Moves to cut HDB prices won't hit existing owners

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#1
Because almost everyone wants to "trade up" their HDB flat for a condo to improve their standard of living. Reminds me of trading up my whipped potato for Cheese Fries at KFC - you pay $1.70 extra!

The Straits Times
www.straitstimes.com
Published on Mar 15, 2013
Moves to cut HDB prices won't hit existing owners

The proposals are meant only for new HDB flats, Khaw clarifies

By Daryl Chin Property Correspondent

PROPOSALS to make new lower-priced Housing Board flats more affordable to first-time buyers will not affect existing home owners, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan confirmed yesterday.

He made the clarification to quell concerns that may have arisen after he floated three ideas to help people looking to enter the property market - particularly young couples.

At a community walking event on Sunday, he suggested extending the minimum occupation period before owners can resell their flats, shortening a flat's lease or even reinstating a pre-1971 rule that owners can sell HDB flats only back to the Housing Board.

This last suggestion alarmed some home owners because the reselling of flats on the open market enabled many to earn capital gains and accumulate large nest eggs.

In his blog post, Mr Khaw recounted that a Queenstown resident who had planned to downsize to a newer flat and use the proceeds to fund her retirement had raised concerns to him.

Responding to her distress as well as that of others like her, Mr Khaw said the new restrictions would affect only those going for new flats.

He said that the Government has not forgotten the "interest of the many hundreds of thousands of existing home owners".

He added: "Some plan to rely on their flat to finance retirement needs. Some hope to bequeath their flats to the next generation. Some rely on renting out a room to bring in extra cash proceeds. Their concerns matter to me too."

Existing HDB flat owners breathed a sigh of relief.

University student Serene Choong, 23, who is waiting for her $341,000 four-room in Punggol to be completed, said her main concern was snagging her desired unit.

"Some complain that it's not fair that prices might go down, but we are just happy to have a home," she said.

"To know that it can be profitable down the road is also very welcome news."

Housewife Daphne Wong, 38, said: "I can rest easier, knowing that my flat is still of value to my children and me."

There are about 900,000 Housing Board households.

Of these, 43,000 flats are rented out and another 40,000 owners rent out rooms.

Mr Khaw explained that the Government is looking at a new housing option "which can be a lot cheaper than today's BTO (Build-to-Order) price".

"If we offer such a low-cost housing option, it must come with restrictions to differentiate it from the existing BTO flats," he added, saying this would apply only to the new buyers.

In Parliament last week, he pledged to lower the prices of new flats in non-mature estates to a level roughly equal to four years of median household income of the applicants.

For instance, a four-room flat applicant with a household income of $4,100 a month might see prices drop to $197,000 after housing grants, compared with a price tag of up to $300,000 in the last BTO exercise in January.

ERA Realty key executive officer Eugene Lim said Mr Khaw's comments would calm the property market, although the full implications would be known only when more details emerge.

Mr Lim believes the cheaper properties would be similar to current studio apartments, which are meant for the elderly, sold on 30-year leases and cannot be resold on the open market.

He said: "The difference is that studios are meant for those in their twilight years, while young couples will want asset appreciation in order to get ahead in life.

" This group, who already have affordability issues, might effectively be a social underclass."

darylc@sph.com.sg
My Value Investing Blog: http://sgmusicwhiz.blogspot.com/
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#2
Quote: University student Serene Choong, 23, who is waiting for her $341,000 four-room in Punggol to be completed, said her main concern was snagging her desired unit.


Assuming a 13 month pay per year (12 months + 1 month AWS), lets look at the ratio of price to gross income for both Serene and her future partner.

Monthly household income / Annual pack / Flat price to annual income
4,000 / 52,000 / 6.6
5,000 / 65,000 / 5.2
6,000 / 78,000 / 4.3
7,000 / 91,000 / 3.7
8,000 / 104,000 / 3.3
9,000 / 117,000 / 2.9
10,000 / 130,000 / 2.6

A look at servicing capability for 341k loan, 30 years, 2.6% interest from CPF.

Monthly household income / Annual pack / Annual installment / % OA contr / % Income
4,000 / 52,000 / 138% / 32%
5,000 / 65,000 / 110% / 25%
6,000 / 78,000 / 92% / 21%
7,000 / 91,000 / 79% / 18%
8,000 / 104,000 / 69% / 16%
9,000 / 117,000 / 61% / 14%
10,000 / 130,000 / 55% / 13%

Usually if you are a university grad, and starting out, it is not uncommon for both to earn in the 3k starting pay region, for a combined household income of 6-7k. Singapore's median household income is about 7,000 per month, based on 2011 numbers. That is not far from where KBW said he wanted to price flats in non-mature estates.

