froggy

Hi 15May I like your design of the hall - very cosy. Notice you have cove light ceiling fan in the hall? I was told that these 2 are not good together becasue fan blades will cast shadow when in motion. Dunno how true this is? For the kitchen, are you planning to do any cabinets on the other side of the kitchen (against bomb shelter wall?) I plan to, though may be reduce walking space. Afraid that there may not be enough space to store my stuff ... How come your worktop is not right angle to each other? Actually I thought of placing the oven in your same position too, but was afraid too much heat may affect glass door?

ya lor, $$ which can see but cannot touch one until xx years, then become xx+x years, further extended into xx+x+y years .... complete the pattern.

No lah, decided not to take mortgage loan already. Take loan need to pay another 5% cash, plus all the legal fees, agent's comm etc. Already cash tight with reno and furnishng costs etc. so will just wait for completion of sale, rent a temporary place for 2 months while reno going on. Not the best option, but the best for us for now. Thanks everyone for listening!

So I guess mine is called negative sales, because sales (valuation + cov) is lower than the breakeven price. In other words, I actually lost alot in this transaction, not really in cash but in CPF lost. That is why the 2nd HDB officer said "no cash" for me because not even enough to go back to CPF! I was even asked "lost so much why you sell?" but no choice - bought at the high time, and even though prices are better than last few years now, it is still far from the figure I paid at purchase time. Really big big lesson here.

thanks Samgalz and Simon (btw i have been following your blogs silently and Simon, your baby is so adorable!) will pass the message to her. as for me, likely to get S & C lah, because very tight budget. thanks again

Hi Bepgof We have already used 2 HDB loan, so not eligible any more. What is HLE, sorry I still very blur? Is it some kind of bank loan thing? You see, we are downgrading, and the new one is BTO which I have already been asked to collect keys. But because I have not completed sale of current flat, money not in CPF yet so I cannot collect keys (since at first I do not plan to take bank loan because the funds returned to CPF is enough to fully pay for new flat since downgrading so many rungs) Own 2 flats, no lah. Right now, we are still owner of current flat because have not completed second appt. New BTO we had booked only paid 10% at booking time, so I dunno if they consider the second one is our flat yet? I guess not right, because if I fail to collect keys without reason, the deal will be considered lapsed and the downpayment unrefundable. I don't understand what you mean by overlapping allowance time. As far as I know, as in my case, when the BTO is almost ready, HDB started to send "reminder" letters about its probable completion date, ie asking you to sell your existing flat. The first letter they sent was about 4 months prior to the collection date, so they expect that that is sufficient time for you to sell. As long as you can show OTP, they are ok becasue they know the appts must queue and takes time. Worst case, if you are unable to produce OTP at the time you have to collect keys, you can ask for extension, but case to case. And from what i gather from the officer, only max 1 month. I am not sure if they will actually "force" you to sell at the end of that grace period, though, or how they are going to do it! Anyway, for most people who are either getting a HDB or bank loan, they can already collect the keys even if their current flat have not completed transaction. But for me, because no loan, got to wait for funds to be returned to CPF, ie 2nd appt. Not sure about your 3rd point, but what I gather yesterday was - if the sum to be returned to CPF is less than the CPF monies used, then the COV component has to be returned as well. For eg, scenario 1 flat sold at 500k (450 valuation and 50k COV) balance mortgage loan 300k CPF money used for flat is 400k (including all accrued interests), first, HDB will take back 300k to clear the loan, so left 200k since CPF funds used is 400k, CPF will take all 200k (with deficit of 200k taken as interest lost) so no $$$ in cash Scenario 2 flat sold at 750k (700 valuation and 50 COV) balance loan 300k CPF monies used 400k return HDB 300k return CPF 400k still got 50k balance, so this is cash in hands Is this correct? The previous officer (pity not black and white, and I did not take down name) I spoke with said that as long as COV = cash, regardless of how much CPF monies has been used, and now this one gave another story. Honestly I am quite **** with HDB, each staff gives a different kind of reply at different times. Very confusing and we are always at the suffering end.

Hi Samgalz "similar" in terms of looks or quality? That's the pros and cons of catalogue sale - cheaper but don't know what to expect lor

Yup, always very scared to deal with banks, for that matter CPF, HDB, ... all these $$ places. I guess if plan to fully redeem within short period, quite safe to go for floating rate kind, because got no penalty, also no need to pay mortgage insurance which is cash and can be quite hefty. But if planning longer tenure, definitely safer to go for "fixed" rate. Can never anticipate if curve will go up or down lor! Speaking of banks, now looks like we have to take reno loan. Really sickening, remember I said we were naive? When we asked HDB does COV mean cash in hands, regardless of CPF usage, they said yes. Only today at the bank did I realise that my COV has to return to CPF, so no cash, so need to get reno loan! Know anything about this? Like which bank offers the best rate etc? Sigh ... looks like I need to make another trip down to bank tomorrow

Hi I read that many of you got your furniture from S & C. Need some input here. My friend went down last week to 'select" her furniture but was surprised to find very little display products? As I have been telling her that that shop is highly recommended in RT, she thought she got the wrong place and left without even going in! Does S & C go by catalogue sales? Anyway, she is asking how selection is done? Is it something like Everjoint, where you quote any brand/model, and they will get the product for you? At a much cheaper rate since no big rental space for display etc? She was looking for brands like Cellini and Lorenzo. Does S & C "carry' those? Thanks for any input!

