Even as dating apps bloom, some singles still say yes to matchmakers
Dating apps may have become an increasingly attractive platform for singles, but the idea of joining a dating agency and enlisting a professional matchmaker to help find that special someone still strikes a chord with some in Singapore.
By Tang See Kit, Channel NewsAsia Posted 15 Feb 2017 20:22 Updated 15 Feb 2017 20:45
SINGAPORE: It was about four years ago when Mr John Gan* first thought about settling down after seeing his close friends get hitched and start their own families.
But as thoughts of leaving the singles club emerged, the 33-year-old nurse realised that a dwindling social circle stood in his way. Having spent “little time and effort on dating in the past”, the Singaporean decided it was time to change things.
Taking on a proactive approach to make new friends, Mr Gan signed up with dating agencies and also gave free dating apps a go. But the endless swiping of profiles and little opportunities for real-life interaction on the latter proved to be an underwhelming experience and Mr Gan opted to “go aggressive” on speed-dating events organised by local matchmaking agencies.
“I was quite nervous before my first speed-dating event so I went to research what these events are like and read the book ‘Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus’ to prepare myself,” he recalled. “After going a few more times, I slowly got the hang of it. It can be tiring and disappointing if you don’t meet someone … but if you don’t try, you will never succeed.”
Mr Gan is not alone. While dating apps have become an increasingly attractive platform to seek love and friendship, there are still plenty of singles in Singapore who prefer joining a dating agency or enlisting the help of a professional matchmaker.
According to a spokesperson from the Social Development Network (SDN), there has been “continued need and demand for offline dating platforms” even as the growing variety of dating apps and online platforms provide a convenient avenue for tech-savvy and busy singles to connect.
Last year, the number of events organised by the 13 dating agencies accredited by SDN rose 23 per cent to 642, compared with 524 events in 2015. Correspondingly, the event participation rate in 2016 increased by 21 per cent to 15,393 participants from a year ago.
According to local agencies that Channel NewsAsia spoke to, this demand indicates that while mobile-based apps such as Tinder have gaained a tremendous following among the younger generation, they have had limited success in courting singles above 30 years old who tend to prefer offline dating.
DATING OFFLINE
At GaiGai – the matchmaking arm of homegrown dating app Paktor that offers both event-based and one-on-one private dates – the mean age of a member is between 30 and 31 years old, said co-founder Alex Tam. The average Paktor user is 25 years old and below.
In fact, the offline arm was set up two years ago to meet user demands that Paktor – despite its rising popularity – was struggling to meet.
“We noticed there were some Paktor users who have not been very successful. There are those who can’t seem to find a match or convert matches into dates, and there are some who are too busy to swipe through profiles… so we thought maybe we could curate this process for these groups of people and turn it into actual dates,” said Mr Tam. GaiGai, which means “going out” in Cantonese, now has a member base of 12,000 people, making it one of the biggest dating agencies locally.
(L to R) Ms Anisa Hassan, managing director of It's Just Lunch Asia,; Mr Alex Tam, co-founder of GaiGai; Ms Michelle Goh, founder of CompleteMe. (Photo: Tang See Kit)
Ms Michelle Goh, founder of events-based agency CompleteMe, described older singles as being more ready to commit and settle down. Hence dating events, which allow for face-to-face interaction, have been viewed as a better way for singles to find like-minded individuals.
“Given that they have to put in the effort to find an event to attend, register, make payment and then dress up for the occasion, these are people who tend to be genuinely looking for someone, rather than having a ‘see see, look look’ attitude,” said Ms Goh, who added that the number of active participants for CompleteMe’s 150 events annually has “increased steadily to almost 3,000” in 2016.
Over at It’s Just Lunch Asia, it is the guarantee of privacy and a human touch in its matchmaking process that have ensured sustained brisk business. According to managing director Anisa Hassan, the agency now has an active member base of 5,000 people and attracts an average of 800 new customers a year.
Apart from singles, the agency also has divorced or widowed clients who are willing to take a second chance at love but remain hesitant about putting themselves out there. “There are more people who are divorced and are stepping forward. They are the ones who want a real person whom they can build a relationship with and are wary of going online,” Ms Hassan said.
The agency, first launched in Singapore 13 years ago and which matchmakes professionals over a meal, also has a concierge-like service which involves Ms Hassan “headhunting” beyond the company’s database for the perfect match. For this elite service, the women pay S$5,000 for five dates while the men have to fork out S$10,000 for 10 dates.
“This started in 2014 when some of my male clients approached me to help them date more exclusively. These are managing directors or CEOs who wanted me to go out and be their ears and eyes on the ground… now this is a human-intensive process that dating apps cannot do. While apps are there to disrupt, dating still requires the personal touch. We may be low-tech but we are high-touch.”
A profiling session at dating agency It's Just Lunch. (Photo: Tang See Kit)
STAYING ATTRACTIVE
Some dating agencies have also taken on what it calls an "activity-based approach" to event ideas – a move aimed at wooing singles who remain intimidated by formal dates with strangers and fun-loving twenty-somethings.
“Every time we conduct an event, our main objective is to make it a casual platform for people to meet,” Mr Tam from GaiGai said. While it has held large-group matchmaking events, the agency prides itself on “out-of-the-box” date ideas such as baking or terrarium workshops, hawker food trails where participants follow a designated route on cars provided by Uber and weekend getaways.
“We want to shift away from formal speed-dating events – something that the younger folks don’t seem to like. Instead of coming in with the idea of finding a life partner, come to make friends,” Mr Tam added.
CompleteMe, which has made its name in organising speed-dating events for the past seven years, has also introduced board gaming, karaoke and most recently, volunteering sessions to its mix. Such activities can serve as a much-needed distraction and help participants to “be less stressed out about having to impress one another”, Ms Goh said. Thus far, interest in these activity-based events has been strong, with participants mostly in their 20s and early 30s.
Ms Eileen Syn* has gone for several activity-based events, with the most recent being a singles trip to Malaysia, over the past two years and deem them as more enjoyable than speed-dating events. The 30-year-old who works in compliance, first went on speed-dating when she was 21 years old and remembered the sit-down event as being “awkward”.
“I was definitely hesitant at first because you don’t know what to expect but I thought I should be open-minded and just try. At least for these events, you get to meet people who most likely have the same interests or hobbies as you and if you don’t manage to meet anyone, you can still have fun,” she told Channel NewsAsia.
GaiGai's recent event at the S.E.A Aquarium attracted nearly 200 singles. (Photo: GaiGai)
WOOING TECHNOLOGY: YAY OR NAY
But even so, Ms Syn admits to feeling “jaded” from the dating events and has recently signed up with mobile-based app Coffee Meets Bagel where she has had a few dates with “more like-minded individuals”.
And with online dating platforms here to stay as an alternative, some dating agencies have sought to deal with the challenge of disruption head-on by rolling out their own apps. In the case of Lunch Actually, it has launched LunchClick and e-dating platform eSynchrony.
“When we first started the business, we knew that it wasn't going to be just lunch dating… Our vision from day one was very clear. We wanted to be the most effective dating service (and this) might mean different things for different people. And we also realised that it might change,” co-founder Violet Lim told 938Live’s “On The Record”.
“In the last 12 years, the Internet became a lot more pervasive and smartphones did too. We knew we had to move with the times, and we were, and still are very okay to create products or services that might even compete with our own existing products … Businesses are being disrupted every single day. If you still want to be around, you need to constantly innovate and you have to constantly disrupt yourself,” she added.
But while some new ventures have taken off, others have been less of a success.
In 2015, homegrown matchmaking agency Society W launched its own dating app called Blindfold. The app, accredited by SDN, offers a free daily match curated based on a proprietary algorithm. Profile pictures on the app are also blurred to ensure anonymity.
While the free app managed to chalk up five-digit downloads within a year, Ms Tse decided to call it quits last September, citing high costs as one of the key reasons.
“The app was weighing on our cost benefit and it was taking up too much of my time away from my core business of matchmaking,” said the Singaporean who founded Society W in 2011. “We did get quite good traction but there was the realisation that apps require a lot of marketing dollars to take off. If I’m not going to go down the route of massive fundraising then I should just focus on where my strength lies, which is matchmaking.”
But Ms Tse does not regret her venture into the app business, which was a “six-digit” investment. Describing it as a “learning opportunity”, she noted that while dating apps are also in the business of love, a matchmaking agency that ventures into online dating may not necessarily be having the best of both worlds.
“For an app to do well, you would want people to keep coming back but if you are interested in true matchmaking, you want people to pair up and not come back. So I don’t think the idea of doing matchmaking and building an app at the same time don’t really gel together,” she explained.
For Mr Gan, speed-dating is now a thing of the past after he met the girl of his dreams at an event organised by CompleteMe two years ago. The woman is now his fiancée and the couple has plans to register their marriage later this year.
Looking back on his quest for romance, he said: “If I have to choose, I still prefer a dating agency over an app because you can attend events and you get to see your date in person … I may have liked my (relationship) to be natural like everyone else’s, but there’s nothing wrong with either method.
