Wednesday 23 April 2014

Bank Loan - How to choose?

Let’s say the following banks are offering you the following rates :

Bank A :
Year 1 – 1.33%
Year 2 – 1.73%
Year 3 – 2.93%

(a) Lock-in period : 2 years
(b) Legal fees subsidies up to $3k. Claw-back period is 2 years.
(c) Re-pricing fee is non-chargeable.

Bank B :
Year 1 – 1.54%
Year 2 – 1.54%
Year 3 – 3.30%

(a) Lock-in period : 2 years
(b) Legal fees subsidies up to $3k. Claw-back period is 3 years.
(c) Re-pricing fee is chargeable at $500.


Which bank loan is a better choice?

Check out how to do bank loan comparison in our book.


Wednesday 19 March 2014

HDB Resale - Do you really need to engage real estate agents?

One of the best myths in Singapore is real estate agents are needed for buying and selling of properties. As such, real estate agencies have thrived on this myth.

The fact is real estate agents are not a must. HDB buyers & sellers can do the buying or selling on their own. In fact, it is not difficult at all! Click here for a HDB webpage explanation.

Of course, if you do not have the time, engaging agents might be your preferred choice. A good agent could also negotiate a favourable price for you.


However, bear in mind that an agent’s commission is typically 1% of the selling price. For example, for $500k selling price, the agent’s commission is $5k! How many hours do you need to work to earn this amount?

If you are a buyer, will your agent be interested in negotiating a lower buying price for you since his/her commission is proportional to the selling price? How do you encourage your agent to negotiate in your favour? Check this out in our book.

Saturday 1 February 2014

Learn how you could make good decisions in buying HDB flat. 

Click on the right panel to find out!