bepgof

Western school of toughts likes "leverage" to maximise the return- heard of cows story? - Buy one cow by loan in open mkt. - Rent the cow out for profit (income-loan payment) - Sametime remortgate cow out to get more capital to buy more cows, again loan, loan, loan. - Rent all cows out. And the tenants rent cow to another tenants. - Sit at home, shake leg & count money, lead a peaceful & enjoable life! It's not the end yet. - Mad cow diesease come, all cows dead. - Who suffer in the end?

For HDB resale 1. Seller to agent: usually 1%, but if sign exclusive agreement then 2%. Choose a good(resourceful, honest, sincere....) agent & sign excl with him/her(agreem lasts 3 mnth) give some "peace of mind" to both seller & agent. This gives room for agent to "cobroke" with buyer's agent. 2. Buyer to agent: If u source the flat on yr own without agent, suggest u don't pay any comm to seller's agent, you've right to do that. Anyway, be prepared the agent will "sneakyly" lead you to sign the comm agreement without your true understanding. Make it clear verbally in the beginning: I am not paying u any comm..... 3. Rather common for buyer paying 1% to seller's agent. I think, as buying/selling procedures becoming more aware, transparent and simplify, buyers will choose not to pay. 4. If you buy private, do not need to pay yr agent any comm. It is the norm.

Subletting a HDB unit in partial or full, for any consideration or out of sympathy reasons, in the first place, MUST report the names of "tenants" to HDB. Failing which and get caught, ho ho, then your name or even face will be the First to appear in the paper or TV. You want free advertisement? This "hole" has to be patched up by HDB, suggest u write to HDB area office about your situation and ask for solution. Hope HBD's answer is to vacant the "illegal tenants" - who sell the house attached with "string" & this string is against the existing rule ! If u kind enough, just let it rest, if not happy about the "string", now is your chance to act.

Speak of devil, devil comes. Last night @9.30pm, 2 lady real estate agents knocked my gate (cos door open): Agent: Excuse me, we're from ERA, are u interested to sell yr house. Wife: Er....(a very short pause) Agent: Yr house look very new hor. Wife: Oh yes, just shifted in. Before wife to mention next door is intended to sell . 2 Agents just walked away, no "goodnight", no "thank you", no "hope to see u again", no "name card"........ Like that where got business? Shortly they walked away, wife said to my mom-in-law in Teochew : "ask them go & eat s h i t ". Fundamental PR skills need to be improved.

Technically, after 2nd appt, flat is rightfully your. Advised those experience this to impose and sign black & white rental agreemment with seller, in the beginning. This is loophole for MOP, hopes HDB can patch up soon. Or if u got time & energy write to HDB/ST's forum to ask them to close the "hole". I think ST's forum is more influential. In 2009, total resale transaction = 37,205, appro = 37,205/(365-104) = 142.5 cases/per day. HDB staff siao leh.

Are u sure u are living in HDB flat? HDB area Office = where ppl pay mnthly rental payment, ppl buy mnthly seasonal car parking label, etc. U want to do full redeepmtion by cpf can go there as well.

By-laws are rules that u have to obey to enjoy living with other subsidiary Proprietors in the community. Why don't u choose staying landed?

Refer to your residence handbook for pet issue. For MCST, MC has right to create "by-law", off course the members must have supported this. U can write condo manager a letter to request to sit in in next mnthly meeting to challenge this by-law. Try to get supporters. - Usually not more than 2 pets allow. - Dog must be lashed while in compound. - Fine $200 or $300 by NEA if droppings not cleared away by owner in public place.

Difference is: Hdb resale subject to 1st appointment, only after this, then can sell. So, don't to be too happy before 1st appointment.

As I mentioned in other post, stock mkt now so hot, ppl treat money as if ordinary paper, cov sure up. Average 8.1% increase for hdb resale from jan 09 to dec 09. The announced measures were too "tender"- suggest u to wait after general election and those "shiong" measures will be out, then go in. Unlikely to go down unless.... China proty bubble bust. Greek, Portugal, Spain no monet to pay debts. Euro, NZD, USD interest are so low, mkt full of money, very liquid indeed! If China announces increase interest, then watch out for snow ball effects to south asia!

Try http://www.renotalk.com why everytime become reno.com, should be s t r e e t s i n e . c o m?

Great man "think" alike? Don't think, action. U have missed out the stamp duty.(3%-5,400) -I would clear the liability first. U must take into consideration the opportunity cost by paying the interest over the years. - Only then I would consider 2nd property. Based on my experence, it is safer to have 60% (cash+cpf) on hand before buying 2nd property. Anyway, remeber cpf's 120% & $117,000 apply for this, don't get caught in between. - One of the reson I moved back to hdb, beginning this yr, is to "save" maintenain cost, I found not worth paying(subjective)for MCST. - I have spare cash of 200k in stock mkt. Last yr, total purchased of stocks >1.2 mil.! Last wk just made another 7.5k . - Found not worth to put $ in saving/FD. Euro is too risky now (Greek, Portugal, Spain in problem), USD is another problematic one, NZ has low interest yield for 3/6/9 month. Only Aust can consider. Too bad banks don't sell RMB. - Stock mkt has seasonal trend, quite time consuming to follow up the dividend declared and close day for various counters. Once div declared worth to park $ there if conservative. Many cos have declared div, CDL, allgreen, ho bee, M1, capital land.... - Don't buy mfg counters. - stock mkt hot, high hdb resale cov will follow. Paying money as if paper.

The technical obstacle is: gov encourages women to give birth at the expense of employers. Employers ask "REALISTIC & PRACTICAL" questions: - Who stand in the job for the one who on leave? OT? - Stand-in can handle ?Technical skill cannot be taught over 1 night, high HR cost. - When she reports back, where to put her? If gov can solve these 3 for the firms, believed bosses will sing the same song: more baby pls.

