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April 21, 2009
New showflats a draw
Condo-style flats popular; private homes see encouraging sales
By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent
Despite the recession, many were checking out new housing projects over the weekend. The Arte attracted about 1,000 people and another 20 units were sold over the weekend for $30 million, said its developer. -- PHOTO: CITY DEVELOPMENTS
THOUSANDS of people flocked to check out some of the new housing developments on sale over the weekend, scenes more reminiscent of a boom, not a recession.
As one industry watcher told The Straits Times: 'The mass market is still moving. If you price it correctly and reasonably, people will still buy.'
The hottest ticket in town was clearly the Parc Lumiere project, which drew an astonishing 6,500 visitors over the weekend.
Buyers had begun queueing last Friday before its viewing period started on Saturday, with 829 people eventually in the line for flats in the estate, which is being developed under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS).
There was no balloting for the project: Just turn up and book.
Developer Sim Lian Group said it has already sold 306 units out of a total of 360. All the four-room flats, priced between $378,000 and $425,000, have been sold.
Only the low-floor five-room flats are left. The five-roomers are priced from $462,000 to $575,000.
'After going through Premiere @ Tampines, we thought we would try another way of selling. When you do it by ballot, a lot of people just try for fun. A lot who were keen didn't get the chance to book,' said Sim Lian executive director Diana Kuik.
But some potential buyers felt the walk-in selection sale method, essentially a first-come, first-served sale, was inconvenient. One said the sale came at too short a notice for him to take leave to queue. A parent said her son had been waiting for the project but was travelling in Europe.
Sim Lian said it has had feedback from happy buyers, including a pair of siblings happy to get a unit next to each other.
April 21, 2009
New showflats a draw
Condo-style flats popular; private homes see encouraging sales
By Joyce Teo, Property Correspondent
Despite the recession, many were checking out new housing projects over the weekend. The Arte attracted about 1,000 people and another 20 units were sold over the weekend for $30 million, said its developer. -- PHOTO: CITY DEVELOPMENTS
THOUSANDS of people flocked to check out some of the new housing developments on sale over the weekend, scenes more reminiscent of a boom, not a recession.
As one industry watcher told The Straits Times: 'The mass market is still moving. If you price it correctly and reasonably, people will still buy.'
The hottest ticket in town was clearly the Parc Lumiere project, which drew an astonishing 6,500 visitors over the weekend.
Buyers had begun queueing last Friday before its viewing period started on Saturday, with 829 people eventually in the line for flats in the estate, which is being developed under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS).
There was no balloting for the project: Just turn up and book.
Developer Sim Lian Group said it has already sold 306 units out of a total of 360. All the four-room flats, priced between $378,000 and $425,000, have been sold.
Only the low-floor five-room flats are left. The five-roomers are priced from $462,000 to $575,000.
'After going through Premiere @ Tampines, we thought we would try another way of selling. When you do it by ballot, a lot of people just try for fun. A lot who were keen didn't get the chance to book,' said Sim Lian executive director Diana Kuik.
But some potential buyers felt the walk-in selection sale method, essentially a first-come, first-served sale, was inconvenient. One said the sale came at too short a notice for him to take leave to queue. A parent said her son had been waiting for the project but was travelling in Europe.
Sim Lian said it has had feedback from happy buyers, including a pair of siblings happy to get a unit next to each other.
