Monday, Jul 09, 2012
my paper  
  
Additional stamp duty caused 'ripple effect'  
 
By Adrian Lim

The Government's additional stamp duty on foreigners buying private homes has had a "ripple effect" on prices, which would cool the market on the whole, a property researcher said yesterday.

In December last year, the Government introduced an additional buyer's stamp duty for foreigners, on top of the existing stamp duty.

Even though foreigners buy properties mainly in the central region of Singapore, a fall in their purchases due to the stamp duty would likely cool prices in suburban areas too, said Dr Liao Wen-Chi, of the National University of Singapore's Department of Real Estate.

Dr Liao said analysis of the property market from 2004 to 2007 revealed a ripple effect, in which a housing price boom in the central region caused prices in other regions to increase as well. He added that the converse can happen too.

Dr Liao shared these insights during a real-estate conference at Marina Bay Sands.

It is organised by the Asian Real Estate Society, and the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.

He said research suggests that "with careful policy properly affecting the inflow of foreign liquidity to Singapore's real-estate market, the Government is able to keep a healthy growth of the market and ensure affordable housing".

Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for National Development, and Trade and Industry, said during the conference's opening that the Government has sought to create a "sustainable, stable and transparent real- estate market".

Besides taking a multi-stakeholder approach, the involvement of academia, researchers and real-estate professionals enhances how policies are formed and implemented, he added.

Posted By littlelamb on 09 Jul 2012 02:56 PM

Monday, Jul 09, 2012
my paper  
  
Additional stamp duty caused 'ripple effect'  
 
By Adrian Lim

The Government's additional stamp duty on foreigners buying private homes has had a "ripple effect" on prices, which would cool the market on the whole, a property researcher said yesterday.

In December last year, the Government introduced an additional buyer's stamp duty for foreigners, on top of the existing stamp duty.

Even though foreigners buy properties mainly in the central region of Singapore, a fall in their purchases due to the stamp duty would likely cool prices in suburban areas too, said Dr Liao Wen-Chi, of the National University of Singapore's Department of Real Estate.

Dr Liao said analysis of the property market from 2004 to 2007 revealed a ripple effect, in which a housing price boom in the central region caused prices in other regions to increase as well. He added that the converse can happen too.

Dr Liao shared these insights during a real-estate conference at Marina Bay Sands.

It is organised by the Asian Real Estate Society, and the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.

He said research suggests that "with careful policy properly affecting the inflow of foreign liquidity to Singapore's real-estate market, the Government is able to keep a healthy growth of the market and ensure affordable housing".

Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for National Development, and Trade and Industry, said during the conference's opening that the Government has sought to create a "sustainable, stable and transparent real- estate market".

Besides taking a multi-stakeholder approach, the involvement of academia, researchers and real-estate professionals enhances how policies are formed and implemented, he added.

The four-day conference, with about 300 participants from 20 countries, ends tomorrow.

 

This approach will help to deter the current rate of speculation and housing prices, at the same time, helping in a way.

Wednesday, Jul 11, 2012
AsiaOne  
  
HDB restricts PR flat owners' abilities to sublet  
 
With immediate effect, Singapore permanent residents who own flats will only be allowed to sublet their HDB flats for one year, down from the current three years.

In a statement, the Housing Board says that subletting rules for PRs have been revised to deter flat owners from buying flats for rent or investment.

Under previous rules, PRs who owned flats were subject to the same set of rules Singapore citizens had to abide by as flat owners.

This meant that they could seek HDB approval to sublet their flats for a maximum of three years if they met the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) requirement.

However, new revisions made to the rules and regulations mean that flat owners with permanent residency will only be allowed to sublet their flats for a maximum of one year, and only if they are doing so for the first time.

Furthermore, applications to extend approvals will be assessed at the end of one year on a case-by-case basis only, with the total period of subletting a flat capped at five years.

Previously, owners could apply to renew the period of subletting upon the expiry of each three-year period, with no cap on the number of renewals and the total period of subletting.

According to the authority, a 2011 crackdown on illegal subletting resulted in the compulsory acquisition of flats owned by a total 18 people.

In total, 56 were penalised for subletting their flats without HDB approval.

HDB also added that PRs should sell their flats if they no longer need the flats for themselves.

In one case, a couple had their flat compulsorily acquired after HDB found that they had been using their executive apartment in Tampines as a lodging house for tourists.

No changes have been made to the rules governing flat ownership by Singapore citizens.

Flat owners should contact HDB to report or ask for more information on subletting
 

Friday, Jul 13, 2012
Reuters  
 
Singapore home prices well supported: Credit Suisse  
 
Singapore's residential property prices are well supported at current levels, despite the weak global economic outlook, as home owners have little debt and remain bullish about the sector, according to a Credit Suisse survey.

