JIA @ Wilkie Road
Jiā is the mandarin word for home. A place that gives you comfort, warmth and serenity. At Jiā, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to get away from the hustle-bustle of city living. This exclusive 7 storey development comprises only 22 units – 19 apartments and 3 penthouses. Jiā is situated at … Read more
Online property service offers buyers commission rebate
IN AN industry first, an online property service launched on Thursday will rebate half of its seller’s commission to buyers that use it for the transaction. The service www.propzee.com will also let sellers advertise their homes for free but they will pay a sales commission of 0.8 per cent. This works out to $6,800 for … Read more
The comforts of home prices
WHILE many will be worrying about losing the roof over their heads, 2009 may just be the year for some to find a new one. From luxury to mass market offerings, homes are now more affordable to a wider and more diverse group of buyers. And with diversity comes stability, says Jones Lang LaSalle South-east … Read more
URA to conserve 100 more buildings
THE Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) yesterday said it would conserve another 100 buildings in Katong and Joo Chiat to retain the area’s history and character. The buildings comprise 95 shophouses and terrace houses, two churches and three bungalows. They will complement some 700 buildings in the Katong/Joo Chiat area which have been gazetted for conservation … Read more
It’s tougher to get loans
It may be harder for home buyers to secure bank loans now. ‘Banks are a bit more cautious these days,’ says Mr Chris Koh, director at Dennis Wee Properties. Two other property experts that Life! spoke to agree. ERA Asia Pacific’s director Eugene Lim says banks now take longer to process home loan applications. ‘During … Read more
Playing the waiting game
Home buyers believe property prices are set to fall further and hence, are biding their time When investor relations consultant Gary Teo reaches for his newspaper every morning, he reads the property news first. He and his wife, Grace Tan, 32, a senior QA engineer, are looking to buy a place of their own. They … Read more
Squeezed between high rent and poor sales
A HOME-GROWN brand of women’s clothes has decided to operate in Malaysia – and only Malaysia. Coral Isle, in The Centrepoint, will shut for good next week, before its three-year lease expires on Jan 28. Slow custom is putting the brakes on owner Poonam Bhandari’s ambitions in Singapore. The $20 per square foot (psf) rent, … Read more
Marked for preservation
It has been nearly a decade since the forlorn Grand Hotel in Still Road South last had a guest to stay, but things are looking up for the distinctive 92-year-old building. The rundown landmark, now mostly used as storage for unwanted furniture, is among 100 buildings in the Joo Chiat/Katong area that have been marked … Read more
Aid for home owners? ‘Sensible steps’ if needed
THE Government will help home owners during this economic downturn, but moves to artificially prop up the private property market will not work in these uncertain times, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan yesterday. Mr Mah – speaking to the media at a hongbao presentation and Chinese New Year variety show held in Tampines … Read more
Living space and the baby boomer
BABY boomers as a demographic and cultural phenomenon have been researched extensively, because of their huge impact on post-war economies and spending power. Retirement wants and habits are uniform for middle-class Asian imminent retirees as they are for Western early retirees: customised health care and financial planning; independent housing or community living with their peers; … Read more
