Before you refinance your home loan…
WITH interest rates in Singapore still falling and the property market turning quiet, banks are now gunning for the mortgage refinancing business. Refinancing means replacing your current mortgage with another that comes with lower interest rates. This can be done with the same bank or by switching to another bank.Many home owners are now considering … Read more
Refinance: Five things to note before you switch
1 When you should consider refinancing Scenario 1: The savings outweigh the costs of refinancing. In other words, do your sums first. Scenario 2: You do not plan to sell your property within the next 12 months. Maybank Singapore’s head of consumer banking, Ms Helen Neo, said it does not make sense to refinance if … Read more
On the market: Condos near MRT stations
In this weekly column, we bring you a sampling of properties up for sale. In the spotlight this week: Condos near MRT stations The Parc Condominium, freehold #09-10, 5 West Coast Walk What it is: A 1,216 sq ft, three-bedroom apartment What it costs: $1.139 million, or $937 per sq ft (psf). The maintenance fee … Read more
You can take a cash-out loan from your home
As a mortgage war breaks out among Singapore banks, homebuyers have emerged the clear winners as lenders slash interest rates to grab new customers and retain existing ones. Rates have plummeted to less than 2 per cent. This means borrowers are effectively getting free cash as sky-high inflation means their future repayments are worth a … Read more
Nicoll Highway collapse: Insurance claims settled
Claims amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars arising from the Nicoll Highway collapse have been settled as the tragedy marks its fourth anniversary today. The main parties involved – the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Japanese contractor Nishimatsu Construction and insurance groups led by Japan’s MSIG – came to ‘an amicable settlement’ recently, a source … Read more
Next Stop: A possible award
This charcoal-coloured, futuristic MRT station may well be the first here to win an award from the Singapore Institute of Architects. The Stadium station, located at the future Sports Hub in Kallang, is one of 29 stations in the new Circle Line. The 33km line will open in sections from the middle of next year. … Read more
F1 hotel rates could fall
As the hype builds towards Singapore’s first Formula One race in September, one thing could drop in the months ahead – hotel room rates. Top executives whose chains operate a total of seven hotels in and around the city centre told The Sunday Times that prices may be ‘relooked’ if bookings do not pick up … Read more
Capitol Theatre: Unwanted child of S’pore conservation?
For too long, the once-lovely Capitol Theatre has stood forlorn and forgotten, the unwanted child of Singapore conservation. Newspaper reports once held out hope of it being transformed into a performing arts centre for musicals, plays and ballets. That, alas, was in January 1996. Even then, the report quoted government officials as saying that the … Read more
