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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VZqq3o6tLw LOL

I was at AMK central yesterday and decided to drop by this Centrio Residences showroom to look see look see while waiting for my gal to finish her class. I was shocked when i was told 80+ out of the 104 units on the phase 1 launch was snapped out just over the past 5 days. The price is over 1100+ psf, 2 bedroom unit cost about 1 mil while a 3 bedroom unit cost 1.3 mil onwards. So far most buyers are local and majority are HDB upgraders. There is only a few units of 2 bedroom units left and the floor area is pathetic 80 sq meter which is about the size of 3 room HDB. Unbelievable to see ppl paying 1 mil for such a small unit and is only 99 yrs lease term. I can only say many Sporeans are rich.

is there a general guideline in keeping dogs in pte condo? Like HDB, u cant keep a big dog like golden retriever. wat abt condo??? btw, fore those ground floor owner, wat do u call those not too big open area tat belongs to them? definitely not balcony i noe

Condo-style HDB flats: Peak price of $722k The Peak @ Toa Payoh will be launched next Wednesday. -ST Sat, Apr 11, 2009 The Straits Times By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent WILL house hunters spend more than $700,000 on a premium HDB flat with some condo-style features in Toa Payoh? A Hoi Hup-led consortium is about to find out after offering premium five-room flats at its new The Peak project for up to $722,000. Analysts question whether HDB flat buyers will bite, given that they are constrained by an $8,000-a-month income ceiling and are dealing with a recession. Next Wednesday, The Peak @ Toa Payoh, boasting 1,203 units in two 42-storey blocks and three 40-storey blocks, will be launched. The project, at Lorong 1A Toa Payoh, comes under the design, build and sell scheme (DBSS), and offers premium fittings. But unlike private condominiums, these projects do not have facilities such as pools and gyms. The smallest units - 95 of them - are the 753 sq ft three-room flats. They are priced from $355,000 to $398,000. The 306 four-room flats of 980 sq ft will go for $468,000 to $582,000. The next rung up the price ladder are the five-room flats, which mostly go for $539,000 to $698,000, and range from 1,184 sq ft to 1,259 sq ft. The priciest of the lot are the 24 five-room high-ceiling flats costing between $700,000 and $722,000. The developer - a group comprising Hoi Hup Realty, Sunway Development and Hoi Hup J.V. Development - said the flats are about $500 per sq ft (psf) to $510 psf on average. A quick calculation shows the price can go up to $594 psf. A spokesman said The Peak is near Toa Payoh MRT station. And like the earlier City View DBSS project by the same group, The Peak offers an exclusive touch with a card-access security system at all ground-floor lift lobbies. Buyers will also get large bay windows, Daikin air-conditioning units, built-in kitchen cabinets and wardrobes. Still, industry watchers note that for the same price, buyers are spoilt for choice in the current market. Experts have said DBSS projects have to be priced lower than private flats as they are essentially HDB flats. They face restrictions such as an income cap, an ethnic quota and a minimum occupation period. 'Toa Payoh is a mature estate but in the current economy, there will be resistance at above $500,000,' PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail said yesterday. Resale five-room flats in the area now cost about $450,000 on average while three-roomers go for $260,000 to $270,000 on average, though the latter are more than 30 years of age, he added. Knight Frank research and consultancy director Nicholas Mak said The Peak's prices are comparable to those of resale executive condos (EC), which have condo facilities but also face public housing sale restrictions. For just over $700,000, buyers can buy a private but older 99-year resale condo unit nearby, added Mr Mak. For the same price as a five-room flat, they can buy a resale EC unit at a more distant location. In the first quarter, 94 EC deals were done at $579,000 on average. The Peak is the fifth DBSS project. The sixth, in Simei, is expected to be released for sale soon. Last year, three such projects were launched. City View in Boon Keng, Park Central @ AMK, and Natura Loft in Bishan have since sold the bulk of their units. The latest of the lot, Natura Loft, was launched late last year and has about 30 per cent left to sell, said developer QingJian Realty. Its five-roomers are already half sold, it said. DBSS projects are now sandwiched in a narrowing gap between HDB resale flat prices and private condo prices. 'DBSS flats will be relevant again when the gap widens. In the meantime, these developers will just have to do the best they can,' said Mr Mak.

hi all, I heard about this rumous for long time, and just interested to know whether it is true. My friend told me that, in HDB, our "beloved" govt actually sponsor the usage, thus even both HDB and Condo used the same amount of units of electricity(incl water and gas), HUB owner tend to pay less for their bill. Is it true? I am staying in HDB, but i don see any rebate or discount printed on the bill lei,,,, anyone can share your view? Cheers...