“I’ve been telling my colleagues who are single to give it a try. It’s all about individual preferences and if you can’t get fish in this pond, you go to another.”
*The names of some dating agency members have been changed or abbreviated as they spoke to Channel NewsAsia on condition of anonymity.
- CNA/sk
- wong chee tat :)
Showing posts with label singles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label singles. Show all posts
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
杨莉明:单身男应对相亲抱持开放心态
杨莉明:单身男应对相亲抱持开放心态
2016年03月16日 1743
|
杨莉明说道，新加坡人害羞不好意思向人求助找伴侣，和韩国人不太一样，他们更能接受相亲。（图/新华社）
杨莉明说道，新加坡人害羞不好意思向人求助找伴侣，和韩国人不太一样，他们更能接受相亲。（图/新华社）
婚姻不会从天而降，总理公署高级政务部长杨莉明呼吁新加坡单身男女积极地拓展社交圈子，并向韩国年轻人看齐，对相亲抱持开放心态。
协助管理人口及人才署的杨莉明今天结束对韩国的考察后，于个人面簿分享自己的观察。
已续程前往丹麦的杨莉明，在韩国访问的三天里，除了会见韩国保健福祉部长郑镇烨和雇佣劳动部长李基权，也参访当地的托儿所与红娘公司。
杨莉明在面簿写道，新加坡年轻人和韩国年轻人一样，越来越迟婚。不过韩国年轻人是因就业前景不佳，缺乏稳定收入，被迫延迟成家，新加坡人则是因乐于接受工作挑战，选择太多，以致忙着事业，错过了寻找伴侣的良机。
2014年，新加坡男性首次结婚的年龄中位数从2005年的29.7岁推延至30.2岁，女性从26.8岁推迟至28.2岁，而韩国2014年数据则显示，当地男女分别在32.4岁和29.8岁才结婚，结婚年龄较十年前迟约两年。
不过杨莉明说：“新加坡人害羞，不好意思向人求助找伴侣，加剧了问题。这点和韩国人不太一样，他们更能接受相亲，并愿意找专人帮忙。虽不愿意公开承认相亲，但若被问起，他们也不会否认。”
杨莉明鼓励新加坡人正面看待相亲。她说：“单身人士需积极地让缘分发挥魔力，这不会是偶然的。”
“韩国江南式（Gangnam style）的相亲方式虽是刻意安排的，但依然可以相当活泼轻松，而且很多时候获得家人、朋友和专业人士的帮助。早点开始积极结交新朋友，不要排斥找人帮忙，以及轻松以对似乎都是一场成功、愉悦约会的必要元素。这样的约会方式或许能帮到更多新加坡单身人士？”（联合早报记者：黄慧敏 首尔报道）
（联合早报网编辑：赖彦志 )
- wong chee tat :)
2016年03月16日 1743
|
杨莉明说道，新加坡人害羞不好意思向人求助找伴侣，和韩国人不太一样，他们更能接受相亲。（图/新华社）
杨莉明说道，新加坡人害羞不好意思向人求助找伴侣，和韩国人不太一样，他们更能接受相亲。（图/新华社）
婚姻不会从天而降，总理公署高级政务部长杨莉明呼吁新加坡单身男女积极地拓展社交圈子，并向韩国年轻人看齐，对相亲抱持开放心态。
协助管理人口及人才署的杨莉明今天结束对韩国的考察后，于个人面簿分享自己的观察。
已续程前往丹麦的杨莉明，在韩国访问的三天里，除了会见韩国保健福祉部长郑镇烨和雇佣劳动部长李基权，也参访当地的托儿所与红娘公司。
杨莉明在面簿写道，新加坡年轻人和韩国年轻人一样，越来越迟婚。不过韩国年轻人是因就业前景不佳，缺乏稳定收入，被迫延迟成家，新加坡人则是因乐于接受工作挑战，选择太多，以致忙着事业，错过了寻找伴侣的良机。
2014年，新加坡男性首次结婚的年龄中位数从2005年的29.7岁推延至30.2岁，女性从26.8岁推迟至28.2岁，而韩国2014年数据则显示，当地男女分别在32.4岁和29.8岁才结婚，结婚年龄较十年前迟约两年。
不过杨莉明说：“新加坡人害羞，不好意思向人求助找伴侣，加剧了问题。这点和韩国人不太一样，他们更能接受相亲，并愿意找专人帮忙。虽不愿意公开承认相亲，但若被问起，他们也不会否认。”
杨莉明鼓励新加坡人正面看待相亲。她说：“单身人士需积极地让缘分发挥魔力，这不会是偶然的。”
“韩国江南式（Gangnam style）的相亲方式虽是刻意安排的，但依然可以相当活泼轻松，而且很多时候获得家人、朋友和专业人士的帮助。早点开始积极结交新朋友，不要排斥找人帮忙，以及轻松以对似乎都是一场成功、愉悦约会的必要元素。这样的约会方式或许能帮到更多新加坡单身人士？”（联合早报记者：黄慧敏 首尔报道）
（联合早报网编辑：赖彦志 )
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
HDB unveils 8,952 build-to-order, balance flats in November
HDB unveils 8,952 build-to-order, balance flats in November
Its largest BTO, SBF exercise to date.
In a release, HDB launched 8,952 flats for sale in a mix of mature and non-mature towns/estates under the Nov 2013 joint Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise. This is HDB’s largest joint BTO and SBF exercise so far.
This launch brings the total BTO flat supply in 2013 to 25,139 units, in line with HDB’s commitment to launch 25,000 BTO flats for sale this year.
Together with the 7,074 balance flats offered under the May and Nov 2013 SBF exercises, as well as an additional 1,355 bonus 2-room flats in the Jul and Sep 2013 BTO exercises, HDB has offered a total of 33,568 flats for sale in 2013 to meet the housing demand of our people.
- wong chee tat :)
Its largest BTO, SBF exercise to date.
In a release, HDB launched 8,952 flats for sale in a mix of mature and non-mature towns/estates under the Nov 2013 joint Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise. This is HDB’s largest joint BTO and SBF exercise so far.
This launch brings the total BTO flat supply in 2013 to 25,139 units, in line with HDB’s commitment to launch 25,000 BTO flats for sale this year.
Together with the 7,074 balance flats offered under the May and Nov 2013 SBF exercises, as well as an additional 1,355 bonus 2-room flats in the Jul and Sep 2013 BTO exercises, HDB has offered a total of 33,568 flats for sale in 2013 to meet the housing demand of our people.
- wong chee tat :)
HDB Rolls Out Record Number of Flats for Sale
HDB Rolls Out Record Number of Flats for Sale
Notes:
1) * Come in two sizes of 35 sqm (Type 1) and 45 sqm (Type 2).
2) ^ The assumed housing grants are meant for applicants applying as a family nucleus or two singles under the Joint Singles Scheme for a 2-room BTO flat. SHG is also applicable only to 2-room, 3-room and 4-room flats in the non-mature estates:
i) 2-room flat: $60,000 (comprising AHG of $40,000 and SHG of $20,000 where applicable)
ii) 3-room flat: $50,000 (comprising AHG of $30,000 and SHG of $20,000 where applicable)
iii) 4-room flat: $35,000 (comprising AHG of $15,000 and SHG of $20,000 where applicable)
iv) 5-room flat / 3Gen: $10,000 (AHG only)
The actual grant amounts vary based on income and choice of flat type. Read more on various CPF Housing Grants available.
3) # SAs are sold on a 30-year lease, beginning from the date of key collection. Prices are inclusive of the elderly-friendly fittings/finishes. 50% of the supply is set aside for the SA Priority Scheme under which eligible applicants can right-size to an SA in the same town as or within 2 km from their current flat/property, or apply for an SA to live near or with parents/married child.
4) @ Singles who apply under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme will pay $15,000 more than the married couples. Eligible singles can also apply for AHG and SHG. The actual grant amounts will vary based on income. Read more on the various CPF Housing Grants available.
Notes:
1) ^The assumed housing grants are meant for applicants applying as a family nucleus. SHG is also applicable only to 2-room, 3-room and 4-room flats in the non-mature estates:
3) Please refer to esales.hdb.gov.sg to check the lease commencement date of each block.
- wong chee tat :)
Date issued : 26 Nov 2013
Today, HDB launched 8,952 flats for sale in a mix of mature and non-mature towns/estates under the Nov 2013 joint Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise. This is HDB’s largest joint BTO and SBF exercise so far.
2This launch brings the total BTO flat supply in 2013 to 25,139 units, in line with HDB’s commitment to launch 25,000 BTO flats for sale this year. Together with the 7,074 balance flats offered under the May and Nov 2013 SBF exercises, as well as an additional 1,355 bonus 2-room flats in the Jul and Sep 2013 BTO exercises, HDB has offered a total of 33,568 flats for sale in 2013 to meet the housing demand of our people.
BTO Exercise Offering 4,978 Flats
3HDB will offer 4,978 BTO flats over six projects in five non-mature towns, namely Bukit Batok, Hougang, Jurong West, Sembawang and Woodlands. A wide range of flats, including Studio Apartments (SAs), 2-room to 5-room flats, as well as 3Gen flats, is offered to meet the diverse housing needs of first-timers, second-timers, multi-generation families, elderly and singles.
