Posts tagged: The Wharf Residence

Jun 16 2009

High-end market hots up

SALES of private residential properties surged to their highest level in nearly two years in May.

According to the latest data by the Urban Redevelopment Authority released yesterday, overall home sales totalled 1,668 units last month, the highest monthly figure since the all-time record of 1,723 units was set in August 2007.

Purchases of private homes in the prime districts, which include Holland Road, River Valley and Newton, nearly doubled in May with 617 units sold, compared with 322 in April.

Market watchers said the spike in transaction volumes was due to the recent stock market rally, coupled with optimistic consumer confidence and liquidity.

Said Mr Donald Han, managing director of Cushman and Wakefield: “Back in late March and April, the regional stock markets went up by about one-third. This fuelled a lot of the liquidity that is coming back into the (property) market.”

CBRE Research’s executive director, Mr Li Hiaw Ho, said there was a significant amount of interest in high-end properties last month. “Five units of The Orange Grove were sold at the median price of $2,320 per square foot (psf), while one unit each of Boulevard Vue and St Regis Residences was sold at $2,602 psf and $2,200 psf respectively,” said Mr Li.

Mrs Ong Choon Fah, head of consulting at DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, said the May figures suggest that the bullish sentiment in the mass market projects has started to filter up to the luxury segment. “The momentum has certainly picked up. A few projects have seen very brisk sales,” she said.

According to URA data, the most popular developments were Martin Place Residences, The Wharf Residence, The Arte and The Mezzo. These four projects, located in the prime districts of 9, 10 and 11, as well as the city fringe areas, made up more than 30 per cent of the sales. The median prices of units there ranged from $903 to $1,423 psf.

Mr Desmond Sim, associate director of Research at Jones Lang LaSalle, said discounts given by the property developers and strong latent demand helped to boost sales.

Looking ahead, DTZ’s Mrs Ong said prices in the prime districts are likely to go up when more investors comes back into the market, prompting developers to launch the high-end properties in their inventories.

But analysts also warned that the current rebound in the property market may not be sustained.

“Activity remains confined within the residential market. This, in our view, is largely fuelled by softer prices and strong latent demand which alone will not be sufficient to sustain an overall recovery in the market,” said Mr Sim.

“Unless there are improvements in the overall economy, it may still take quite some time before we see the return of ‘super-luxury launches’ which may fetch an average $5,000 psf as affordability still remains the main factor to entice buyers.”

Source: Today, 16 June 2009

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Jun 16 2009

Private home sales keep defying caution

Developers sold year-high 1,668 units in May amid discounts and improved sentiment

(SINGAPORE) The buds of recovery sprouting in the private home market since February seem to have blossomed in May.


Developer sales for the month hit 1,668 units – a record for the year and 37 per cent more than the 1,214 in April. More transactions also occurred in the high-end sector at prices above $2,000 per square foot (psf).

