C S Sri Ram on 22nd Sept 2006
I would like to make a humble contribution in my capacity as a HDB
Flat Owner and a Part time Housing Agent as well.
I fully agree with Vijaya Halgeri `s view that the rental price is
fully subject to demand and supply. Fixing a rental price is fully
within the discretion of the Owner and it should be allowed to do
so.
The owner or the Housing agent could never force a tenant to agree
for that price which the Owner intend to get for the room or the
flat. Of course the Owner is engaging the agent to get a higher
value for the flat as a tenant engaging an agent to get a flat
within their budget. Again, when you say budget its again the whole
discretion of the tenant, his financial position and his
affordability for that particular type of flat. No other factor can
force him to pay more.
There was a friend who posted saying that his friend took a two-bed
room flat in Chinese garden for Sgd 1,100/-… and our friend said it
was ridiculous. Yes you can only ridicule him. None else.
I had a 3 Room Flat at Yishun Ave 5 rented out only for Sgd 650/-.
After six months, the Owner wanted to increase the Rent. Another
tenant proposed for Sgd 850/- for the same and the owner had to
replace with him. The Owner had to service his mortgage Loan, he
would go only for more.
Also look at the demands put forth by Indian tenants when looking
for flats. They want a place which is VERY near to MRT, Cooking
should be allowed, Should have Broad Band, and Aircon and
importantly should be within 15 minutes traveling distance to their
work place. Hope you have seen similar requirements in Ezlink itself.
I myself have a common room for rental in North which is about 10
minutes walkable distance to MRT (and I walk everyday) and tenants
whom visited to view complained me that its too far from MRT. After
all these, I have it furnished with aircon, offered them TV with
SCV, has broadband wireless and asked only sgd 350/-
JTC flats are those flats forfeited by HDB from the Owners due to
non-payment of installments or surrendered by the Owners themselves
for various reasons. So Govt., can do nothing to increase the JTC
Flats.
That's is the reason you do not get to choose your flats from JTC.
They only notify how many rooms, sq meters, location etc. You do not
even have a choice to peep inside the houses unless you sign and
collect the keys.
Singapore Govt. always encourages price fixing based on demand and
supply. The ample example here is COE for Motors, which you have to
bid. If you want to rent a food stall in a food court you have to
bid, and want to lease a Coffee shop in any location you have to
bid. You bid higher only when you think you can afford and make a
return on your investments. The same way is also practiced by the
Owners and executed by the Agents (not always… seen my case above
for a common room)
Even HDB itself do not have a fixed price for its flats. Its pricing
mechanism includes demand for a particular location or particular
flat. Asking HDB to fix a rental price is equivalent to asking HDB
to fix the price of HDB across the Island. It can't fix the price,
but it only valuates as it provides Loan for the Buyers.
Why HDB Owners Renting out the flats/Rooms? HDB's are mainly built
to provide home for Singaporeans. Some Singaporeans who do not make
their ends meet want to rent their rooms/flat. Mind you, HDB can't
always help those who can't afford to pay. The rental income they
get is used to pay the HDB Installments. If Govt intervenes and
regulate here, it will be too difficult for Singaporeans to own a
home. Anyway renting out their Sweet Home to others is not always
good news for a Owner. Many a times it is a hard decision taken by
them. A tenant can't understand how much effort they had to put to
own a home and how much they dreamt of living in their sweet home.
"Why all of a sudden it is rising".. There is an answer in the
question itself. Rising… why it is rising. Have you ever seen so
many job advertisements in Ezlink before? Or have you seen such a
high volume influx of foreigners to Singapore after 1997. Do you
also know that after 9/11, only now Salaried Professionals are
experiencing salary hikes, job switch etc. Why? The economy is
doing well. New jobs are created, Consumer behavior has changed, and
Prices are going up for Housing. There is a price for everything.
Owners who purchased their flats before 1997 for huge amount of
money are gaining their hopes only now, as they see there is a
slight increase in Real Estate Index.
I seek your understanding to know about the Market situation and
realize how it is like owning a Home. I also request fellow Indians
to consider staying a bit away from the CBD where you will get a
good deal. Do not look at Owners as someone waiting to steal your
money. They had their own problems… including Foreigners taking away
their job opportunities.
Cheers
Vijay
--- In ezlink@yahoogroups.com, "cs_sriram" <cs_sriram@...> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> Thanks a ton for your appreciation mails.
>
> And yes! as what Mehmood points out, others should write to the
> newspaper with more/better feedback. Otherwise impact is very less.
>
> Please do send in your views,preferably supportive ;) to
> news@... And you give your full name and contact
> number. Anonymous mails are not accepted.
>
> I leave the responsibility to someone, who can write to Straits
> Times.
>
> A lot of people have not seen the article. In case you want to,
You
> can go to www.todayonline.com look for Friday 22,2006 edition. Go
to
> the voices section, Page 33.
>
> Regards,
>
> Sriram.C.S
>
> --- In ezlink@yahoogroups.com, "Mehmood Ul Hassan"
> <system_analyst@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Sriram.C.S,
> >
> > Nice work. Can you post the eMail id or how you able to send the
> > article. I would Like to request the group memebers that please
> > write back to the newspaper with more feed back, which may force
> > them to interview some guys.
> >
> > Promote editorial copies and give to all the guys/gals in your
> > circle. I did started and sent to my employer even, so they will
> > know that if they don't care. They will loose business.
> >
> > You can send back home that people from your circle should not
> come
> > here on low salaries or send to the newspaper in India.
