By Property Soul
diamond-ring
Last night, I asked you whether you are married or not. There was dead air for ten seconds before you replied “I still consider myself single”.
I was expecting a simple yes or no answer from you. This marital status question from my heart only offers two options: single or married, or at most with two more for divorced or widowed.
Sorry a vague answer won’t open you to more options. Because I am naturally confused by ‘yes but’ answers.
Don’t tell me that you are single but attached, married but available, single but engaged, married but separated, or single but living together. You may say it’s complicated but I don’t want to know.
Cut the crap that you two have applied for a flat but haven’t registered for marriage. Or you get that marriage certificate to collect the key to the flat but haven’t gone through a wedding ceremony.
I am asking you whether you’ve popped the question, taken the vow and signed on the dotted line. Who cares whether you will throw a wedding or not?
Your answer only shows that you don’t have the confidence in marriage or the faith in your better half. Maybe you are just biding your time or trying to work around it.
Statistics show that 22 percent who apply for BTO flats under the fiance/fiancee scheme will subsequently give it up in the next 4 years. Are you going to be one of them? Are you prepared to pay that 5 percent penalty for your BTO or 20 percent for your DBSS or EC?
This time every year is the peak season when couples-to-be are busy distributing pink envelopes. They all rush to tie the knot in time for the auspicious dates end of the year. Who wants to wait till Chinese New Year to entertain that familiar question from nosy relatives again?
As time goes by, one day you might be one of those who finally say ‘I do’ with that one carat diamond – all under the pressure of ‘failure to launch’.


 
Last month, I called the developer to ask them whether their new project has been launched. There was dead air over the phone for ten seconds before they replied “it is not an official launch yet”.
I was expecting a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer from them. Back in my mind I can think of answers like ‘it was launched (on a certain date)’, ‘to be launched (on a certain date)’, or ‘it is not ready to launch yet’.
This vague answer may create suspense and excitement for prospective buyers and eager sellers. But I am often confused by ‘yes but not yet’ answers.
There are already so many terms like new launch, pre-launch, VIP launch, private launch, official launch, by invitations, by appointment only, etc. Developers may say VIP and sincere buyers are given priority. But honestly, what makes the difference here?
Please don’t keep delaying or explaining different phases to launch the project. It’s fair that developers want to test the market. But how long and how many times are they going to do so?
I am asking when the project is ready to launch in the market, when interested parties can visit the sales gallery and showflat and when buyers can book their chosen units. Why can’t they confirm a definite date?
I can sense from the developer’s response that they lack confidence in the market and have doubts whether there will be positive response of their project. Maybe they are just biding time to find a better occasion to take the plunge.
The data from Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) shows that 15 percent of uncompleted private residential units launched were still unsold as of end of 2nd quarter, while 34 percent of total number of units were unsold as of August 2014. Developers have to prepare to pay extension charges of 8 to 24 percent of the land price for any project with unsold units two years after TOP.
This time every year is the peak season when developers are busy launching their new projects after the Chinese ghost month and ahead of the holiday season. Who wants to wait till Chinese New Year when no one has the time to look at properties?
Last weekend, for just one Saturday, there were countless advertisements in Straits Times: calling for e-application for ECs like Lake Life, Bellewoods and Bellewaters; launch of new projects like Marina One Residences, The Crest, 70 Saint Patrick’s, Luxus Hills, Forte Suites, Highline Residences, Kallang Riverside, Mon Jervois, The Rise@Oxley and Avant Parc; and marketing or re-launch of existing projects like Marina Bay Suites, The Scotts Tower, One Shenton, V on Shenton, Riverbank, Jewel@Buangkok, The Interlace, Lakeville and Coco Palms.
Where can the developers find so many interested buyers to go for 22 sales galleries in just one weekend?
Even taking a walk near the MRT station would be stopped by property agents persuading me to upgrade to an Executive Condominium (EC). A causal visit to their competitor’s showflat had an eager agent trying to fill out the application form for me. Another sales gallery was dangling a dazzling one carat diamond that looks irresistible.
At the end of the day, the official launch date is determined not by the readiness to launch, but by the fear of being left behind due to ‘failure to launch’.
This article was first published at propertysoul.com
 

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

恐打压揭真相管道 脸书交司法机构裁定消息真伪

脸书政策解决方案副总监查德-艾伦认为,假消息或贴文真伪,只能由合适和相关的司法机构去调查和和裁定。 他说,也许很多人会问,为何不让脸书去裁定是否拿下这些假消息贴文。艾伦对此举例,假如有人指控某政治人物贪污,如果是假消息、而脸书没拿下来,会造成问题;但相对的,如果这项指控是真的,脸书却移除了贴文,同样也打压了人们揭发真相的管道。 他理解,目前新加坡正探讨立法对付打假消息,而事实上法国已立法限制假新闻传播。但他认为,脸书或脸书的员工,肯定不是去鉴定这些消息的合适人选。他补充,若证实是假消息但脸书没拿下来,则是脸书的责任。 法国已立法限制假消息传播 艾伦是针对我国内政部兼国家发展部高级政务次长孙雪玲的提问作出答复。孙雪玲在国际假新闻及假信息听证会上,询问脸书是否同意,与地方政府合作,能有效裁定并移除网络假消息。 孙雪玲认为,新加坡约有500万人口,但是网络发达,网络假消息可能影响新加坡的社会和谐和安全。 她认为脸书作为科技巨头,理应对网络消息负起责任,包括制裁假账号。 对此,艾伦分析很多假账号的设立不全然是为了政治和商业动机。有者利用电脑程序,制造多个假账号,借此哄抬粉丝人数或灌水发布垃圾讯息/留言。 艾伦透露脸书有技术能侦测,大部分假账号刚注册不到数分钟就被脸书关闭。 “这就像机器人战争,有人用程序在不同社交媒体制造假账号,而脸书的人工智能则侦测并关闭之。” 他坦言,比较能发现的,是那些有在认真经营、甚至看起来如如真人有社交互动的假账号,他们也可用VPN来假冒上网地点。 艾伦也指出,未来脸书也会想办法尽量减少在其平台出现的干预选举的不良动机。…

Save lives and not save costs, says SPP Chairman Jose Raymond

In response to a series of photos which have been posted online…

Merrill Lynch

Excerpts from news reports about the troubled investment bank.

朝野政治领袖祝福刘程强早日康复

今日(3日),工人党发文告告知,该党阿裕尼集选区议员刘程强,上月30日家中跌倒,头部受伤,目前仍在加护病房接受治疗和观察。 文告提及刘程强意识清醒,家属希望大家给予私人空间,让他可安心静养。 朝野政治领袖获悉此事,都不约而同发文祝福刘程强早日康复。包括新加坡前进党秘书长陈清木医生、副总理兼财政部长王瑞杰、民主党、人民党、內政部兼国家发展部高级政务次长孙雪玲,以及交通部兼卫生部高级政务部长蓝彬明医生等人。 陈清木医生在脸书表示:“我与刘程强及其家属同在,祈望他能早日康复。” 王瑞杰在脸书表示,闻悉刘程强因受伤入院,也希望后者能尽快康复,愿他重返国会。 孙雪玲:他是我的长辈 孙雪玲也在脸书贴文,回忆在上一次国会,叮嘱刘程强当前疫情多注意健康,他也视后者为长辈:  民主党: 人民党: 人民力量党秘书长吴明盛则在贴文回忆,2001年加入工人党,刘程强也是他的第一位政治启蒙导师,在许多政治基础和学习上从前者身上得益良多。特也祝福后者早日康复。