The Shoreline Residences

Rare Modern Landed Terrace Close to the Sea
Luxuriously Designed with Private Lift and Pool to every unit
Large Sizes and Attractive Price, Others Cannot Compare

Total Exclusive 16 Terraces

UNIT TYPE and SIZES
Inggu Road
5+Study Corner – 4746/4581 sqft
5+Study Inter – 4576 sqft
Wak Hassan Drive
5+Study Corner – 4852/4889
5+Study Inter – 4703

ADVANTAGES
Limited & Rare Landed Homes In Singapore with Sea Fronting living lifestyle & serene ambience.
Luxury resort living amidst the idyllic surrounds of sprawling tropical greenery and tranquil sea.
Exclusive 16 Modern & Unique homes with Private Swimming Pool on the roof in the area.
All units comes with private lift from 1st level to roof top for convenience & handicapped users friendly.
Unique Skylight feature to bring lights from the roof into the house
Split level unique design to enhance space planning and family bonding.
Modern dry and wet kitchen concepts with spacious dining area.
Marble flooring for Living, Dining, Dry Kitchen ,Master Bath, Junior Master Bath, Bath & Powder room.
All Bedrooms come with attached bathrooms except guest & utility room.
Private Car porch for 2 cars parking for all units (subject to the car sizes).
2 Family areas for family activities and gathering, walk in wardrobe for Master bedroom.
Spacious roof terrace specially design for for outdoor dining and BBQ activities.
Branded , Quality Finishing and fittings for all units
Nature lovers' choice residences nearby Sembawang Park & Beach
Partake in a round of golf at The Orchid Country Club or Sembawang Golf Course.
Take the family out to feast on scrumptious cuisines at the nearby cafe, pub or seafood restaurants just around the corner.
Catch the retail blaze at nearby shopping centres such as Sembawang Shopping Centre, Northpoint Shopping Centre, Sun Plaza, etc.
Easily accessible to various parts of Singapore via SLE, CTE, TPE, PIE and BKE

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8M Residences

Savour the Luxury that Others Dream Of…
A New Development Towering over Prestigious Meyer Neighbourhood
Great Investment Option with High Rental Demand

Total Exclusive 68 Apartments

UNIT TYPE and SIZES
1+Study: 526 – 678 sqft
2 Bedroom: 646 – 1421 sqft
2+Study: 775 – 1324 sqft
3 Bedroom: 893 – 1668 sqft
Penthouses: 1184 – 1313 sqft

FACILITIES
Lap Pool – 21m X 4.35m, Children Pool – 3.3m X 3.56m, Fun Pool – 3.6m X 3.56m, Gym & BBQ

ADVANTAGES
- Prime Location. Most Prestigious Address in District 15. Highly sought after, live among the rich and famous.
- D15 Home Buyer's Top Pick for 4 years running (2007-2010)
- Nestled in Serene and Quiet landed enclave.
- Conveniently between ECP and PIE. 5 Mins drive away from Everything (MBFC, Orchard Rd, Casino, Changi Airport……etc)
- Nested in the middle of Singapore 3 Business Hubs, Paya Lebar Commercial Hub, Changi Business Hub and Marina Bay Financial District guarantees good rental clients and high yield.
- Lowest quantum in this luxury location provides promising high capital gain.
- Efficient layout without Bay Windows and Planters means more comfortable live-in space.
- All Units offer single loading providing maximum ventilation and sunlight into the unit.
- State-of -Art gym pairing with other wellness and lifestyle facilities ensure maximum enjoyment.
- Units start from level 4, resting on top of elevated land and superbly oriented to offer panoramic unblock view.
- Surrounded by good reputable schools namely Haig Girls, Tanjong Katong Primary & Secondary, Chung Cheng High, Kong Hwa Primary, Tao Nan School and Dunman High School.
- Mins drive away to East Coast Park and mins walk to Katong Park
- High sought after location for rental by many
- Proven High Capital appreaction location in whole of District 15
- Good Investment development not to be miss

CHEQUE SUBMISSION NOW ON. CALL US NOW.

Call Sales Team at 6100 8090 for enquiries, VVIP Preview and Pre-Launch Presentation now before all units are sold.

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UP @ Robertson Quay

Live it Up, Glam Up, Party Up
Lively, Spacious Design great for City Urbanites

Outstanding Location for Investment, High Returns on Rental and Capital

Total Exclusive 70 Apartments and Est 300 Hotel Rooms

UNIT TYPE and SIZES
1 Bedroom: 463 – 614 sqft
1+Study: 527 – 743 sqft
Penthouses: 753 – 1378 sqft
FACILITIES
Residential: 30m Lap Pool, Family Pool, Jacuzzi, Pool Deck, Gourmet Pavilion,
Aqua Gym, Trees Canopy Lounge, Trees Canopy Hammock Court, Outdoor Shower,
Gymnasium, Yoga Deck, Restroom with shower

Hotel (est. 300 rooms): Swimming Pool, Gym, Outdoor Terrace, Landscape Roof Deck
ADVANTAGES
Super Prime Location District 9 – Robertson Quay
Great rental potential – ideal to apply for home office scheme
Mixed use development of Hotel / F&B / Residences with prominent location near Singapore River.
Lifestyle venue – walking distance to the many popular entertainment, F&B and lifestyle outlets along Clarke Quay and Boat Quay.
Walking distance to Singapore’s entertainment districts: Mohammed Sultan, Riverside Point, Boat Quay and Clarke Quay
A scenic Riverside pedestrian network leading to Clark Quay.
Short drive to the Central Business District (CBD), Marina Bay and Orchard Road shopping belt
Proximity to Clarke Quay MRT station and upcoming Fort Canning MRT Station (Downtown line, opening 2017)
Adequately served by Central Expressway (CTE) and Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE)
Near to reputable schools such as River Valley Primary School, Anglo-Chinese School (Junior), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore
Management University, School Of The Arts (SOTA), Laselle College of The Arts etc.
Prominent location near Singapore River and some of Singapore’s most popular tourist destinations with a wide range of business, leisure and dining amenities as well as excellent public transport connection around and within the vicinity.
The area is a hip and vibrant location lined with good selection of restaurants and eateries.
Designed it in a way to make the spaces flexible, maximizing the usable floor areas and allowing for innovative loft living
Selected units high floor-to-floor height with furniture deck.
2-bedroom units with flexi-concept layout that comes with dual-purpose designer furniture (murphy bed).
Built in storage under the stairs that allow flexibility in space to live, work and play
Selected PES units with private timber deck with direct access to the pool.
Quality fittings & finishes include marble finishes to living, dining, kitchen & bathrooms. De Dietrich Induction Hob, Cooker Hood, Integrated Refrigerator,
Microwave cum Convection Oven, Washer cum Dryer and WC with bidet function for the master bathroom.