"At least 76 per cent of households are able to afford a property fairly easily. We also note that 47 per cent do not have an existing mortgage, while another 46 per cent have only one mortgage," the Swiss bank said in a report.

"Meanwhile, 30 per cent have over $100,000 in liquid assets (cash-in-hand), which in our view could easily form the down payment towards buying a property," Credit Suisse added.

Credit Suisse said the majority of Singaporean and local residents expect property prices and rents to continue rising, even though close to 60 per cent expect further government measures to cool the sector.

The Swiss bank has overweight ratings on CapitaLand and City Developments with target prices of $3.70 and $12.65, respectively.

 

Friday, Jul 13, 2012
AsiaOne  
  
Parc Centros condominium to offer 5-bedroom units  
 
SINGAPORE - Wee Hur Holdings is set to launch the Parc Centros condominium, its largest residential development to date, in Punggol Central on July 21.

In a filing on the Singapore Exchange yesterday, the property development and construction firm said Parc Centros will be the first condominium to offer five-bedroom apartments in the area. It comprises 618 units and is located near the Punggol MRT station.

Parc Centros will offer one to five-bedroom apartments and penthouse units, with an average price of $950 psf. The 99-year leasehold property will consist of eight 16-storey blocks.

Saturday, Jul 14, 2012
AsiaOne  
  
HDB message to PR owners: Live in it or sell it  
 
By Kenneth Lim

The Republic will cap the amount of time that permanent residents can sublet their Housing and Development Board flats, according to new rules aimed at deterring PRs from buying flats for investment or rental yield.

Analysts say the move could lead to a slight, short- term spike in HDB rental rates, although the overall impact should be muted.

Currently, Singapore citizen and PR flat owners may sublet their flats after meeting the minimum occupancy period, which is five years for most cases and three years for resale flats purchased without the CPF Housing Grant.

The approval to sublet is granted for up to three years per application, and owners can seek to renew the approval at expiry without limit.

Under the new rules, which take immediate effect, PR owners will be allowed to sublet the flats after a minimum occupancy for just one year, instead of three.

After that year, an extension will be granted only if there are extenuating reasons. The total period of subletting during the flat owner's entire duration of ownership is capped at five years. There will be no change in policy for citizens.

"The revised rule is to reinforce the policy intent of providing HDB flats as homes to SPRs, and to deter those who are buying the flats for rental yield or investment," HDB said in a statement.

"While HDB allows SPR owners who have met the (minimum occupancy period) to sublet their flat, the subletting should be on a temporary basis. If the SPR families no longer need the flats for their own occupation, they should sell the flat instead of subletting them."

SLP International Property Consultancy head of research Nicholas Mak said that there are about 5,000 flats owned by PRs that have been approved for subletting, making up about 5 per cent of the HDB sublet market.

While "there could be an increase in the supply of HDB flats" as some PR owners are induced to sell, "I think the impact will be small", he said.

ERA key executive officer Eugene Lim noted that the number of subletting approvals has risen rapidly by almost 89 per cent, or almost 7 per cent per quarter, from 2009 to 2012.

"The rapid increase in subletting approvals means less flats are put on the resale market and this could have contributed to the continued increase in HDB resale prices despite the government's efforts of making more BTO (build-to-order) flats available," he said.

The supply of flats available for subletting might diminish in the coming quarters, which would drive up HDB rents in the short term.

"However, as policies on the employment of foreign manpower are also being tightened, the resulting reduction in demand for renting HDB flats may just prevent HDB rents from a runaway increase," Mr Lim said, adding that the rise in HDB rents might just be a temporary phenomenon over the short term.

 

Monday, Jul 16, 2012
AsiaOne  
 
Living without a toilet for 10 days  
 
Upgrading works may mean a better future for many HDB flat dwellers but there's a temporary price they all have to pay.

While many choose to move out to avoid the dusty inconvenience during the upgrading period, most choose to remain in their homes throughout the entire renovation.

Straits Times Photojournalist Seah Kwang Peng took pictures of the residents in Block 36 Bedok South Avenue 2 over four days to document their lives during an upgrading project under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP).

Up to 40 units were renovated for a period of 10 days at one time and residents involved could not use their bathrooms.

They had the option of having a portable toilet equipped with a toilet bowl, water heater and shower head in their kitchens but many chose to use communal toilets at the void deck instead.

Posted By littlelamb on 16 Jul 2012 10:09 AM

Friday, Jul 13, 2012
AsiaOne  
  
Parc Centros condominium to offer 5-bedroom units  
 
SINGAPORE - Wee Hur Holdings is set to launch the Parc Centros condominium, its largest residential development to date, in Punggol Central on July 21.

In a filing on the Singapore Exchange yesterday, the property development and construction firm said Parc Centros will be the first condominium to offer five-bedroom apartments in the area. It comprises 618 units and is located near the Punggol MRT station.