 
However, some industry watchers continue to warn that the blooms may not last unless the economy improves decisively. They also remain concerned about weak rental demand and more residential supply coming on stream.
According to data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) yesterday, developer sales in May put on their strongest showing not just since January, but also since the sub-prime crisis began to rear its head. The 1,668 units sold last month were just 3 per cent shy of the last high of 1,723 units in August 2007.
‘The stockmarket rally which began in mid-March has resulted in positive sentiment that has driven private residential home sales,’ said CBRE Research executive director Li Hiaw Ho. Other consultants noted that lower home prices and immense liquidity searching for higher returns also kept home sales up.
In another sign that sentiment had improved, buying activity continued to return to the high-end core central region (CCR) in May. The launch of 32 units at Rochelle at Newton, for instance, was fully taken up.
Of the 1,668 units sold in May, 617 units or 37 per cent were from CCR. Colliers International pointed out that this proportion far exceeded the much lower 8 per cent seen in February.
Jones Lang LaSalle attributed the higher CCR sales to ‘discounted pricing from developers’, as seen in several projects such as Martin Place Residences, The Wharf Residence and Parc Centennial. At Martin Place Residences, for instance, units were first sold at a median price of $1,746 psf in January 2008. Last month, buyers took up 186 units at a median $1,423 psf.
Not only have sales increased in the high-end property market, more deals struck above $2,000 psf have emerged. According to Colliers, 14 units in May changed hands above that price level, compared with just one in February.
Notably, two apartments at The Orchard Residences went for $2,787 psf and $3,299 psf each last month. Other properties which saw median transaction prices of over $2,000 psf include Boulevard Vue, The Orange Grove, St Regis Residences and Vida.
The mid-market property sector also registered encouraging sales. Colliers noted that some 37 per cent, or 609 units of the 1,668 sold in May came from the rest of central region (RCR); the corresponding proportion in February was 29 per cent.
RCR saw the launch of the 26-unit Spring @ Langsat last month, of which nine units were taken up. Projects such as The Arte and The Mezzo continued to sell well.
Rosy sales aside, some buyers have returned units between April and May. URA data indicates, for instance, a return of 11 units at Mi Casa, three units at Verdure and three units at The Arte.
There are also industry watchers who remain guarded about the recent surge in home sales. This is ‘largely fuelled by softer prices and strong latent demand, which alone will not be sufficient to sustain an overall recovery in the market’, said Jones Lang LaSalle associate director of research Desmond Sim.
‘Unless there are improvements in the overall economy, it may still take quite some time before we see the return of ‘super-luxury launches’ . . . Affordability still remains the main factor to entice buyers.’
Citi and Nomura Singapore also said in research reports last week that the property upswing may not be sustainable. Nomura, in particular, expects to see a W-shaped recovery in asset prices because downside risks such as rising unemployment, falling rents and rising supply still exist.
Colliers deputy managing director Grace Ng noted that the Singapore market is ‘a bit peculiar’ because buying is largely spurred by sentiment; many people ‘actually come into the market because they see other people buying . . . rather than calculating yields’.
Even then, rental yields today are likely to be higher than what bank deposits can offer, she added.

Source: Business Times, 16 June 2009

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May 19 2009

Price cuts draw buyers to 3 condo relaunches

THREE prime condominium projects that struggled to generate interest last year saw a surge of buyer activity over the weekend after developers cut their prices.

The freehold 19-storey Parc Centennial in Kampong Java Road – where all 51 units are served by private lifts – sold 32 units at $1,115 per square foot (psf) to $1,233 psf, or from $1.27 million to $1.93 million. This price level is about 20 per cent lower than last year’s $1,450 psf, and the interest absorption scheme is included.

Developer EL Development sold only six units in April and May last year when the project was originally released for sale. And at a private preview in March this year, it sold a 2,486 sq ft penthouse unit for $1,005 psf.

It held a preview this past weekend and has now sold all the two-bedroom units, which start from 1,098 sq ft. The three-bedders increase in size to 1,572 sq ft.

Managing director Lim Yew Soon said he had raised the prices of the remaining 12 three-bedroom units at Parc Centennial by 2 per cent.

Over at the 302-unit Martin Place Residences in River Valley, a soft launch over the weekend saw sales of 80 units at $1,450 psf on average, out of a total of 100 units launched.

Developer Frasers Centrepoint Homes said the ‘attractive pricing’ drew buyers. It released units priced from $1,260 psf to $1,700 psf, compared with the initial 28 units sold at $1,700 psf to $2,000 psf last year.

Singaporeans made up 62 per cent of the buyers at Martin Place Residences, with the rest being permanent residents and foreigners.

Earlier, CapitaLand had reported strong weekend sales at its 173-unit The Wharf Residence.
About 95 per cent of the buyers chose not to take up the stamp duty waiver and interest absorption, preferring a straight 8 per cent price cut, it said yesterday.

Prices started at just below $1,000 psf for units with private enclosed space and many of the weekend deals were done at less than $1,300 psf, industry sources said.

Attractive price cuts, coupled with the recent stock market rally and a fear of losing out, are some of the key factors spurring buyer interest, experts said.

Compared with the situation late last year, buyers are more confident and developers seem to be taking advantage of improving sentiment to relaunch projects at attractive prices, said PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail.

