NTUC Choice Homes sold another 50 units at its Toa Payoh condo Trevista over the weekend, taking the total number of units sold there to 460.

The remaining units at the 590-unit condo are mainly larger ones – continuing a trend where buyers snap up smaller homes.

Trevista attracted hordes of keen buyers and onlookers at its preview two weekends ago. It sold out 210 units in one afternoon, on the first preview day of Aug 28.

Most of the unsold units at the 99-year leasehold project are the three- and four-bedroom units. An NTUC Choice Homes spokesman said there are just ‘a handful’ of two-bedroom units left for sale.

The 39-storey condo was previewed at an average price of $898 per sq ft. At that time, the three- and four-bedroom units averaged $1.065 million and $1.43 million respectively, under the normal payment scheme.

Now, the remaining three-bedders are priced from $1.008 million. They cost $884 psf to $1,050 psf. The four-bedders are priced from $850 psf to $964 psf, or from $1.448 million.

Elsewhere, sales are still ongoing at current launches. For instance, developer Keppel Land has now sold 37 out of 56 units at Madison Residences in Bukit Timah Road at an average price of $1,700 psf, after selling another unit over the weekend.

The project was launched in the middle of last month, after a brief preview.

The market was generally quieter over the past weekend, compared with the previous one.

Property agents said one factor might be people going away for the school holidays. Also, they said some price resistance may be setting in, particularly at projects subject to recent price rises.

Next week, The Trizon @ Mount Sinai, which has sold at least 110 units, will be launched. The project was previewed late last month at $1,300 psf to $1,500 psf.

Next month, the 1,040-unit The Interlace in Alexandra Road will be launched. Other possible launches this year include the 119-unit Elliot at The East Coast and a 396-unit condo on the former Hong Leong Gardens site in West Coast.

Source: Straits Times, 8 Sep 09

But developers gear up for new launches, such as Hundred Trees and Cyan

BUSINESS visibly quietened down at showflats last week but developers are already revving up for new launches and releases of new phases of existing projects after Hungry Ghosts Month ends on Sept 18.

However, some market watchers reckon developers may be more careful not to price their projects too aggressively following National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan’s second statement in five weeks that the government is monitoring the property market very closely and will take ‘certain actions’ if necessary.

City Developments is expected to preview Hundred Trees condo on the former Hong Leong Gardens site in the West Coast area in the last weekend of September. Earlier market talk was that the 396-unit project will have an average price of about $930-$980 per square foot (psf). However, some quarters suggest the project will be ‘priced competitively’.

The 12-storey development has a 956-year-leasehold tenure. The Hundred Trees condo will be decked with Mempat trees, often dubbed the local version of Japan’s sakura or cherry blossoms.

At Keng Chin Road in the Bukit Timah area, Far East Organization is expected to preview in a few weeks a 278-unit freehold condo named Cyan. A stone’s throw away, Keppel Land has sold about 65 per cent of its 56-unit freehold Madison Residences since last month at an average price of about $1,700 psf. This pricing applies to those who opt for the interest absorption scheme (IAS). Buyers who prefer a normal progressive payment scheme pay 2 per cent less.

Even more projects are slated for launch in October, including Ho Bee’s Trilight on the former Elmira Heights site on Newton Road, as developers try to catch possibly the last wave of home buying for 2009 before the year-end school holiday season.

NTUC Choice Homes sold 50 units at its Trevista condo in Toa Payoh last week, mostly on Saturday and Sunday. This is significantly below the 410-unit sales achieved from Friday to Sunday of the preceding week when the developer previewed the 99-year-leasehold condo. To date, Choice Homes has released 550 of the condo’s total 590 units.

‘The remaining units in the project are mostly three and four-bedroom apartments. Prices start from $884 psf or $1.008 million for three-bedders and $850 psf or $1.448 million for the four-bedroom apartments,’ a Choice Homes spokeswoman said yesterday.