Hi everyone, Just need your friendly advise, perhaps some of you have encoutered similar situation. How can I get rid of unwanted mails being delivered to my address, presumably intended for previous tenants and previous owner of the small condo unit where I now stay. Its been more than a year now since I bought and moved to this new place and still, I get a lot of post mails intended for previous owners/tenants. Tried reaching the previous owner but is no longer reachable. I checked the gov website but did not find a way how I can raise and address this concern. Thanks, your help will be appreciated.

Just to share my encounters with crappy security when I visited a few friends at their Condos recently. Really lousy standard. Think back also want to laugh

The Straits Times Dec 12, 2008 Condo-style losing allure Falling prices in private home market chipping away at demand for DBSS flats By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent PRICEY condo-style HDB flats have not been spared in the property downturn, going by what has been left for sale at Park Central @ AMK. While over 70 per cent of the project's 578 units have been sold, the larger five-room units costing $600,000 to $670,000 each are still available. These levels put the flats in the same price bracket as older condominiums, which might prompt some potential HDB buyers to turn to the private home market, where prices are falling. Developer United Engineers announced the figures yesterday, and also said foundation works had begun at the Ang Mo Kio estate, which is being developed under the HDB's design, build and sell scheme (DBSS). Under the scheme, public flats are designed, built and sold by private developers. Sales at Park Central have been favourable in view of the challenging economic climate, said Mr David Liew, the managing director of the group's integrated facility management and property development business. Buyers include young couples, retirees and those with proceeds from collective sales, the group said. The DBSS concept has been quite popular, but some experts fear the fall in private condo prices could leave buyers spoilt for choice. Price is the key factor in DBSS projects as they are targeted at HDB buyers whose household income must not exceed $8,000 a month. 'It's a price-sensitive sector. These buyers can choose between HDB flats and lower-end condos,' said Associate Professor Sing Tien Foo, the deputy head of the National University of Singapore's real estate department. 'During a downturn, the price gap between these segments will narrow, so demand (at DBSS projects) may be affected,' he noted. Most DBSS flats are priced at $500,000 to $700,000 each, roughly the level for executive condos, said ERA Asia Pacific associate director Eugene Lim. 'There is already an overlap.' For a $600,000 unit, the monthly instalment on a 30-year, 80 per cent loan is about $2,000, assuming an interest rate of 2.6 per cent. When the property market was rising in 2006, DBSS products met the needs of buyers who could not afford private homes. The first such project, Premiere @ Tampines, was an instant hit, drawing 5,700 applications for 616 homes in late 2006. Although it sold only 500 flats initially, long queues formed when the remaining units were released for sale. City View @ Boon Keng received 3,500 applications for 714 flats early this year, but only 460 were sold. Nearly 90 per cent of the flats have since been taken up, including all the three-roomers. Park Central, Singapore's third DBSS project, garnered more than 2,300 applications. Prices average $490 to $500 per sq ft, putting the four-roomers at between $400,000 and $500,000 each. The fourth DBSS project - Natura Loft in Bishan - saw about 680 applications for 480 flats last month. Its four-room units go for $465,000 to $586,000 each, while its five-roomers cost $600,000 to $739,000. Once prices go above $600,000, the flats will be competing with old leasehold condos, executive condos and bigger executive flats, said Knight Frank's director of research and consultancy, Mr Nicholas Mak. Unlike exec condos, which are initially subject to sale restrictions similar to those on public housing units, but become fully private after 10 years, a DBSS unit is just a value-added HDB flat, he said. Indeed, demand for DBSS flats might be more severely affected than that for other segments as potential buyers have more choices, said Dr Sing. Nevertheless, Mr Mak feels the DBSS concept is sustainable if the Government accepts lower land prices. The problem is that most developers of DBSS sites bought them in good times. There are two DBSS projects slated for launch in the first half of next year: one in Simei and a huge project of nearly 1,200 units in Toa Payoh.

The magical 70% figure seems to be the trend to publish about condo "good" sales figures? http://www.iproperty.com.sg/news/realestatenews.aspx?nid=123 Concourse Skyline in Singapore 70% sold in a week Hong Fok

Any bros with comments?

Hello, Any bros went for the preview yesterday? Went last evening was super pack man, ave price for 3 bed rm from 900k onwards for a 99years. Good deal? Cheers

hi folks, what did you usually take into account when buying a condo? -leasehold/fh -location -valuation -facililities Seems like condo price drop quite alot since last yr peak. some almost 20-30% drop in price.