Source: Straits Times, 19 May 2009

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May 19 2009

Interest absorption greasing market – selectively

(SINGAPORE) Is the interest absorption scheme (IAS) helping to grease home sales?

The answer seems to be yes, if there is no price premium charged by developers for the IAS.
However, if developers charge more in exchange for interest absorption, then the buyers’ profile may decide whether they opt for IAS, industry players say.
Generally, buyers in projects targeted primarily at owner occupiers, such as suburban, mass-market condos prefer to buy on normal progress payment scheme (NPS) rather than IAS, under which they may pay only the initial 20 per cent with no further payments until the project is completed.
For example, slightly over a quarter of those who bought 626 units at Caspian near Jurong Lake since its release in February and 100 units at Waterfront Waves in the Bedok Reservoir area relaunched at lower prices since March have opted for IAS.
At Double Bay Residences in Simei, the proportion of IAS buyers is said to be higher, at 40-50 per cent. At Mi Casa in Choa Chu Kang, no buyer has opted for IAS. Those who bought on IAS in these projects paid 2 or 3 per cent more for their units. The thinking is that mass-market home buyers are usually more price sensitive and prefer NPS if it costs them less, say property pundits.
Projects that have drawn investors may see more buyers inclined to opt for IAS even though there is a price premium. Here, again, the quantum of premium may matter.
For instance, Frasers Centrepoint, which is charging 2 per cent more under IAS for Martin Place Residences, has found that 75 per cent of those who picked up the 80 units in the condo over the weekend opted for IAS. On the other hand, only 5 per cent of buyers of the 109 units that
CapitaLand sold since last Friday at The Wharf Residence (nearby) chose IAS. This could be due to the heftier premium of 5 per cent for IAS.
However, some observers suggest another reason: Wharf Residence could have drawn a fair number of short-term investors.
With IAS, buyers have to immediately sign up for a housing loan (even if they don’t need to make a drawdown until much later). And they will have to pay a penalty if they redeem their loan early.
‘So short-term buyers in an investment grade project may prefer to opt for NPS to avoid being tied down to a loan and having to pay a penalty to the bank for early loan repayment,’ explains Knight Frank executive director Peter Ow.
Agreeing, EL Development managing director Lim Yew Soon told BT that feedback from some buyers who chose NPS for its Illuminaire On Devonshire project (despite the group not charging any price premium for IAS) indicates that they did not intend to hold their units till the project was completed.
The penalty for early loan redemption is typically said to about 1.5 per cent of the loan quantum. ‘So it may be a deterrent for smaller speculators,’ as Mr Lim suggests. However, this may not be a serious issue for deep-pocketed investors eyeing bigger gains.
‘Investors are taking advantage of IAS, which is the old DPS (deferred payment scheme) all over again, except that you have to talk to the banks earlier. Essentially IAS, like DPS, provides a financial option on the real estate market. By paying just 20 per cent of the value of the property, you can take a (bet) that property prices will appreciate by when it’s time to pay up,’ said a property analyst.
Under IAS, buyers have to sign up at once for a home loan. This is unlike DPS, where they could wait much later, closer to the project receiving Temporary Occupation Permit, when they have to pay the bulk of the purchase price to the developer.
Still, some like Mr Ow argue that IAS does not encourage speculation. ‘Whether speculation kicks in depends on the stage of the market. In today’s condition, only the very brave will come in to speculate.
‘IAS involves obtaining a bank loan approval upfront and banks are cautious about granting loans to property investors. It is quite unlikely banks will approve mortgages for those buying multiple units in a project.’
Others point out the current buying flurry does not stem from IAS. ‘The buying interest seems spurred by positive sentiments about the market as people are drawn to buy/upgrade due to reasonable prices,’ a spokesman for Far East Organization said.
Source: Business Times, 19 May 2009

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May 18 2009

CapitaLand sells 80% of Wharf Residence

HOMEBUYER sentiment continued to hold up over the weekend, with units of CapitaLand’s The Wharf Residence selling fast.

The property giant launched 100 units last Friday, of which 85 were snapped up that same day.

The Wharf Residence is a 999-year leasehold condominium, located off the hip Mohamed Sultan Road, comprising four residential towers and 13 conservation shophouses.