Trevista’s initial average price was $898 psf, but with subsequent releases of units – some with better facing and on higher floors – the average price achieved is understood to be about $920-$930 psf.

BT understands that things were even quieter at the Trizon showflat in the Mount Sinai area. Units in the freehold project cost $1,250 psf to $1,550 psf. Sales are said to have plummeted last week after the slightly more than 100 units sold in the previous weekend’s preview.

A property consultant said: ‘When a minister, especially the National Development Minister, comes out to urge buyers to be cautious, it has its effects – at least for the time being.’ ‘When the caution is being urged in the Seventh Month (when traditionally things are a bit slower in the property market), potential buyers have time to reflect on the message,’ he added.

Following six months of surprisingly strong home sales, developers have upped prices. By some estimates, prices of mass-market homes increased about 10-15 per cent from the lows of January-February 2009 to July-August.

In late July, Mr Mah urged home seekers to research the property market thoroughly and seek affordable units. Last week, he advised them to ‘think carefully, think long term, think about the unexpected’ before buying a property.

He also said there is a ‘definite possibility’ that the government will re-introduce land sales through its confirmed list system from next year. Such sales have been suspended since October last year.

All eyes are on today’s tender for a plum 99-year condo plot at Dakota Crescent next to an MRT station and fronting Geylang River.

Source: Business Times, 8 Sep 2009

Singaporeans make up 87% of buyers; even Swiss nationals among purchasers

NTUC Choice Homes has sold 410 of the total 460 units it released for the preview of its Trevista condo in Toa Payoh last week. The co-operative is expected to release more units in the 590-unit project this weekend when it does an official launch, accompanied by an advertising campaign, for the project.

Singaporeans picked up 87 per cent of the total 410 units. Permanent residents made up 7 per cent and non-PR foreigners, 6 per cent, of buyers.

The majority of PRs and non-PR foreigners were from China; some were also from Indonesia and Malaysia; there were also a few Swiss nationals, an NTUC Choice Homes spokeswoman said.
She said 70 per cent of the buyers have HDB addresses and the other 30 per cent, private addresses.

About 80 per cent of buyers purchased on the normal progress payment scheme. The remaining 20 per cent who opted for interest absorption scheme are being charged a 2 per cent price premium, the Choice Homes spokeswoman said.

When sales in the 99-year leasehold condo began on Friday morning for the first batch of 210 units, the average price was $898 per square foot, but with two subsequent batches of additional units released, prices were adjusted marginally upwards, although this also had to do with the newer units being on higher floors and having better orientation.

The average price currently is understood to be around $920 psf.

What’s left are a limited number of two-bedroom units, with the majority of what’s available being three- and four-bedroom apartments, BT understands. The remaining 130 units in the condo are expected to be released this weekend and they include prime pool-fronting units.

Trevista is being marketed by CB Richard Ellis and ERA.

Over at Ridgewood Close in the Mount Sinai area, Singapore Land is understood to have sold slightly more than 100 units at its preview of Trizon, a 289-unit freehold condo.

Two of the project’s three blocks have been released for sale. The units were priced between $1,250 psf and $1,550 psf and buyers are understood to be mostly Singaporeans with some foreigners (predominantly Indonesians).

A typical three-bedroom unit of 1,550 sq ft costs about $2.12 million.

SingLand is selling the 24-storey project with only the normal progress payment scheme. It will hold an official launch of Trizon this weekend.

Source: Business Times, 1 Sep 2009

Toa Payoh condo draws keen interest; developer releases extra units

WHAT ghost month?

The traditional lull in home-buying activity during the Hungry Ghost month has been swept aside amid the current property market frenzy.

Buyers were out in force yesterday at the preview of Trevista, a new 590-unit condominium in Toa Payoh, a traditional heartland area.

A queue had formed at least 20 minutes before the showflat doors opened at 2pm. By 5pm, all 210 units released for sale had been snapped up by buyers.

