omg....the lady in white must have bought a dozen in Medini. Sell kids in candy store excitement story...10mins to Singapore 
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Puteri Harbour Community
- Thread starter Qube3
- Start date
3rd or 4th ?
these years many companies mnc in manufacturing move out of Sg due to its high cost. some to china while others to malaysia some back to US.. what they do is to first set up a research centre in sg and a factory in malaysia, then they gradually downsize sg offices as the factory staff become more expertised and independent. then only a few people are left in sg in the end or completely shut down to cut cost.
friends say oil and gas the same...suffer most with oil price now around 30... look at the big sg OandG company stock last year. those who buy oil and gas services already loses half their money.
so why unfazed and optimistic..
friends say oil and gas the same...suffer most with oil price now around 30... look at the big sg OandG company stock last year. those who buy oil and gas services already loses half their money.
so why unfazed and optimistic..
There seems to be some small but positive news coming up on Iskandar now. I think companies are slowly finding it too expensive to set up businesses in Singapore. Hope more will move to Iskandar and cause Singapore to slowly crumble!
On the residential properties side, I was having casual chats with some old friends yesterday. We all agreed that prices of even HDB flats have gone up too quickly and cost so much now.
Don't even need to talk about the private condos here. They are out of league for the normal graduates and commoners. Developers are now squeezing a stupid tiny 850 sq ft unit into a 3-bedroom costing a shocking $1.2 million! The common bedrooms can only accommodate a single bed, one small wardrobe and that's almost it. You can't even put a decent study table and expect to walk comfortably inside.
There's news that property prices have come down in Singapore in the last 2 years due to the cooling measures. Some developers and investors are now crying out to the government to remove the measures. I don't understand this part. The reduction in prices so far is so little. The ones who complain now are the rich who want to avoid paying more. The prices are still not attractive to the low middle-income group. If the measures are removed, I am sure many people will start rushing in to buy up the units. We will see a lot more increase in prices.
I think the conclusion is that there are too many rich people in Singapore. I don't know what the government has been doing in the past 10 years. But it's not hard to imagine Lee Hsien Loong must have admitted many super rich new citizens here.
Now I am slowly seeing that buying a home in Iskandar and retiring there makes sense. If I can, I wish to boycott the expensive homes here for my own use. What the government has done to its common citizens in the last 10-15 years is plain ridiculous. Many have to downgrade their lifestyles due to the very high cost of living and stagnant salaries. How do they expect the commoners to have more kids?
Let's gaze into the crystal ball. Mari Mari Hom...
I see similarities between SG/MY and Tokyo/Osaka. People work in Tokyo but stay in Osaka or its outskirts and travel on a 2 hr ride daily on their bullet trains. I believe one day people will travel to and fro to work/ stay between SG and KL (90 mins). Stops at Muar and Melaka would get residential interests from those who want cheaper homes and retire. Iskandar is nearest to SG, therefore is more expensive. The further you move away from SG, the cheaper it is until it reaches KL and the prices will rise again. It is the same as in Taiwan. People stay in cheaper Taichung but work in Taipei. But Taoyuan properties which is nearest to Taipei is slightly expensive.
One of the reason I did not want to invest in SG is that the high property prices is only sustainable and very dependent on foreigners whether to work or to migrate there. People say safety and infrastructure are the main reasons why people want to live there. But I also believe infrastructure will get old and deteriorate over time. Besides foreigners working there depend on world economy outlook. Today as we speak, many multinationals are closing down their offices in SG.
I believe Iskandar can improve over time in terms of security especially in new greenfield areas like Nusajaya and the infrastructure are actually new. Given a choice I will still pick MY. Of course I am biased here but I am looking at a 10 year horizon.