Over the weekend, CapitaLand released more units and sold another 24. During its launch last year, 25 units were sold. The weekend sales bring the total number of units sold to 134, as of 4pm yesterday.

With 173 apartments in the development, CapitaLand has chalked up a respectable tally of nearly 80 per cent sold.

In a press statement yesterday, CapitaLand said that it sold the units at an average price of between $1,300 and $1,600 per sq ft (psf). Prices are down, lower than the range of $1,429 psf to $1,708 psf seen in the third quarter of last year.

Another selling point could have been the stamp duty absorption and interest absorption scheme.
Ms Patricia Chia, chief executive of CapitaLand Residential Singapore, said that four out of five of the homebuyers were locals. The rest of the buyers hailed from Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Japan, Canada and Vietnam.

She added that the heritage homes will be launched for sale soon.

The sales of The Wharf Residence suggest that the healthy performance of the property market, as seen by the strong showing in new private home sales last month, is set to continue.

Source: Straits Times, 18 May 2009

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May 18 2009

CapitaLand sells 24 more The Wharf Residence units

About 80% of buyers for the 134 units sold to date are Singaporeans

CAPITALAND has sold another 24 apartments over the weekend at The Wharf Residence at Tong Watt Road, off Mohamed Sultan Road, the listed property group said in a release yesterday.

This comes after the sale of 85 apartments on Friday following a relaunch of the 999-year-leasehold project.
The apartments are priced at between $1,300 and $1,600 per square foot (psf) inclusive of a package comprising stamp duty absorption and an interest absorption scheme.

Buyers who do not opt for this package will enjoy an 8 per cent discount.
Last year, CapitaLand priced apartments in the development at $1,500 to $1,900 psf, again inclusive of the stamp duty/interest absorption package.

However, buyers were not given the choice of not opting for this package.

With the latest sales achieved up to 4pm yesterday, CapitaLand has sold 134 of the total 173 apartments in the project.

About 80 per cent of buyers for the 134 units sold to date are Singaporeans.

The rest are from Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Japan, Canada and Vietnam, said CapitaLand Residential Singapore CEO Patricia Chia.

The apartments comprise two to four-bedroom units ranging from 1,012 to 2,196 square feet, as well as five penthouses (2,745 to 5,565 sq ft).

The development also includes 13 conserved shophouses, dubbed the Vintage Collection houses, ranging from 4,478 to 4,930 sq ft in strata area.

Ms Chia said CapitaLand has received queries for the conserved houses and will launch them for sale soon.