Hi Bepgof Yes, you are very familiar with all these! Just went hopping round a few banks the last few days. A foreign bank proposed 85% bridging loan at 8.25%, so that's $1000+ per month. A local bank proposed a 80% mortgage loan plus 5% bridging loan, with a monthly repayment of around $850 a month. And yes, there is legal fee of $1000+, and a 3 month notification period (ie minumum 4 months "loan"). What make it worst is I need to pay another 5% cash to HDB. All these just to "buy" one month of tiime. So I guess I will have to drop that idea! Thanks for your help!

Hi possible Thanks, will definitely try to go there for a recee. Is this also the place with all the furniture shops? New Home Maker, Went to Balestier Plaza today, and saw 2 marble/granite showrooms. The one on the main road (forgot the name, starts with 'm") sells precut sizes ie 60 x 60 and 30 x 60. The one inside (Ocean Granite) goes by slabs - beautiful! The lady boss (i think) showed me photos of projects they had done (mostly condo and landed though) and the marbling effect is simply stunning! The only down side is the price, dearer than the precut sizes. Of course, it's yi(4) fen(1) qian(2) yi(4) fen(1) huo(4). Will have to check with $master today, if ok, we will definitely get the marble from her!

Hey so excited for you! As for me, i am trying to see if can get some kind of bridging loan. If it works out and not too much $$ involved, I may join you in reno soon!

Oops, sorry saw this post after posting my question. thanks

Hello Does anyone know where I can go to view samples of marble? Also, any idea why there is such a big difference amongst the different kinds of marble? From $10+ to $50 to $60 psf? Is it the origin? The colour? Quality? Or what? thanks!

Thanks Bepgof Yes, I have engaged the service of housing agent twice, once with purchase of my current house, and now with sale of the same. Both times, I got "cheated" by them over different issues. I thought I had become wiser after the first and not to fall into agent "trap" again, but alas, at that moment of decision, I still succumb ... Anyway, thanks for your suggestions. Was at Thomson Plaza today and walked into DBS to enquire about bridging loan. Seems that they can allow bridging loan only if I concurrently take up a housing loan from them. Although they said I can take up a no-lock in housng loan and make full repayment when my funds have been returned into my CPF, I am uncertain .. worried that the interest will be very high in the end... danger of falling into another big spending. Anyhow, waiting for their proposals ... Thanks

Hi Ark7 nice! Your toilet basin is the "sliding" type where drainage hole is on the "inside" part, is it? Saw one of this type at PJ and quite like it too. and those are the same hood and hob I am eyeing!

Thanks Bepgof Ha ha ... we are so blur that we agree to let buyer move in early!?!?! So angry with our agent, she knows our situation, yet not only did not advice us to extend stay from buyer, when buyer's agent asked if buyer can move in early, she did not highlight to us. And we are nice enough (more like naive and stupid) to say, "ya, sure..." , so option 1 is not possible. option 2 - do you mean that bridging loan can only be max 20% of valuation? Say if mine is a new flat from HDB and I have paid 10% when booking, I cannot take the balance 90% as bridging loan? If the max is 20%, I don't think this option will work for us also. thanks

Dunno, we blur blur never ask anything, they didn't say anything, so now we "stranded" and got to find own arrangement.

Dear all Need some advice from you about bridging loan. The story goes .. I sold my house, now waiting for first appointment with HDB. Meanwhile my new flat is ready for collection (ie keys) BUT I cannot collect keys because I have to complete second appt before funds go back to CPF, then CPF transfer to HDB then they can give me keys. In my case, we are downgrading, so the sale of current flat should be enough to cover for new flat purchase, so did not take a loan. Problem is (which we are so sotong to overlook), it takes a few weeks after 2nd appt for funds to go back to CPF. By then, we would already be out of the house, so need to rent To make things worse, reno will take 2 months, so more rent It never occured to us before, but are we eligible to take a bridging loan from the bank? Can we take bridging loan of the 90% of purchase price (since we are not taking mortgage loan, HDB require that we pay in full) for 2 to 3 months? If we can do this, that means we can start reno and hopefully second appt coincide with the time reno is done, so no headache of moving, storing, then moving again! Any idea what is a good bank to go for such arrangement? Thank you so much!

wah looks like action is kicking in on your side! can't wait for your reno pix! keep updating ok Enjoy the process!

Hi Hcbing thanks for the link! was so focussed on reading the blogs that I missed out that whole section. Thanks!

wow! You must be very excited! Just one week to go! Did you mention hacking the kitchen wall (or was it another blog?) So did you engage PE already?

Hello Got another question to ask, esp for residents of fernvale. Does the units here come with such cables/wiring done and concealed? Or do we still need to call them separately to install? If so, does this happen before, during or after reno? Does the contractor/ID also coordinate such things? I am just thinking about which should be done first so as not to expose too much unsightly trunking. Thanks!

Hi Cedric I have pm you also. Please share your experiences with them. thanks

huh? I make you confuse and now i become confused myself. What do you mean by "houses"? And where is the fernvale showflat? You mean the one in HDB hub?