4First-timers will continue to enjoy priority flat allocation with at least 85% (for 4-room and 5-room) and 70% (for 2-room and 3-room) of the BTO flat supply in non-mature towns/estates set aside for them. Eligible singles can submit their applications to buy a 2-room flat in Admiralty Grove or West Ridges @ Bukit Batok. Applicants with a multi-generation family comprising at least a married/courting couple and their parent(s) listed in the application will also be eligible to purchase a 3Gen flat in Boon Lay View.
5The Multi-Generation Priority Scheme Under the MGPS, HDB will set aside up to 15% of the SAs, 2-room and 3-room flats in a BTO project (subject to a minimum of 20 units each) for parents applying under Multi-Generation Priority Scheme (MGPS). The same number of 2-room and bigger flats will be set aside in the same BTO project for their married children. (MGPS) for parents and married children to apply jointly for flats in the same BTO project will be available to those applying for flats at Admiralty Grove, Hougang Meadow, Boon Lay View and West Ridges @ Bukit Batok. In addition, 50% of the SA supply in Hougang Meadow will be reserved for eligible elderly applicants under the Studio Apartment Priority Scheme (SAPS).
6Eligible first-timer households can enjoy up to $60,000 of housing grants, comprising the Additional CPF Housing Grant (up to $40,000) and Special CPF Housing Grant (up to $20,000). With these grants, 2-room, 3-room, 4-room and 5-room flats will be priced from as low as $15,000, $106,000, $201,000 and $297,000 respectively (Table 1). Further details can be found in Annex A1 
(PDF 924KB).
(PDF 924KB).
Table 1: Nov 2013 BTO Prices
Project
|
Flat Type #
|
Selling Price (Excluding Grants@)
|
Selling Price
(Including Grants^) |
| BTO Projects in Non-Mature Estates | |||
Admiralty Grove
 (JPG 469KB) |
2-room*
|
From $75,000
|
From $15,000
|
3-room
|
From $156,000
|
From $106,000
| |
4-room
|
From $238,000
|
From $203,000
| |
5-room
|
From $307,000
|
From $297,000
| |
Boon Lay View
(JPG 458KB) |
3-room
|
From $160,000
|
From $110,000
|
4-room
|
From $256,000
|
From $221,000
| |
5-room
|
From $320,000
|
From $310,000
| |
Boon Lay View
(JPG 129KB) |
3Gen
|
From $321,000
|
From $311,000
|
EastLawn @ Canberra
(JPG 453KB) |
4-room
|
From $236,000
|
From $201,000
|
5-room
|
From $315,000
|
From $305,000
| |
Hougang Meadow
(JPG 533KB) |
Studio Apartment
|
From $84,000
|
-
|
3-room
|
From $187,000
|
From $137,000
| |
4-room
|
From $306,000
|
From $271,000
| |
West Ridges @ Bukit Batok
(JPG 426KB) |
2-room*
|
From $85,000
|
From $25,000
|
3-room
|
From $169,000
|
From $119,000
| |
4-room
|
From $284,000
|
From $249,000
| |
5-room
|
From $373,000
|
From $363,000
| |
Notes:
1) * Come in two sizes of 35 sqm (Type 1) and 45 sqm (Type 2).
2) ^ The assumed housing grants are meant for applicants applying as a family nucleus or two singles under the Joint Singles Scheme for a 2-room BTO flat. SHG is also applicable only to 2-room, 3-room and 4-room flats in the non-mature estates:
i) 2-room flat: $60,000 (comprising AHG of $40,000 and SHG of $20,000 where applicable)
ii) 3-room flat: $50,000 (comprising AHG of $30,000 and SHG of $20,000 where applicable)
iii) 4-room flat: $35,000 (comprising AHG of $15,000 and SHG of $20,000 where applicable)
iv) 5-room flat / 3Gen: $10,000 (AHG only)
The actual grant amounts vary based on income and choice of flat type. Read more on various CPF Housing Grants available.
3) # SAs are sold on a 30-year lease, beginning from the date of key collection. Prices are inclusive of the elderly-friendly fittings/finishes. 50% of the supply is set aside for the SA Priority Scheme under which eligible applicants can right-size to an SA in the same town as or within 2 km from their current flat/property, or apply for an SA to live near or with parents/married child.
4) @ Singles who apply under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme will pay $15,000 more than the married couples. Eligible singles can also apply for AHG and SHG. The actual grant amounts will vary based on income. Read more on the various CPF Housing Grants available.
SBF Exercise Offering 3,974 Flats
7HDB will offer another 3,974 balance flats in 11 non-mature and 13 mature towns/estates under the SBF Exercise. They comprise 502 SAs, 405 2-room, 818 3-room, 1,644 4-room, 595 5-room flats and 10 Executive flats.
8Flats offered under the SBF Exercise are reserved for families. At least 95% of the supply of balance flats (excluding SAs) will be set aside for first-timers. In addition, 50% of the SAs will be set aside for eligible elderly flat applicants under the SAPS.
9SBF flats come in a wide range of flat types, locations and selling prices (Table 2). About 14% are already completed, while the remaining 86% are under construction. Pricing details and applicable ethnic quotas of the SBF flats offered are in Annex A2 (PDF 231KB).
(PDF 231KB).
Table 2: Summary of Nov 2013 SBF Prices
Flat Type#
|
Selling Price (excluding Grants)
|
Selling Price (inclusive of Grants)^
|
Non-Mature Towns/Estates
| ||
Studio Apartment
|
From $73,000
|
-
|
3-Room
|
From $164,000
|
From $114,000
|
4-Room
|
From $234,000
|
From $199,000
|
5-Room
|
From $295,000
|
From $285,000
|
Executive Flat
|
From $485,000
|
-
|
Mature Towns/Estates
| ||
Studio Apartment
|
From $86,000
|
-
|
2-Room
|
From $141,000
|
From $101,000
|
3-Room
|
From $188,000
|
From $158,000
|
4-Room
|
From $302,000
|
From $287,000
|
5-Room
|
From $379,000
|
From $369,000
|
Executive Flat
|
From $510,000
|
-
|
Notes:
1) ^The assumed housing grants are meant for applicants applying as a family nucleus. SHG is also applicable only to 2-room, 3-room and 4-room flats in the non-mature estates:
- i) 2-room flat: $60,000 (comprising AHG of $40,000, and SHG of $20,000 where applicable) ii) 3-room flat: $50,000 (comprising AHG of $30,000, and SHG of $20,000 where applicable) iii) 4-room flat: $35,000 (comprising AHG of $15,000, and SHG of $20,000 where applicable) iv) 5-room flat: $10,000 (AHG only) Actual Grant amount will vary based on income and choice of flat. Read more on various CPF Housing Grants available.
3) Please refer to esales.hdb.gov.sg to check the lease commencement date of each block.
Advice for Flat Buyers
10Applicants are strongly advised to apply for a BTO flat in non-mature towns/ estates to enjoy a higher chance of success in securing a flat. Though SBF flats have a shorter waiting time to completion, the number of units in each town is small and is likely to attract high application rates.
11Regular updates on the number of applications submitted for the various flat types/towns/estates will be published on the HDB InfoWEB. Applicants are advised to check for updates before submitting their application.
Application for Nov 2013 Sales Exercises
12Applications for new flats launched in the Nov 2013 BTO and SBF Exercises can be submitted online on the HDB InfoWEB from today, 26 Nov 2013 (Tuesday) to 2 Dec 2013 (Monday). Applicants can apply for only one flat type/category in one town/estate under either the BTO or SBF Exercise.
14For enquiries, the public can:
- - Log on to esales.hdb.gov.sg; or - E-mail hdbsales@hdb.gov.sg; or - Visit the HDB Sales Office to speak with our Customer Relations Executives during office hours (Mon to Fri 8 am to 5 pm, Saturday 8 am to 1 pm).
Next BTO Launch in Jan 2014
15In Jan 2014, HDB will offer about 3,150 BTO flats in Bukit Batok, Jurong West, Punggol, Serangoon and Woodlands. More information on the flats to be offered under the Jan 2014 BTO Exercise is available on the HDB InfoWEB.
- wong chee tat :)
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Extra-marital dating site Ashley Madison not welcome: Chan Chun Sing
Extra-marital dating site Ashley Madison not welcome: Chan Chun Sing
By Imelda Saad
POSTED: 25 Oct 2013 15:17
UPDATED: 25 Oct 2013 23:33
Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said he does not welcome Ashley Madison, a dating website targeting married spouses, into Singapore.
SINGAPORE: Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said he does not welcome Ashley Madison, a dating website targeting married spouses, into Singapore.
Posting on his Facebook page on Friday, Mr Chan said he is against any company or website that harms marriage.
"Promoting infidelity undermines trust and commitment between a husband and wife, which are core to marriage," said Mr Chan, who is also second minister for defence.
"I'm heartened by the responses of many Singaporeans who also spoke up against such website," he added.