Precisely last yr while selling, I tested & observed the agents and chosen one to represent me and signed exclusively agreement.

Dear all, first time read this, hope can contribute advice: 1. In 1995, spent 5K (3k cpf, 2k cash) for my first boy in Mount Eliz. Pregnancy gynae = $960. 2. In 1997, girl, Almost the same. 3. Since 1995 May, set aside $300 mnthly into an account for the 2. Wife handles the details... 4. Keep surplus in the account. 5. When boy went to sec 1 in 2008, his share to this acct stopped. 6. Acct stopped early this yr, girl goes to sec 1. Surplus splitted equally into their own account. Conclusion: $300/per month enough for 2 with surplus. 1. Boy(now sec 3) studies in RI, despite the schoolarship $2400/yr, need to pay $135/per mnth. Dialy expenses $5/per day. 2. Gil (now sec 1) studies in BG, abt $10/per mnth, Daily expenses $5/per day. Bought insurance $20,000 for each when they were born and policy will mature when they reach 21. We are awared this amount is not enough for U or oversea study (just in case). Had a maid when boy was born till he was 6, mom-in-law stopped work & stayed with us till now. Stayed in 5-rm HDB for 13yr, sublet whole unit out for 1yr ans sold, stayed condo for 3 yr, now back to 5-rm HDB. Own a car since 1996. Children are gift from God and must treasure it, imagine yr father gave u a present, what u do to the present?....

I believed all agents deserve commission, regardless representing sellers or buyers, walk-in or enaged case. Regulatory need to be beef up, and many room for service quality improvement. Recalled once, called to enquire for viewing, ended felt being "interrogated", agent asked Qs: - What's yr budget - What's yr monthly income - How much cash/cpf OA you have - How old are you - Contra intention - Where u stay/any outstanding financial liabilities and how much - PR, SG, Chinese,........ I hang the phone.

1. If "cheap", everybody will "chiong" and buy, price goes up then - law of demand & supply. 2. Everybody know property is good investment in Singapore. Luckily got gov playing wulo and taile. 3. If you got 5% cash, and 15% (OA cpf), and another abt 40% (cash or OA cpf), you should "chiong" and get one. Get ready 40% loan from bank. 4. Buy MCST, 99, 999, FH? 5. Landed?FH? 6. 99 yr come very fast, better to sell with 5 yr. 7. For own stay or rental? Remeber the property tax of 4% & 10%. I guess will be revised soon. Got money should buy. buy, buy. Collect rent, sit down & shake leg - typical Singaporean dream.!

Report to TC if u are staying there. Report to Area office if u purchase the unit and yet to receive key. Confusing right?

For resale mkt, buyer must pay the 5% in term of CASH, no cpf.

The Techinical Officer should have done the inspection, after 1st appointment, and seller to rectify them if any. If not rectified, take pictures or whatever, report them to this block's AREA OFFICE, not Toa Payoh HDB. Town Council takes care maintenance only.

Don't like that lah, my IT knowledge quite poor - leg like hand & hand like leg. BTW, when buying/viewing, even you like the unit very very much, don't show the "saliva dripping" face in front the seller & agent, otherwise u will become a "toad". Remember this hor. If you are interested where/how I spent the 100K, I can send you the spreadsheet for details. I hacked almost the whole unit, except pilers/beams.

Hi Plastic, just for forumers here to understand your "beliefs" better, let me name here some attributes ,which I think a real agent should possess. Try arrange them, according to degree of importance, top-down, according to your "beliefs": 1. Sincererity - Serve all, whether got comm or no comm, poor or rich 2. Transparency - No hidden agenda but doesn't mean everything must tell 3. Honesty - Openly tell clients what he should know even not in his favor 4. Job-related knowledge - legislation, industry happening, Statistic, loan, standing by many forms/doc, etc 5. Book keeping - don't call client's name wrongly 6. Communication skills - can express clearly and listners understand and convinced. 7. Willingness to walk extra mile - arrange SP service, mid-night answer call 8. Money making - Money alway in consideration. 9. Committment - what really drive u to become an real estate agent, 10. Service specialization - Know certain geographical areas particularly well 11. Networking contact - join any "special interest group", mega church, association, etc 12. Backup - anyone can stand in for u when u are not available 13. Pleasant looking/groom - Clients, at first sight, have confidence/trust on u. 14. Quick witted - react fast & accurate in unexpected situation. any others?

Before 2 becomes 1 body, they make VOW, to each other, and in front a pool of witness, signed on MC and exchanged ring reminding them of today's event & the VOW they've made. Divorcing is a form of breaking the VOW. I think MND & ROM should make couple compulsorily attending premarital seminar/workshop, truely understand WHAT they are doing, only then allow register of marriage. This helps minimise some social problems, not only to HDB alone.

These ppl set bad example and take marriage as child play. Dun know the true meaning of the rings exchanged and the words EXPRESSED in front of so many people, some even to God (for my case). Ring=round=No beginning and no end.

In previous post I mentioned that bad neighbour is worse than al long. Let me shared what happened on my sis-in-law. She stayed there for almost 8 yr, 3-rm extreme corner. Neighbour likes to accuse things like flower pot/shoe... missing, excess watering. Nb also intended make dog hair outside corridor..Police has come quite a few rounds.... Abt 2 wk ago, again starts accusation. My sis-in-law already cannot endure anymore, took pictures of the birdcage hanging at ceiling of corridor (directly opp Nb's next, and in-law has to walk pass under bird cage). Nb kena verbal warning, reminded to remove hook within 3 days. Now the Nb kena "red" letter.