Parc Centros will offer one to five-bedroom apartments and penthouse units, with an average price of $950 psf. The 99-year leasehold property will consist of eight 16-storey blocks.

Monday, Jul 16, 2012
AsiaOne  
 
Sale of private homes down by 19.5 per cent in June  
 
The sale of private homes by developers fell 19.5 per cent from May to June this year.

According to numbers released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Monday, a total of 1,371 private homes excluding executive condominium (EC) units were sold in June, compared to the 1,704 units sold in May.

When compared year-on-year, there has been an increase of private home sales by 16 per cent.

The total number of private homes and EC units sold in was reported as 1,725 units, which is 16.3 per cent lower than the 2,062 sold in May.

The same figure for June this year also showed an increase of 23.7 per cent from the same period last year.

The number of units launched in June by developers, excluding ECs, was half that in May. While 2,449 units were launched in May, only 1,303 units were released in June. A total of 3,114 units including ECs were launched in May. This number also fell to 1,719 units in June.

 

Saturday, Jul 21, 2012
The New Paper  
  
Dream home: Home and eco  
 
By Arul John

Turning your home into an environmentally friendly haven can be a great way to contribute to society and reduce utility bills too.

HDB housing estates like Bukit Panjang and Punggol are taking the green route by incorporating solar panels on the roofs of blocks of flats and having recycling bins, highlighting the importance the Government attaches to this concept.

Owners of private homes here have also spared no effort to craft their homes with the latest environmentally-friendly features.

A two-storey bungalow at Sentosa Cove - dubbed The Fish House - is not only gorgeous, but green.

It has received praise for being environmentally friendly.

It is the residence of hedge fund manager Stephen Fisher, 47, a permanent resident here.

The Fish House was a winner at the Architectural Design Awards organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects in 2010.

The jury said that its adaptability to Singapore's tropical climate was clearly shown by the blend of ocean views with open spaces, encouraging natural ventilation.

The house's layout comprises two pavilions, made of glass and wood, connected by a walkway made from bamboo on the second floor.

They are also surrounded by an ocean-facing infinity pool.

One pavilion houses a pool verandah on the first floor, with the kitchen, dining area and living area on the second.

The master bedroom and two other bedrooms are in the other pavilion.

Mr Fisher, who has lived in the leasehold house with his wife and their two children since April 2009, incorporated the following eco-friendly features:

Photovoltaic cells on the roof of one pavilion to harness solar energy.

A roof garden in the other pavilion for beauty and ventilation.

Decorations made from pressed abalone shells.

Extended eaves for more shade.

An underground audio-visual room encased in 12.7cm-thick acrylic walls, which offer an underwater view of the swimming pool, and also provide a cool environment.

Natural ventilation for the bedrooms.

Mr Fisher bought the 7,800 sq ft plot of land for $3.5 million in 2005, and construction for the 5,800 sq ft house cost $2.4 million.

It was designed by Singapore-based firm Guz Architects, which is known for designing environmentally friendly homes.

He seldom uses air-conditioning in his home, and said: "The environment dictated the house design. I wanted a house that would be open, have plenty of ventilation and not need air-conditioning all the time.

"I generate about 600 kWh of electricity from the solar cells, or about $150 worth of electricity.

I produce between 25 and 33 per cent of all my electricity needs, and my electricity bill is only about $550 per month."

On the mainland, there's the eco-friendly 68, Binjai Park.

It is a landed property - designed by designshop.architects Pte Ltd - which won the Building & Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark for Buildings Awards (Landed Houses category) last year.

The home contains the following key eco-friendly features:

A good building orientation and cross ventilation.

Double glazing and external roller shade to minimise heat gain to the building.

Sunpath analysis and passive design strategies to optimise the building orientation and indoor thermal comfort.

An energy-efficient air-conditioning system and LED lighting.

A home automation system with energy monitoring devices.

PV technologies with system capacity of 50.29 kWp.

Extensive greenery provision with auto drip irrigation system and rain sensors.

A rainwater harvesting system.

A stormwater management system.

Saturday, Jul 21, 2012
The New Paper  
  
How you can turn your home green  
 
By Arul John

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark Scheme was launched in January 2005 and aims to achieve a sustainable built environment by incorporating best practices in environmental design and construction, and adopting green building technologies.

Development manager Lawrence Lee, 42, of LB Property said the scheme focuses on energy efficiency, water conservation, construction and resource management, indoor air quality and innovations.

Some eco-friendly practices to adopt: Use recycled or recyclable materials, and materials with low toxic content for environmental protection.

Use electrical appliances with the 'Energy Label'. Visit Singapore's Energy Labelling Scheme homepage at app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=2844 for details on energy efficiency of various air-conditioners and refrigerators.