Is it dirt cheap? No. Is it super expensive? I don't really think it is, not unless you earn only 4k household income, in which you have no business buying a 340k house. And it does not factor in potential earnings growth that the couple might have over the next few years.

I see the crux of the issue as being one of expectations (deserve cheap pricing, want many things that are capital intensive early on in life) and one of mobility (stagnating income due to a host of other issues). It also shows, as some have discussed many times in this forum, the inadequacy for CPF as a retirement tool. This is not to say CPF is useless, you can get something out of it, but you also need to plan and save for retirement out of the other income and try to grow what you can earn over time.

In whatever market conditions, there is no subsitute for prudence and financial literacy. The govt can give you a 150k flat, but idiots will just go and blow the rest of the cash on expensive renovations, cars, vacations, bags, watches, restaurant meals etc, and then complain that they don't earn enough or "cost of living" is too high.
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#3
Modern democratic government's job is to stay in power, keep their jobs - its that simple.

IMO, the clarifications is simply a band-aid exercise. Unfortunately, they wouldn't dare to restructure the housing market like how they did it to CPF investment scheme in the early days - capital gains to be retained in CPF.

Frankly, the policy that amount to asset enhancement using pension assets has created a monster that is haunting whichever government in power. Once ordinary folks tasted the fruits of free market, noone would in a logical mindset want to give up the opportunity and freedom to make money.

The basic question here lies in whether one should be allowed to make money out of a supposedly "subsidised" home. The answer is binary - yes and no and no buts.

The lecturer has already outlined a feasible model but given the tsunami impact to a monster that is currently 30 years old, the response here will be blood letting even if it means that the monster is slayed.


(15-03-2013, 07:20 AM)Musicwhiz Wrote: Because almost everyone wants to "trade up" their HDB flat for a condo to improve their standard of living. Reminds me of trading up my whipped potato for Cheese Fries at KFC - you pay $1.70 extra!

The Straits Times
www.straitstimes.com
Published on Mar 15, 2013
Moves to cut HDB prices won't hit existing owners

The proposals are meant only for new HDB flats, Khaw clarifies

By Daryl Chin Property Correspondent

PROPOSALS to make new lower-priced Housing Board flats more affordable to first-time buyers will not affect existing home owners, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan confirmed yesterday.

He made the clarification to quell concerns that may have arisen after he floated three ideas to help people looking to enter the property market - particularly young couples.

At a community walking event on Sunday, he suggested extending the minimum occupation period before owners can resell their flats, shortening a flat's lease or even reinstating a pre-1971 rule that owners can sell HDB flats only back to the Housing Board.

This last suggestion alarmed some home owners because the reselling of flats on the open market enabled many to earn capital gains and accumulate large nest eggs.

In his blog post, Mr Khaw recounted that a Queenstown resident who had planned to downsize to a newer flat and use the proceeds to fund her retirement had raised concerns to him.

Responding to her distress as well as that of others like her, Mr Khaw said the new restrictions would affect only those going for new flats.

He said that the Government has not forgotten the "interest of the many hundreds of thousands of existing home owners".

He added: "Some plan to rely on their flat to finance retirement needs. Some hope to bequeath their flats to the next generation. Some rely on renting out a room to bring in extra cash proceeds. Their concerns matter to me too."

Existing HDB flat owners breathed a sigh of relief.

University student Serene Choong, 23, who is waiting for her $341,000 four-room in Punggol to be completed, said her main concern was snagging her desired unit.

"Some complain that it's not fair that prices might go down, but we are just happy to have a home," she said.

"To know that it can be profitable down the road is also very welcome news."

Housewife Daphne Wong, 38, said: "I can rest easier, knowing that my flat is still of value to my children and me."

There are about 900,000 Housing Board households.

Of these, 43,000 flats are rented out and another 40,000 owners rent out rooms.

Mr Khaw explained that the Government is looking at a new housing option "which can be a lot cheaper than today's BTO (Build-to-Order) price".

"If we offer such a low-cost housing option, it must come with restrictions to differentiate it from the existing BTO flats," he added, saying this would apply only to the new buyers.

In Parliament last week, he pledged to lower the prices of new flats in non-mature estates to a level roughly equal to four years of median household income of the applicants.

For instance, a four-room flat applicant with a household income of $4,100 a month might see prices drop to $197,000 after housing grants, compared with a price tag of up to $300,000 in the last BTO exercise in January.

ERA Realty key executive officer Eugene Lim said Mr Khaw's comments would calm the property market, although the full implications would be known only when more details emerge.

Mr Lim believes the cheaper properties would be similar to current studio apartments, which are meant for the elderly, sold on 30-year leases and cannot be resold on the open market.

He said: "The difference is that studios are meant for those in their twilight years, while young couples will want asset appreciation in order to get ahead in life.

" This group, who already have affordability issues, might effectively be a social underclass."

darylc@sph.com.sg
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