Singapore single penalized by HDB housing policies
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Singapore single penalized by HDB housing policies
A36 year old Singaporean single lady by the name of Toh Siew Peng has written a letter to the Straits Times Forum today to complain about HDB’s discriminatory policies against singles.
Only married Singapore couples are permitted to buy new HDB flats and qualified for the housing loan and grant.
Singles will have to wait till they are above 35 years of age to buy a resale flat. However, PRs are not subjected to the same restriction.
Miss Toh claimed in her letter that she wrote to HDB five years ago to ask if she could buy a flat at age of 30 which was allowed, but she did not proceed with the purchase because of the “unattractive conditions” as she did not qualify for the HDB housing loan and grant.
Now at 36 years of age, she wanted to buy a flat under the singles scheme, but was rejected as her income exceeds $3,000.
She took issue with the fact that HDB “took the same circumstances into consideration” in allowing her to buy a flat five years ago, but not now.
“HDB staff advised me to get a bank loan, but I cannot fork out the huge amount of cash upfront. The bank will loan me an amount equivalent to only two times my monthly salary.
I feel that the HDB should increase the income ceiling. Five to 10 years ago, a three- or four-room HDB resale flat was priced from $150,000 to $250,000, but now the price has increased to $280,000 to $350,000. In addition, there is the $20,000 to $40,000 cash upfront, “ she added.
The prices of HDB flats, especially that of resale flats have sky-rocketed in recent years due to limited supply of new flats and rising demand fueled by immigration.
Only about 3,100 new flats were built in the year 2008 when there were more than 90,000 PRs and 20,000 new citizens in the same year alone.
Singapore singles have no choice but to compete with PRs in the resale market as they do not qualified to purchase new flats which are to “encourage” Singaporeans to marry and start a family.
Singapore’s octogenarian leader Lee Kuan Yew admitted lately that property prices have increased as a result of PRs and foreigners:
“We’ve grown in the last five years by just importing labour. Now, the people feel uncomfortable, there are too many foreigners. Trains are overcrowded with foreigners, buses too, property prices have gone up because foreigners with permanent residence are buying into the market.”
[Straits Times, 28 January 2010]
An Indonesian PR “spoiled” the market lately by paying a record $653,000 for a 4-room resale flat in Queenstown when he could well afford a private condominium.
Prices continued to increase by 8.2 per cent in 2009 when Singapore is mired in a recession and median Cash-Over-Valuation (COVs) have doubled from $12,000 to $24,000 in one quarter alone.
Though National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said he was “caught off guard” by the rising prices, he is adamant that HDB flats are “affordable” to ordinary Singaporeans.
To Singaporean singles like Miss Toh, they will either have to get married to buy a cheaper BTO flat or wait till their parents pass away to inherit a roof over their heads.
What's your view?
If you are in Miss Toh shoe, what would you do.
Let's discuss.
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She does have a point.
Singaporean singles by law cannot buy a resale flat until they are aged 35 while a single PR can if she applies with her sibling/parent.
Somebody in another forum gave the example of a Singaporean male who has served NS, done his reservist duties every year, pays his taxes every year but is not allowed to buy a resale flat because he is not 35 yet.
They may need to relook this policy to even the advantages the PR has over Singaporeans in this case.
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screw the HDB and the PRs.
how can we ever let Prs buy HDB? HDB should be only for singaporeans.
if HDB is serious to tackle the escalating house prices they would have taken action long ago.
1. singaporean who had own a private property cannot own a HDB.
2. PRs couple are not allow to buy HDB unless they convert to singaporeans. exception can be made if either one spouse is singaporeans.
3 if we can control the demand, HDB manage their supply well, wat the heck about the COV. no point to control COV if our govt cannot control the demand and supply issue.
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Originally posted by reyes:
screw the HDB and the PRs.
how can we ever let Prs buy HDB? HDB should be only for singaporeans.
if HDB is serious to tackle the escalating house prices they would have taken action long ago.
1. singaporean who had own a private property cannot own a HDB.
2. PRs couple are not allow to buy HDB unless they convert to singaporeans. exception can be made if either one spouse is singaporeans.
3 if we can control the demand, HDB manage their supply well, wat the heck about the COV. no point to control COV if our govt cannot control the demand and supply issue.
We lesser mortals cannot understand how they manage the housing situation in sg.
10,000 new flats for 100,000 new residents every year.
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Originally posted by charlize:
We lesser mortals cannot understand how they manage the housing situation in sg.
10,000 new flats for 100,000 new residents every year.
10 person to a flat, should be fine, you never see how PRCs live eh?
1 room can sleep 4-6 PRCs.
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Originally posted by βÎτά:
10 person to a flat, should be fine, you never see how PRCs live eh?
1 room can sleep 4-6 PRCs.
sorry hor.....according to HDB housing rule...a 3rm flat can only housing max up to 6 persons, 4 & 5 rm is 9 persons
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I think it will be better to let the single (35 above) to have the right to buy new hbd flats.
Afterall, we are sporean. You cannot lump the sporean single with PRs together for resale flats.
You want sporean single votes, make this approve.
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Originally posted by baby hunter:
sorry hor.....according to HDB housing rule...a 3rm flat can only housing max up to 6 persons, 4 & 5 rm is 9 persons
You are very cute and naive.
The law also states that you can't park on double yellow line, but still people park.
The law also states that if you murder somebody, you have to pay with your life, but still people murder.