CHEQUE SUBMISSION NOW ON. CALL US NOW.

Call Sales Team at 6100 8090 for enquiries, VVIP Preview and
Pre-Launch Presentation now before all units are sold.

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Singapore Property Launch - Your Singapore New Launch Property Resource and Info Site.

REAL estate in Singapore has become so hot that a growing number of non-property players have been attracted to a market they believe can offer better investment returns than their core business.

New players are making inroads into almost all segments of the property market – commercial, residential and even the hotel sectors.

For instance, Mr Ron Sim – best known as founder and chief executive of healthy lifestyle product company Osim International, which sells massage chairs – is dabbling in the industry.

Mr Sim, in his personal capacity, recently started muscling in on the commercial property scene, submitting bids for commercially zoned land in Paya Lebar and Punggol.

This includes a joint venture bid with Perennial Real Estate. When contacted, Mr Sim said the partnership draws on his retail strengths and Perennial's operational knowledge and retail understanding.

Other firms The Straits Times spoke to said they were attracted by highly attractive openings they spied in the property market.

JL Asia Resources, which owns karaoke provider K Box Entertainment Group, said the upbeat economy and booming tourist industry in Singapore were the key factors that had attracted them to the real estate sector.

'More than 11 million tourists visited Singapore last year alone, giving us the perfect opportunity to enter the hotel property business. Demand is high due to rising tourism figures,' said the company's managing director, Mr Jason Lee.

He added that investing in property has always been part of the firm's long-term business strategy.

JL Asia recently teamed up with Mary Chia Holdings, a beauty and spa group specialising in slimming programmes, to open Porcelain Hotel in Mosque Street.

The 84-room boutique hotel is spread across three restored shophouse units and includes wellness spa Huang Ah Ma – The Oriental Spa Chamber.

'It was perfect timing. When the property was offered to us, the price, location and timing of the offer all fell into place,' said Ms Wendy Ho, chief executive of Mary Chia Holdings.

'The Mary Chia group already owns a few retail spaces but, for us, the decision on whether to buy a piece of property is part of our efforts to make the business more profitable.'

Meanwhile, Thakral Corp, another new entrant to the property scene, is making waves Down Under.

The Singapore-based firm, which is best known for distributing electronic goods, is acting as a capital partner for developers in Australia. It has stakes in several projects in Sydney and Melbourne.

Analysts said this widespread migration of fresh players to the property sector is not a new trend.

Bigger corporations such as media company Singapore Press Holdings and commodity trader Wilmar International have also ventured into the market in the past.

Some new entrants go all the way, abandoning their former industries to become full-time property players.

Former PC-maker IPC Corp, for instance, exited the technology sector in 2007 and transformed itself into a property investment and development firm the following year.

'The exit was due to industry consolidation and razor-thin margins, as clearly seen from the few remaining brands in that sector like Lenovo, Dell and HP,' said the company's chief executive and chairman, Mr Patrick Ngiam.

IPC Corp started off with a residential and commercial development called Costa del Sol in Zhuhai in the Chinese province of Guangdong. It currently has real estate investments in Japan, the United States and China.

But Mr Ngiam said the focus on property is not opportunistic. Rather, it is part of a long-term strategy to generate a core business that brings in good returns for shareholders.

Cushman & Wakefield's senior manager of Asia-Pacific research, Mr Ong Kah Seng, said property cycles over the last two decades have resulted in success for some who have ventured into the sector with limited real estate know-how.

With the market booming in recent years, even inexperienced players would have benefited from broad-based upswings in real estate prices.

The property market is also increasingly transparent, Mr Ong said, making it easier for new entrants to gain real estate knowledge and investment strategies.

'Also, most participants are able to integrate the best practices from their core businesses. For example, entertainment or wellness companies may find relevance in engaging in lifestyle- or retail-related property businesses,' he said.

Mr Ong also suggested that the possibility of property cooling measures does not mean there will be a dearth of real estate opportunities for property players.

'Price predictability may be more difficult, but the current measures ultimately make the market more sustainable, leading to more lasting growth,' he said.

Source: Straits Times News by Cheryl Lim

THE raft of changes to Singapore's housing policy makes it hard to believe it's just been about three weeks since the new Cabinet was announced and Singapore had a new property czar.

Yet in the time since former health minister Khaw Boon Wan took over at the Ministry of National Development, he has set up a new 'Housing Matters' blog.

His posts have been short, casual and chatty – but they pack a punch. In fact, the first three all led to Page 1 stories.

He started out modestly by identifying three segments of the population that needed to be helped in housing: young couples, divorcees with children and low-income families.

But his next post marked a radical departure from a past practice that the Housing Board (HDB) had steadfastly held on to for almost a decade. Instead of building flats to order, it would now build them ahead of order.

And most recently, Mr Khaw said he would direct HDB to offer new flats in mature estates wherever possible – marking another sharp shift in policy.

Unsurprisingly, Mr Khaw's moves have generated a great deal of buzz. Industry analysts and netizens alike now watch his blog like a hawk to discover the Government's next move in addressing the dissatisfaction that has built up on housing issues among the electorate. But people are also wondering: Can Minister Khaw really deliver?

How far will he go to reverse existing policies to placate the public? And perhaps more importantly, what kind of impact will new policies have on Singapore's property market?

Well, one needs only to look back at Mr Khaw's past record to get some inkling of what could happen in the next five years.

When he became acting health minister in 2003, he was also entering a hot seat, albeit of a different kind. Singapore was then facing the threat of severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and a combination of strict rules and public vigilance helped the nation get through the crisis.

When he became full-fledged minister, Mr Khaw caused a stir in the health-care sector when he demanded that hospitals publicise their prices, so that health-care fees can become more competitive.

He turned out to be 'better than his word', a phrase used at the time to describe him. A month after his call, information on the cost of 28 common procedures at the hospitals was up on the Health Ministry website.

