"Housing grants, higher income ceiling for flat buyers expected to be covered during NDR 2015 - CNA 21 August 2015
SINGAPORE: Housing, education, families and babies are among the topics that will be covered in this year's National Day Rally on Sunday (Aug 23) Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong revealed in a video posted to Facebook and YouTube on Friday.
First-timer applicants with a household income not exceeding S$10,000 can receive grants of up to S$30,000 when they purchase a resale flat. If the flat is located near their parents' home, applicants get an additional S$10,000.
Some market-watchers also said it may be timely to focus on the second-timer applicants, now that housing demand from first-timers has been largely met. More than 100,000 new BTO flats have been launched since 2011. Currently, up to 85 per cent are reserved for first-time applicants."
Aah! That favourite topic of Singaporeans again! Housing. HDB public flats!
Lessons for me are:
1. Nobody REALLY own the HDB flat, or any leasehold properties, public or private. They merely leased it from the landlords. The ONLY WAY for them to make money out of it besides renting them out is to SELL THEM in some point in time. Hopefully at the BOOM of a property bubble or at least higher than the original purchase price plus accumulated interest!;
2. raising the income ceiling of couple so that they can be ALLOWED to buy HDB flats AND enjoy S$10k or S$30k or WHATEVER amount the GOVERNMENT feels that the Voters WILL be happy to get, BASICALLY raised the question: is the GOVERNMENT artificially propping up the so-called 'market price'? IF so, is it a GOOD practice? Is it SUSTAINABLE for the future generation of public flat buyers to benefit? MORE IMPORTANTLY, does it means that the HIGHER INCOME group NOW needs MORE government's help to be able to own a HDB flat as the PRICES have NOW gone up BEYOND the 'higher income couple' IF government's grants are NOT GIVEN? I hope NOT!!;
3. This 'bringing the kids to the grandparents' practice is a bit Out-of-date right? Should the culture NOT be: have your kids at your nearest child-card, pre-school, instead of burdening the aged grandparents to take care of the grandchildren? The economic of scale of such neighbourhood child-care and pre-school facilities with QUALIFIED teachers and helpers must be explored right?
Should government NOT be putting in MORE MONEY and INVESTMENT in such facilities to help the YOUNG FAMILIES start life on their own without burdening their parents? OF COURSE, for those who are able and willing to look after their own grandchildren, they are MOST welcome to. BUT using the excuse of 'the grandparents are staying faraway' will be a soft option.
Interestingly AFTER 50 successful years of NATION BUILDING, the focus is STILL very much on bread and butter issue. Hmm. Progress for our nation?
SINGAPORE: Housing, education, families and babies are among the topics that will be covered in this year's National Day Rally on Sunday (Aug 23) Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong revealed in a video posted to Facebook and YouTube on Friday.
First-timer applicants with a household income not exceeding S$10,000 can receive grants of up to S$30,000 when they purchase a resale flat. If the flat is located near their parents' home, applicants get an additional S$10,000.
Some market-watchers also said it may be timely to focus on the second-timer applicants, now that housing demand from first-timers has been largely met. More than 100,000 new BTO flats have been launched since 2011. Currently, up to 85 per cent are reserved for first-time applicants."
Aah! That favourite topic of Singaporeans again! Housing. HDB public flats!
Lessons for me are:
1. Nobody REALLY own the HDB flat, or any leasehold properties, public or private. They merely leased it from the landlords. The ONLY WAY for them to make money out of it besides renting them out is to SELL THEM in some point in time. Hopefully at the BOOM of a property bubble or at least higher than the original purchase price plus accumulated interest!;
2. raising the income ceiling of couple so that they can be ALLOWED to buy HDB flats AND enjoy S$10k or S$30k or WHATEVER amount the GOVERNMENT feels that the Voters WILL be happy to get, BASICALLY raised the question: is the GOVERNMENT artificially propping up the so-called 'market price'? IF so, is it a GOOD practice? Is it SUSTAINABLE for the future generation of public flat buyers to benefit? MORE IMPORTANTLY, does it means that the HIGHER INCOME group NOW needs MORE government's help to be able to own a HDB flat as the PRICES have NOW gone up BEYOND the 'higher income couple' IF government's grants are NOT GIVEN? I hope NOT!!;
3. This 'bringing the kids to the grandparents' practice is a bit Out-of-date right? Should the culture NOT be: have your kids at your nearest child-card, pre-school, instead of burdening the aged grandparents to take care of the grandchildren? The economic of scale of such neighbourhood child-care and pre-school facilities with QUALIFIED teachers and helpers must be explored right?
Should government NOT be putting in MORE MONEY and INVESTMENT in such facilities to help the YOUNG FAMILIES start life on their own without burdening their parents? OF COURSE, for those who are able and willing to look after their own grandchildren, they are MOST welcome to. BUT using the excuse of 'the grandparents are staying faraway' will be a soft option.
Interestingly AFTER 50 successful years of NATION BUILDING, the focus is STILL very much on bread and butter issue. Hmm. Progress for our nation?
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