新加坡私人住宅外国买家增加

吴淑贤　(2011-10-21)

购买私人住宅的外国人已增加，政府正在密切关注市场走势，并会在必要时推出更多措施来控制情况。 　　国家发展部长许文远昨天回应迪舒沙（荷兰—武吉知马集选区）的询问时说，私宅的海外买家已从去年占交易量的12％，增加至今年上半年的16％。 　　但许文远也说，房地产价格上涨不应该完全归咎于外国买家。这是因为其他因素如低利率以及良好的经济基础都可能影响房屋需求。 　　国家发展部受询时说，外国买家去年购买4315个单位，今年上半年则购买2552个单位，数目分别占交易量的12％及16％。 　　许文远说，政府会密切留意情况，并在必要时推出更多措施。政府最近已收紧外国人购买有地住宅的条件。 　　“不过，环球金融市场仍旧不明朗，欧美的增长也疲弱，我们须小心翼翼，以免加速市场信心的流失。” 　　迪舒沙进一步提问时说，外国买家在本地私宅市场的占有率是否太高，因为一旦经济走下波，这些外国屋主较可能离开，留下本地屋主承担后果。 　　他因此想知道，我国是否能效仿澳大利亚的做法，让外国人在买卖房地产时面对更多限制。据他说，外国人只能在澳洲购买新的房地产，并须售卖房子给当地人。 需调整房屋政策 但不应影响经济 　　许文远回应时说，每个国家的历史不同，情况也不一样，澳洲有自己处理问题的方式，我国也是如此。 　　他说：“我需要对房屋政策作出调整，但更重要的是得确保任何调整不会不经意地影响我国经济及社会。” 　　许文远表示明白迪舒沙的担忧，并会小心处理问题。然而，环球经济局势不在他的控制之内，而这方面的波动必定影响我国。 　　李美花（义顺集选区）则想知道，外国买主得占有私宅市场多高比例，才会促使政府推出额外措施？ 　　许文远说，施政的智慧难以转换成数字，否则依赖电脑就行了。他语带玄机地说，无论是推出还是减少降温措施都会影响市场走势，因此他现在不便透露太多。 　　整体来说，购买私宅的仍以本地人居多，占今年所有交易的超过八成。许文远说，许多成功的新加坡人都希望拥有私宅，首次购买私宅的国人更会对屋价高涨感到担忧。 　　然而，许文远说，相对于承诺让几乎每个家庭都能拥有一个组屋单位，政府不能保证每名要购买私宅的人都能如愿以偿。 　　“但是我们会确保建造私宅的土地供应足够，让国人有更多机会可以拥有私宅。” 　　为满足国人对私宅的强劲需求，政府在售地计划下推出更多地段，今年推出的地段可建造1万4500个单位，比去年的1万个单位多。政府售地计划的步伐将持续下去，直到市场完全稳定下来。 　　目前，市场仍有3万4000个私宅单位还未出售，估计可满足超过两年的需求。 　　许文远说，政府已采取一系列措施来稳定市场，减少投机需求。这些措施已初见成效，不过还须要一段时间才能完全发挥效用。新单位也要时间建造，长久来看将有助于稳定市场。 　　他也透露，虽然私宅价格一直上涨，2009年第三季以来的增幅已放缓，今年至今的价格涨幅是6％，比去年全年的18％来得少。

《联合早报》

 Private home market gaining momentum

October 21, 2011

For the past couple of weeks, you get the sense that momentum is building up in the private housing market.

In an ironic twist, a private residential site tender at Flora Drive in Upper Changi broke new ground on Wednesday, the same day National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said it was not time yet to remove the property market cooling measures.

It was the first site sale to reverse the tide of cautious bids for the past few land tenders. The tender attracted eight bids, with the top offer coming at S$163 million or S$361 per sq ft per plot ratio. This is 11 per cent higher than the S$325 psf winning bid for an adjacent site sold in June which attracted only four bids.

You could say that this day was some time in the making. Even as the past few state land sales attracted lower – and fewer – bids, the point is that they still got sold. The past few years have been golden years for developers, with many achieving strong profits. Many are facing the “good” problem of how best to re-invest these profits.

But more important than profits for developers is that housing sales are continuing, albeit at stable price levels.

The latest developer sales numbers for last month showed housing units sold jumping by 20.7 per cent from the previous month, or by 25.8 per cent, including the sale of Executive Condominiums.

Can the buying momentum continue and surpass the record 16,292 private homes achieved last year? It is a tall order but why not, if – as many have predicted – developers are rushing over themselves to push out their units.

And if sales continue to be robust, can we expect prices to remain unchanged for long since rising prices and sales often always go hand-in-hand?

Adding to the momentum is the ongoing collective sales – but with a big difference this time. The en bloc sale scene has clearly entered a new phase where the majority of owners for some projects are “determined” to sell.

This week alone saw five developments being put up for collective sale – Faber Garden, Dragon Mansion, Newton Lodge, Dunearn Gardens and Jasmine Court.

For the majority of owners in Dragon Mansion and Dunearn Gardens, they are openly lowering their price expectations. If owners are determined to sell, I strongly suspect they will get it sold eventually.

What will be the impact of this continuous stream of collective sales? For one, they will remove some of the housing stock and possibly some rental units – which will lend some support to the rental market.

Some owners will choose to rent while others will downgrade for the time being. This will again impact both the rental market and raise housing sales for existing developments. Others will seize their opportunity to make big money, enough to possibly retire comfortably.

For these owners and other investors, the path is clear. There is price stability in the private housing market – which means no more cooling measures for the time being. They may even derive some comfort from Mr Khaw’s announcement on Wednesday that his top priority for the next two years will be to tend to the housing needs of two groups: Newlyweds and vulnerable families.

As the saying goes, when the cat’s away, the mice will play.

By Colin Tan – head of research and consultancy at Chesterton Suntec International.