Mansionette Owner

[chrislam 0]

I can never remember where the impt posts are which is why having a blog is great. Here you go: http://emrenoblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/how-many-types-of-em-layouts-are-there/

I don't like stepping on laminate. Weird spongy feel. So my personal fav is parquet. Tiles in the bedroom a bit too cold. Again personal pref. parquet costs more and takes longer to do up. Good contractors will try to leave it enough time to dry properly.

Some people don't like that you can scratch the wood etc. same could apply for laminates so I don't understand the biasness (go n see scratched laminates used in actual stores). Plus I don't like the warping when laminates get wet. Parquet can get termites, but then so can your carpentry... Good parquet can last a long time. Mine at home are from the original owners 16 years ago. Not sure if getting parquet helps in valuation.

My recent flooring interest is vinyl that looks like wood. Seems less 'cold' than tiles but more durable than laminates.

Boils down to budget, time constraints and personal pref really.

Stacatto typing on iPad!

Great blog! giving me some rough idea on deco.. drooling! wow..can't wait to go for 1st apt. Tks Pal

[cleong 1]

Just saw a new ad for a unit in my block asking for nearly $700k "slightly negotiable". I should be happy (that I got mine cheap at below $500k) but frankly it seems like we're headed for a bubble...... people would be looking at 6-figure sums of losses if they time their purchases wrong. Remember, its your retirement funds that you are staking when you buy a flat.

[cleong 1]

Great blog! giving me some rough idea on deco.. drooling! wow..can't wait to go for 1st apt. Tks Pal

Hi, just noticed your signature. Unless you're doing very light renovation or none at all, or you do renovation before 2nd appointment, otherwise 23rd July to 9th August is too short a timespan to get much renovation done.

[chrislam 0]

Hi, just noticed your signature. Unless you're doing very light renovation or none at all, or you do renovation before 2nd appointment, otherwise 23rd July to 9th August is too short a timespan to get much renovation done.

hahaaa....ya u're right, date error. est date for 2nd apt is 26Jun & I will have early reno to meet my move in date.

[chrislam 0]

Just saw a new ad for a unit in my block asking for nearly $700k "slightly negotiable". I should be happy (that I got mine cheap at below $500k) but frankly it seems like we're headed for a bubble...... people would be looking at 6-figure sums of losses if they time their purchases wrong. Remember, its your retirement funds that you are staking when you buy a flat.

U bought your EM at Serangoon in 2011, top floor less than 500k? Super good deal!

I rememebered Serangoon EM were selling at 500-550k 3yrs ago, near Rosyth.

As for bubble, do u think it will impact HDB houses? hmmm I never see HDB valuation drop even during financial crisis

[cleong 1]

U bought your EM at Serangoon in 2011, top floor less than 500k? Super good deal!

I rememebered Serangoon EM were selling at 500-550k 3yrs ago, near Rosyth.

As for bubble, do u think it will impact HDB houses? hmmm I never see HDB valuation drop even during financial crisis

No, the transaction was completed in July 2010. My previous owner had bought the place in 1996 at 570k (I think) close to the height of property prices then, and we all know what happened in 1997......

[potatoes 0]

No, the transaction was completed in July 2010. My previous owner had bought the place in 1996 at 570k (I think) close to the height of property prices then, and we all know what happened in 1997......

Cleong, do u think the property prices have reached the peak or is it still going even higher? Glad to know that the prices for our block has reached 630K and another asking for 700K..... I feel very lucky to have bought a yr ago. I dont think EM prices r going to come down.... Demand is greater than Supply..... Unless HDB decides to revert back to building EM again.

Edited March 24, 2012 by potatoes

[chrislam 0]

Cleong, do u think the property prices have reached the peak or is it still going even higher? Glad to know that the prices for our block has reached 630K and another asking for 700K..... I feel very lucky to have bought a yr ago. I dont think EM prices r going to come down.... Demand is greater than Supply..... Unless HDB decides to revert back to building EM again.

Like 3room; When HDB announced no more small flat, everybody buy. But now even they are building 2-3room, demand is still strong. Conclusion, I'm quite confident with HDB houses as their valuation cannot be manipulate by valuator/agent unlike private property.