Mr Chan's comments followed reports that Ashley Madison plans to expand into Singapore next year.
The website, which touts itself as "the famous name in infidelity and married dating", and has a tagline "Life is Short. Have an Affair," has a presence in the US, Europe and a number of other places, including Hong Kong and Japan.
News of its plans for Singapore prompted strong responses, including the formation of a Facebook group called “Block Ashley Madison” that has garnered over 11,000 likes.
In a statement, the Media Development Authority (MDA) said its content regulatory framework is based on community standards and social norms.
A spokesperson said since there are growing public sentiments against the site, it will take these into account when evaluating the website, if it is set up.
Under the Broadcasting Act, MDA has the powers to act against Internet content providers which violate community standards and social norms.
This includes issuing take-down notices or site-blocking.
- CNA/xq/nd
- wong chee tat :)
By Imelda Saad
POSTED: 25 Oct 2013 15:17
UPDATED: 25 Oct 2013 23:33
Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said he does not welcome Ashley Madison, a dating website targeting married spouses, into Singapore.
SINGAPORE: Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said he does not welcome Ashley Madison, a dating website targeting married spouses, into Singapore.
Posting on his Facebook page on Friday, Mr Chan said he is against any company or website that harms marriage.
"Promoting infidelity undermines trust and commitment between a husband and wife, which are core to marriage," said Mr Chan, who is also second minister for defence.
"I'm heartened by the responses of many Singaporeans who also spoke up against such website," he added.
Mr Chan's comments followed reports that Ashley Madison plans to expand into Singapore next year.
The website, which touts itself as "the famous name in infidelity and married dating", and has a tagline "Life is Short. Have an Affair," has a presence in the US, Europe and a number of other places, including Hong Kong and Japan.
News of its plans for Singapore prompted strong responses, including the formation of a Facebook group called “Block Ashley Madison” that has garnered over 11,000 likes.
In a statement, the Media Development Authority (MDA) said its content regulatory framework is based on community standards and social norms.
A spokesperson said since there are growing public sentiments against the site, it will take these into account when evaluating the website, if it is set up.
Under the Broadcasting Act, MDA has the powers to act against Internet content providers which violate community standards and social norms.
This includes issuing take-down notices or site-blocking.
- CNA/xq/nd
- wong chee tat :)
HDB resale transactions fall across all flat types in Q3
HDB resale transactions fall across all flat types in Q3
POSTED: 25 Oct 2013 10:46
UPDATED: 25 Oct 2013 23:24
HDB Resale Price Index (RPI) fell by 0.9 per cent in the third quarter of this year. This was a slightly bigger drop than the flash estimate of 0.7 per cent released earlier this month.
SINGAPORE: HDB Resale Price Index (RPI) fell by 0.9 per cent in the third quarter of this year.
This was a slightly bigger drop than the flash estimate of 0.7 per cent released earlier this month.
The last time resale flat prices dipped was at the start of 2009, when the recession hit.
Prices have been on the upward trend since and reached a peak in the second quarter of this year, when prices went up by 0.5 per cent.
The volume of resale transactions has also gone down.
There were 5,235 transactions in the second quarter, and this fell 13 per cent to 4,529 in the third quarter.
It is also a 27 per cent drop compared to the same period last year.
Analysts say one reason for the drop is the ramped up supply of Build-To-Order (BTO) flats.
Next month, HDB will offer about 4,950 BTO flats in areas such as Bukit Batok and Hougang. Another 3,000 balance flats will also be on offer concurrently.
In all, HDB say it is on track to launch 25,000 BTO flats for the whole of this year.
Steven Tan, Managing Director of OrangeTee, said: "There was a shift in buying demand from HDB resale flats to BTO flats. Many buyers were enticed by the affordable pricing of BTO and the attractive CPF housing grants. Singles are also allowed to buy BTO flats."
Another reason is the new restriction imposed on permanent residents (PRs), who have to wait three years before being allowed to buy a resale flat.
Mr Tan added: "This policy actually caused quite a big impact because PRs are the buyers who are willing to pay a higher price for the resale flats."
Loan restrictions introduced earlier in the year could have also played a part.
But some analysts say events beyond Singapore's shores have also affected investor sentiments in the third quarter.
In particular, the announcement in May that US federal authorities are considering tapering its monetary stimulus programme sparked concerns of global interest rate hikes.
However, this decision has since been postponed.
Colin Tan, Director and Head of Research & Consultancy at Suntec Real Estate Consultants, said: "The US Federal authorities are thinking of unwinding their monetary policy, or having a looser monetary policy, which means there's this fear of interest rates hikes.
“This fear that investors have is that when interest rates go up, prices might come down. I think in that sense, most investors decided to wait on the sidelines and this has also affected HDB investors.
“Most upgraders would want to keep their HDB flat because of the ruling that once you sell you can't get back in. So some of these HDB investors may start to have cold feet, because there (were) three months of very weak sentiments."
In the rental market, subletting transactions also fell, slipping 5 per cent from 7,891 cases in the second quarter to 7,505 cases in Q3.
Some property analysts expect the HDB resale price growth for this whole year to come in around zero to one per cent.
This is down from 6.6 per cent last year, and double digit growth in the two years before that.
- CNA/xq/gn
- wong chee tat :)
POSTED: 25 Oct 2013 10:46
UPDATED: 25 Oct 2013 23:24
HDB Resale Price Index (RPI) fell by 0.9 per cent in the third quarter of this year. This was a slightly bigger drop than the flash estimate of 0.7 per cent released earlier this month.
SINGAPORE: HDB Resale Price Index (RPI) fell by 0.9 per cent in the third quarter of this year.
This was a slightly bigger drop than the flash estimate of 0.7 per cent released earlier this month.
The last time resale flat prices dipped was at the start of 2009, when the recession hit.
Prices have been on the upward trend since and reached a peak in the second quarter of this year, when prices went up by 0.5 per cent.
The volume of resale transactions has also gone down.
There were 5,235 transactions in the second quarter, and this fell 13 per cent to 4,529 in the third quarter.
It is also a 27 per cent drop compared to the same period last year.
Analysts say one reason for the drop is the ramped up supply of Build-To-Order (BTO) flats.
Next month, HDB will offer about 4,950 BTO flats in areas such as Bukit Batok and Hougang. Another 3,000 balance flats will also be on offer concurrently.
In all, HDB say it is on track to launch 25,000 BTO flats for the whole of this year.
Steven Tan, Managing Director of OrangeTee, said: "There was a shift in buying demand from HDB resale flats to BTO flats. Many buyers were enticed by the affordable pricing of BTO and the attractive CPF housing grants. Singles are also allowed to buy BTO flats."
Another reason is the new restriction imposed on permanent residents (PRs), who have to wait three years before being allowed to buy a resale flat.
Mr Tan added: "This policy actually caused quite a big impact because PRs are the buyers who are willing to pay a higher price for the resale flats."
Loan restrictions introduced earlier in the year could have also played a part.
But some analysts say events beyond Singapore's shores have also affected investor sentiments in the third quarter.
In particular, the announcement in May that US federal authorities are considering tapering its monetary stimulus programme sparked concerns of global interest rate hikes.
However, this decision has since been postponed.
Colin Tan, Director and Head of Research & Consultancy at Suntec Real Estate Consultants, said: "The US Federal authorities are thinking of unwinding their monetary policy, or having a looser monetary policy, which means there's this fear of interest rates hikes.
“This fear that investors have is that when interest rates go up, prices might come down. I think in that sense, most investors decided to wait on the sidelines and this has also affected HDB investors.
“Most upgraders would want to keep their HDB flat because of the ruling that once you sell you can't get back in. So some of these HDB investors may start to have cold feet, because there (were) three months of very weak sentiments."
In the rental market, subletting transactions also fell, slipping 5 per cent from 7,891 cases in the second quarter to 7,505 cases in Q3.
Some property analysts expect the HDB resale price growth for this whole year to come in around zero to one per cent.
This is down from 6.6 per cent last year, and double digit growth in the two years before that.
- CNA/xq/gn
- wong chee tat :)
Monday, March 11, 2013
Not true that new housing scheme only appeals to small group: Khaw
Not true that new housing scheme only appeals to small group: Khaw
By Olivia Siong | Posted: 11 March 2013 1421 hrs
SINGAPORE: National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan has rebutted claims that the new scheme, which allows singles to buy new flats directly from the government, appeals to only a small group of people.
Mr Khaw had announced last week that singles aged 35 and above who earn up to S$5,000 a month will be allowed to apply for two-room Build-to-Order (BTO) flats.
He was responding to a clarification raised by MP for Nee Soon GRC Lee Bee Wah in Parliament.
Ms Lee said she had received feedback from her residents that they might not fall into the 5,000-dollar income ceiling.
Separately, Mr Khaw said he had also received feedback that the new scheme is something that only a few can enjoy.
In response, Mr Khaw said more than 80 per cent of singles aged above 35 earn under S$5,000.
Mr Khaw stressed this is not a small group.
He said it is fair to open up the scheme to this group of singles first, before reviewing the conditions again.