Developer NTUC Choice Homes had said it would release just those units for sale this weekend at an average price of $898 per sq ft (psf). However, the response was so strong that it released another 190 units at higher prices just after 8pm, said a spokesman. She could not say how much higher the prices were.

Of the 210 units, the two-bedders averaged $830,000 while the three- and four-bedroom units averaged $1.065 million and $1.43 million respectively under the normal payment scheme.

Owner-occupiers were eyeing the bigger units while investors were mostly keen on the small units.

The 99-year leasehold Trevista, within walking distance of both Braddell and Toa Payoh MRT stations, has 44 one-bedroom units, from 463 sq ft to 721 sq ft. Other units are 861 sq ft to 2,002 sq ft.

Teacher Jean Tan, 29, a potential investor, was keen to get a studio apartment as a ‘first property investment’ for herself and her husband.

One buyer, who asked to be known only as Mr Goh, 44, bought a high-floor three-bedder priced at $1.05 million or $949 psf. He had recently sold another condo unit ‘too low’, and is buying the Trevista unit to recoup this loss, he said.

‘It’s close to the city, and near Oleandar Towers where I presently live. I’m treating it as an investment, possibly for my kids to live in when they grow up,’ said Mr Goh, who is self-employed.

Another keen buyer, Mr James Tan, 55, who lives in Palm Grove in Hougang, wants to live there. ‘It’s a convenient location with good schools nearby for my daughter to attend in the future,’ he said.

The market was expecting big crowds at Trevista as it is the first condo to be launched in the mature Toa Payoh estate since 1996. ERA and CBRE are marketing agents.

There was talk that plenty of blank cheques were collected prior to the preview. Some agents expect a sell-out.

Yesterday, the queue continued even after the doors were opened, as the number of visitors inside the showflat was controlled to avoid overcrowding.

It appears that the Hungry Ghost month from Aug 20 to Sept 18 is not an issue for these buyers even though many Taoist households in Toa Payoh burn incense during the month in the belief that this will appease the spirits. Many buyers would have been from the local area.

The property market traditionally goes into a lull during this period as some Chinese consider it inauspicious to buy a house at this time.

But in recent years, practicality has often overridden superstition, agents say.

‘Some developers may want to wait until the end of the ghost month to launch but those with launch-ready projects will want to capitalise on the buying momentum,’ said Savills Residential director Phylicia Ang.

‘There are a lot of young buyers who are not very superstitious.’

Also, when the market is slow, buyers may stick to their superstitious beliefs but when the market is hot and a good investment opportunity presents itself, they will not hesitate to jump in, lest they miss the boat, explained Ms Ang.

Another project that previewed yesterday also saw fairly strong demand. The Lenox, a freehold five-storey project along Changi Road, sold 52 units.

It has 76 units – the studio units are just 334 sq ft in size while the three bedders go up to 872 sq ft, and three shops.

Sources said it was priced around $1,000 to $1,100 psf, but the total quantum is low as the units are small.

Another freehold project, Trizon @ Mount Sinai by Singapore Land, will start its public preview today at $1,300 psf to $1,500 psf.

Some units have been sold as a staff preview and a sale exhibition in Jakarta was held recently, sources said.

Source: Straits Times, 29 Aug 2009

NTUC Choice Homes Co-operative is pricing the initial phase of its Trevista condo at Toa Payoh, which previews today, at an average price of $898 per square foot. This is about 20 per cent lower than Far East Organization’s Centro Residences next to Ang Mo Kio Hub, priced at $1,150 psf on average and released last month.

However, as Trevista’s units are generally larger than Centro’s, the price differential in absolute terms may be less.

Far East has sold only about 100 units – an outcome some market watchers see as due to price resistance.

Both projects are on 99-year leasehold.

Trevista is near Braddell MRT Station and within walking distance of shopping and other amenities at HDB Hub and Toa Payoh Central. Centro, a 34-storey project with 329 units, is right next to Ang Mo Kio Hub and opposite Ang Mo Kio MRT Station.