Use energy-saving lamps that convert more consumed energy into usable light and emit less heat.

Avoid incandescent lamps that may convert only 10 per cent of the power into usable light.

Use task-specific lighting, like reading lights instead of turning on the ceiling and wall lights.

Open curtains and blinds to let daylight in to reduce the need for artificial lighting.

Turn all lights off when you leave the room.

Paint ceilings and walls in light colours to help diffuse daylight into the home.

Open your windows to let fresh air in, and avoid placing barriers to air paths, like large furniture items.

Use natural ventilation, ceiling fans or side fans to reduce the need for air conditioning.

When using air conditioning, keep external openings closed in that space to retain the coolness.

Replace single-glazed windows with Low E (emissivity) double-glazed units, or apply an external infra-red reflecting film to the outer face of the existing single glazed unit to reduce solar heat gains.

Use the cold wash setting on the washing machine.

Turn electronic appliances off instead of leaving them in sleep or standby modes.

Install water fittings bearing the 'Water Efficiency Label' to cut costs and save water.

Visit www.pub.gov.sg/wels for detailed information on water-efficient labelled fittings.

Use more rainwater and grey water (used water collected from various sources other than the tap) for irrigation and watering of plants.

When painting or renovating your home, use low-VOC (volatile organic compound) and low-toxic interior paints and finishes to reduce toxins and improve the indoor air quality.

Ms Yvonne Tan, operations manager of Vegas Interior, recycles as much water as she can.

She reuses water from her sink to wash her toilet floor.

She recycles water from her washing into the toilet cistern for flushing, and waters her plants with the leftover water from washing her rice.

So how can environmentally-friendly features be incorporated in home renovations?

Mr Felix Setiawan, 30, a designer with Chew Interior Design, said: "For some of the laminates, you can use those with green-label certifications for eco-friendly living. For flooring, we propose a type of flooring made of a compressed wood which feels like parquet, instead of the actual parquet flooring itself."

Green construction

Designer Bing Mendoza, 31, of DES Design Solutions, said using green-labelled products would add points on a building's green-label ratings.

"Using recycled boards for carpentry works is just as good as using real wood, and it costs about the same too," said Mr Kenneth Ng, 36, of I-deal House Pte Ltd.

Mr Eddie Lua, 33, for NorthWest Interior Design said using LED lights is environmentally friendly as they are long-lasting, more durable and help to save costs in the long run, although they may be more expensive than ordinary incandescent lighting.

He added: "We also recommend taps and showerheads which are properly accredited to our clients, to help them save on water and electricity."

Ms Shelly Chan, 28, of Nippon Paint, said all their products are eco-friendly and 80 per cent of their interior decoration products are green label-certified.

"Our products for exterior use are lead-free, and our odourless paint has near-zero volatile organic compound (VOC) content."

Nippon Paint's Odour-less All-in-1 paint is endorsed by the Singapore Environment Council Green Labelling Scheme, and is available at Home-Fix, Selffix and authorised paint dealers.

Spokesman Sary Cheong of AkzoNobel said their Dulux emulsion paints are certified by Singapore Green Label, and have low VOC emissions as well as low odour formulation, which help improve indoor air quality and reduce air pollution.

She added: "Dulux PURE is a premium high-quality paint that can contribute to better indoor air quality by neutralising common indoor air pollutants such as formaldehyde while resisting the build-up of mould, fungus and bacteria...We are focused on areas where we can make genuine environmental and sustainable improvements across our business."

 

Monday, Jul 23, 2012
AsiaOne  
  
New land plots released to yield about 950 homes  
 
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Housing & Development Board (HDB) have launched two residential sites at Dairy Farm Road and Punggol Way / Punggol Walk respectively for sale by public tender today.

The two land parcels are launched for sale under the Confirmed List of the 2nd half 2012 (2H2012) Government Land Sales (GLS) Programme. Together, these sites will yield about 950 units, as part of the 7,060 residential units to be launched for sale under the 2H2012 GLS Programme.

The 99-year leasehold Dairy Farm Road site, which can be developed into condominium housing, has a site area of 17,545.8 sq m and can potentially yield 390 housing units.

Meanwhile, the 18,747.8 sq m Punggol site is earmarked for an executive condominium (EC) development, with a lease period of 99 years. It can potentially yield 560 housing units.

Posted By littlelamb on 23 Jul 2012 02:58 PM

Saturday, Jul 21, 2012
The New Paper  
  
Dream home: Home and eco  
 
By Arul John

Turning your home into an environmentally friendly haven can be a great way to contribute to society and reduce utility bills too.

HDB housing estates like Bukit Panjang and Punggol are taking the green route by incorporating solar panels on the roofs of blocks of flats and having recycling bins, highlighting the importance the Government attaches to this concept.