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nowadays new citizens also buy houses in jb.our company has a lot of phds on local university scholarships. most them are from china and are sg citizens. i know quite a few who bought at hh, danga bay etc.
as the said..one mil rm is only 1.5 china yuan. barely enough to buy a living room in shen zhen or a kitchen in beijing... but here got you a condo with swimming pool or superlink house. dirt cheap..btw, china is too far away. they are foreigners and can only stay 3 months per entry...
and why worried? if it takes ten years to pay up the loan. got retrenched or retire in early 50 and move to jb. any rental income from hdb is a bonus. 10 year rental enough to cover the whole payments. while in sg you got to share ur tiny hdb with strangers..probably get into fights or work parttime at @... any decent living?
as the said..one mil rm is only 1.5 china yuan. barely enough to buy a living room in shen zhen or a kitchen in beijing... but here got you a condo with swimming pool or superlink house. dirt cheap..btw, china is too far away. they are foreigners and can only stay 3 months per entry...
and why worried? if it takes ten years to pay up the loan. got retrenched or retire in early 50 and move to jb. any rental income from hdb is a bonus. 10 year rental enough to cover the whole payments. while in sg you got to share ur tiny hdb with strangers..probably get into fights or work parttime at @... any decent living?
Indeed the HDB prices are high, which was why for me to have a bigger house means looking across to JB because the jumbo flat costs $700K excluding COV of $100K! The funny thing is that even with the high HDB prices our govt keep saying it is affordable. Maybe it is only affordable if you buy BTO at far out non-mature estates, take maximum tenure loans from HDB, have two income earners, no kids, no parents to support, no car, no insurance, no leisure, no travel, in other words...no life! LOL! Other than that, hard to afford the affordable.....
I remembered my sis in law complaining about how things were becoming more expensive in Singapore, and felt it was tough unless she followed what we did and "downgrade" to living in JB. I was like....huh? I don't think moving over to JB was a downgrade at all! LOL!
I feel you can be proud of your decision. It is not always easy for people to break away from their comfort mindset.
haha, I see this clip as a good one to show to the older generation like my mum, easier for them to comprehend. great summary
omg....the lady in white must have bought a dozen in Medini. Sell kids in candy store excitement story...10mins to Singapore
too expensive... two income earners with two school going children and one car in sg, got to spend at least 4000sgd a month.
for instance, student care crntre 300sgd a month and tuition classes (3 subjects) 450 to 500 a month, that costs 1600 sgd a month for two kids' education.
then plus living cost..car loan..insurance..etcetc. at least 4 or 5 k.
for instance, student care crntre 300sgd a month and tuition classes (3 subjects) 450 to 500 a month, that costs 1600 sgd a month for two kids' education.
then plus living cost..car loan..insurance..etcetc. at least 4 or 5 k.
Seems quite possible. On a longer time scale. Maybe 10-15 years' time. The Malaysian government really need to quickly plan having a good transport network into Iskandar. More Singaporeans move over means better economy for Johor and other parts of Malaysia also.
Yes, the situation in Taiwan is almost similar. I was told by my Taiwanese friend that in Taipei, it's impossible for new graduates and even those who have been working for years to own apartments there. They either rent or live in far outskirts. New graduates' salaries are really pathetic there. Not hard to imagine Singapore becoming like that in a decade or so.
Yes, the situation in Taiwan is almost similar. I was told by my Taiwanese friend that in Taipei, it's impossible for new graduates and even those who have been working for years to own apartments there. They either rent or live in far outskirts. New graduates' salaries are really pathetic there. Not hard to imagine Singapore becoming like that in a decade or so.
Let's gaze into the crystal ball. Mari Mari Hom...
I see similarities between SG/MY and Tokyo/Osaka. People work in Tokyo but stay in Osaka or its outskirts and travel on a 2 hr ride daily on their bullet trains. I believe one day people will travel to and fro to work/ stay between SG and KL (90 mins). Stops at Muar and Melaka would get residential interests from those who want cheaper homes and retire. Iskandar is nearest to SG, therefore is more expensive. The further you move away from SG, the cheaper it is until it reaches KL and the prices will rise again. It is the same as in Taiwan. People stay in cheaper Taichung but work in Taipei. But Taoyuan properties which is nearest to Taipei is slightly expensive.
One of the reason I did not want to invest in SG is that the high property prices is only sustainable and very dependent on foreigners whether to work or to migrate there. People say safety and infrastructure are the main reasons why people want to live there. But I also believe infrastructure will get old and deteriorate over time. Besides foreigners working there depend on world economy outlook. Today as we speak, many multinationals are closing down their offices in SG.