The $898 psf and $1,150 psf average prices for the two projects are for normal progress payment schemes. Buyers who opt for the interest absorption scheme will pay 2 per cent more at Trevista and 4 per cent more at Centro. So far, none of Centro’s buyers has opted for interest absorption.

NTUC Choice Homes said yesterday that the absolute price quantums at Trevista on average are about $830,000 for a two-bedroom unit, $1.065 million for a three-bedder, and $1.43 million for a four-bedroom apartment, on a normal progress payment scheme.

The developer is releasing 210 units this weekend, comprising mostly two, three and four-bedroom apartments. The project has a total of 590 units in three 39-storey towers.

Choice Homes has invited business associates, NTUC union members and members of the public who have registered interest in the project for today’s preview. The co-op is extending special benefits to union members for a ‘limited period during the preview’.

Each member who buys a Trevista unit will be given 55,000 LinkPoints as well as one of three other benefits, each worth up to $6,000 – a free NTUC Income Mortgage Protection Plan; an integrated fridge; or a family cash rebate for union members living near their parents or children residing in Toa Payoh or for multiple family-purchases of units.

Trevista is being marketed by CB Richard Ellis and ERA.

Over in the Mount Sinai area, Singapore Land is previewing its freehold Trizon condo this weekend at between $1,300 and $1,500 psf. However, prices are likely to be lower for ground-floor units with private enclosed space.

SingLand is offering only a normal progress payment scheme. It is developing the 24-storey condo, which will have 289 units, on the former Himiko Court site that it bought in May 2007 for $336 million. This works out to $821 psf of potential gross floor area, including an estimated $1.07 million development charge.

Source: Business Times, 28 Aug 2009

Developer has undertaken to bid at least $200 psf ppr for Serangoon condo site

(SINGAPORE) For the fourth time in about a month, a 99-year leasehold site on the government’s reserve list has been triggered for release, as developers seek to replenish their landbanks with suburban condo land after the run-up in home sales.

Market watchers expect more successful applications from developers for the launch of reserve-list sites in the coming months. The latest plot is attractively located at Serangoon Ave 3. It is right next to Lorong Chuan MRT Station and not far off from the Australian International School.

A developer, not named so far, has undertaken to bid at least $83.7 million or about $200 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr) for the site, which consultants say can be developed into a condominium with about 300-370 units, depending on units sizes and mix.

Consultants polled by BT generally expect top bids for the plum site to be in the $350-450 psf ppr range, with resulting breakeven costs of about $700-850 psf and target selling prices of $800-1,100 psf on average.

DTZ’s head of SE Asia research Chua Chor Hoon notes that units in the Goldenhill Park Condo and Amaranda Gardens nearby have transacted at about $810 psf to $950 psf in the past three months. She projects top bids of about $370-450 psf ppr for the latest plot and reckons that the bidders could be eyeing average selling prices of $1,000 to $1,100 psf when the project on the site is ready for launch in about a year.

Urban Redevelopment Authority will launch the tender for the site in about two weeks. Competition will be hot, with more than 10 bids expected.

Last week, the tender for a condo plot at Chestnut Avenue – less attractively located than the latest land parcel – pulled 13 bids and a much-higher-than-expected top bid of $280 psf ppr by a City Developments and Hong Realty tie-up. The two other reserve list sites triggered recently and whose tenders have yet to close are a condo site at Dakota Crescent and a commercial and residential plot at the corner of Yio Chu Kang and Seletar roads.

Knight Frank executive director (residential) Peter Ow says a condo on the latest plot next to Lorong Chuan MRT will appeal to investors looking to rent out apartments to Australian expat families, given the site’s proximity to the Australian International School.

‘There’s also a good base of demand from HDB upgraders in the Serangoon and Ang Mo Kio vicinities. In addition, some of those living in the surrounding landed estates may be keen to buy a condo unit for their children or as investment,’ he adds. Mr Ow expects the highest bids for the land parcel to be about $350-$450 psf ppr, reflecting a breakeven cost of $700-850 psf.