Owners of private homes here have also spared no effort to craft their homes with the latest environmentally-friendly features.

A two-storey bungalow at Sentosa Cove - dubbed The Fish House - is not only gorgeous, but green.

It has received praise for being environmentally friendly.

It is the residence of hedge fund manager Stephen Fisher, 47, a permanent resident here.

The Fish House was a winner at the Architectural Design Awards organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects in 2010.

The jury said that its adaptability to Singapore's tropical climate was clearly shown by the blend of ocean views with open spaces, encouraging natural ventilation.

The house's layout comprises two pavilions, made of glass and wood, connected by a walkway made from bamboo on the second floor.

They are also surrounded by an ocean-facing infinity pool.

One pavilion houses a pool verandah on the first floor, with the kitchen, dining area and living area on the second.

The master bedroom and two other bedrooms are in the other pavilion.

Mr Fisher, who has lived in the leasehold house with his wife and their two children since April 2009, incorporated the following eco-friendly features:

Photovoltaic cells on the roof of one pavilion to harness solar energy.

A roof garden in the other pavilion for beauty and ventilation.

Decorations made from pressed abalone shells.

Extended eaves for more shade.

An underground audio-visual room encased in 12.7cm-thick acrylic walls, which offer an underwater view of the swimming pool, and also provide a cool environment.

Natural ventilation for the bedrooms.

Mr Fisher bought the 7,800 sq ft plot of land for $3.5 million in 2005, and construction for the 5,800 sq ft house cost $2.4 million.

It was designed by Singapore-based firm Guz Architects, which is known for designing environmentally friendly homes.

He seldom uses air-conditioning in his home, and said: "The environment dictated the house design. I wanted a house that would be open, have plenty of ventilation and not need air-conditioning all the time.

"I generate about 600 kWh of electricity from the solar cells, or about $150 worth of electricity.

I produce between 25 and 33 per cent of all my electricity needs, and my electricity bill is only about $550 per month."

On the mainland, there's the eco-friendly 68, Binjai Park.

It is a landed property - designed by designshop.architects Pte Ltd - which won the Building & Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark for Buildings Awards (Landed Houses category) last year.

The home contains the following key eco-friendly features:

A good building orientation and cross ventilation.

Double glazing and external roller shade to minimise heat gain to the building.

Sunpath analysis and passive design strategies to optimise the building orientation and indoor thermal comfort.

An energy-efficient air-conditioning system and LED lighting.

A home automation system with energy monitoring devices.

PV technologies with system capacity of 50.29 kWp.

Extensive greenery provision with auto drip irrigation system and rain sensors.

A rainwater harvesting system.

A stormwater management system.

Non-chemical treatment for the swimming pool.

 

Use electrical appliances with the 'Energy Label'. Visit Singapore's Energy Labelling Scheme homepage at app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=2844 for details on energy efficiency of various air-conditioners and refrigerators.

This is very true. Using electrical appliances with the 'Energy Label' really helps and we always tend to look out for this label:

Saturday, Jul 21, 2012
The New Paper  
 
Dream home: Decor do's & don'ts  
 
By Arul John

The Housing Board advises homeowners to follow the guidelines below so that renovation works can be carried out legally:

To carry out renovation works in an HDB flat, including those that do not require a renovation permit, flat owners are required to engage an HDB Registered Renovation Contractor (RRC).

The list of HDB RRCs is available on the HDB InfoWEB at www.hdb.gov.sg HDB flat owners can also obtain the list of HDB RRCs through their mobile phones.

Users can download the Mobile @ HDB app on their phones or access the services through http://mobile.hdb.gov.sg

For renovation work such as demolition of walls, contractors must electronically submit the floor plan showing the proposed renovation works together with the application for renovation works on behalf of flat owners to HDB for approval.

More information is available on the HDB website.

Flat owners must ensure that the renovation works carried out by their contractors are in accordance with the approved renovation permits and guidelines.

Flat owners are given information booklets such as a renovation guide and electrical guide for HDB flats when they collect their keys from HDB.

This information is also available on the HDB InfoWEB under the section Living in HDB flats >Home Renovation >Knowing the Guidelines.

To minimise inconvenience to neighbours, noisy renovation work like demolition of walls, removing wall and floor finishes, cutting of tiles and drilling works must be done between 9am and 5pm daily on weekdays.

Such works are not permitted on weekends or public holidays.

Contractors must also keep neighbours informed by giving them advance notice on the works that will be carried out, as well as display the notice of renovation work outside the flat until all the renovation work is completed.

More details can be found on the HDB website.

Mr Felix Setiawan, 30, a designer with Chew Interior Design, said they submit their renovation plans for evaluation by the Building & Construction Authority (BCA) or HDB before they start work.