You obviously don't know SAF golden rule.
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Let single can buy new hdb flat.
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Originally posted by βÎτά:
You are very cute and naive.
The law also states that you can't park on double yellow line, but still people park.
The law also states that if you murder somebody, you have to pay with your life, but still people murder.
You obviously don't know SAF golden rule.
My dear friend....started from 1st of Feb 2010, even is just renting out a room, oso need to report to HDB with tenent particular. u think they really wan to control ah long??? they jus wanna kn hw many sporean is renting out their room & how much they're making from the room rental....& oso to treaten sporean that dun suka suka renting ur hse to too many ppl.....
My advise.....for those are illigal rented their hse, or nt reporting to HDB, stop for the time being or do so to report NOW!!!
Any new policy that jus started, they will dame "hard working" to conduct sport check de hor.....it happen to Sengkang last week.
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Originally posted by baby hunter:
My dear friend....started from 1st of Feb 2010, even is just renting out a room, oso need to report to HDB with tenent particular. u think they really wan to control ah long??? they jus wanna kn hw many sporean is renting out their room & how much they're making from the room rental....& oso to treaten sporean that dun suka suka renting ur hse to too many ppl.....
My advise.....for those are illigal rented their hse, or nt reporting to HDB, stop for the time being or do so to report NOW!!!
Any new policy that jus started, they will dame "hard working" to conduct sport check de hor.....it happen to Sengkang last week.
Normally how long they carry out the spot checks.
They wanna know info, who knows later they may want a share of the rental $$$$$$$$.
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Maybe they will start increase the tax of these flat owner. Which by the way, if a PR buy the flat and rent out illegally, do HDB take back the flat ?
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
Normally how long they carry out the spot checks.
They wanna know info, who knows later they may want a share of the rental $$$
usually will last for a few mths...then slowly will cool down liao
is very high chances that hse owner need to declare their room rental as part of their income for income tax purpose!!!
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Originally posted by baby hunter:
usually will last for a few mths...then slowly will cool down liao
is very high chances that hse owner need to declare their room rental as part of their income for income tax purpose!!!
If the owners like those old people no work rent out rooms, how to tax them ? -
Originally posted by βÎτά:
10 person to a flat, should be fine, you never see how PRCs live eh?
1 room can sleep 4-6 PRCs.
Just because it can be done does not mean it should be done.
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i also attended his speech
when he talks.. i just fell zzz
thinking of when can i stay landed house..
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Actually, the solution to HDB problem is simple.....
All Singaporeans don't buy from HDB or we all sell back to HDB.Then, we all go and camp at Seletar, Changi beaches.
See how many they can lock up in Angsana House.
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Originally posted by 4sg:
Actually, the solution to HDB problem is simple.....
All Singaporeans don't buy from HDB or we all sell back to HDB.Then, we all go and camp at Seletar, Changi beaches.
See how many they can lock up in Angsana House.
The problem will become more acute in the future.
No need for planned action. Circumstances will force a lot of families to camp out in the open soon and soon we may have shanty towns and slums.
From Third World to First World and back to Third World.
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Singapore should just allow people to build more Kelongs.
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Originally posted by charlize:
The problem will become more acute in the future.
No need for planned action. Circumstances will force a lot of families to camp out in the open soon and soon we may have shanty towns and slums.
From Third World to First World and back to Third World.
Go to TOC website.
There is an article where TOC kaypoh and scouted the beaches of Singapore for homeless ppl. Then posted about it.
The next thing, MSYC, mata car flashing, park rangers......all come to catch them and sent (locked ) them in ...
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/01/raiding-the-homeless-in-the-middle-of-the-night/
"They live from camping permit to camping permit. Once, they say, NParks officials came, took down their tents and confiscated their blankets. They were told they had to pay $300 if they wanted their stuff back."
They lost their HDB flat in 2005. His health was failing and his two children from an earlier marriage decided to stop contributing to the mortgage. The family managed to get a rental flat from the government but made the mistake of letting it out and moving to another apartment much closer to their children’s school.
“After that, they barred us for five years,” she says. Her eyes well up again. “Why so long? All we wanted was shelter.”
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/02/nowhere-else-to-turn/#more-19609
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Originally posted by 4sg:
Go to TOC website.
There is an article where TOC kaypoh and scouted the beaches of Singapore for homeless ppl. Then posted about it.
The next thing, MSYC, mata car flashing, park rangers......all come to catch them and sent (locked ) them in ...
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/01/raiding-the-homeless-in-the-middle-of-the-night/
"They live from camping permit to camping permit. Once, they say, NParks officials came, took down their tents and confiscated their blankets. They were told they had to pay $300 if they wanted their stuff back."
They lost their HDB flat in 2005. His health was failing and his two children from an earlier marriage decided to stop contributing to the mortgage. The family managed to get a rental flat from the government but made the mistake of letting it out and moving to another apartment much closer to their children’s school.
“After that, they barred us for five years,” she says. Her eyes well up again. “Why so long? All we wanted was shelter.”
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/02/nowhere-else-to-turn/#more-19609
TOC has revamped its website.
More interesting and alternative articles these days.
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Lee Kuan Yew is the root of all the problem that exist in Singapore.Once this attention seeking whore is gone,our problem is solved.
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Sadly to said a Sporean dun even
look or feel like Sporean living in his own Country
what more to say , ..............sad
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