Living in JB

[HH_lover]

Been following the thread pretty much from page 1 and just completed reading all posts 2 days ago...3 weeks of reading a forum-thread...a certain first for me!

Anyone think that property prices in Singapore will actually goes downhill? All opinions welcome!

Hi Cathy...

According to some learned friends (hope Wuqi won't mind me using this wonderful term), the market is rather uncertain at the moment for 2 reasons. Firstly, it seems KBW has been having breakfast with many real estate experts of late to find out what he should be doing. My friends are of the opinion that he will make some announcements with certainty, but he is likely to hold out for a while as the current tension is helping to stabilise the pricing somewhat. Secondly, market correction and according to todays ST, Singapore will be one of the worst-hit nations when we have to pick up after the US situation.

Singapore 'likely to be hit' if US defaults
By Aaron Low, Economics Correspondent
SINGAPORE is likely to be among the worst-hit countries in Asia should the United States default on its massive debts leading to a financial crisis, warned Credit Suisse yesterday.

This is because US banks account for almost 15 per cent of total domestic bank lending here, said the bank in a report.

In such a default cum credit crunch scenario, American banks would almost certainly withdraw their funds from the region, including Singapore, said Credit Suisse head of India and South-east Asia economics Robert Prior-Wandesforde.

'Should the US default and a credit crunch happen, it would make the fall of Lehman look like a picnic,' he added, referring to the collapse of Lehman Brothers investment bank in September 2008, an event that triggered the financial crisis.

US lawmakers have been locked in heated, partisan talks over raising a statutory limit on the US borrowings ceiling ahead of an Aug2 deadline.

If the US fails to raise this debt ceiling, it could default on its obligations - sending shock waves across global financial markets, said analysts.

[Investor]

So Mydin hypermart is open tmr...l'm pretty excited. Will go this weekend to check! If anyone there tmr, please update us, best with some photos! Thank!

Many pictures here http://www.mydin.com.my/events/event...116&id_topic=3

[lalata77]

Maybe NTUC Fairprice should venture into Nusajaya or Iskandar ...

[Investor]

Haha just found out that our friend Lemans2011 also started his blog 'Across the Straits' just 10 days ago.
Can I have your permission to share the link here?

[wuqi256]

Yes Mydin mart. Long awaited. I knew that they would open one eventually but glad that like what Investor said it will open this weekend.
EL should see some more appreciation soon.

[wuqi256]

Btw, where is the Professor?

I was wondering too.

[wuqi256]

I always hoped that they were wrong but it does look like it is coming:
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking...ry_696089.html

[wuqi256]

Hi HH Lover,

Thanks, no issues, please use it my learned friend.
Yes, folks have been telling me about it so now its indeed coming true.

[HH_lover]

Can anyone enlighten me on the annual recurring taxes in Johor?

In my scant remembrance, I recall something about Quit Rent, property tax. Can someone share how the likely annual list looks like and the frequency of payment (monthly, quarterly, annually).

TIA!

[contra]

Hope not to disappoint everyone here especially those in EL, Mydin is only opening a Bazaar store and NOT a Hypermart at Anjung Neighborhood Centre.
http://www.mydin.com.my/mydin/stores So when you go there do not be surprise by the size of it.

Hi Serenity, Thanks for the tip. In fact I had a good time browsing and picking up stuff today. Very good prices. Thought I would just go kepo kepo and ended up buying RM100 worth of stuff. I was impressed that the service was quite nice as they had many workers. Hope the good service persists and not a flash in pan.

Only downside was the ready-cooked food were iffy. I was going for the fried bee hoon packet and the guy behind the counter was quite nice to say hold on, as it may not be fresh . He took it and sniffed it and confirmed that I should not buy it. I did not see if he put it back in the counter... after that, I did not bother to take a second look at the cooked chicken.

Is a halal place. Was opened to be in time for fasting month which starts Monday. I was there are 5pm and already a crowd with some entertaining bad-singing contest. Had to park a bit further. Expecting the weekend to be packed before fasting starts. The mostly Malay clientele today seemed pent up for it.

On way back picked up hong xia (red prawn) durian and sultan durian for RM10/kg at Esso Gelang Patah after pumping petrol. I confirm very good stuff..

The 2nd link was smooth sailing at 620pm. But PIE was bad after Jurong..... I very soon missed JB. You lucky people who are already staying there

[contra]

Btw, where is the Professor?

funny I was actually thinking today where has AP & Cathy gone?

[contra]

Anyone think that property prices in Singapore will actually goes downhill? All opinions welcome!

Hi Cathy,

It will go down but this time, not downhill. This time IMHO I believe there is real holding power. It will bounce up back fast, even faster than what we saw in 2009.