Mr Khaw added if the demand is manageable, he will definitely consider raising the income ceiling.
"If you set too high a salary ceiling, what it means is when you have to ration and through balloting, then it is luck of the draw and you may end up offering units to those who are earning S$10,000, while depriving those who are truly earning S$4,000 or S$3,000, who may need it more badly and have fewer options," explained Mr Khaw.
Mr Khaw added that it is not possible to try and forge a perfect solution in policy making.
He said his approach is to be clear of where the end point is, but to start off cautiously and progressively open up.
This is opposed to opening up in a liberal manner in the beginning, and risk disappointing many at the first stage.
Responding to another point raised by Ms Lee that some might prefer to buy three-room flats so that they can live with their parents, Mr Khaw said he understood the wish.
He added some have also written to him to ask for five-room flats.
But Mr Khaw said his ministry will need to judge the demand for the two-room flats first, before liberalising from there.
As for those who want to stay with their parents, Mr Khaw said they can already apply as a family unit for three, four, or five-room BTO units.
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
By Olivia Siong | Posted: 11 March 2013 1421 hrs
SINGAPORE: National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan has rebutted claims that the new scheme, which allows singles to buy new flats directly from the government, appeals to only a small group of people.
Mr Khaw had announced last week that singles aged 35 and above who earn up to S$5,000 a month will be allowed to apply for two-room Build-to-Order (BTO) flats.
He was responding to a clarification raised by MP for Nee Soon GRC Lee Bee Wah in Parliament.
Ms Lee said she had received feedback from her residents that they might not fall into the 5,000-dollar income ceiling.
Separately, Mr Khaw said he had also received feedback that the new scheme is something that only a few can enjoy.
In response, Mr Khaw said more than 80 per cent of singles aged above 35 earn under S$5,000.
Mr Khaw stressed this is not a small group.
He said it is fair to open up the scheme to this group of singles first, before reviewing the conditions again.
Mr Khaw added if the demand is manageable, he will definitely consider raising the income ceiling.
"If you set too high a salary ceiling, what it means is when you have to ration and through balloting, then it is luck of the draw and you may end up offering units to those who are earning S$10,000, while depriving those who are truly earning S$4,000 or S$3,000, who may need it more badly and have fewer options," explained Mr Khaw.
Mr Khaw added that it is not possible to try and forge a perfect solution in policy making.
He said his approach is to be clear of where the end point is, but to start off cautiously and progressively open up.
This is opposed to opening up in a liberal manner in the beginning, and risk disappointing many at the first stage.
Responding to another point raised by Ms Lee that some might prefer to buy three-room flats so that they can live with their parents, Mr Khaw said he understood the wish.
He added some have also written to him to ask for five-room flats.
But Mr Khaw said his ministry will need to judge the demand for the two-room flats first, before liberalising from there.
As for those who want to stay with their parents, Mr Khaw said they can already apply as a family unit for three, four, or five-room BTO units.
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
Government to increase supply of rental flats by 20% to 60,000
Government to increase supply of rental flats by 20% to 60,000
By Olivia Siong | Posted: 11 March 2013 1236 hrs
SINGAPORE: The government will ramp up the supply of rental flats to 60,000, a 20 per cent increase from the 50,000 last year.
Announcing this in Parliament on Monday, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for National Development Maliki Osman said the government has always been committed to helping the weak and vulnerable victims of circumstances.
Dr Maliki said one way the government has done this is through supporting low-income families own their own homes.
But for those who cannot afford their own home, the government has provided rental flats.
Dr Maliki also stressed that although market rents have increased significantly, the public rental structure has not increased since 2006.
He added that the government also has no plans to do so.
In administering the public rental scheme, Dr Maliki said there are rules in place to focus help at the vulnerable.
This is while ensuring that imprudent behaviour is not encouraged, and the work ethic is not eroded.
But he added that in the application of these rules, the government will consider the merit of each case and exercise flexibility and compassion to help those in dire need.
Dr Maliki said the government helps vulnerable families holistically and fundamentally.
This is to prevent them from getting into difficulties, and to help them get out if they do get into difficulties and to also prevent entrenchment.
- CNA/de
- wong chee tat :)
By Olivia Siong | Posted: 11 March 2013 1236 hrs
SINGAPORE: The government will ramp up the supply of rental flats to 60,000, a 20 per cent increase from the 50,000 last year.
Announcing this in Parliament on Monday, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for National Development Maliki Osman said the government has always been committed to helping the weak and vulnerable victims of circumstances.
Dr Maliki said one way the government has done this is through supporting low-income families own their own homes.
But for those who cannot afford their own home, the government has provided rental flats.
Dr Maliki also stressed that although market rents have increased significantly, the public rental structure has not increased since 2006.
He added that the government also has no plans to do so.
In administering the public rental scheme, Dr Maliki said there are rules in place to focus help at the vulnerable.
This is while ensuring that imprudent behaviour is not encouraged, and the work ethic is not eroded.
But he added that in the application of these rules, the government will consider the merit of each case and exercise flexibility and compassion to help those in dire need.
Dr Maliki said the government helps vulnerable families holistically and fundamentally.
This is to prevent them from getting into difficulties, and to help them get out if they do get into difficulties and to also prevent entrenchment.
- CNA/de
- wong chee tat :)
Govt open to extending singles' housing policy to more people
Govt open to extending singles' housing policy to more people
By Dylan Loh | Posted: 10 March 2013 1714 hrs
SINGAPORE: National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan says the government is open to raising the income ceiling to allow more singles to buy new HDB flats.
But this will depend on how manageable application rates are for the new scheme, which was announced on Friday during the Committee of Supply debate for the Ministry for National Development.
Singaporeans aged 35 and above, who are singles and earn up to S$5,000 a month, can soon apply to buy two-room Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in non-mature estates.
The government is still finalising details of the policy but aims to let the first batch of eligible singles apply in the July BTO launch.
Speaking on the sidelines of a community event on Sunday, Mr Khaw said housing policies need to be gently tweaked before more adjustments are made.
He explained that baby steps are taken so as not to impact the property market drastically.
This goes for building new homes too, and the trick is to determine the correct supply to meet demand.
Mr Khaw said it would not be practical for the government to build 25,000 flats annually, if there are only 15,000 marriages.
Building in excess may also hurt the rental market where some 40,000 HDB flats are being sublet in whole.
"There are something like 80,000, 90,000 families out there - which is a lot - who are depending on rental income. So they will suffer, for example, if there is a collapse in the rental market," said Mr Khaw.
Mr Khaw said housing policies cannot be toyed around with, like the computer game "SimCity" where players are tasked to develop a virtual city.
"Singapore is not 'SimCity', because if you manipulate wrongly, it hurts people, real people, fellow Singaporeans. Then what? So, I think, let's be a little bit reflective," he said.
Mr Khaw said there is no one perfect housing initiative that will please everybody. The important thing is for Singaporeans to think carefully about the trade-offs between different policies, he said.
In this respect, he hopes citizens will come forward and have a conversation with him, as the government fine-tunes the various steps taken to improve the housing situation in Singapore.
Mr Khaw said it should take around two to four months to gather views from different stakeholders.
While Members of Parliament and the public have offered suggestions, Mr Khaw said it is crucial to determine which of them are workable.
And a key indicator of this is how housing prices are impacted.
Whatever trade-offs are made, they have to be sustainable over the long term, said Mr Khaw.
On the various cooling measures introduced, Mr Khaw said the government is aiming for a "soft-landing" approach, not a sharp correction to the property market.
He said around 40 to 50 per cent of homeowners are still servicing mortgages and a drastic drop in property prices may prompt banks to ask the homeowners to top up loans, causing severe financial problems.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
By Dylan Loh | Posted: 10 March 2013 1714 hrs
SINGAPORE: National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan says the government is open to raising the income ceiling to allow more singles to buy new HDB flats.
But this will depend on how manageable application rates are for the new scheme, which was announced on Friday during the Committee of Supply debate for the Ministry for National Development.
Singaporeans aged 35 and above, who are singles and earn up to S$5,000 a month, can soon apply to buy two-room Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in non-mature estates.
The government is still finalising details of the policy but aims to let the first batch of eligible singles apply in the July BTO launch.
Speaking on the sidelines of a community event on Sunday, Mr Khaw said housing policies need to be gently tweaked before more adjustments are made.
He explained that baby steps are taken so as not to impact the property market drastically.
This goes for building new homes too, and the trick is to determine the correct supply to meet demand.
Mr Khaw said it would not be practical for the government to build 25,000 flats annually, if there are only 15,000 marriages.
Building in excess may also hurt the rental market where some 40,000 HDB flats are being sublet in whole.
"There are something like 80,000, 90,000 families out there - which is a lot - who are depending on rental income. So they will suffer, for example, if there is a collapse in the rental market," said Mr Khaw.
Mr Khaw said housing policies cannot be toyed around with, like the computer game "SimCity" where players are tasked to develop a virtual city.
"Singapore is not 'SimCity', because if you manipulate wrongly, it hurts people, real people, fellow Singaporeans. Then what? So, I think, let's be a little bit reflective," he said.