A condo on the plot will be just one station away from Serangoon MRT, where the ‘nex’ mall is coming up. ‘The site is in an established housing estate, with both landed homes and condos, and is also near neighbourhood schools,’ observed Ngee Ann Polytechnic real estate lecturer Nicholas Mak. His projection of top bids at $240-315 psf ppr, however, was the lowest of the four property market watchers polled by BT yesterday.

Colliers International executive director (investment sales) Ho Eng Joo, who forecasts top bids in the $350-400 psf ppr band, expects developers to trigger more sites for launch from the reserve list.

The government will release a site in this list for tender only upon successful application by a developer that undertakes to offer a minimum price that is acceptable to the state. Still available on the reserve list are sites that can yield condos near Bishan, Bartley and Bedok MRT stations. Also on offer are plots in places like Yishun, Tampines, Upper Thomson, Jalan Jurong Kechil and Upper Changi Road North.

While developers did not buy residential land last year during the global financial crisis when home sales dried up and funding was tight, they enjoyed a sudden, strong run-up in homes sales between February and July that has left even many developers surprised.

This has had the effect of shrinking the supply pipeline of mass-market homes, especially those on 99-year leasehold sites bought at state tenders. This has tempted developers generally to raise prices across various tiers of the market. However, lately some buyers have started to respond by withdrawing to the sidelines again either because they are priced out or they feel prices are starting to run away again.

A good gauge of affordability and resistance levels will emerge later this week when NTUC Choice Homes previews its 590-unit Trevista condo in Toa Payoh.

Source: Business Times, 25 Aug 2009

Developers go ahead with launches, hoping buying fervour will overcome superstition

Strong buying momentum in the property market is expected to hold up a traditionally slow month of sales in August as the Hungry Ghost Month – the seventh month of the lunar calendar – kicked in last Thursday.

For non-superstitious home buyers, the good news is developers seem to be going full steam ahead with launches.

The property market typically goes into a lull during this period, which ends on Sept 18 this year, as many Chinese consider it inauspicious to make housing commitments, move house or start renovation work at this time.

But practicality often overrides superstition, especially when buyers are presented with attractive options.

Property consultant Nicholas Mak, who is also a Ngee Ann Polytechnic real estate lecturer, said developers would likely want to ‘capitalise on the buying momentum and current positive sentiment’ and push the projects out.

One keenly watched upcoming launch is NTUC Choice Homes’ Trevista, located at the junction of Toa Payoh Lorong 2 and Lorong 3.

The developer told The Sunday Times that the launch will go ahead next weekend, and market watchers are anticipating crowds to swamp the showflat despite the Hungry Ghost festival.

This is primarily due to the popular location of the 590-unit leasehold condominium.

Mr Mak noted that it has been more than 10 years since a condominium was launched in Toa Payoh. ‘I won’t be surprised if there is a long queue. If it is attractively priced, buyers will bite, regardless of superstition,’ he said.

Trevista’s marketing agents ERA Asia-Pacific and CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) say the indicative price has not been disclosed by the developer, but Mr Mak reckons it might be priced in the $900 to $1,000 psf range, similar to city-fringe property prices.

The project of three 39-storey blocks will offer the interest absorption scheme, where buyers can postpone the bulk of payment until completion, which is expected to be late 2012.

Elsewhere, in Balestier, estate agents have started marketing special previews for freehold condominium Prestige Heights, developed by the Fragrance Group.

The 18-storey condominium will offer 154 units and is said to be priced from $1,100 psf.

The seventh month weighed heavily on August sales figures last year – only 325 private homes were sold by developers – but this was also coupled with the impact of the global financial crisis.

It is expected to have far less impact this year.

While analysts are predicting that this month is unlikely to match July’s stunning figure of 2,767 private units sold, sales will still be healthy, they said.

CBRE executive director of residential Joseph Tan estimates that 1,500 units will be sold this month.