Edited March 25, 2012 by chrislam

[cleong 1]

I think whether the prices continue to go up depends on where the psychological barrier is for buyers. If you did a HLE with HDB you will notice that you are cleared to buy quite an expensive HDB flat - but not enough people look downstream enough to the point of their retirement to see if they have enough of a nest egg to retire on, or has it all been sunk into the flat? Remember that you have to keep a substantial amount in Minimum Sum.

One component of valuations, even HDB ones, are last done prices for the area/block/type of flat. They chase each other in an upward spiral because the last done price becomes the baseline valuation, and then the COV is tacked on. It is the practically the rule now that there will be COV paid, so that transaction becomes the new baseline for the next sale coming along.

Even if valuations of flats do not collapse, what it is doing is eating into your consumable income. To me it doesn't matter as much what my flat is worth but what utility value I can derive from it. And if I spent all my money on my flat, I would have no money left for retirement. If I wanted to retire comfortably I would have to sell my comfortable flat to get money, and then my living environment wouldn't be comfortable anymore!

I love my EM unit but I wouldn't pay 700k for it...

[potatoes 0]

I also wouldn't pay 700k for my EM too! It certainly would exhaust substantial amount of my retirement funds.

When I was bidding for EM in Bishan area, when I realized there were people who were willing to pay 70k to 100k COV, I gave up!

[chrislam 0]

I also wouldn't pay 700k for my EM too! It certainly would exhaust substantial amount of my retirement funds.

When I was bidding for EM in Bishan area, when I realized there were people who were willing to pay 70k to 100k COV, I gave up!

Bishan EM valuation for low floor is @690k, so est. plus cov 60, selling @ 750k. I was looking at Bishan before I decided on Hougang EM which is 150k lesser.;-)

Oya, may I know how u guys dry/hang your clothes? not much info on laundry. I'm planning to have my square balcony as breakfast area but where to hang my clothes?? I saw 1 unit having bamboo holes outside their balcony, like normal flat. is this legal?

Edited March 25, 2012 by chrislam

[kchinbeng 1]

Bishan EM valuation for low floor is @690k, so est. plus cov 60, selling @ 750k. I was looking at Bishan before I decided on Hougang EM which is 150k lesser.;-)

Oya, may I know how u guys dry/hang your clothes? not much info on laundry. I'm planning to have my square balcony as breakfast area but where to hang my clothes?? I saw 1 unit having bamboo holes outside their balcony, like normal flat. is this legal?

Same here my balcony is also squrae type. Wondering how to dry my clothing also though the owner is leaving his dryer for me.I be using my balcony for breakfast reading newspaper and BBQ session

[Bento28 0]

Hi kchin,

Mine is also the square type balcony. I will be concealed my dryer in my kitchen wet area inside a cabinet. Try those condenser type or u have to make ventilation for it. I also used those salon drying stand.

Hope my idea helps

[adidaem 6]

Bishan EM valuation for low floor is @690k, so est. plus cov 60, selling @ 750k. I was looking at Bishan before I decided on Hougang EM which is 150k lesser.;-)

Oh, I think Queenstown EM valuation is $750k for low floor a few months back. Should be much higher now since a few units at lower floors have sold for $835k and above in 2012.

Oya, may I know how u guys dry/hang your clothes? not much info on laundry. I'm planning to have my square balcony as breakfast area but where to hang my clothes?? I saw 1 unit having bamboo holes outside their balcony, like normal flat. is this legal?

Same here my balcony is also squrae type. Wondering how to dry my clothing also though the owner is leaving his dryer for me.I be using my balcony for breakfast reading newspaper and BBQ session

No one in my block has the bamboo pole thing. I read about that before and remember reading that it is illegal (??), but some EM owners go ahead and install anyway.

EDIT: Yep, you can read more here: http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4853&st=760

My neighbors tend to use the balcony as the drying yard. The balcony should come with some bamboo pole holders? Some neighbors even use the grills installed in the balcony to hang clothes and wedge school shoes to dry. I use the dryer exclusively.

Edited March 25, 2012 by adidaem

[adidaem 6]

OMG, this is really crazy... one of those Bishan 'sky terrace' maisonettes is in the market for (drumroll...) $1,080,000!!

It's 1,754 sqft / 162.95 sqm (built-in), no mention of valuation price, flooring or condition.

http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/listing/hdb-for-sale-194-bishan-street-13-9184556

I saw one last year asking for $900k... over $1 mil is just jaw-dropping.