Mr Khaw said there is no one perfect housing initiative that will please everybody. The important thing is for Singaporeans to think carefully about the trade-offs between different policies, he said.
In this respect, he hopes citizens will come forward and have a conversation with him, as the government fine-tunes the various steps taken to improve the housing situation in Singapore.
Mr Khaw said it should take around two to four months to gather views from different stakeholders.
While Members of Parliament and the public have offered suggestions, Mr Khaw said it is crucial to determine which of them are workable.
And a key indicator of this is how housing prices are impacted.
Whatever trade-offs are made, they have to be sustainable over the long term, said Mr Khaw.
On the various cooling measures introduced, Mr Khaw said the government is aiming for a "soft-landing" approach, not a sharp correction to the property market.
He said around 40 to 50 per cent of homeowners are still servicing mortgages and a drastic drop in property prices may prompt banks to ask the homeowners to top up loans, causing severe financial problems.
- CNA/ir
- wong chee tat :)
Potential home owners welcome new housing scheme
Potential home owners welcome new housing scheme
By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 09 March 2013 2107 hrs
SINGAPORE: Potential home owners may not be in a rush to exercise their options in the housing schemes announced in Parliament.
Although they welcomed the schemes, they said everything depends on their individual circumstances.
When Yoko Lee divorced in 2010, he was barred from buying a flat until five years later. Mr Lee and his 12-year-old daughter had little choice but to find other housing options. They stayed with relatives and now live in a rental one-room flat.
With the revised policy, the 30-year-old salesman will now be able to buy a Built-to-Order (BTO) flat faster and move on with life.
Mr Lee said: "The reason for me to get a BTO flat is for my daughter's sake. Basically, she always wanted her own room and if she gets her own room she has a better living environment. That's always been her dream as well."
The changes in housing policy announced in Parliament had something for everyone. Married couples without children applying for a flat for the first time will receive more help.
The Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme has been extended to this group. They will be able to rent a flat while waiting for their homes to be completed.
One such person is Lester Kok and he said: "For young couples, one of the things that's preventing us from having kids is actually the lack of our own place. Given the option to rent a place, apart from our parent's home is a good option. The primary reason why we want to move out from our parents is not only for independence but more for intimacy, to really live with one another without complications of family habits. It's important for just the two of us to live together for a period of time right after we're married."
However, not all may be excited about the new changes.
Property analysts said young families whose flats are near completion will not have any incentive to start renting a flat.
CEO of Propnex, Mohd Ismail said: "Because every house you start to rent unfurnished, you have to spend money, time, effort to make it a home for the next one to two years, and that's going to cost you. After you receive the keys to your BTO flat, you still have the cost of renovations and other things. So, it would not be wise for people to take advantage just because it's extended and spend your money in a temporary home, where all these savings should be reserved for an eventual dream home which is for the long term."
HDB said if demand exceeds supply, priority must still be given to those with children.
More details will be released next month.
- CNA/ck
- wong chee tat :)
By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 09 March 2013 2107 hrs
SINGAPORE: Potential home owners may not be in a rush to exercise their options in the housing schemes announced in Parliament.
Although they welcomed the schemes, they said everything depends on their individual circumstances.
When Yoko Lee divorced in 2010, he was barred from buying a flat until five years later. Mr Lee and his 12-year-old daughter had little choice but to find other housing options. They stayed with relatives and now live in a rental one-room flat.
With the revised policy, the 30-year-old salesman will now be able to buy a Built-to-Order (BTO) flat faster and move on with life.
Mr Lee said: "The reason for me to get a BTO flat is for my daughter's sake. Basically, she always wanted her own room and if she gets her own room she has a better living environment. That's always been her dream as well."
The changes in housing policy announced in Parliament had something for everyone. Married couples without children applying for a flat for the first time will receive more help.
The Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme has been extended to this group. They will be able to rent a flat while waiting for their homes to be completed.
One such person is Lester Kok and he said: "For young couples, one of the things that's preventing us from having kids is actually the lack of our own place. Given the option to rent a place, apart from our parent's home is a good option. The primary reason why we want to move out from our parents is not only for independence but more for intimacy, to really live with one another without complications of family habits. It's important for just the two of us to live together for a period of time right after we're married."
However, not all may be excited about the new changes.
Property analysts said young families whose flats are near completion will not have any incentive to start renting a flat.
CEO of Propnex, Mohd Ismail said: "Because every house you start to rent unfurnished, you have to spend money, time, effort to make it a home for the next one to two years, and that's going to cost you. After you receive the keys to your BTO flat, you still have the cost of renovations and other things. So, it would not be wise for people to take advantage just because it's extended and spend your money in a temporary home, where all these savings should be reserved for an eventual dream home which is for the long term."
HDB said if demand exceeds supply, priority must still be given to those with children.
More details will be released next month.
- CNA/ck
- wong chee tat :)
Time for HDB to go back to where it started & examine affordability: Liang
Time for HDB to go back to where it started & examine affordability: Liang
By S Ramesh | Posted: 09 March 2013 1957 hrs
SINGAPORE: Deputy Chair of the National Development Government Parliamentary Committee, Liang Eng Hwa said it's probably time for HDB to go back to the drawing board and examine the issue of affordability.
Both he and at least one property analyst are waiting for more details of the new housing schemes announced in Parliament on Friday.
More help for first time married couples and singles to meet their housing needs were just some of the measures announced by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan in Parliament on Friday.
Mr Liang said the measures take into account feedback given to the government by Members of Parliament (MPs).
He said: "We see action being taken. Minister Khaw Boon Wan has been listening and also discussing with many of our MPs. There will be some safeguards, there will be some rules to go by. But, by and large we should be accommodative to help the singles especially to get flats.
"Many of them, as flat prices go up, they buy from the resale and with higher COV (cash over valuation), it is going to cost them quite a fair bit. And so we should try to assist them especially those in the lower income groups to give them a peace of mind with a home set aside a number, quota for our singles so that they do not have to compete with the many others."
Key executive officer of ERA, Eugene Lim said: "It serves their needs but there will be some who will be asking why not three-room flats. Currently, most of the singles who buy flats in the resale market are buying the three-room flat type, so they are pretty used to the size. Allowing them to buy two-room flats is actually capping the size of the flats they are used to."
Both, however, agree that it's time to go back to the basics of quality housing at affordable prices.
Mr Liang said: "When public housing started, the main intent was to provide quality housing at affordable prices. This appreciating asset portion was not intended to be. But as the country progressed, with our economic growth and incomes going up and savings going up, the value of the flat has gone up as well and it is a good thing. It does add wealth to our citizens, who do see their valuation go up and the possibility of them to monetise.
"As we see property prices at these kinds of levels and the economic growth that we will see in the next two decades which will be slower and coupled with the demographic changes like the ageing population, the lower fertility rate, more singles, all these do impact public housing going forward including whether it will be appreciating asset.
"The HDB should go back to where it started and look at affordability. We must tackle the affordability part, though flats are still affordable, they are on the upward end of the range of affordability.
"We should look at how we can price our flats so that it can be affordable to Singaporeans, especially for the first time home buyers and come out with different packages or schemes so that the lower income groups are able to buy a flat and raise a family."
Mr Lim said: "The idea is not to bring down the property market prices, the idea is to keep housing affordable and monitor the response of the market and make necessary tweaks to the system.
"For example, is it necessary to cap it at two-room flats for singles or should they also allow them to buy three-room flats which is something they are used to. The adjustment in the BTO ratios increase to 30 per cent only applies to small flats. What about extending it to four-room flats because four-room flat owners are made up of majority families with one or two children, some even have three children. The current policy of applying to three-room flats sort of limits the scope of the policy; no policy is cast in stone we expect after implementation they may tweak the necessary parts they need to do so."
Also described as timely, the plan to impose a quota on non citizens renting HDB flats and rooms to prevent the formation of foreigner enclaves.
Both said the numbers are becoming more visible in some estates causing some unease and discomfort to the residents.
- CNA/ck
- wong chee tat :)
By S Ramesh | Posted: 09 March 2013 1957 hrs
SINGAPORE: Deputy Chair of the National Development Government Parliamentary Committee, Liang Eng Hwa said it's probably time for HDB to go back to the drawing board and examine the issue of affordability.
Both he and at least one property analyst are waiting for more details of the new housing schemes announced in Parliament on Friday.
More help for first time married couples and singles to meet their housing needs were just some of the measures announced by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan in Parliament on Friday.
Mr Liang said the measures take into account feedback given to the government by Members of Parliament (MPs).
He said: "We see action being taken. Minister Khaw Boon Wan has been listening and also discussing with many of our MPs. There will be some safeguards, there will be some rules to go by. But, by and large we should be accommodative to help the singles especially to get flats.
"Many of them, as flat prices go up, they buy from the resale and with higher COV (cash over valuation), it is going to cost them quite a fair bit. And so we should try to assist them especially those in the lower income groups to give them a peace of mind with a home set aside a number, quota for our singles so that they do not have to compete with the many others."