> >
> > Remember: We have no problem with anything as long as employer
> will
> > subsidise the rent but principally it is wrong to create the
> > subsidised environment, which will burden for poor local
> singaporean.
> >
> > Regads,
> >
> >
> > --- In ezlink@yahoogroups.com, SMART-DUDE <nadhuvi@> wrote:
> > >
> > > can u post yr article here.. so that everyone can read as
well..
> > > tks
> > >
> > >
> > > cs_sriram <cs_sriram@> wrote:
> > > Hi all,
> > >
> > > My article on Today "Rising rents, vexed tenants" regarding
this
> > > sudden increase has been published in TODAY (today's issue).
> > > The information presented was collected from all your mails.
> > >
> > > I hope something happens that brings the rentals down.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Sriram.C.S
> > >
> > > --- In ezlink@yahoogroups.com, "Mehmood Ul Hassan"
> > > <system_analyst@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > I observed the same thing and visited around 15 apartments.
> > Nobody
> > > > can do for you, if you don't make a group. Credit Suisse is
> not
> > > the
> > > > reason here.
> > > >
> > > > I spoke to lots of single guys (Indian of course), they
don't
> > care
> > > > but once they are married, they stat crying. So discourage
> > people
> > > in
> > > > your group that not to pay high rental. But once they got
> > married,
> > > > they are in trouble.
> > > >
> > > > Make a principal that how much you should pay. Search home
as
> > > early
> > > > as 2 months. Force Agent to work for you and not for the
> owner's
> > > > benefit. If Agent can't negotiate the price for you tell
> him/her
> > I
> > > > am not going to pay you. Why should I pay? I didn't ask you
to
> > > > search for me. You did advertise and I am responding.
> > > >
> > > > 3+1: Stick with 900 ~ 1100 (Approved apartment)/Fully
> Furnished -
> >
> > > 3
> > > > Bed Rooms
> > > > 5 Room: 1000 ~ 1150
> > > >
> > > > Try to write a letter to Newspaper and request HDB/Govt. to
> > > control
> > > > the rate. If someone will write a letter to Newspaper and we
> all
> > > > sign the document (Wheter on EP or on PR doesn't matter). It
> is
> > > > possible that Government will take notice.
> > > >
> > > > 2nd Problem is approved apartment, if Govt. will relax some
> > rules
> > > > for renting - unapproved apartment (because of demand or say
> > that
> > > if
> > > > HDB will find then tenant will get the deposit back or in 1
> > Month
> > > to
> > > > find the apartment), then the prices will go down.
> > > >
> > > > If we don't write it or we say eah, someone else will write
on
> > our
> > > > behalf. None will do this.
> > > >
> > > > There is one misconception among Singaporeans and Agents
that
> > our
> > > > rental comes from our employer and CPF (FOR PR HOLDERS) will
> > also
> > > > come from Employer. The reality is that we pay CPF even
> employer
> > > > part by ourself (THIS IS ANOTHER TOPIC WHERE LOTS OF GUYS
> DON'T
> > > > AGREE. I DID TRIED).
> > > >
> > > > Anyway! Who can write a good letter then we can try to send
> > Strait
> > > > Time and Today paper as well spread words around. Other
> > > possibility
> > > > is that if we can make a group, which can handle all the
> rental
> > > > prices (Get one Agent and make a contract that these are our
> > > prices
> > > > for Rental. Find apartment and we all go through you. But
> there
> > is
> > > > no commission for the group who handle this stuff
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --- In ezlink@yahoogroups.com, "gorikhan_z" <gorikhan_z@>
> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Hi SM,
> > > > >
> > > > > I do agree with you, even i observe the same.
> > > > > It may be because some banks like Credit Suisse are
> > > > > hiring lots of guys n paying healthly salaries hence
> > > > > these guys are paying as per owner's/agent demand,
> > > > > and creating problems for other.
> > > > >
> > > > > Sencondly in this group some guys/agent see lots of demand
> > > > > for the rooms/blocks and are taking advantage of the same.
> > > > > Last month I checked with couple of indian guys in this
group
> > > > > they are asking S$ 450/600 n so on for a single, non-a/c
room
> > > > > where cooking is not allowed!!!! it used to cost just $
300-
> > 350
> > > > > earlier.
> > > > >
> > > > > Take care,
> > > > > ZiaurRehman
> > > > >
> > > > > --- In ezlink@yahoogroups.com, sm <mavihs@> wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Dear mates ,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > For the past 6 months , I was observing the HDB Rental
> > rates.
> > > > This
> > > > > might
> > > > > > have really bothered the fellow expats !
> > > > > > Especially getting an approved 2+1 or 3+1 whole units
are
> > > > > becoming more
> > > > > > expensive day by day.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Six months back one should be able to get an approved
2+1
> > unit
> > > > > around 850
> > > > > > SGD on a lift floor and near by mrt.
> > > > > > And for a 3+1 unit it was around 1000 SGD.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > We all know that this is not today's situation.Now 3+1
> units
> > > are
> > > > > being
> > > > > > rented out in a condo rates !!!!
> > > > > > Am just wondering what could be the cause !!
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Is there any hike in the real estates anounced by
> > > > government ???
> > > > > Or the
> > > > > > somebody / some group is taking advantage on the demands
> > from
> > > > > expats.
> > > > > > It should be noted that still we can get a 2+1 JTC unit
> > aroun
> > > > 850
> > > > > SGD.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Any thoughts to share ?????
> > > > > >
> > > > > > regards
> > > > > > sm
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ---------------------------------
> > > Get your own web address for just $1.99/1st yr. We'll help.
> Yahoo!
> > Small Business.
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >
> >
>
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