Terrace Houses @ Andrews Terrace - Sembawang Park

Terrace Houses @ Andrews Terrace

Brand new, TOP not later than 31 September 2008
99 lease yrs (starting from 28 Jan 2008)
Corner terrace; land 2422sq.ft, built up 4276sq.ft; asking $1.73m
Inter terrace; land 1668sq.ft, built up 4058sq.ft; asking $1.58m

3 Storeys + Attic/ roof terrace
5+1+1, with private lift. Private entertainment room, 2 family halls.

Sea view. Sembawang Park

GEMS....

Today, in this competitive world, there are tens of thousands of salesmen out there. Everyone is selling the same things but everyone uses different methods. So what is it that sets these people apart from the rest? It is service that matters more than the product. Don't forget Singapore is promoting Gems - Go the Extra Mile for Service.

"Winners don't do different things. They do things differently".

Er…what is a reverse mortgage?

Er…what is a reverse mortgage?

Where do you see this?

In articles on property and retirement planning.

What does it mean?

A reverse mortgage is a financial scheme that allows a property owner to use his home to obtain a sum of cash. Like a line of credit, it provides a regular stream of income.

It is the opposite of a mortgage, in which the property owner pays a monthly instalment to the financial institution in return for a loan with which to buy his home.

With a reverse mortgage, the financial institution pays the borrower, referred to as the mortgagor. The latter is charged interest on the amount he receives.

Why is it important?

A reverse mortgage is an option for those who need additional income, in particular to meet retirement needs.

To qualify, the mortgagor must own a home and attain a certain age; usually, he has to be at least 60. In addition, his home must be fully paid up.

The reverse mortgage is granted based on the age of the borrower, the prevailing value of the property, the projected property appreciation rate and the interest rate. The loan is repayable only when the property is sold, usually upon the death of the borrower, or upon the expiry of the loan term.

In the event of death, the financial institution will sell the property for the estate of the deceased. However, it may allow the children to keep the house if they can repay the loan.

In Singapore, such services are offered by NTUC Income and OCBC Bank.

So you want to use the term. Just say…

Source : Sunday Times - 10 Aug 2008

Ducks Quack, Eagles Fly...

I read this article from Wayne Dyer. It's from his book "You'll See It When You Believe It." Dyer said that "if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd."

This hit me right between the eyes. In my line of business, I hear the quacking and complaining all the time. When you go into the office, you are bound to be confronted by someone who will ask you, "How's the market (real estate market)?. We should all decide to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles. Even when the market is bad, someone needs to sell, buy or rent..

Dalla Vale - Cluster housing in Upper Thomson

Dalla Vale - Cluster housing

Located amidst a natural enclave in a rustic part of Upper Thomson Road, Dalla Vale is the perfect freehold residence where you can leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind.

Developed by Far East Organization – the pioneer of the first ever cluster homes in Singapore, Dalla Vale continues Far East Organization’s tradition of creating high quality cluster homes such as Springhill.

With modern tropical architecture, lush greenery and pools with spa facilities, Dalla Vale’s luxurious semi-detached cluster homes are the perfect haven for you to rediscover nature and revitalize your senses.

And with great accessibility via the Seletar Expressway, Khatib and Yio Chu Kang MRT as well as proximity to the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, Orchid Country Club and Singapore Island Country Club, Dalla Vale is indeed an oasis within easy reach.

Expected ompletion is 2009

Expats living in Singapore just loving it

Expats living in S'pore just loving it: poll By ARTHUR SIM

SINGAPORE has been ranked the best place in the world to live in, based on a poll of expatriates.

The Expat Explorer survey for HSBC Bank International revealed that, as well as being top overall, expats rate Singapore best for quality of accommodation and second in terms of luxury living.

The survey was conducted between February and April, with data analysis conducted by Freshminds. It looked at a range of topics relevant to expats' lives, including living standards, an expat's ability to earn and save, a country's popularity and the level of luxury experienced. On luxury, countries were rated on a number of categories, including access to private healthcare, access to more than one property, and ability to own a pool and to employ staff (such as cleaners).
Across the 11 categories of perceived luxuries, on average, expats reported an increase in eight of these factors, with employing staff ranked as the highest increase.

The survey polled 2,155 expats in more than 49 countries. However, only countries with at least 30 respondents were analysed in the league tables.

Accommodation is a key concern of expats and almost three-quarters of expats living in Singapore said that the quality of their accommodation had improved since moving away from home, the highest amount recorded in the study. This was followed by those living in the United States and Belgium. The UK was identified as the most expensive expat location for accommodation, with over three-quarters of expats living there revealing that their living costs had increased.

It was found that Europe is a popular destination overall in terms of the length of stay. More than three-quarters of expats now living in the Netherlands have been there for three or more years, followed by Germany and Spain. Hong Kong and Singapore were ranked fifth and sixth respectively. HSBC head of consumer banking (Singapore) Wendy Lim estimates that there are over 300,000 expatriates residing in Singapore. She said: 'Singapore's safe, tax-efficient environment makes it an ideal location for expatriates to grow and protect their savings and investments.' Singapore is home to one of HSBC's five offshore banking centres around the world, the others being Hong Kong, Dubai, New Jersey and Miami.

Source : Business Times - 25 Jul 2008