silverkris

You will need to sell your HDB first then before buying the condo, and while the condo is building, where do you stay then for the period of 3 years? Even 80% loan will mean a 200k downpayment. Unless the flats can appreciate so much ....... Just my point of view.

From what I see in these 2 years of properties movement, especially in HDB. I forsee a serious problem: Unless you are super-rich, you will have a hard time to do upgrading in the future, and your current HDB flat might be your final home. Reasons: 1. Supply and demand of new flats: The government keeps on supplying new flats and EC now, and far above what the market is demanding. Now people still buying because it is their 1st home, so what happens when all the homes are ready and people have already lived beyond their Minimum period of 5 years, most probably in 2014-2016. There is so much supply and no one is interested in buying resale then. What happens to the HDB owners then? they definitely cannot sell high, maybe just sell enough to cover their loans. 2. Upgrading to Privates from HDB: At 4 rooms going at $300k now, most people need to use most of their CPF money to pay for the HDB, and 30 years too. This new rule of need to pay 40% from cash/cpf is already enough to put the new generation out of private. A $1M condo will need $400K from CPF/Cash, and since ALL CPF already gone into current flat, where to get the $400K then.

How about the metal gate then?

Question: Did you install the gates with a lock too? If yes, then it wouldn't be completely keyless entry, right?

One more thing to consider: Please note that the new ECs have to cater 90% for first timers and not up-graders as instructed by HDB. So if you sell away your existing home and not being able to apply for the new EC due to taken up by the first timers, then you got to find another place to stay.

Yes, you are right in saying that, except for nowadays EC selling price has already risen to the 700psf range, and not quite affordable to many.

EC residents do NOT need to pay extra whn going private. If you are referring to the recent case of HUDC residents paying when going private, the difference between EC and HUDC is that HUDC residents do not own the carparks and the public land that their "private" units sit on. So in order to go private, they will need to pay the govt the stated amount to buy over the carpark and such so that they can develop it or sell it to developers as a whole. As for EC, they already own the carpark, pools, etc that are in their compound therefore no need to pay extra.

Put it simply, the government (URA) will tax the developers according to the size of the unit they built the last time. So bigger unit the developer built, the higher the tax. BUT planters and area above bay windows are not taxed as URA deemed those areas as "unusable" spaces. So developers make use of this and build loads of bay windows and big big planters, and sell the units that states the unit sizes with the planters and bay windows. Then people start to be creative and build covers for planters instead of using them for plants, then make bay windows into beds, sofas, etc etc. So URA in 2008 changed the rules and will now tax the developers for the planters and baywindows spaces too if they build them. So to answer the queries, yes, now developers will cut down on building bay windows and planters since they will be taxed. And no, you will not get a bigger space because of this, just a same unit without planters and baywindows, which in fact makes the unit smaller.

To answer most of the queries: If you are looking into buying DBSS, you MUST have 5% CASH in the first place. The developer will require you to write a cheque out on the day of booking and WILL take the cash. Your CPF / CASH MUST have the rest of the 15% ready. Once the option is executed in HDB, HDB will deduct off the 15% as downpayment for the DBSS. Note: If your CPF has enough at this point of time to pay the full 20% of the downpayment, you MAY request the 5% CASH to be refunded to you at this point of time. the rest of the 80% can borrow either from HDB (if eligible) or private bank which will pay the developers as and when the stated progress in constructions has been made. this is the major difference between BTO and DBSS, which you only pay (besides downpayment) after you have collected the flat. Note: DBSS will NEVER be entitled to STRATA status and will NOT privatise in 10 years or 20 years. This is the main difference from EC. It is a HDB flat and will remain so, unless there comes a time where ALL the residents can clear the debts from HDB. EC applicants are never allowed to borrow from HDB in the first place. Hope the above is clear enough?

DBSS still can apply grant, also can borrow from HDB concessionary loan, 2-3 cars also can if got space. And if Ah Gong giving out money, you still considered as staying in 4 room HDB flat so can get more. For the past few DBSS all quite near MRT or town area.

Resale DBSS: Unknown, so far no DBSS has reached MOP FH Urban = Very hard to find, if have should be above 1300

I think what he is trying to say is that CPF board rejects his application for HPS due to his medical conditions, not that he doesn't want to be insured by HPS. So it is no point for you to mention that he have to be insured by HPS or not. And that he is worried that if CPF rejects his HPS application, does he have to pay the housing installments by cash then instead of CPF? What I understand is that if it is CPF board that rejects your application for HPS, you can still pay your housing loans by CPF, just that there is no insurance on your house.

If your HPS is rejected because of medical reasons, then it is just that you do not have insurance to cover your house mortgages. It does not affect your CPF payment in any way. You can still use your CPF to pay for the house. No issues on that.

Budget of $800 hard to get brand new Denon sets. I suggest you go to Sim Lim Towers and check out the used sets. They are still of great quality (amid some scratches) but you can ask the shop owners to help you pair with some used speakers. Should be a more worthy investment than those Samsung Panasonic types that look good only.

Minimum get a Denon. You will be amazed at the value for money vs quality

The $590K valuation already considered their existing renovations inside. Dude. Unless you are talking about spending $200K yourself, then might as well go for a flat with lower valuation (meaning min renovations done) and start the hacking process.

Buy a PS3. Can watch Blu Ray, DVD, and play games some more/