In his eight years at Health, Mr Khaw went on to revamp MediShield, the national medical insurance scheme, to bring premiums down. He reviewed health-care costs to make them more equitable, and he even took on controversial issues with a moral slant, such as broadening the Human Organ Transplant Act (Hota).

For this reason, industry observers are betting that the straight-talking civil servant who entered politics in 2001, will 'deliver what he says'.

One property analyst said Mr Khaw seems intent on adopting a 'back to basics', needs-based approach to housing, seeking to ensure urgent needs are met first.

This contrasts with the former National Development minister Mah Bow Tan's overall 'asset enhancement' approach, with the HDB flat functioning as more than just a roof over a home buyer's head. It was also an investment, a hedge against inflation and a possible retirement nest egg through HDB's various schemes.

But are the two approaches exclusive? For now, some think that both elements could be married. Mr Khaw could do well to maintain the role of the HDB flat as Singapore's social safety net, even while he focuses more attention on alleviating the unhappiness of certain segments of the population.

The question that worries analysts more is what else will Mr Khaw change, since he is clearly in a mood to rewrite policy?

He has so far kept silent on the contentious issue of pricing HDB flats, which emerged as a top election issue.

HDB, under Mr Mah, maintained that market-based pricing made more sense, although opposition parties had argued for a more transparent cost-based method.

Will Mr Khaw move to bring down the prices of new flats? And what effect would that have on resale flat prices, which are at historic highs?

Industry experts say the market could see another round of measures to cool the market, particularly if the private property market sees rising sales volumes and home prices.

Some commentators are fearful that Mr Khaw's moves – which some have already described as 'populist' – could spell, in the worst-case scenario, a supply glut of HDB homes in the future and a moribund property market for years to come.

Building ahead of demand, for example, seems the right thing to do now. But it also seemed like the right to do in the 1990s – until, that is, the Asian financial crisis struck and buyers disappeared.

This resulted in a massive stock of unsold flats that depressed HDB flat prices for many years until 2006, when the market picked up.

What property watchers can agree on is that Mr Khaw's biggest strength – and what would be key to crafting the best housing policies – is the sense he is giving that in making policy he will conduct a two-way conversation.

Mr Khaw was among the first to begin a blog in 2009, and to use social media, among other avenues, to widely consult stakeholders in any policy change.

In announcing his blog in 2009, the Ministry of Health said Mr Khaw had felt everything 'should be transparent', and that 'if our policy is flawed and can be enhanced, we welcome comments and will adopt practical suggestions'.

Singapore's property market – with an open economy making it vulnerable to headwinds that change constantly – requires policymakers to be nimble.

Policy U-turns should not be seen as a sign of weakness, and policymaking should be an evolutionary process where the people also feel they have a say in the decision-making process.

From Mr Khaw's moves so far, he seems to understand all this.

Source: Business Times News by Jessica Cheam

The 30-year leasehold site is one of a cluster of three sites along Pioneer Road North and Soon Lee Street.

The other two sites have been sold.

The latest site was first made available for sale on Feb 25 as part of the first half-year Government Land Sales reserve list.

It has been zoned for Business 2 developments, which include clean and light industries,warehouses, public utilities and telecommunication uses.

The 1.7ha plot has a maximum gross plot ratio of 2.0 so it could be built to a maximum gross floor area of 3.4ha.

Yesterday, the Urban Redevelopment Authority said a developer had committed to bid at least $23.8 million for the site, which works out to about $77 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr).

The commitment triggered the public tender process.

Interested parties will have four weeks from the launch of tender to submit a bid.

One of the two adjoining plots of land, a 30-year leasehold industrial site, drew eight bids in December last year.

The highest bid came from Kng Land, which offered $26.9 million or $87 psf ppr, almost double the application bid of $13.8 million that triggered the tender last October.

The adjoining piece of land was acquired by Kng Realty in December 2009.

A total of eight bids were submitted for that site and the highest bid of $19.4 million was also twice the trigger bid of $8.2 million. This worked out to $48 psf ppr.

Mr Dominic Peters, Savills' director of industrial real estate, expects healthy interest in the third Pioneer Road site.

He said: 'The plot of land is located in a pretty attractive part of Jurong, near the residential estate, MRT stations and other recreational facilities like Jurong Point Shopping Centre and Jurong West Sports and Recreation Centre.'

Mr Tan Boon Leong, Colliers International's director of industrial services, predicted the site could attract between five and eight parties.

He expects the final bid to possibly surpass the $23.8 million trigger bid by up to 80 per cent.

Source: Straits Times News

The moderate level of interest was in line with market expectations.

Qingdao Construction lodged the top bid of $247 million – or $391 per sq ft (psf) per plot ratio (ppr) – for the 19,549 sq m site at the junction of Buangkok Drive and Sengkang East Drive.

Frasers Centrepoint unit Opal Star and Lum Chang Building Contractors came in just a shade lower at $239.8 million – or 3 per cent shy at $380 psf ppr.

Centurion Re was third with a bid of $196.9 million, while Best Desire Investment, which is not incorporated in Singapore, rounded out the four with a $145.2 million bid. This works out to $230 psf ppr, 41 per cent lower than the top bid.

Experts say both the tender participation level and top bid were within market expectations. They had earlier estimated a top bid of $320 psf ppr to $450 psf ppr and up to six bids.

The site is adjacent to the Austville Residences executive condominium (EC) and is a short walk to Kangkar LRT station and the shopping outlets at Rivervale Plaza, CB Richard Ellis Research executive director Li Hiaw Ho said.

Austville Residences, developed by a tie-up between United Engineers and Lee Metal Group, won the tender for the EC site last year at $321 psf ppr.

Mr Li said the 99-year leasehold site with a maximum gross floor area of about 59,000 sq m can be developed into a condominium development of about 20 storeys with 550 units.

A new project will break even at about $760 psf to $780 psf, he added. 'Currently, units in H2O Residences at the junction of Sengkang West Avenue and Fernvale Link are being marketed at the median price of $940 psf. Some 330 units of this 521-unit condo have been sold to date.'

Mr Ong Teck Hui, Credo Real Estate's head of research and consultancy, said the moderate tender response and bids are in line with the site's attributes.

