay Leng, Vimita Mohandas

Circle Line breakdown "unlikely to affect Oct 8 opening"

SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has said the breakdown of the Circle Line on Tuesday morning should not impact the planned opening of the Stage 4 and 5 of the line on 8 October. Almost 27,000 morning rush-hour commuters were affected by the disruption of train services on all 16 Circle Line stations. LTA said it has determined that the breakdown was due to a localised fault and that it was working closely with operator SMRT to ensure the Circle Line would open smoothly as planned. Preliminary investigations have shown that a faulty cable located below the platform level of Dakota Station caused a power trip that affected the entire Circle Line system. The disruption comes some two weeks before the final 12 stations of the Circle Line are opened for service. The stations, running from Marymount to Harbourfront, will open on October 8.   More details at  http://www.channelnewsasia.com Source : MediaCorp Pte Ltd by Monica Kotwani

US housing starts slow in August

WASHINGTON : US housing starts fell in August for a second straight month, another sign of the weakness of the American economy, the US Department of Commerce said on Tuesday. Builders started new homes at an annual pace of 571,000 units, down from 601,000 in July and 615,000 in May. The pace was also slightly lower than that for the first half of the year. However, in a promising sign - though from a less reliable indicator of the economy's health - building permits issued in August jumped to an annual rate of 620,000, up from 601,000 in July and 606,000 in June, the department said. The construction industry, one of the key pillars of the economy, has remained in a deep slump since the 2008-2009 recession, with ultra-low interest rates failing to give a boost to the sector.   More details at  http://www.channelnewsasia.com Source : MediaCorp Pte Ltd