Key executive officer of ERA, Eugene Lim said: "It serves their needs but there will be some who will be asking why not three-room flats. Currently, most of the singles who buy flats in the resale market are buying the three-room flat type, so they are pretty used to the size. Allowing them to buy two-room flats is actually capping the size of the flats they are used to."
Both, however, agree that it's time to go back to the basics of quality housing at affordable prices.
Mr Liang said: "When public housing started, the main intent was to provide quality housing at affordable prices. This appreciating asset portion was not intended to be. But as the country progressed, with our economic growth and incomes going up and savings going up, the value of the flat has gone up as well and it is a good thing. It does add wealth to our citizens, who do see their valuation go up and the possibility of them to monetise.
"As we see property prices at these kinds of levels and the economic growth that we will see in the next two decades which will be slower and coupled with the demographic changes like the ageing population, the lower fertility rate, more singles, all these do impact public housing going forward including whether it will be appreciating asset.
"The HDB should go back to where it started and look at affordability. We must tackle the affordability part, though flats are still affordable, they are on the upward end of the range of affordability.
"We should look at how we can price our flats so that it can be affordable to Singaporeans, especially for the first time home buyers and come out with different packages or schemes so that the lower income groups are able to buy a flat and raise a family."
Mr Lim said: "The idea is not to bring down the property market prices, the idea is to keep housing affordable and monitor the response of the market and make necessary tweaks to the system.
"For example, is it necessary to cap it at two-room flats for singles or should they also allow them to buy three-room flats which is something they are used to. The adjustment in the BTO ratios increase to 30 per cent only applies to small flats. What about extending it to four-room flats because four-room flat owners are made up of majority families with one or two children, some even have three children. The current policy of applying to three-room flats sort of limits the scope of the policy; no policy is cast in stone we expect after implementation they may tweak the necessary parts they need to do so."
Also described as timely, the plan to impose a quota on non citizens renting HDB flats and rooms to prevent the formation of foreigner enclaves.
Both said the numbers are becoming more visible in some estates causing some unease and discomfort to the residents.
- CNA/ck
- wong chee tat :)
Friday, March 8, 2013
New measures for above-35 singles to buy selected HDB flats: Khaw
New measures for above-35 singles to buy selected HDB flats: Khaw
By Shah Salimat | Yahoo! Newsroom – - Yahoo! Newsroom - New measures are introduced to allow above-35 singles to be able to purchase selected HDB flats (Yahoo! file photo)
Singles
aged 35 and above, earning $5,000 and below, will be able to buy new
two-room flats directly from the Housing Development Board (HDB)
beginning July this year.
The news was announced by Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan in Parliament Friday as Budget debates continue.
The new two-room flats will be only available for singles in non-mature estates, between 35 to 45 square metres. Khaw said that the measure would probably be launched at the Sengkang precinct.
“Firefighting for first-timers is over… but it is still uncomfortable, I know,” said Khaw in Parliament. “We’ll do all we can to prevent property bubbles.”
Quotas for second-time buyers in non-mature estates will double to 30 per cent, of which a tenth of this will be reserved for widows and divorcees with children below 16. These quotas will apply for two-room and three-room flats.
To further assist divorcees who face debarment from subsidized flats, the period will be shortened from 5 years to 3.
The second-time buyer quota increment will be applied in the Build-to-Order (BTO) launch in May.
All married couples eligible for rental flats
Also announced were measures to extend the eligibility of direct-from-HDB flats to couples who are already married but do not have children yet.
All married HDB first-timers, with or without children, will now be able to rent rental flats provisionally under the Parenthood Priority Housing Scheme (PPHS). This is set to take into effect from the May BTO launch onwards.
Khaw promised that such married couples will be eligible for an interim flat under the scheme. However, he said that if a shortage in housing occurs in the future, priority will go to couples will children. More details are expected from HDB at the April BTO launch.
“We’ll do more to reduce BTO prices relative to income,” said Khaw.
Foreigner restrictions and elderly schemes
To avoid enclaves to be formed by foreigners in HDB flats, Khaw announced plans to impose a quota on the number of flats rented out to foreigners, although he admitted he was still undecided on the percentage.
Non-Malaysian non-citizens will now have to renew their tenancy agreements every 1.5 years, shorter than the current 3-year subletting period for flats and rooms. Malaysians are excluded as Khaw believes they have less difficulty integrating. This measure will take place with immediate effect.
Khaw also announced a new Studio Apartment Priority Scheme, where half of the supply of new studio apartments will be reserved for seniors who buy flats near their current flat or those of their children.
Khaw expects an additional 63,000 housing units – made up of HDB flats and non-landed private housing units – to be made in 2016 to cater to growing demand. This is some 13,000 units more than the expected number of housing units to be made next year.
With Nurul Azliah Aripin reporting from Parliament
- wong chee tat :)
The news was announced by Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan in Parliament Friday as Budget debates continue.
The new two-room flats will be only available for singles in non-mature estates, between 35 to 45 square metres. Khaw said that the measure would probably be launched at the Sengkang precinct.
“Firefighting for first-timers is over… but it is still uncomfortable, I know,” said Khaw in Parliament. “We’ll do all we can to prevent property bubbles.”
Quotas for second-time buyers in non-mature estates will double to 30 per cent, of which a tenth of this will be reserved for widows and divorcees with children below 16. These quotas will apply for two-room and three-room flats.
To further assist divorcees who face debarment from subsidized flats, the period will be shortened from 5 years to 3.
The second-time buyer quota increment will be applied in the Build-to-Order (BTO) launch in May.
All married couples eligible for rental flats
Also announced were measures to extend the eligibility of direct-from-HDB flats to couples who are already married but do not have children yet.
All married HDB first-timers, with or without children, will now be able to rent rental flats provisionally under the Parenthood Priority Housing Scheme (PPHS). This is set to take into effect from the May BTO launch onwards.
Khaw promised that such married couples will be eligible for an interim flat under the scheme. However, he said that if a shortage in housing occurs in the future, priority will go to couples will children. More details are expected from HDB at the April BTO launch.
“We’ll do more to reduce BTO prices relative to income,” said Khaw.
Foreigner restrictions and elderly schemes
To avoid enclaves to be formed by foreigners in HDB flats, Khaw announced plans to impose a quota on the number of flats rented out to foreigners, although he admitted he was still undecided on the percentage.
Non-Malaysian non-citizens will now have to renew their tenancy agreements every 1.5 years, shorter than the current 3-year subletting period for flats and rooms. Malaysians are excluded as Khaw believes they have less difficulty integrating. This measure will take place with immediate effect.
Khaw also announced a new Studio Apartment Priority Scheme, where half of the supply of new studio apartments will be reserved for seniors who buy flats near their current flat or those of their children.
Khaw expects an additional 63,000 housing units – made up of HDB flats and non-landed private housing units – to be made in 2016 to cater to growing demand. This is some 13,000 units more than the expected number of housing units to be made next year.
With Nurul Azliah Aripin reporting from Parliament
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Singles to be allowed to buy new HDB flats this year: Khaw
Singles to be allowed to buy new HDB flats this year: Khaw
Posted: 14 January 2013 2217 hrs
SINGAPORE: The National Development Ministry (MND) aims to implement its policy of allowing singles to buy new Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats for owner-occupation this year, said its Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Monday.
In a written reply to a question in Parliament, Mr Khaw said MND is "finalising" its policy. Currently, singles cannot buy new flats from HDB by themselves. They can, however, buy a resale flat if they are at least 35 years old.
Over the past decade, 18,000 singles aged between 35 and 40 bought HDB resale flats. Of these, 3,800 singles - or 21 per cent - got married subsequently, said Mr Khaw.
In a separate parliamentary reply, Mr Khaw said the minimum age of 35 for singles to buy new flats "supports our promotion of marriage and parenthood".
"We will be revising our policies to allow singles to buy new HDB flats with certain restrictions. However, there are no plans to lower the minimum age, as marriage rates are highest between the ages of 25 and 34," he added.
- TODAY
- wong chee tat :)
Posted: 14 January 2013 2217 hrs
SINGAPORE: The National Development Ministry (MND) aims to implement its policy of allowing singles to buy new Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats for owner-occupation this year, said its Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Monday.
In a written reply to a question in Parliament, Mr Khaw said MND is "finalising" its policy. Currently, singles cannot buy new flats from HDB by themselves. They can, however, buy a resale flat if they are at least 35 years old.
Over the past decade, 18,000 singles aged between 35 and 40 bought HDB resale flats. Of these, 3,800 singles - or 21 per cent - got married subsequently, said Mr Khaw.
In a separate parliamentary reply, Mr Khaw said the minimum age of 35 for singles to buy new flats "supports our promotion of marriage and parenthood".
"We will be revising our policies to allow singles to buy new HDB flats with certain restrictions. However, there are no plans to lower the minimum age, as marriage rates are highest between the ages of 25 and 34," he added.
- TODAY
- wong chee tat :)
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
调查：八成单身国人 想婚和多生育
Thursday, 03 January 2013 22:45
调查：八成单身国人 想婚和多生育
.