'It's a site in the less busy part of Sengkang and Upper Serangoon, away from amenity hubs and MRT stations,' he said.

In November last year, a site at Serangoon View, about 500m away, also attracted only four bidders but achieved an even lower top bid of $320 psf ppr.

Mr Ong expects the average selling price of the project to range from $800 psf to $850 psf.

Source: Straits Times News by Esther Teo

EVEN as the latest offer of 3,957 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats drew to a close yesterday, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced yet another infusion to ramp up supply.

He has asked the Housing Board to look into releasing 1,000 unsold units from earlier sale exercises later this year.

Just last week, he raised the total number of flats on offer this year from 22,000 to 25,000, in a bid to help more young couples own homes as soon as possible.

With the 1,000 now set to be added from the Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise, Singaporeans are looking at a total of 26,000 units to choose from for the whole of this year.

In his latest blog posting titled Within Expectation, Mr Khaw noted that application rates for the latest BTO were 'good and within expectation'.

The six BTO projects, which will be built only after eligible buyers register sufficient interest, are located across four towns – Pasir Ris, Punggol West, Tampines and Woodlands.

This was the largest supply of BTO flats in a single launch, surpassing the 3,185 units offered previously.

As of yesterday, more than 13,000 people had applied for the flats, or more than three applications per unit.

Most in demand were five-room flats in the mature estate of Tampines, which was oversubscribed by seven times. The 320 units measuring about 1,200 sq ft cost between $371,000 and $444,000.

Two-room flats in Pasir Ris drew the least interest, said the HDB. The 257 flats only garnered 76 applications. These 500 sq ft units cost between $120,000 and $143,000.

Mr Khaw noted that if the application rates for projects in Tampines were excluded, the overall application rate was about two and a half times.

He said that HDB will try to get the flats completed as soon as possible.

With this latest launch, HDB has offered about 12,000 units this year, leaving another 13,000 units to be launched in the next seven months.

These launches would average about 1,800 units.

For the June BTO currently being prepared, HDB is looking to launch about 2,100 flats in Bukit Panjang and Sengkang, said Mr Khaw.

Market watchers said yesterday's results were expected.

ERA Realty's key executive officer Eugene Lim said: 'Tampines is an older estate and an established one, which means more parents living there. Hence the demand as their children get their own homes.'

Source: Straits Times News by Daryl Chin

A consortium of CapitaMalls Asia (CMA), CapitaMall Trust (CMT) and CapitaLand said yesterday they plan to build a 25-storey retail and office development.

They said the project will benefit from synergies with their two nearby properties – IMM, which is currently operating, and JCube, which is still under construction.

The group had last week submitted a bullish top bid of $969 million for the second mixed-use site in Jurong Lake District in a move that surprised many industry analysts. This worked out to $1,012 per sq ft (psf) per plot ratio (ppr).

The consortium, however, justified its bid yesterday, saying the proximity of all its three properties will allow for synergies that can help bring down operational costs. All three malls are within a three-minute drive of one another.

The new mall will be a family and lifestyle mall, while IMM is a value-focused one. JCube, with an Olympic-size ice rink, will be an entertainment-focused option.

The project occupies a prime location in Jurong Lake District, which is 21/2 times the size of Tampines Regional Centre and will be the largest commercial centre outside the city, they added. There is also a lack of quality office space in Jurong.

CMA chief executive Lim Beng Chee said the acquisition will increase the firm's net lettable area in Jurong to 1 million sq ft – twice the size of Plaza Singapura.

With IMM already housing anchor tenants like Giant and Daiso – which pay lower rents – and Shaw cineplex slated to open at JCube, the newest site can focus on securing complementary mini-anchor tenants that pay higher rents instead.

This means retailers taking up space of 15,000 sq ft to 18,000 sq ft, bringing up average rents at the five-storey mall to about $16 to $18 psf a month.

Mr Simon Ho, chief executive of CapitaMall Trust Management, manager of CMT, added that the mall will also act as a regional mall, serving more than one million residents.

The project's office component is also expected to secure average rents of about $7 to $8 psf a month, likely more than rents at a neighbouring site secured by Australian developer Lend Lease in June last year, Mr Ho said.

The Ministry of National Development (MND) has signed a 30-year lease for 29,300 sq m of office space at Lend Lease's mixed-use development. Lend Lease had paid $749 million – or $650 psf ppr – for the plot.

Mr Ho said market talk was that rents were secured at about $5.50 psf a month as it is a bulk deal.

'When it comes to leasing our office block, we ask ourselves, 'Do we need to go en bloc?' Probably not, the office market is made and people know that MND is there.

'Government agencies will want to move there but do we need to accede to a price of $5.50? Probably not… We have choices on who we want to bring in,' Mr Ho added.

Source: Straits Times News by Esther Teo

NATIONAL Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday gave a clearer indication of which mature towns could see more new flats offered to young home-buyers.

These are unlikely to include established, densely populated estates like Tanjong Pagar as they 'are already substantially built up', he said in his latest blog post, the fourth since he took over the ministry recently.

But other towns such as Kallang/Whampoa and Tampines could see new projects launched by the Housing Board next year, he said.

He noted that his comments on Monday about asking HDB to consider building more Build-to-Order (BTO) flats in mature estates had been 'well received, judging by media reports'.

He also referred to a young couple The Straits Times (ST) had interviewed who said they were looking forward to a BTO in Tanjong Pagar: 'I must add that while I have asked HDB to put up more BTOs in mature estates, it will not be possible for many mature estates to benefit from this development, certainly not in the short term. This is because most of the mature estates are substantially built up, and there is limited land for public housing.'

BTO projects, HDB's main scheme for new flats, are typically built when a certain demand level is reached.

Mr Khaw said HDB is still 'studying the details', but based on what it has found so far, a few mature estates like Kallang/Whampoa and Tampines could see BTO launches next year.

'We will do our best to meet young couples' aspirations to be able to continue to live near their parents. But unfortunately, we will not be able to do so in every mature estate,' he said.

'Tanjong Pagar is fully built up and a BTO there is unlikely. I hope the young couple would seriously consider other options, especially those in the non-mature estates.'

Human resources executive Teo Yingying, 25, one half of the couple who was interviewed, said she and her boyfriend would not mind looking farther afield: 'As we don't drive, we are fine with anywhere close to good public transport. But, of course, places nearer my parents would be best.'