Source: Business Times, 18 May 2009

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May 16 2009

Private home sales strong

Demand for mid- to mass-market units sees more homes launched
SALES of new private homes continued to boom in April, almost matching the frenetic pace of activity set in both February and March this year.
Some 1,207 units were sold during the month as more were launched by developers keen to take advantage of increased buying momentum, partly fuelled by stock market rises. This compares with sales of 1,220 units in March and 1,332 in February.
Last month, developers launched 1,083 new homes, up from 832 in March, according to data released yesterday by the Urban Redevelopment Authority.
The latest figures mean that developer sales for the first four months of the year equate to around 88 per cent of all such sales last year. The two best-selling projects in April were Mi Casa in Choa Chu Kang and The Arte in Jalan Datoh. Buyers picked up 115 units of Mi Casa at a median price of $639 per sq ft (psf), while 110 units of The Arte were sold at a median price of $903 psf.
Suburban projects remained the most popular. Some 523 suburban units were sold during the month, down from 559 units in March and 840 in February.
In April, the lowest-priced non-landed deal was in Bayou Residence, where a unit with a rooftop garden was transacted at just $300 psf.
The month saw increased launches and sales activity in the core central region. Some 339 homes were launched there – five times the 70 units in March and the most since September 2007.
Certain prime projects with median prices from $1,156 psf to $1,703 psf were popular with buyers, said CBRE Research. It pointed out that projects such as the sold-out 72-unit Illuminaire On Devonshire, RV Suites and Attitude At Kim Yam were successful because of the low absolute quantum price per unit – they comprised mostly small-format units of 330 sq ft to 720 sq ft.
Ms Jacqueline Wong, head of residential at Jones Lang LaSalle, said: ‘Buying appetite is returning for new developments that are reasonably priced. For example, Verdure by Bukit Sembawang on Holland Road, with a median price of $1,416 psf, roughly translates to below $2 million for a home in Holland Road.’
Said Mr David Neubronner, executive director, residential at Credo Real Estate: ‘The perception of the market is changing. Certain quarters feel that prices may not go down very much from current levels. Some new launches this year started selling at slightly lower prices to soak in demand, but they are now raising their prices by a little.’
Still, some of those who launched earlier at higher prices continue to cut.
Yesterday, CapitaLand released 100 units at the 999-year leasehold The Wharf Residence off Mohamed Sultan Road at $1,300 psf to $1,600 psf. To entice buyers, it is waiving stamp duty and offering interest absorption. Prices are down from a range of $1,429 to $1,708 psf in the third quarter of last year.
CBRE Research executive director Li Hiaw Ho said: ‘Based on the price range of the units sold in April and May, we are seeing a stabilisation of prices in contrast with the 14.1 per cent quarter-on-quarter record decline in the first quarter.’
However, while the mass and mid-markets have found their equilibrium, high-end developers may still have to lower prices if they want to sell now, said Mr Neubronner.
Property experts warned that April’s pace is unlikely to be sustained, given that Singapore remains in a recession.
‘Many homebuyers are purchasing new homes in the hope that the property market would recover shortly,’ said Knight Frank director of research and consultancy Nicholas Mak.
Mr Neubronner added that prices could possibly hover around current levels for the next 12 months.
Dr Chua Yang Liang, head of research, South-east Asia, at Jones Lang LaSalle, added: ‘Until there are clear signals of a stabilisation and underlying positive growth in the real economy, the residual pent-up demand alone cannot be expected to lift the residential market in the long term.’
Source: Straits Times, 16 May 2009

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May 16 2009

More property launches on buying interest

CapitaLand releases units at The Wharf Residence, Frasers Centrepoint to launch Woodleigh project in July or Aug

DEVELOPERS are riding the wave of buying interest to launch more units.

CapitaLand yesterday released 100 two and three-bedroom units at The Wharf Residence, a 999-year leasehold condominium near Mohamed Sultan Road which comprises 173 apartments and 13 shophouses.
CapitaLand could make more units available today as the launch stretches into the weekend.
The release of more units at The Wharf Residence comes as activity in the higher end of the property market is starting to stir. According to URA’s April statistics, buyers snapped up 64 units out of 75 launched at Bukit Sembawang Estates’ Verdure at Holland Road. The median price of the transactions was $1,416 psf.

‘Sentiment is better now,’ said Knight Frank executive director (residential) Peter Ow. Some buyers feel that property prices have dropped enough, he added.

And even if prices have not bottomed, they believe that there is probably ‘no harm in going in now, rather than letting money sit in the bank’. Some buyers are also worried about missing out on a real estate recovery, he said.

Separately, Frasers Centrepoint mentioned at its results briefing last week that it will launch its Woodleigh project in July or August this year. Prices will be at a level that ‘the market will accept’, said its chief executive, Lim Ee Seng.

The company’s Caspian at Lakeside has seen strong take-up since its launch in February. Of the 712 units in the development, 611 had been sold as at May 7, Frasers Centrepoint said.Source: Business Times, 16 May 2009

The group sold 85 units – mostly two-bedders – at an average price of between $1,300 and $1,600 per square foot (psf).

Sizes of two-bedroom units start at 1,012 sq ft. Assuming a price of $1,300 psf, one would cost about $1.32 million.

Some of the 100 units released yesterday were the remainder from an earlier launch.

According to Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) records, CapitaLand introduced 80 units to the market in July last year and sold 24 until September that year at median prices above $1,500 psf.

The Wharf Residence is expected to receive its temporary occupation permit in 2013. CapitaLand is offering buyers a package deal of stamp duty absorption and interest absorption. BT understands that those who do not take up this package may get to pay up to 8 per cent less.

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