I believe Iskandar can improve over time in terms of security especially in new greenfield areas like Nusajaya and the infrastructure are actually new. Given a choice I will still pick MY. Of course I am biased here but I am looking at a 10 year horizon.
The SG government says HDB flats are still affordable because they are politicians.
Ok seriously, I think they are just running away from the problem. They know many are living in "pigeon holes" but they use psychology to change the mindsets of the couples buying HDB flats now. The government is making them think they are getting a "cozy" home. One day, when the locals finally wake up and have enough of the nonsense, maybe they will all start to look at the greener pastures in Iskandar?
Last time, one non-graduate parent working can raise 2-3 kids, own a small car and clear their 95 sq m, 4-room housing loan within 5-10 years comfortably. Usually the mum stays home to be housewife, cook and look after the kids.
Today, a couple can be uni graduates, no car, own a much smaller 80 sq m, 4-room flat, no kids or only 1 kid, and take 30 damn long years to clear their loan.
I still think the government has a part to blame in all these. There have been too many rich foreigners getting their citizenship too easily. They live in HDB flats, some use cash to pay full their S$700k flats. When you have a lot of these people coming, naturally, the flat prices will also be artificially raised along the way. Otherwise, I see no reason why or how HDB flat prices can increase so rapidly, especially from 2005 onwards. Our local salaries and birth rates did not rise fast enough for this phenomenon to happen. It has to be the new citizens causing this.
Ok seriously, I think they are just running away from the problem. They know many are living in "pigeon holes" but they use psychology to change the mindsets of the couples buying HDB flats now. The government is making them think they are getting a "cozy" home. One day, when the locals finally wake up and have enough of the nonsense, maybe they will all start to look at the greener pastures in Iskandar?
Last time, one non-graduate parent working can raise 2-3 kids, own a small car and clear their 95 sq m, 4-room housing loan within 5-10 years comfortably. Usually the mum stays home to be housewife, cook and look after the kids.
Today, a couple can be uni graduates, no car, own a much smaller 80 sq m, 4-room flat, no kids or only 1 kid, and take 30 damn long years to clear their loan.
I still think the government has a part to blame in all these. There have been too many rich foreigners getting their citizenship too easily. They live in HDB flats, some use cash to pay full their S$700k flats. When you have a lot of these people coming, naturally, the flat prices will also be artificially raised along the way. Otherwise, I see no reason why or how HDB flat prices can increase so rapidly, especially from 2005 onwards. Our local salaries and birth rates did not rise fast enough for this phenomenon to happen. It has to be the new citizens causing this.
The condo where I stay in Singapore when I am here, I have school teachers neighbours who can only afford an altis ( both grads working for 10 years already ) and they said at this rate they are saving, they wont be able to retire comfortably. I had tot that school teachers are earning decently. but it seems 5-6k in todays context in peanut
The SG government says HDB flats are still affordable because they are politicians.
Ok seriously, I think they are just running away from the problem. They know many are living in "pigeon holes" but they use psychology to change the mindsets of the couples buying HDB flats now. The government is making them think they are getting a "cozy" home. One day, when the locals finally wake up and have enough of the nonsense, maybe they will all start to look at the greener pastures in Iskandar?
Last time, one non-graduate parent working can raise 2-3 kids, own a small car and clear their 95 sq m, 4-room housing loan within 5-10 years comfortably. Usually the mum stays home to be housewife, cook and look after the kids.
Today, a couple can be uni graduates, no car, own a much smaller 80 sq m, 4-room flat, no kids or only 1 kid, and take 30 damn long years to clear their loan.
I still think the government has a part to blame in all these. There have been too many rich foreigners getting their citizenship too easily. They live in HDB flats, some use cash to pay full their S$700k flats. When you have a lot of these people coming, naturally, the flat prices will also be artificially raised along the way. Otherwise, I see no reason why or how HDB flat prices can increase so rapidly, especially from 2005 onwards. Our local salaries and birth rates did not rise fast enough for this phenomenon to happen. It has to be the new citizens causing this.
The SG government says HDB flats are still affordable because they are politicians.