Mr Khaw's latest comments echo the expectations of analysts who said highly developed towns nearer the city centre are unlikely to be able to offer more new flats due to land limitations.

Industry observers had suggested Bishan, Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Tampines and Pasir Ris as some towns with room for more flats. Experts had also said it was possible the Government could reallocate land meant for private homes to public housing.

MND told ST yesterday that while it explores launching more flats in mature towns, 'there is a need to continue to set aside land to offer choices for both first-time homebuyers to own a HDB property, as well as upgraders who wish to purchase a private property within the same town'.

It added that though there may be sites at some mature towns' fringes, there could be constraints: 'For other land parcels, time is required to put in the supporting infrastructure to make the land suitable for development.'

PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail said Mr Khaw's quick response to public reaction could underscore concern by policymakers that young buyers would abandon newer estates for mature ones. The Government has been encouraging young families to move to outlying areas like Punggol to build critical mass in these new towns.

'Many people will want to try their luck, but the reality of the matter is that your chances are much slimmer if you queue for a flat in a mature estate. It's important young couples who need flats realise this,' said Mr Ismail.

Mr Colin Tan, research and consultancy director at Chesterton Suntec International, agreed that mature towns will always be popular: 'But this means the prices must reflect the locations of the flats. Newer estates must be priced attractively so young buyers will still be compelled to buy flats there instead of in mature towns.'

Source: Straits Times News by Jessica Cheam

The developer has chalked up residential projects in Australia and Indonesia through its affiliated companies, but decided against jumping head-first into the residential sector here.

In an interview with The Straits Times, Mr Satia Narjadin, director of Global Orion Properties, said: 'We thought we could improve on what was already available in the industrial sector and that's why we decided to bring in design elements and architectural finishes that were slightly bolder. We want our buyers to be proud of the environments that they are living or working in.'

Located in Balestier, the 23-storey freehold development will consist of 108 apartments, ranging between 500 and 3,300 sq ft in size. A 506 sq ft one-bedroom apartment is priced from $785,000.

The project is expected to obtain its temporary occupancy permit (TOP) in 2015. Preview sales for the project start today.

Global Orion Properties is already working on its second residential project, in Hougang's Jalan Naung. The project is still in the development stage but Mr Satia is hoping to launch it in the second half of this year.

But the company said after establishing a track record of selling out 100 per cent of its industrial units, it is not losing sight of its industrial properties and is even looking to venture into the commercial property sector.

Mr Satia said one of the challenges facing newer players such as Global Orion Properties is the fact that more established developers have a presence in almost all tiers of residential property.

'At the end of the day, if you plan and design it properly and you have the discipline to ensure that projects remain financially sound… you will always be able to carve out a niche of your own,' he said.

Source: Straits Times News by Cheryl Lim

See detailed information of The Viridian here

All on reserve list; one each for commercial, residential and hotel use

THREE government land parcels have just been made available for sale – one each for residential, hotel and commercial developments.

All three 99-year leasehold sites are on the reserve list of the Government Land Sales programme in the first half of this year. Land on the reserve list is put up for tender only if developers make an acceptable initial offer.

Experts say the commercial site in Paya Lebar Central – the second to be offered in the area this year – is most likely to be triggered for sale due to the promising suburban office market outlook.

The 2.07ha land parcel is located at the junction of Sims Avenue and Tanjong Katong Road and can yield about 87,000 sq m of gross floor area (GFA).

The site is earmarked to be utilised as a good-quality mixed-use development comprising office, hotel and retail uses.

At least 40 per cent and 15 per cent of the maximum permissible GFA must be set aside for office use and hotel use respectively, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

The remaining space can be for additional office, hotel, retail, entertainment or food and beverage uses to help build up the critical mass of activities that will anchor Paya Lebar as a prominent commercial hub. Residential use is not allowed.

The first Paya Lebar site was launched in January and sold for $586 million – or $872 per sq ft per plot ratio. It received 10 bids from heavyweights such as CapitaLand and Far East Organization.

Yesterday, URA also released a hotel site at the junction of Race Course Road and Perumal Road on the reserve list. The 0.38ha land parcel located near the historic district of Little India can yield a maximum permissible GFA of 13,500 sq m.

An executive condominium (EC) site in Upper Serangoon View is also being made available for sale today by the HDB. An estimated 420 units can be built on the site.

HDB said in a statement yesterday that apart from this site, both the HDB and URA will be releasing three new residential sites and one commercial site under the confirmed list this month.

The three residential sites are located at the junction of Punggol Field/Punggol Field Walk, Serangoon Garden Way, and between Upper Serangoon Road and Pheng Geck Avenue. The commercial site will be at Robinson Road/Cecil Street.

The four residential sites in total can yield 1,380 homes, HDB said.

Experts expect all three sites on the reserve list to be met with varying interest.

Cushman & Wakefield's senior manager of Asia-Pacific research, Mr Ong Kah Seng, said the Paya Lebar commercial site will likely draw the strongest developer interest because of its strategic location and the optimistic bid for the previous site.

On interest in the EC land plot, he said that with the success of recent EC launches indicating strong demand from home buyers with affordability concerns, the site can expect moderate buying interest.

Mr Ong Teck Hui, Credo Real Estate's head of research and consultancy, however, called the site 'mediocre'. It is next to a private residential site that drew only four bidders last November, he said.

SLP International research head Nicholas Mak said if the hotel site was up for sale, it could attract bids of $72 million to $87 million. Credo's Mr Ong added: 'It's a good location for a city fringe hotel, which would cater towards the more budget-conscious tourists.'

Source: Straits Times News by Esther Teo

IT SEEMED like an ideal arrangement. Mr Chong Sze Pak was not eligible to buy a Housing Board flat and his younger brother could not afford one.

So the businessman helped his sibling, Mr Chong Ser Yoong, pay for the flat, on the condition he held it in trust for him. But things turned sour when the time came to sell and the elder brother felt he should receive the proceeds.

Now the High Court, in a judgment concluded last week, has ruled that Mr Chong Sze Pak is not entitled to the $300,000. This is because HDB rules do not allow flats to be held in trust. When a property is held in trust, it is owned in a person's name but intended to benefit someone else.

The saga began in 1997 when Mr Chong Ser Yoong, the younger brother by 18 years, bought a four-room flat in Tronoh Road for $286,000.