He said: "To get around the hacking restriction, we sometimes propose putting up a divider, or just hack the wall to half its height to make the room brighter.

"It all depends on the situation as every owner wants something different, so we try to accommodate them."

Designer Bing Mendoza, 31, from DES Design Solutions, said their staff always follow the BCA guidelines.

They also help their clients go through the approval process.

An example would be the limit on the total floor area.

Said Mr Kenneth Ng, 36, a spokesman for I-deal House: "We usually educate our clients, since we know what the BCA would approve, and explain other designs if what the clients propose is unsuitable or illegal."

Said Mr Eddie Lua, 33, a spokesman for NorthWest Interior Design: "We sometimes encounter such requests (for illegal renovation works), as customers often don't know the requirements.

"In such cases, we would propose another design. All the design plans will be submitted to BCA for its approval." Other key points to note

You've got the keys to your flat and you're keen to start on your renovations.

But there are some things that homeowners should know before hacking that first wall.

Mr Lawrence Lee, 42, development manager in LB Property, said homeowners can check by visiting the HDB website or town council offices.

All HDB licensed contractors should be able to advise on what can or cannot be done with or without permission.

 Other key points to note

Here's a list of renovation works that are not allowed in HDB flats:

Hacking and removal of structural members such as reinforced concrete wall, columns, beams and staircases within maisonette flats

Loading of the floor slab with a load greater than 150kg for every m sq of floor area Plastering of ceilings

Partitioning the unit with combustible or toxic emission materials such as plywood or plastics Using concrete to raise the floor level beyond the allowable thickness of 50mm.

Extending the floor area by covering over void deck areas

Constructing a water tank in the bathroom unless it is a ready-made fibreglass bathtub

Repositioning or enlarging the opening of the rubbish bin chute

Painting external parts of the building

Installing fixtures outside the unit

Installing casement windows where the unit's facade is facing common corridor

Laying floor finishes outside the entrance door without a recess area or step

And here's why some of the renovations works are not allowed:

They may overload the structure, which may in turn affect the structural integrity and safety of the building

They will affect the external facade/form of the building or public safety

They will create a public nuisance, pose a fire hazard or encroach on public areas

They will infringe the lease agreement, relevant statutory regulations or requirements

For owners of condominiums and private apartments, Mr Lee said they should get permission from the Management Committee Strata Title or Managing Office before proceeding with any renovations.

The MCST or Managing Office will usually have a list of guidelines derived from the databases of the relevant authorities and advice from the project consultants.

Information is also available at the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Building Contruction Authority (BCA) websites.

Monday, Jul 23, 2012
The New Paper  
  
Chilling out in cosy comfort  
 
By Veena Bharwani

Their home is just 94 sq m, but it's a palace to them.

Civil servants L. Puvaneshwaran, 33, and his wife V. Shalini, 29, moved into their four-room flat at Havelock Road a month ago.

The couple got married on July 3 last year and lived with her parents.

They bought the new fifth-storey flat for $430,000 and spent $40,000 on renovations.

What they now have in their home: Beautiful tiles they chose lovingly, a custom-made prayer altar they designed near the main door, a $1,900 leather reclining couch on which they spend most of their afternoons.

And the couple said it was all worth every cent.

Said Mr Puvaneshwaran: "It's getting so expensive, so I'm glad we have a nice place like this. "When we got the place and started designing the interior, we had two priorities - that it should hide our mountains of junk, and that it had be a cosy place for us to relax in."

Added Mrs Puvaneshwaran: "I've lived in landed property all my life... Puva (Mr Puvaneshwaran) wanted me to be comfortable in a new home that could house all my stuff."

Interior design

The couple worked closely with an interior designer over the design of their home.

One idea they both liked a lot was a feature wall in the living room.

The area also stores more than 40 pairs of the couple's shoes in a concealed cabinet.

Said Mrs Puvaneshwaran with a laugh: "He has a lot of shoes and so do I. We had to have a house for all these shoes and this seemed like the most creative way to hide it."

The couple, both devout Hindus, are also proud of the design of their customised prayer altar, which cost more than $800 to build.

Said Mr Puvaneshwaran: "We had a specific size to work with and we had to build a false wall that would also hide our fridge on the other side."

They spend Sundays chilling and relaxing in their new home.

Said Mr Puvaneshwaran in jest: "I wake up and cook up a good American breakfast while she goes to the market and buys fresh meat like a good Indian wife."

Mrs Puvaneshwaran, who admitted she's not much of a chef, said she spends most of the morning hassling her husband to help her in the kitchen.

But he said: "I just want to slump on the couch, but I help her out."

And after their weekend lunches, they enjoy taking a nap on their uniquely one-metre high queen-sized bed.

Said Mrs Puvaneshwaran: "Our designer was very against us building this bed, but we're tall and we liked it very much."