This number includes units that are sold from projects that are currently being marketed as well as new projects that will be launched over the rest of the month.

This number also takes into account that some transactions will spill into September, especially for projects that are launched this week.

The 1,500 level is healthy, considering that since market sentiment improved in March, the monthly sales from March to June ranged between 1,200 and 1,800 units, said Mr Tan.

ERA’s associate director, Mr Eugene Lim, observed that the profile of buyers has been changing over the years.

‘Things literally came to a standstill five to 10 years ago during the seventh month, but buyers now are younger and are less superstitious,’ he said.

But Mr Mak feels the Hungry Ghost Month will still have an impact to a certain extent.

‘There are some buyers who will still be reluctant to make big commitments,’ he said.

One certainty, he added, is that the period is unlikely to affect prices as developers will not revise prices downwards given the current optimistic sentiment in the property market.

CBRE’s Mr Tan said there will be 12 to 15 projects launched during the lunar seventh month this year, including re-launches.

‘Generally, if it is a good product, at any time of the year, it will be able to sell,’ he said.

——————————————
Younger buyers less superstitious
‘Things literally came to a standstill five to 10 years ago during the seventh month, but buyers now are younger and are less superstitious.’

ERA associate director Eugene Lim, on how the profile of buyers has been changing over the years

Source: Sunday Times, 23 Aug 2009

All but one of these private condo projects are on 99-yr-leasehold sites

DEVELOPERS of at least six mass-market private condos could release their projects in the next few months, riding on buying momentum generated lately by the Caspian condo near Jurong Lake – despite the recession.

Property consultancy CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) tips Oasis @ Elias, The Gale on Flora Road in Upper Changi and Ascentia Sky on Alexandra Road among projects for possible launch in the next two quarters.

Others include UOL’s 646-unit condo at Simei Street 4, Frasers Centrepoint’s project in Woodleigh Close and a 571-unit condo by NTUC Choice Homes at Lor 2/3 Toa Payoh near Braddell MRT Station.

All but one of these projects are on 99-year-leasehold sites bought through government land tenders in the past 14 months. The exception is The Gale, a freehold condo to be developed by Tripartite Developers as the latest in its series of condo projects in the Upper Changi location.

Frasers Centrepoint’s recent sales spurt for Caspian has shown where the base price is for the mass market.

The developer released the first 250 units of the 99-year-leasehold condo during a preview last week, at an average price of $580 per square foot (psf), followed by a second batch of about 130 better-facing units at $600 psf. So far, more than 330 units have been sold in the development, which is next to Lakeside MRT Station.

BT understands the developer is likely to offer a further 150 units during a public launch this weekend – and that pricing is likely to be calibrated upwards.

CBRE executive director Joseph Tan attributes the good response to Caspian partly to its timely launch, coinciding with the government’s announcement in Parliament that it will upgrade, expand and transform Jurong into a business and recreational hub.

‘The project is also priced competitively, within the affordability of HDB upgraders,’ he said. ‘The sales momentum seen at Caspian is an encouragement to developers to get their projects ready for launch in the second and third quarters of 2009.’

Knight Frank executive director Peter Ow said that in current conditions, mass-market suburban projects aimed at HDB upgraders are more likely to sell than projects in other segments.

‘After all, HDB upgraders buying private homes for their own occupation are the core group of buyers left today,’ he said. ‘Investors and ‘specu-vestors’ are lying low. And as for foreign buyers, investing in overseas properties might not be a priority right now.’

Amid today’s tight lending climate, owner-occupiers are also more likely to secure finance from banks than investors, provided they have the means to service their loans, Mr Ow said.

He reckons that for condos in outlying areas near MRT stations, the price resistance for a new launch in today’s market would probably be in the $600-650 psf range on average.

Another analyst put a price resistance in a higher band of $750-$850 psf for condos in mature HDB estates such as Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio.

Source: Business Times – 11 Feb 2009