The elder brother, who is now in his 70s, claimed this was done with his help. The Tronoh Road flat was later re-acquired by the Government for redevelopment.

The younger man moved to a new flat in McNair Road and the brothers carried on with the held-in-trust arrangement.

When the younger brother sold the McNair Road flat, the elder claimed the $300,000 proceeds of the sale should be paid to him under the trust arrangement.

But Mr Chong Ser Yoong's lawyer, Mr James Joseph, argued that even if the property was held in trust, this was invalid under the Housing and Development Act.

Justice Woo Bih Li agreed. He said the HDB law banning trust arrangements is meant to stop people who are not entitled to buy flats from getting around the rules. These could include people who already own another flat.

There was no document to show the brothers had asked for HDB's consent before arranging to hold the flat in trust, and the lawyer handling the case has died.

Mr Chong Ser Yoong had argued that costs should be granted to him since he won.

But the judge ordered both siblings to pay their own legal bills.

Mr Chong Sze Pak's lawyer, Mr Gurdaib Singh, is appealing against the main decision while the younger brother is appealing against the decision on costs.

Source: Straits Times News by K. C. Vijayan

MORE younger folk could become homeowners in mature estates such as Bishan, Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Tampines and Pasir Ris if the Housing Board (HDB) offers flats in these areas, where analysts say may still have room to build more homes.

These areas still have land available for residential use, said industry experts, who added this could perhaps lead to buyers opting out of queues for homes in newer estates such as Sengkang and Punggol.

National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said on Monday in his latest blog posting that home buyers can expect the HDB to offer new flats in mature estates next year. He took over the ministry recently after the General Election, which saw housing emerge as a top issue.

In the past, the Ministry of National Development (MND) had maintained that land for new build-to-order (BTO) flats in mature estates was scarce, and it had been reluctant to launch new flats in these areas for fear of alarming the market with their high subscription rates.

But while Mr Khaw said this was a valid concern, he added that HDB should 'not be daunted by such a prospect… but should instead try to meet the aspirations of many young couples wanting to set up nests near their parents'.

Credo Real Estate's head of research and consultancy Ong Teck Hui said there are plots in Bishan, Ang Mo Kio, Pasir Ris and other estates which are set aside for residential use and not developed yet.

'But at the moment, it is not clear whether it is meant for private homes or public housing,' he said.

PropNex chief executive Mohamed Ismail does not rule out the possibility the Government may allocate land meant for private homes to public housing instead.

Selling it to private developers will fetch a higher price and boost government coffers, he noted. Allocating it as public housing will mean the Government collects less money, but it will meet the housing aspirations of young couples.

'There is a trade-off they have to consider,' he noted, adding that it is unlikely the HDB can roll out new homes in popular estates near the city centre such as Tanjong Pagar or Tiong Bahru as they are already highly developed.

One alternative is to accelerate HDB's Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers), where older blocks are torn down for new projects to optimise land use.

HDB had previously noted that, by 2015, more than 200,000 flats will be at least 30 years old.

International Property Advisor chief executive Ku Swee Yong said the older blocks in a central location could make way for taller, denser housing. This could provide new homes for existing and new residents.

'Also, some mature estates such as Clementi, Toa Payoh, Aljunied, Marine Parade and Jurong East still have room to build,' he said.

Analysts warn that while Mr Khaw's latest blog posting might bring cheer to many buyers, it could also dissuade them from considering outlying estates such as Punggol and Sengkang.

This could reverse the efforts of the Government in recent years to build up a critical mass in the newer suburban towns.

Mr Tan Kok Keong, OrangeTee's head of research and consultancy, said large numbers of buyers will likely transfer their interest in flats in Punggol and Sengkang to those in the mature estates.

Another carrot is that owners of flats in mature areas typically enjoy a higher capital gain when they sell their homes later.

In the short term, experts do not think the move will have an impact on home prices, but it may take some pressure off the resale market as buyers choose instead to buy flats directly from the HDB, which are cheaper.

'In the longer term, if this trend continues, then we could see downward pressure on prices as more flats come on the market and compete with private mass market homes,' said Mr Tan.

Mr Khaw had also announced last week that HDB will be raising the number of BTO flats offered this year from 22,000 to 25,000 units.

Source: Straits Times News by Jessica Cheam

RESALE property prices mirrored the buoyant mood in the new homes market and inched up higher last month, according to an index that tracks prices.

Home prices were up 1 per cent last month – the biggest monthly rise since January's cooling measures – and the increase follows a 0.2 per cent rise in March.

Prices for the central region rose 0.8 per cent, while those in non-central areas added 1.1 per cent.

The increases were recorded by the Singapore Residential Price Index, which the National University of Singapore compiles by monitoring the transactions of non-landed completed projects.

Experts say the index's 1 per cent increase reflects the expansive market mood, with buyers out in such force last month that developers shifted 1,788 new homes – a five-month high.

Cushman & Wakefield's senior manager of Asia-Pacific research, Mr Ong Kah Seng, said the good mood in the new sales market has spilled over to resales, now that buyers on all fronts have had time to digest the cooling measures.

Mr Ong said the 1 per cent price increase follows consecutive months of subdued price gains and does not indicate that the measures have not worked.

Ms Chia Siew Chuin, director of research and advisory at Colliers International, added that buyers could have entered the resale market for fear of missing the boat, with prices generally rising further.

This is especially so for affordably priced units in completed developments with good attributes, she noted.

Experts forecast that market sentiment will be mixed in coming months, although prices are expected to continue inching upwards.

Colliers' Ms Chia said some potential buyers might wait for clearer directions from the Government on housing policy.

'On the other hand, another group may choose to enter the market sooner in view of policy risks and the likely impact on the market,' she added.

'Nonetheless, prices are still expected to continue to strengthen gradually in the coming months.'

Cushman's Mr Ong agreed, saying that non-landed resale prices are expected to hold steady, or rise less than 1 per cent a month.

'(This) reflects the effect of economic strength and positive, genuine owner-occupier home buyer interest,' he noted.

SLP International research head Nicholas Mak said price gains in non-central areas are likely to outpace those in central areas this year, due to the strong demand for affordable homes from locals and permanent residents.

While foreign interest in centrally located homes is returning, it is still not as strong as that in 2007, he noted.