Planning for kids

The two other bedrooms in their flat are relatively empty - one will be turned into a study and the other into the children's room when they have little ones in the future.

The couple spent four months on the renovations and the interior design.

Said Mr Puvaneshwaran: "We were pretty obsessive and went crazy over some of the designs.

"We looked through more than 50 couches before we decided on this one."

Although he admitted to being the more particular one, most of the time, Mr Puvaneshwaran gave in to his wife's demands, he said.

"No point fighting with her. She's right," he said with a grin.

One of the many disagreements they had was over the flooring of the house.

Said Mrs Puvaneshwaran: "He wanted a matte finish and I wanted a glossy look. "Eventually, after much persuasion, he just gave in."

Retorted Mr Puvaneshwaran: "I hate dust. And you can see dust on the gloss flooring."

The couple also consulted a geomancer on where best to place the bed in their home.

Said Mrs Puvaneshwaran: "We don't fight much and all the decisions we made on this flat were made together.

"Or we agreed that my ideas were better."

 

Monday, Jul 23, 2012
The New Paper  
  
Read this before you get your dream home...  
 
By Arul John

Couples in the search for their dream home should take note of several factors before setting out on their quest.

Said development manager Lawrence Lee, 42, of LB Property: "Budget is the key issue. Once that's established, the needs and the wants can be prioritised.

"For new homes, there's also the need to consider spatial requirements, location and value-addedness of the works."

He recommended that couples visit showflats, vendor showrooms and roadshows to keep abreast of the new building materials, designs and accessories in the market now.

They should also read local and foreign design magazines to get a view of the latest trends, he added.

Budget plays a part

Newlywed or soon-to-be-married couples should keep their budgets in focus when deciding on the size and scope of their home renovation works.

Said Mr Lee: "If a couple has about $10,000 to spend, they should just improve on the loose furnishings in the home...

"If the budget is $20,000, some carpentry work and replacement of floor or wall finishes can be added."

A budget of $50,000 is good for stripping the unit and changing finishes as well as simple mechanical and electrical works, he added.

Mr Eddie Lua, 33, of NorthWest Interior Design, said renovation works for condominiums usually range between $8,000 and $40,000.

He advised homeowners to think through what they really want and to inform their interior design or renovation firms about their budget before asking for renovation plans.

Prioritise and focus

Said Mr Lee: "Couples should look for how the purchase of this 'dream home' will affect their lifestyle in terms of finances, relationship, recreation and connectivity.

"I've met new couples who bought their ideal home and renovated it at a high cost to achieve their dream home status but got saddled in debt for years.

"I've also met couples who bought homes so far away from their usual activity loci that they end up just going home to sleep and wasting the money they spent."

Mr Lee said it was most important to be realistic and practical.

"My opinion is to let the home or house grow on you and renovate as you go along your life journey," he said.

"You will realise that sometimes a massive overhaul may not be necessary."

 

Monday, Jul 23, 2012
The New Paper  
 
What you need to know about renovating your home  
 
Where can I find a list of registered HDB renovation contractors?

The list can be found in the HDB website at www.hdb.gov.sg under Living in HDB flats>Home Renovation> Looking for Contractors>Listing of Registered Renovation Contractors.

How can I find out what renovation works are legal or illegal?

Residents of HDB flats can visit their HDB Branch Offices or visit the HDB website at www.hdb.gov.sg

Those in condominiums or private apartments should check with their management office or the management committee strata title.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Building and Construction Authority (BCA) also have guidelines governing what can and cannot be done during renovation works.

Owners and residents in landed properties should visit the URA and BCA websites at www.ura.gov.sg and www.bca.gov.sg respectively.

Why do I need to obtain approval from the BCA for carrying out building works?

All building works, except those which are exempted under the Building Control Act, require building plan approval.

The list of exempted building works is given in "The Schedule" of the Building Control Act.

I wish to have a better understanding of the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act 2004 (BMSMA), where can I find help?

To help owners understand the key provisions of the BMSMA, such as the duties of the owners and management corporation, BCA has published a guidebook called Strata Living in Singapore - A General Guide.

The guide book can be downloaded free of charge from http://www.bca.gov.sg/BMSM /strata_living.html

Copies of the guide book can be purchased from BCA counters at 5 Maxwell Road, #02-00, MND Complex Tower Block, Singapore 069110.

The BMSMA can be downloaded from http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/.

Copies of the BMSMA can also be purchased from SNP Legal Publishing at 1 Kim Seng Promenade, #18-01/06, Great World City East Tower, Singapore 237994 (Tel: 6826-9691 E-mail: legalpub@snpcorp.com).

If my existing air-conditioning unit is already supported on a metal bracket, do I need to change the bracket to a stainless steel bracket?

If your air-conditioning unit is already supported by a metal bracket, you may continue to use the metal bracket and do not have to change it to a new stainless steel bracket.

