Singapore single penalized by HDB housing policies

[Watchman]

Singapore single penalized by HDB housing policies

February 3, 2010 by admin

A36 year old Singaporean single lady by the name of Toh Siew Peng has written a letter to the Straits Times Forum today to complain about HDB’s discriminatory policies against singles.

Only married Singapore couples are permitted to buy new HDB flats and qualified for the housing loan and grant.

Singles will have to wait till they are above 35 years of age to buy a resale flat. However, PRs are not subjected to the same restriction.

Miss Toh claimed in her letter that she wrote to HDB five years ago to ask if she could buy a flat at age of 30 which was allowed, but she did not proceed with the purchase because of the “unattractive conditions” as she did not qualify for the HDB housing loan and grant.

Now at 36 years of age, she wanted to buy a flat under the singles scheme, but was rejected as her income exceeds $3,000.

She took issue with the fact that HDB “took the same circumstances into consideration” in allowing her to buy a flat five years ago, but not now.

“HDB staff advised me to get a bank loan, but I cannot fork out the huge amount of cash upfront. The bank will loan me an amount equivalent to only two times my monthly salary.

I feel that the HDB should increase the income ceiling. Five to 10 years ago, a three- or four-room HDB resale flat was priced from $150,000 to $250,000, but now the price has increased to $280,000 to $350,000. In addition, there is the $20,000 to $40,000 cash upfront, “ she added.

The prices of HDB flats, especially that of resale flats have sky-rocketed in recent years due to limited supply of new flats and rising demand fueled by immigration.

Only about 3,100 new flats were built in the year 2008 when there were more than 90,000 PRs and 20,000 new citizens in the same year alone.

Singapore singles have no choice but to compete with PRs in the resale market as they do not qualified to purchase new flats which are to “encourage” Singaporeans to marry and start a family.

Singapore’s octogenarian leader Lee Kuan Yew admitted lately that property prices have increased as a result of PRs and foreigners:

“We’ve grown in the last five years by just importing labour. Now, the people feel uncomfortable, there are too many foreigners. Trains are overcrowded with foreigners, buses too, property prices have gone up because foreigners with permanent residence are buying into the market.”

[Straits Times, 28 January 2010]

An Indonesian PR “spoiled” the market lately by paying a record $653,000 for a 4-room resale flat in Queenstown when he could well afford a private condominium.

Prices continued to increase by 8.2 per cent in 2009 when Singapore is mired in a recession and median Cash-Over-Valuation (COVs) have doubled from $12,000 to $24,000 in one quarter alone.

Though National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said he was “caught off guard” by the rising prices, he is adamant that HDB flats are “affordable” to ordinary Singaporeans.

To Singaporean singles like Miss Toh, they will either have to get married to buy a cheaper BTO flat or wait till their parents pass away to inherit a roof over their heads.

 

[Meltdown]

To Singaporean singles like Miss Toh, they will either have to get married to buy a cheaper BTO flat or wait till their parents pass away to inherit a roof over their heads.

3rd option is for her to become a mistress of a rich man who can buy her a private condo provided that she is chio. If she ain't chio, all bets are off.

4th option is for her to migrate to America or neighbouring asian countries where property prices are dirt cheap compared to Sinkapore. Her chances of owning her own property if she migrates to Australia is nonexistent since property prices in OZ are so high.

 

[Ramseth]

Women:

1, No NS (no military contribution and advantaged to early job market)

2. No reservist (no ongoing military obligation during prime years and no worry about callup disrupting career)

3. Don't marry don't need worry husband or son in NS or reservist no contribution to population growth

Still complain? That's women!

 

[Dmode101]

some more salary so high...knn, I get below 3k, often out of job and parents remarried also cannot beg for mercy.

dont know which is more tragic - her dis disillusionment to love life or her age.

 

[Cestbon]

Ask Miss Toh to have fake married with others single guy thinking of same thing buying HDB. Both after married no need to live in same room. Both will gain by getting $40K grand.
Like that PAP will be screw.

 

[Sperminator]

Ask Miss Toh to have fake married with others single guy thinking of same thing buying HDB. Both after married no need to live in same room. Both will gain by getting $40K grand.
Like that PAP will be screw.

That sound like a good way to make $$$

 

[Meltdown]

Women:

1, No NS (no military contribution and advantaged to early job market)

2. No reservist (no ongoing military obligation during prime years and no worry about callup disrupting career)

3. Don't marry don't need worry husband or son in NS or reservist no contribution to population growth

Still complain? That's women!

4. Yes. Still complain there ain't enough qualified Ah Bengs with the 5 Cs for them to marry.

 

[Dmode101]

4. Yes. Still complain there ain't enough qualified Ah Bengs with the 5 Cs for them to marry.

either that or shes really ugly!

 

[Sperminator]

Singapore single penalized by HDB housing policies

February 3, 2010 by admin


Now at 36 years of age, she wanted to buy a flat under the singles scheme, but was rejected as her income exceeds $3,000.
....

Prices continued to increase by 8.2 per cent in 2009 when Singapore is mired in a recession and median Cash-Over-Valuation (COVs) have doubled from $12,000 to $24,000 in one quarter alone.

Though National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said he was “caught off guard” by the rising prices, he is adamant that HDB flats are “affordable” to ordinary Singaporeans.

The most irritating thing about Singapore HDB is that when you are 35, your income will certainly be more than SGD 3,000 per month (don't the HDB revise their policies yearly? taking INFLATION into account? and also cost of living, etc...)

They purposely cap it at SGD 3,000 per month for people 35 and above... KNN. In the first place, when you don't make SGD 3,000 per month, you won't even think of buying a HDB property...

This is sending a message to people;

GET MARRIED or NO pigeon hole for you.

If you make more than SGD 3,000 per month, you should go buy a condo (but where got enough?)

Another thing is that HDB staffs are encouraging you to take up BANK LOANS (private) where the interest rates are obviously higher than HDB Loans... and your ass would be owned by the banks! You'll be in debts till another 30 years...

What happened to FREE CHOICE here? Aren't we allowed to buy smaller 3 room flats or less than 75 m square pigeon holes, when it's only 1 person staying in it... and the debts are obviously lower...

And I wonder which fucking genius thought about the Cash Over Valueation?

Making the deal about buying a pigeon hole even more difficult...

This blur sotong Marlboro Tan is caught off guard my foot... he is in charge of the entire development process, and could be caught off guard?

Anyways, Marlboro Tan must be smoking too much pot, and is dreaming... dreaming and adamant that "Ordinary" Singaporeans can afford a HDB pigeon hole. I really feel sorry for the people born in the 80s, and 90s... soon they will arrive the age of marriage, and when they want to buy a pigeon hole, they realized that they would have to deplete their parent's retirement funding for their home....

The world is getting crazy... people are treated like idiots... and game plan is set...

When you are 35, and decide to be single, you CANNOT own a 3 room apartment, because you OVER-QUALIFY, because you make more than SGD 3,000 per month... this is nonsense... how about financial intelligence?

 

[Zombie]

http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10321p.nsf/w/BuyResaleFlatSingleScheme?OpenDocument

There is no income ceiling unless you are applying for CPF Housing Grant and/or an HDB Loan.