Source: Straits Times News by Esther Teo

FEWER private home hunters are rushing to seal deals as many believe that prices will soften further, said property agents.

The cautious mood started after the general election, they said, with both buyers and sellers uncertain of the new government policies that are in store.

A further chill was sent across the market last Friday when new National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced that 3,000 more build-to-order (BTO) flats would be built this year.

Some agents The Straits Times spoke to said nearly 60 per cent of their clients have indicated they are willing to wait for prices to fall, preferring to rent rather than buy a home. Other agents said fewer clients are responding to their updates on new property viewings, adding that the current resale market for private property is 'a little quieter' than before the polls.

The move to build record numbers of BTO flats has left some buyers reconsidering whether they should sell their homes.

GPS Alliance associate marketing director Benjamin Tan said: 'I've had one or two buyers asking for my opinion on whether they should continue to sell or hold back. I told them to continue selling their property and see what offers come along. They can always hold on to it otherwise.'

Other buyers are also taking a wait-and-see approach. ERA marketing director Irene Ng said: 'Some clients say they are keen to sell but not at this stage. They believe they still have the holding power to wait out for a better price.'

Both agents and consultants believe it is unlikely that the increased number of BTO flats will greatly affect the private market. ERA Realty key executive Eugene Lim said: 'Turnout at the showflats is still healthy, although not as good as in the past. But taking into account the last batch of cooling measures, the market seems to be holding its ground.'

New property launches over the weekend continued to attract a significant number of property buyers.

More than 120 units of Wing Tai's Foresque Residences have been sold since the project was launched earlier this month. So far, 306 of the 496 units have been released for sale.

The 24-storey development features five towers, with homes at the 99-year leasehold project on Petir Road priced from $850 per sq ft (psf) to $1,300 psf. The smallest units, 463 sq ft one-bedders, start from $550,000.

Belysa, an executive condominium in Pasir Ris, has moved 158 apartments – nearly half of its 315 units – since it launched last Wednesday. The 99-year leasehold project is priced at an average of $670 psf and comprises three-and four-bedroom apartments.

Another new launch, 10 Shelford, has about 20 units left. Prices at this 69-unit Bukit Timah development start at about $830,000 for a 388 sq ft unit.

Source: Straits Times News by Cheryl Lim

ASPIRING home owners can expect to see more build-to-order (BTO) HDB projects launched in mature estates next year, promised National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday.

Announcing this latest policy shift in another blog post, he said: 'I have asked HDB to look into more mature estates as possibilities.

'It is too late to prepare suitable sites for this year, but we should be able to put up some for next year's BTO.'

He said that his ministry has been 'rather reluctant' to launch BTO in mature estates as it was worried that such popular launches would attract high subscription rates, 'further alarming the market'.

'While this is a valid concern, I believe that Singaporeans will understand that mature estates will always attract very high subscription,' he said.

'We should not be daunted by such a prospect, but should instead try to meet the aspirations of many young couples wanting to set up nests near their parents. Our response should be to put up more sites in mature estates, even as we ramp up BTO launches elsewhere.'

Mr Khaw added that it will be inevitable that some of these new sites will be near existing residential blocks, and he hoped residents will bear with the construction while works are under way.

The blog, titled Making a Calculated Move, was his third since last Thursday.

Like the other two – as well as his recent comments – it showed the determination of the new National Development Minister to address areas in housing which are causing unhappiness to various segments of Singaporeans.

Last Friday, he spoke of speeding up the construction of new flats and raising the number of BTO units from 22,000 to 25,000 this year. At a forum with youth on Sunday, he said that more rental flats must be built for lower-income families.

Under the BTO system launched in 2002, the HDB builds flats in response to demand for them.

In his latest post, Mr Khaw noted that the current BTO launch for 4,000 new units in four towns was under way. So far, there have been about 8,000 applications, and this was within the ministry's expectation.

Not surprisingly, he said, projects in the mature estate of Tampines are the most popular, with many applying for four- and five-room flats.

He acknowledged that new flats in mature estates are more attractive since many couples living there would like to continue to live close to their parents.

This is a move which the Government supports, and so it has doubled the chances of such couples under the Married Child Priority Scheme.

The current BTO launch in Tampines is also the first one there in recent years, he noted.

He said that young couples eagerly looking for new homes should calculate their chances.

'My advice to them is to opt for non-mature estates,' he said.

'You improve considerably your chance of securing one in the new towns, instead of competing with many others for the popular projects in the mature estates,' he said, adding 'good luck friends, and congratulations on your recent or upcoming wedding'.

For years, the Ministry of National Development's (MND) position has been to focus on launching new flats in non-mature estates such as Punggol and Sengkang .

Last year, former national development minister Mah Bow Tan said that land in mature estates was limited and the mainstay of BTO supply will still be in outlying estates.

Launches in mature estates have proven to be wildly popular.

In 2009, 1,718 BTO flats in Queenstown – namely, SkyVille@Dawson and SkyTerrace@Dawson – received over 10,000 subscriptions, or 12 buyers for some units in the estate.

In 2007, 400 flats in Telok Blangah Towers were oversubscribed nearly 20 times, with 7,970 applications.

Mature estates usually have more established infrastructure such as recreational and educational facilities and well-connected transport links.

In such areas, land for building new flats is limited and flats built are generally snapped up quickly.

Dennis Wee Group director Chris Koh said that these projects are also likely to be smaller in size given the limited land.

He added that flats could be built at the perimeter of mature estates.

Mr Colin Tan, research and consultancy director at real estate firm Chesterton Suntec International, said HDB can overcome such size limitations by building taller blocks and increasing the population density.

Mr Khaw's latest announcement gives hope to buyers like human resources executive Teo Yingying, 25, who has applied for a BTO flat with her boyfriend five times with no success. She is hoping for a BTO launch in Tanjong Pagar where she now lives with her parents.

'I want to be near my parents. If we ever have children, my parents can help me take care of them when we're working,' she said.

MND said that it is studying suitable sites and more information will be released later this year.

Source: Straits Times News by Daryl Chin & Cheryl Ong

THE Housing and Development Board (HDB) could be launching more new flats in mature estates next year to help young couples live near their parents, said National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday.

AT least two freehold residential development sites have been transacted recently. Austral View at Tanjong Rhu, on a 30,540 square foot site, was sold for $81 million through a collective sale to a Chinese developer which last month picked up the adjacent Fortredale.