But if the existing metal bracket is badly corroded, you should contact a trained installer to replace it immediately.

The supporting bracket must be in stainless steel when you replace the current air-conditioning unit with a new one.

Why do HDB-Registered Renovation Contractors (RRCs) have to attend the training course "Renovation for Public Housing" before their next registration?

HDB requires all its RRCs to undergo this training as the course is designed to enhance the contractors' knowledge and to improve their professionalism.

The RRCs will be scheduled in phases to attend the course.

Why is there a need for HDB to introduce the Demerit Point System (DPS)?

The Demerit Point System (DPS) allows HDB to better manage HDB Registered Renovation Contractors.

It is a more transparent system where RRCs can track their performance via the number of demerit points accumulated.

This serves as an early warning to RRCs to improve their performance so as to avoid accumulating more demerit points leading to the suspension of their renovation registration.

 

Tuesday, Jul 24, 2012
The Business Times  
 
Landlord wins non-lease renewal case  
 
By Ven Sreenivasan

Singapore - In a ruling which has implications in landlord and tenant agreements, including commercial and residential leasing arrangements, the High Court last week ruled that a tenant cannot assume that the landlord has automatically agreed to renew a tenancy just because monthly rental payments were accepted for months following the end of the official tenancy period.

In the case involving plaintiff and landlord C&P Holdings Pte Ltd (C&P) against defendant and tenant Kuehne+Nagel Pte Ltd (K&N), Justice Quentin Loh ruled on July 16 that a three-year lease was not validly extended despite the tenant K&N e-mailing the landlord C&P about 17 months in advance to say that it will exercise its right to extend the (tenancy) contract.

Landlord C&P never replied to the K&N e-mail, remained silent and did not warn its tenant that the lease was going to expire. Rather, C&P continued to invoice the tenant and accepted payment of rental after the lease expired.

Justice Loh agreed with plaintiff's lawyer that the tenant's e-mail was only an "expression of future intention", and added that the landlord was entitled to remain silent about this statement of future intention.

He added that the landlord's "silence can only amount to a representation when there is a duty to speak or disclose, and the landlord had neither the duty to respond to the tenant's expression of its intention to extend the lease nor the duty to inform the tenant that the lease term had expired".

He ruled that the landlord had no duty to tell the tenant the lease was going to expire or had expired, and added that the landlord's act of continuing to invoice the tenant and accept rental payment did not mean the lease was extended by two years as per the contract. Rather, after the three-year tenancy expired on Jan 8, 2009, "a periodic" month-to-month tenancy was created which either party could terminate by giving one month's notice to the other.

The property involved was a 50,000 sq ft warehouse space, first taken in January 2006, then extended to 110,000 sq ft by April 2007. In May that year, K&N sent C&P a note saying "as per clause 2.02, we will exercise our right to extend the contract to a five-year term from April 1, 2007, to March 31, 2012".

The judge noted that the correct extension should have been for another two years from Jan 9, 2009, to Jan 8, 2011. But C&P did not respond to this e-mail for more than 22 months.

The case has general application to all kinds of leases, including residential and commercial leases, as it implies that tenants cannot assume their tenancy is extended beyond the original lease period just because they continue to pay rent. When the original contract expires, what tenants have is a periodic tenancy which the landlord can terminate by giving one or more months' notice.

The plaintiff, C&P, was represented by Suresh Divyanathan of Oon & Bazul LLP, while defendant K&N was represented by Thomas Tan and Janice Choy of Haridass Ho & partners.

Friday, Jul 27, 2012
AsiaOne  
 
HDB resale price index up 1.3% in Q2 2012  
 
The Housing Development Board's (HDB) Resale Price Index (RPI) rose 1.3 per cent from 191.6 in the first quarter to 194 in the second quarter.

HDB said in a media statement on Friday that resale transactions increased by about 19 per cent from 5,900 cases in the first quarter to 7,000 cases in the second quarter.

It has offered 12,700 flats under its Build-To-Order (BTO) exercises and another 3,800 flats under a Sale of Balance Flats exercise in the first half of this year.

Another 4,200 new flats in seven projects will be offered this month.

The projects are spread over five towns/estates: Bukit Merah, Choa Chu Kang, Clementi, Geylang, and Punggol.

A project in Bedok originally planned for launch in Jul 2012 has been postponed to finalise the design for launch.

It will be launched later this year.

HDB remains on track to launch 25,000 flats this year. More information on the coming July 2012 BTO exercise can be found on the HDB website.

Subletting transactions rose by about 3 per cent from 6,700 cases in the first quarter to 6,900 cases in the second quarter 2012.

The total number of HDB flats approved for subletting rose to 41,800 units in the second quarter 2012, compared to 41,200 units in the first quarter