Hi.....any advise from expert in property line. Its worth to buying a condo now...?Any comment on Varsity Park @ west coast or Centris @ jurong point

http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/photo/getFullSizePhoto.do?id=20420 Adeline, 34, was headed out for a hair appointment at 11:40 am on May 3 when she chanced upon this creature stuck on the wall at The Hillside condominium. The STOMPer was soon joined by a security guard while he was doing his rounds the upper Bukit Timah condominium looking for bees. Said the STOMPer:"The guard and I were just discussing what type of creature it was, for about 15 minutes. "Then I remembered about my appointment and had to hurry off, otherwise I'd have liked to stay and find out. "Maybe a flying squirrel or flying fox? "A curious crowd had gathered by the time I left." http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/photo/getArticlePhoto.do?id=3394 some1's pet got loose? a giant frog fr hell? http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/si...t.jsp?id=21753

HI, any bros bought the Parc condo? just wana find out y u bought it and how much psf u paid for? Am considering so asking...

hmm, any bros/sis knows anything about valuation of condo?...like wat factors to consider to know the price per sq ft?

Upcoming condo equipped with garage in the sky PARKING the car is set to reach a whole new level - with a high-rise condominium where every apartment comes with its own private garage in the sky. The Hamilton, coming up at 37 Scotts Road on the former site of Hotel Asia, will make this fantasy come true. Residents of the 30-storey tower will be able to drive their vehicle into a special glass elevator that will lift the vehicle from the ground floor to their 'porch' on the same level as their living rooms. The 56-unit development has not been launched yet. But when built, it will become the first residential high-rise in Singapore, and only the third in the world after developments in New York and Dubai, to have this vroom-with-a-view parking feature. Ms Leny Suparman, director of developer Hayden Properties, said the feature offers 'a unique way of living in a condominium yet with the advantages of a landed property'. Motorists here have already become familiar with high-tech 'stack' parking, though it is not quite the seamless elevator ride The Hamilton promises. At the Chinatown nightlife hub Club Street, the first fully mechanised public carpark was launched last month. And MacDonald House in Orchard Road has had an elevator take vehicles to its carpark on the second and third levels after its refurbishment in June 2005. Owning a unit at The Hamilton, complete with its own private parking bay, will not come cheap. Hayden Properties is unable to give any price indication for its units - averaging 3,000 sq ft in size. But according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority's website, apartments in the vicinity have been going for around $4,000 per sq ft. At The Hamilton, that could work out to about $12 million a unit. In land-scarce Singapore, mechanised parking systems may seem the way to go, taking up less space than conventional parking lots. Read the full report in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.

Are condo prices on the high or low side currently? Need advise from anyone, thanks.

Looking around for 3 room condo/e-condo below 480k.. preferably in the east. Some which i know are Simei Green, Pinevale, Eastpoint Green, Aquarius by the Park.. Also The Rivervale in the northeast. - 480k or below for a 3 room condo/e-condo reasonable right? or isit too low? - Which other areas are around this price? - Anyone knows of any good deals or know of anyone selling?