WORLD-CLASS city living has come to Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian capital is dotted with new, amenity-filled, chic apartments and the city has never been as cosmopolitan and vibrant as it is now.

IF HERITAGE enthusiasts have their way, Bukit Brown Cemetery off Lornie Road would stay untouched.

But in land-scarce Singapore – and especially since Bukit Brown is sitting on a large tract of land – the reality is that the dead will have to make way for the living sooner or later.

The 86ha graveyard, along with the already-exhumed Bidadari in Upper Serangoon Road, has been earmarked for housing developments, although the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has not given a timeframe for this.

Already, plans for the Bukit Brown MRT station have been set, although it will remain closed until the area is more developed.

Meanwhile, the 200-member Singapore Heritage Society (SHS) has produced a book titled Spaces Of The Dead: A Case From The Living to document the cemeteries here and argue for their conservation in the form of open-air museums or parks.

To clear them away would cause the community to incur 'a great loss', said SHS president Kevin Tan, who edited the book.

But a URA spokesman explained: 'We have to take a balanced long-term approach in land-use planning, and be very selective in what we conserve because of our land scarcity.

'As our population grows, we have to meet increasing land needs for various uses. Bukit Brown and Bidadari occupy large land areas that will be needed for housing purposes, and are not included in our conservation plans.'

The 300-page book compiles articles and photographs of cemeteries by various authors.

Launched last Saturday, it aims to change the mindsets of two groups of people – town planners who might be thinking of exhuming cemeteries for redevelopment needs, and members of the public who might fear such places.

That cemeteries give important insights into a people's social and historical life is not lost on tourists, who are more open to visiting them.

'Such cemeteries are an intrinsic part of community life,' said Dr Tan, adding that tourists often visit a country's tombs to learn more about its people and culture.

When The Straits Times visited Bukit Brown recently, people on horseback from the nearby Singapore Polo Club were seen clip-clopping along the winding, vehicle-free paths, sharing them with joggers and dog-walkers.

Many of Bukit Brown's 80,000 tombstones are weather-worn and lost in the undergrowth. Some, such as the tomb of prominent Chinese businessman Ong Sam Leong and his wife, draw attention with their size and showiness.

Bukit Brown is among 60 cemeteries here. All but one – Choa Chu Kang Cemetery – do not accept new burials, said the National Environment Agency, which oversees many cemeteries here.

In 1952, available records indicated there were 229 registered burial grounds, including many small ones that have since been exhumed.

The bustling Ngee Ann City shopping centre and the housing estates of Bishan and Tiong Bahru sit on what were once burial grounds.

Mr Eric Cheng, 36, chief executive of real-estate agency ECG Property, noted that the sites on which Bukit Brown and Bidadari are located are 'prime spots for housing'.

Noting the precedent set here for turning cemeteries into housing estates, he said: 'These places are usually developed after the land has been fallow for some time. People forget they were ever cemeteries. It is not a challenge to market such properties.'

Former Nature Society (Singapore) chairman Ho Hua Chew, who wrote one of the chapters in the new book, conceded that SHS' cause was a tough fight because the Government is 'very pro-development'.

The avid bird-watcher, who noted that 85 bird species have been recorded in Bukit Brown, expressed hope that people would read the book and go there to appreciate the place.

Businessman and permanent resident Mark Zagrodnik, 47, who has jogged there, is already doing that. He described it as a 'beautiful, natural space'.

On the other hand, administrative officer Cathy Wee, 27, has not even heard of Bukit Brown. She said: 'I wouldn't even think of conserving it.'

Source: Straits Times News by Jessica Lim

'For rental flats, we are studying, but all I know is we need to build more… How fast we can meet the supply – that depends on industry capacity, which I need to study,' he said on the sidelines of a youth forum.

He cited neither a timeframe nor figures, but said it would take 'several years' to meet the shortfall.

The minister's remarks come hot on the heels of an announcement on Friday that the Housing Board will build 25,000 new flats this year so young couples can own their own homes, and that this pace of building may continue into next year.

He noted that first-time buyers are one group with urgent housing needs, another being single mothers or divorcees who need subsidised rental flats.

Tenants pay between $26 and $275 a month for these flats, depending on flat type. There are about 45,000 such public rental flats here.

It was announced in Parliament in January that the Government was planning to build 5,000 more rental flats by next year, while keeping the proportion of rental flats at between 5 per cent and 7 per cent of the total number of HDB flats, so as to encourage home ownership.

During the Budget debate two months later, then National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan further announced that the average waiting time for public rental flats would be shortened to eight months this year, down from 21 months in 2008.

These were aimed at addressing unhappiness on the ground over the long wait for rental flats.

Private operators such as EM Services, allowed to rent out some HDB flats slated for redevelopment at market rates, also raised eyebrows, with some observers saying such flats should be rented to the needy as a matter of priority.

Ministry of National Development figures indicate that there were 2,300 rental flat applications each in 2009 and last year, down from 3,700 in 2008. Families made up 83 per cent of these applicants last year, and singles, the remaining 17 per cent under the Joint Singles Scheme.

Some 44 per cent of applicant households earned below $800 each a month, while the rest earned between $801 and $1,500 a month.

Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament Lee Bee Wah, the deputy chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for National Development and for the Environment, welcomed Mr Khaw's comments.

'I'm glad to hear that he is going to ramp up the numbers,' she said.

She said 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the requests for help that she gets at her Meet-the-People sessions are from those who need public rental flats, and that these include divorcees, those deserted by their children, and those whose flats are to be repossessed.

Madam Rokiah Sulaiman, a 45-year-old mother of two whose husband is in prison, also welcomed the possibility of getting a rental flat sooner.

She does not work because of health problems and has just moved with her teenage son into her mother's one-room Chinatown rental flat, which is also home to her sister.

This means Madam Rokiah is, for the moment, living apart from her other child, a six-year-old daughter who attends school in Woodlands and hence stays with an aunt.

Madam Rokiah hopes to get a rental flat in Marsiling, nearer to her daughter's school. She said: 'I want to live with my kids, but the HDB said a lot of people are asking for rental flats, so I have to wait.'

Source: Straits Times News

(SINGAPORE) The Ministry of National Development (MND) is looking to increase the supply of rental flats for single parents.