Considering moving to Singapore and making this sunny island your new home? You’re not alone – Singapore is the 5th most popular destination for expats and is currently home to 1.64 million non-residents. Despite its size, our little red dot holds a solid reputation as a land of opportunities.
That said, Singapore’s rental rates are also one of the highest in Asia, leading many to wonder if it’d be more cost-effective to purchase a property in the long-term.
Did you know that almost 1 in 3 people living in Singapore are neither citizens nor PRs?
It should come as no surprise, then, that quite a few Singaporeans will marry foreigners. In fact, the data shows that in 2018, over 1 in 3 citizen marriages were to transnationals (i.e. foreigners).
With this shift in mind, the government recently decided to lower the age criterion for the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG) so as to level the playing field for citizens marrying foreigners.
First-time HDB buyers rejoice: the CPF Board’s latest Enhanced CPF Housing Grant has now made your upcoming flat purchase even more affordable.
Prior to the change on 11 September, 2019, these were the three main grants:
Now, though, these three grants have been simplified into a single Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG), with up to $80,000 in subsidies available to buyers regardless of whether you go for a resale flat or BTO. Continue reading
In our conservative island-state, our housing regulations are skewed in favor of Singaporean citizens with a good dose of filial piety. Meaning the best way to take advantage of all the resale and BTO housing grants? Get married and buy a flat close to your parents. Better yet, buy the flat and live with your parents.
There are HDB grants for first-timers, second timers, or even first-timers marrying second-timers. But you might be wondering: are there HDB grants for single Singaporeans? And what if I marry a PR or a foreigner?
Article has been updated in July 2023
Looking to buy or sell a house? You’ll always encounter this individual. He or she will be well-dressed in formal attire and is often spotted at condo showrooms island-wide. Yep, they’re your property agents.
What do you really know about real estate agents in Singapore? More importantly, do the services they offer really justify the steep fees some of them charge? This article will break down some of the assumptions you may have about them and give you tips on how to deal with property agents. Continue reading
“You mean I have to pay stamp duty when selling my house?” The answer is yes. Apart from your property agent’s commission fees and the administrative costs involved in selling your house, you may have to pay the Seller Stamp Duty introduced in 2010. (Read also: The Costs of Selling Your Property in Singapore)
S$1,454. That’s the average cost of Singapore’s real estate per square foot. Now, that’s expensive. Not everyone are Crazy Rich Asians who can afford a 2nd property.
Divorce and bankruptcy are two social taboos in Singapore. If these two topics come out in a conversation, you know it can end quite awkwardly.
But as far as difficult conversations go, this is still something we have to talk about — simply because the numbers don’t lie. There are an average of 7000+ divorces and nearly 3000 bankruptcy applications every year, making this a pressing concern for many individuals. Continue reading
Applying for home loans to purchase a property? You’ll be given a thick stack of paperwork with an overwhelming amount of technical terminology. Even when your loans officer explains all the terms of your mortgage, chances are that you’ll still be confused by the end of it.
You want to know clearly what you’re getting yourself into, especially if you’re committing to it for the next 30 years. In this home loan/mortgage glossary, you’ll get an easy-to-understand guide on all the jargon used for home loans. Breeze through it with us as we take you through the world of mortgage terms: Continue reading