Ok seriously, I think they are just running away from the problem. They know many are living in "pigeon holes" but they use psychology to change the mindsets of the couples buying HDB flats now. The government is making them think they are getting a "cozy" home. One day, when the locals finally wake up and have enough of the nonsense, maybe they will all start to look at the greener pastures in Iskandar?
Last time, one non-graduate parent working can raise 2-3 kids, own a small car and clear their 95 sq m, 4-room housing loan within 5-10 years comfortably. Usually the mum stays home to be housewife, cook and look after the kids.
Today, a couple can be uni graduates, no car, own a much smaller 80 sq m, 4-room flat, no kids or only 1 kid, and take 30 damn long years to clear their loan.
I still think the government has a part to blame in all these. There have been too many rich foreigners getting their citizenship too easily. They live in HDB flats, some use cash to pay full their S$700k flats. When you have a lot of these people coming, naturally, the flat prices will also be artificially raised along the way. Otherwise, I see no reason why or how HDB flat prices can increase so rapidly, especially from 2005 onwards. Our local salaries and birth rates did not rise fast enough for this phenomenon to happen. It has to be the new citizens causing this.
Not just in Singapore only. Look across the Causeway into Malaysia. Local Malaysians are getting pushed out of all the Prime Locations. Foreigners take over. London, New York City, same thing. Tokyo, CBD residents must rent their Matchbox apartment, because no way they can afford to buy. It is a Global phenomenon---- expensive housing.
They are lucky already. They are living in a condo which puts them higher than most other common citizens living in flats (with no other property ownership). Altis is ok. Anyway, I don't think the car anyone drives is a direct measure of his or her wealth.
I think they can retire if they plan carefully. They have a condo and car! If they can't retire well, what about those who live in 3 or 4 room flats with no car? That's how bad the situation is.
$5-6k monthly salary by the time one hits late 30's or early 40's is definitely pathetic if one wants to have a better quality of life.
Teachers of the past had it much much better. Many years ago when I was a pri/sec student, I remember teachers mostly came to school at about 7am in the morning and before 2pm, they could go home. When we had our long school vacation in June and December, teachers would enjoy most of their long leave too. Some teachers didn't even have uni degrees. But if both husband and wife were teachers, after 10+ years of working, they could aim for a big condo, terrace house or even semi-D.
Today's teachers face sh*t from their HOD/principal/parents and their students may not respect them. They have tons of meetings and a typical day can last from early morning till late evening. Go back home, they still have to mark books and prepare their lessons. Weekends may be burnt on the CCAs they are in charge of. They can no longer take long school holiday breaks. Lots of meetings, activities and other sh*t work.
I feel it's just too fast in Singapore. Even if it's inevitable, the SG government should ensure the infrastructure (more reliable MRT system, sufficient hospital beds, TRULY affordable HDB flats for commoners) are well taken care of and that citizens' lives are not drastically affected. If they want to cause the property prices to increase tremendously, go ahead. Make the private condo prices shoot up through the roofs. Let the rich play among themselves and dabble in it. But to allow HDB flat prices to shoot up by hundreds of thousands within a few years, and claim they are still "affordable", I think that's irresponsible.
Anyway, other big cities like Tokyo, London, NY are huge. People can easily move out to live in the outskirts. Singapore doesn't have "outskirts". Perhaps it is Iskandar?!
In the past, back in in the late 90's and early 2000, when I traveled to big cities like Japan, I was always glad to be back in Singapore -- my home. Because things here were much cheaper and places were less crowded, compared to say Tokyo.
We also remember those days when the Japanese were seen as the rich and they were often spotted in Orchard Road shopping for expensive goods. Today, Singapore is no different from Tokyo, in that the MRT train stations are almost constantly crowded, food has become expensive, properties become so much smaller and their prices unaffordable. I don't miss Singapore any more when I am overseas. And I also don't feel there is anything special about being a Singaporean. I just feel like I am a "global citizen".
To be rather frank I am in the "definitely pathetic" category. Haiz.....
Thanks for the affirmation. Won't say I am proud of my decision lah, but am grateful that the whole move over to JB was even possible given my less than ideal circumstances.
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