The rich people are really coming esp Chinese & Indian. I stay in the east and I noticed more and more bmw's than toyota's & honda's even amongst the locals. Even more ang mohs. You saw hsbc announcement, cut 10k jobs worldwide, but add 2k in Singapore & China. Even LKY affirms foreign talent important and today's radios all propaganda to put the Singapore football team as examples of the success of the policy. My office Chinese colleague just bought Lakeshore in Jurong that sells for $1200 psft.

I am of the belief that we have reached a new higher base of property prices, part from inflation and part from demand. Mass market condo minimum now $750-800 psqft.

If interest rates go significantly up, then the fall could be more. But I see low chance of that in such economic conditions. Thats why KBW prefers the psychology game of talking down the market. Anyway if US self destructs, we are all in trouble together. So lets enjoy life and make the strong SGD go further in JB

[Jogs1]

Many pictures here http://www.mydin.com.my/events/event...116&id_topic=3

Great! Shall go there this evening. Thanks investor!

[Bigfatfish]

i'm interested to know as well

Hi lastresort, looks like you are ready to do postgraduate

Good thought processes. Maybe you can make some money as an investment analyst/banker.

My take is Temasek needs to invest in Medini. That Najib came along and executed the deal only catalyses it (as signing was long ago). Capitaland and Keppel Land have seen the success of Taman Sutera and would have been test cases for Temasek years ago and confirms their vision. Vision of many retirees retiring in JB. There is a need for housing for Singapore senior citizens with good quality of life and Nusajaya presents just that. Thus Wellness Village is a natural concept for Temasek to start in Nusajaya. Singapore will become a hub for multi-cultural-high-income-generating-young-workforce. That is why property prices in Singapore have started to climb to a upper long term new base and why Iskandar esp Nusajaya (a greenfield site) will follow suit. We all betting on that with investments both sides. The logic is inescapable.

=) Hi Investor Bro, you're definitely a young investor and already have at least 3 landed properties (I can assume from your earlier post)! I believe you're happily married and have at least a property in Singapore. I'm so impressed by what you have achieved (sorry I have exposed you a little).

Even my part time ex colleagues who are around 34 are still queuing for BTO government flats. They are average Singaporeans, so I guess our generation and future generations of Singaporeans are not doing so well.

Hi HH Lover,

Thanks, no issues, please use it my learned friend.
Yes, folks have been telling me about it so now its indeed coming true.

it's going to be big. As long as HH continue to build can already. It's gonna be scary this time.

[LeMans2011]

Haha just found out that our friend Lemans2011 also started his blog 'Across the Straits' just 10 days ago.
Can I have your permission to share the link here?

Haha that is just testing... seems to get a lot of error messages... might try Wordpress which a learned friend recommend to me (sorry Wuqi this phrase is so nice to use) but have not got chance to try that yet... its really a nice way to keep your life diary

[HH_lover]

Haha that is just testing... seems to get a lot of error messages... might try Wordpress which a learned friend recommend to me (sorry Wuqi this phrase is so nice to use) but have not got chance to try that yet... its really a nice way to keep your life diary

LOL... I started mine about 3 weeks ago... other than keeping my own diary, it will help me to accumulate many of the resources/contacts I have learnt from you all. Also, allows me to build my investment lens on Nusajaya... also agreed on the phrase "learned friend", my learned friend.

[Analytical Professor]

Hey Guys

Really sorry......

Im on off these days.....

Sorry guys

More like visiting professor.

So many posts

Cant keep up

Cant reply either

Lack of time

So many things happening around me. . . Finding it hard to compartmentalise my time

How does wuqi do it?

[Analytical Professor]

Ok the MACDOs at SETIA TROPIKA. Has opened. My kids were so excited. . . Wam
Nna play there.

Just compare with spore MACDOs so crowded

[Analytical Professor]

Did a lot of research on pfingo, skype, pennytel

As u rightly mentioned pfingo n pennytel r good n a whole load cheaper than skype as well

For those who wants a Singapore number while overseas, this is the best I can recommend.

However, if you are looking for a more comprehensive VoIP provider, try pennytel.com.
They can provide you with a number in Australia, and Malaysia.

Calling Malaysia, China, USA, etc is as low as A$0.08/call (depending on your plan).
I was one of their pioneer users and having the above service with no monthly fee.
As I make alot of calls to China... it saves me a whole load.

[Analytical Professor]

agreed not cheap.

There is one more s unno previously mediaring.

Really cheap.

Any downsides..?

bro, I understand.

Just that pfingo is useful mainly to users who wants a Singapore number, for those who wants to call overseas, pfingo is not cheap (unless pfingo to pfingo), thats why I was recommending pennytel for this group of people.