Dear all, Was looking for a unit in the west area and came across this. http://www.singaporeexpats.com/forum/ftopic43994.html Don't know true or not, but seems to be a first hand account and not like those cut and paste sort of thing. Incidentally the unit in Blue Horizon seems to be a unit I saw about 2 weeks back, face the grennery and can see the sky garden also ================================================================================ == Dear all, I know this may seems truly unbelievable and I know I will be sued from owners,but I just got to get this off my chest... something strange seems to be going at this condo. I moved over to Singapore late last year and fell in love with Blue Horizon and rented a 2 bedroom unit there with my wife and 2 yr old daughter. It's got a lovely view overlooking the park or greenery and my wife and I absolutely love it. Things seems to be going well for the first months we stayed there...however, I still remember the date exactly on a night in April...I woke up in the middle of the night, hearing a loud snore, naturally I turn to my wife, however the snore does not come from her and I was damn scared out of my wits...I mean what in the world causes that???Thinking it was my imagination, I shut my eyes and it stop...feeling relived I thought to myself that its cause I was tired and stuffs and the snore was from her. The above is just the first of the series of episode. Few weeks later, our daughter woke up in the middle of the night screaming and crying loudly in her room, my wife and I manage to pet her back to sleep on that night however we were puzzled as she always had been able to sleep throughout the night and we were very surprised by her antedoes, But the thing that puzzled us, was that after a week or so, of waking up in the middle of the night she told my wife "mummy someone beat me" I thought she was trying to play a fool however true enough the next morning we found some marks on her buttocks and inner thighs, marks like scratch marks. At this junture we were more mad than scared or anything like that as she's our precious daughter, but we could not imagine who in the world does that as my wife is a stay home mum and she looks after her, never letting her out of our sight. AFter that our mental torture does not end there, again I remember the night exactly as it happen on night of the Champions league when Liverpool was playing against AC Milan, I was staying up to watch the match. Blue Horizon has those kind of fulll length when you can have a good view of the surronding anyway my unit faces a roof top garden on top of a car park, those kind of sky garden. After the match was just about over, I looked up of the window and saw a figure loitering on the roof top, being puzzled more than anything else as to who would be there in the middle of night, I moved closer to my windows to have a closer look and what I saw really scared the sxxt out of me!!! I notice the figure does not have any legs...its like floating.... Freak!!!!And after that I sort of like see it jumping down from the sky garden. As it was pretty late and being a rational man, I refues to believe anything about the supernatural and stuffs, I immediatle went to the guardroom and asked if any guards were on patrol during that period and if they see anything. This really takes the cake, the secuirty guard there was like not the least surprise and sort of like tell me that this is not the first time that someone had sighted this and told them about this. But I was the first one who told them that the figure jump off the sky garden, usually it was sighted to be floating and sort of like just dissaper or fade away. Suddenly events seems to jog my memories, I remember one day at the gym a fellow gym goer was commenting to me that the turnover for residents in BH was very fast, like ppl seems to be moving in and out very fast, I told them that its cause landlords are increasing their prices and thus tenants are moving out fast. But he refuted me saying that, true tenants are moving out, but a lot of owners are moving out also. Quite a number of owners that he knew in his Tower are moving out already.... Even after all these incidents I still refuse to believe in all these supernatural stuffs and shunks till one night my wife and I woke up to a very loud noise of banging and shattering of noise inside our wardrobe. Its like something heavy or couple of huges planks were falling from inside my cupboard and knocking on the doors of wardrobe At this junture I straight away know its not only me who was imagining things but its like my wife also heard it and my girl also heard it cause she was also woken by the noise. Immediately I terminate our tenure and got ourselves another place. The agent and owner was more surprised more than anything else as rental in Singapore are rising throughout and here we terminating our tenure. Anyway the above is just the side of my story it seems my wife also had some supernatural experiences which she only shared with me recently after we got the new place. She was telling me on a particular late night while chatting on skype with her folks back home, she felt a hug or a touch like someone hugging or touching her. Its like a loved one giving you a loving hug which gives you a lot of assurance and love, and for a while she was enjoying the hug, however in the next instant the hug became a squeeze and its like some force is tugging her tightly and like suffocating her. She began to struggle and was like almost in tears and just as sudden as the hug came, the hug dissapear. The next incident happen some time therafter when on a night, as she was having a drink in the kitchen, she heard a soft voice like someone calling her by her pet name, a name known only to me and her close family members. As I was overseas at that time she knew it couldn't be me, and all of a sudden she have this feeling that someone was watching her but when she turn around there was like nobody. She also mentioned to me that on a couple of nights, she would also be waken to a snore (just like me on the first incident) but just when she woke up, the snore was no more but when she turn over to look at me, I would be clenching my fists while sleeping and seems to be in anger during my sleep and was frowning and seems to fighting someone in my sleep. On a particular night, she could hear me murming me like "kill" or something like that, it was a sight that she could not recognise me to be in, its like I was like another person. Of course by now after reading all these, some of you may had ask why she only told me all these after such a long time, which is the question I posed her. Firstly she said, she knew I was a rational man and that most prob I would not have believe her and secondly, she really like the unit and she always like to put down what she's going through as her imagination. However it seems that the above are just some incidents only, it seems she has some more which she had not told me. And also my daughter also seems to have something to say, once we move into the new place, she say something" papa in old place, vivi saw this..." Anyway think I better stop for now, else would be accuse of rumour mongering and apologies for my long post. What I had mentioned are just some supernatural and errie incidents at Blue Horizon, like I said my wife had some more and now as I look back, I thought I also came across something which cannot be explained. And now I definately believe in things which cannot be expain by science and now when my ex-neighbours in BH (yes I got to know quite a number of neighbours in BH and still keep in touch with them) told me about something, I listen intenly

Hi, I am trying to decide between a condo and a pte apt. The earlier would probably have more facilities but will be more densely populated while the latter would be on a smaller pc of land and has more privacy (less populated). Any other issues to consider other than the above? Thus far, I would prefer the privacy of the latter more. Any good developments in the west? Say clementi/west coast area? Thanks.