国家人口及人才署的最新调查显示，多数单身人士希望结婚，也希望生育至少两个孩子。
国家人口及人才署委托的调查是以4500名年龄介于21到45岁的国人作为研究对象。调查发现，83%的单身人士想要结婚，和2007年的调查结果相似。单身人士没有结婚的三大理由是，找不到合适的伴侣，想要专注于事业和学业，以及没有足
够的钱。
有交往对象却没有结婚的人，则是因为要筹钱买房子和准备婚礼，以及年纪太轻而延迟结婚。
调查也发现，80%的单身人士和84%的已婚人士想要生育至少两个孩子。那些不愿再生育孩子的受访者表示，经济能力和缺乏托儿安排是最大阻力。
大约七成接受调查的单身和已婚人士认为，过了35岁生育不会有问题，当局表示，这显示很多人不知道随着年龄的增长，生育能力会下降。
在工作与生活平衡方面，八成单身人士认为他们的工作与生活达到平衡，不过一些方面有待改进。而八成的女性受访者希望兼顾家庭和工作，选择部分时间工作或全职工作的女性则不相上下。
- wong chee tat :)
调查：八成单身国人 想婚和多生育
.
国家人口及人才署的最新调查显示，多数单身人士希望结婚，也希望生育至少两个孩子。
国家人口及人才署委托的调查是以4500名年龄介于21到45岁的国人作为研究对象。调查发现，83%的单身人士想要结婚，和2007年的调查结果相似。单身人士没有结婚的三大理由是，找不到合适的伴侣，想要专注于事业和学业，以及没有足
够的钱。
有交往对象却没有结婚的人，则是因为要筹钱买房子和准备婚礼，以及年纪太轻而延迟结婚。
调查也发现，80%的单身人士和84%的已婚人士想要生育至少两个孩子。那些不愿再生育孩子的受访者表示，经济能力和缺乏托儿安排是最大阻力。
大约七成接受调查的单身和已婚人士认为，过了35岁生育不会有问题，当局表示，这显示很多人不知道随着年龄的增长，生育能力会下降。
在工作与生活平衡方面，八成单身人士认为他们的工作与生活达到平衡，不过一些方面有待改进。而八成的女性受访者希望兼顾家庭和工作，选择部分时间工作或全职工作的女性则不相上下。
- wong chee tat :)
Friday, December 28, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
社交发展网出新招 “约会礼券”助升结婚率
社交发展网出新招 “约会礼券”助升结婚率
.
记者：吴俍祥
新闻视频
为提升结婚率，社会及家庭发展部属下的社交发展网首次推出约会礼券，希望单身人士的亲友在帮忙拉红线时能出一份力。
这些面值10元的约会礼券，要买几张不受限。社交发展网指出，单身男女更容易受亲友影响。因此当局希望鼓励亲友购买约会券送给单身的亲人，好让他们参加更多联谊。
礼券只能在11家通过当局鉴定的红娘公司消费，限用于新加坡公民和永久居民。约会礼券可在网上购买，或拨打当局热线询问。红娘公司的活动收费一般介于10元到1000元不等。
另外，当局将会在这个月29日到明年2月2日，一连五个星期举办约会节，举办天数比去年多了一倍。约会节期间也将举办一个速配晚宴，当局希望能够打破435名单身人士参与的南非世界纪录，或是改写52人的新加坡纪录大全。参加活动的单
身人士都能获得100元的津贴，比去年的25元多。
不过，社会及家庭发展部代部长陈振声也表示，津贴的多寡并不是重点，这些活动的重点，是要让国内的年轻单身人士，有更多机会来认识其他的朋友，或是扩大他们的社交圈子。
- wong chee tat :)
新闻视频
为提升结婚率，社会及家庭发展部属下的社交发展网首次推出约会礼券，希望单身人士的亲友在帮忙拉红线时能出一份力。
这些面值10元的约会礼券，要买几张不受限。社交发展网指出，单身男女更容易受亲友影响。因此当局希望鼓励亲友购买约会券送给单身的亲人，好让他们参加更多联谊。
礼券只能在11家通过当局鉴定的红娘公司消费，限用于新加坡公民和永久居民。约会礼券可在网上购买，或拨打当局热线询问。红娘公司的活动收费一般介于10元到1000元不等。
另外，当局将会在这个月29日到明年2月2日，一连五个星期举办约会节，举办天数比去年多了一倍。约会节期间也将举办一个速配晚宴，当局希望能够打破435名单身人士参与的南非世界纪录，或是改写52人的新加坡纪录大全。参加活动的单
身人士都能获得100元的津贴，比去年的25元多。
不过，社会及家庭发展部代部长陈振声也表示，津贴的多寡并不是重点，这些活动的重点，是要让国内的年轻单身人士，有更多机会来认识其他的朋友，或是扩大他们的社交圈子。
- wong chee tat :)
'Dating cash vouchers' launched by SDN
'Dating cash vouchers' launched by SDN
By Sara Grosse, Ashley Chia | Posted: 04 December 2012 1928 hrs
By Sara Grosse, Ashley Chia | Posted: 04 December 2012 1928 hrs
SINGAPORE: Friends and family of those who are single can now help to widen their social circle by buying them dating cash vouchers.
Launched on Tuesday by the Singapore Development Network (SDN), the vouchers come in denominations of S$10 and are valid for four months.
Single recipients can use the vouchers to pay for services at any of the eleven dating agencies accredited by SDN.
SDN has said that it hopes the cash voucher would encourage family and friends to play an active role in helping to widen the social circle of their single loved ones.
Michelle Goh, a certified dating practitioner of dating agency Complete Me, said that singles may not want to use a dating agency's services due to fear of being seen as an unsociable character.
"The stigma of dating agencies is still there, but since you have a voucher, why not utilise it? This will encourage them to take the first step forward," said Ms Goh.
SDN also announced a Dating Fest for singles, where participants can enjoy subsidies of up to 50 per cent for any accredited agencies' events, services and packages, capped at S$100 per single.
Dating vouchers can also be utilised during this period.
The Dating Fest will take place from 29 December 2012 to 2 Feb 2013.
- CNA/TODAY/jc
- wong chee tat :)
Thursday, November 29, 2012
385 new HIV cases in S'pore between Jan & Oct
385 new HIV cases in S'pore between Jan & Oct
Posted: 29 November 2012 1157 hrs
SINGAPORE: From January to October this year, 385 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were reported among Singapore residents, said the health ministry on Thursday.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) expects the total number of notified HIV cases in 2012 to be similar to that of 2011, when there were 461 cases.
In the first six months of this year, 215 new cases of HIV, which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), were reported.
Between July and October, there were 170 new cases.
MOH said among the cases reported between January and June, 92 per cent (198) were males and 8 per cent (17) were females.
Most of them caught the virus through sex.
Half of those infected had heterosexual sex, while 43 per cent were infected from homosexual transmission, and 4 per cent from bisexual transmission.
About half, or 47 per cent, of those infected were between 30 and 49 years.
63 per cent were single, 23 per cent were married and 10 per cent were divorced or separated.
Half of the new cases reported between January and June already had late-stage HIV infection when they were diagnosed, similar to the pattern in previous years.
Slightly more than half found out they had the virus during HIV testing, as part of medical care.
Another 15 per cent were detected through health screening.
14 per cent were detected during voluntary HIV screening and the rest found out they were HIV-positive through contact tracing and other screening methods.
A higher proportion of homosexuals - or 28 per cent - were detected during voluntary screening, compared with 4 per cent for heterosexuals.
MOH and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) have urged individuals to protect themselves from HIV infection by following the principles of "ABCD": abstinence, being faithful, correct and consistent use of condoms and early detection.
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
Posted: 29 November 2012 1157 hrs
SINGAPORE: From January to October this year, 385 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were reported among Singapore residents, said the health ministry on Thursday.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) expects the total number of notified HIV cases in 2012 to be similar to that of 2011, when there were 461 cases.
In the first six months of this year, 215 new cases of HIV, which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), were reported.
Between July and October, there were 170 new cases.
MOH said among the cases reported between January and June, 92 per cent (198) were males and 8 per cent (17) were females.
Most of them caught the virus through sex.
Half of those infected had heterosexual sex, while 43 per cent were infected from homosexual transmission, and 4 per cent from bisexual transmission.
About half, or 47 per cent, of those infected were between 30 and 49 years.
63 per cent were single, 23 per cent were married and 10 per cent were divorced or separated.
Half of the new cases reported between January and June already had late-stage HIV infection when they were diagnosed, similar to the pattern in previous years.
Slightly more than half found out they had the virus during HIV testing, as part of medical care.
Another 15 per cent were detected through health screening.
14 per cent were detected during voluntary HIV screening and the rest found out they were HIV-positive through contact tracing and other screening methods.
A higher proportion of homosexuals - or 28 per cent - were detected during voluntary screening, compared with 4 per cent for heterosexuals.
MOH and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) have urged individuals to protect themselves from HIV infection by following the principles of "ABCD": abstinence, being faithful, correct and consistent use of condoms and early detection.
- CNA/xq
- wong chee tat :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)