Another Obsession With 'Eight': 8 Nassim Hill

Thursday is the best day to have Kopi with my Agent (treat them well and they literally be your eyes and ears!). It always seems like every thursday there's something new and this week's pick is yet another project with 'Eight' obsession: 8 Nassim Hill.

Judging from its location, it sure won't be friendly to those without $9m to spare (Guestimating 3000psf x 3000sf).

Grange Infinite Launches, Odd-Shaped Furniture Prices Skyrocket

The latest Scoop: The 36 Storey Grange Infinite (Known as the En-blocced Grange Towers) will be launching soon. While this will be embraced by those who can't stand being more then 2 minutes away from Takashimaya, there will be lots of demand for odd-shaped furniture.

One of my sources, allowed me to take a peek at the floorplans and behold: Not ONE bedroom in all 68 units is evenly shaped! Every bedroom had at least one odd angled wall. While I understand there isn't much land involved in this project, there is simply no excuse for not having at least one even-shaped bedroom.

Or maybe...I'm just getting Old-Fashioned. Or Old? Am I?

Tsk. Hope the Subject to Changes clause is for real this time!

Another Reason To Invest In Singapore: Smog

While Hong Kong might be the Gateway to China and a great place to invest in Property, the Pearl River Delta is dotted with somewhat Environmentally Friendly Factories (Chinese Standards).

A few years ago when I was there I mistook cool mist around the hills for smog (a not-so-happy-with-the-takeover local corrected me quickly). From the pictures all over the internet now, I'm guessing them Super Penthouses aren't as attractive as they used to be.

Unfortunately while the New Hong Kong Government seems to be handling the takeover pretty well, I doubt they have any pull on the Mainland Chinese agenda with Beijing being the focus until the Olympics.

So there you go Mr. Foreigner, please buy more Singapore Property. If it helps, you will be contributing to the Mr. Realgossip retirement fund.

Horizon Towers: With Blessings (UPDATED)

Source: The Straits Times

Well something blipped under my radar when I was mindlessly surfing in one of Singapore's most visited forums. Apparently a highly controversial Pastor of a Mega-Church has 5 (now 13 see below) units in Horizon Towers. This was allegedly revealed in a local chinese evening paper.

If this is true, perhaps a 'Let the En-Bloc process for Horizon Towers be smooth sailing' prayer could be slipped in during one of those mass prayers.

Update 6th Oct: It has been confirmed in the Weekend Issue of Today newspaper that, Sun Ho and her Pastor Husband owns at least one unit of Horizon Towers.

Update 8th Oct: Finally found the link! Sun Ho and her Pastor Husband Owns 13 units in Horizon Towers!!! (What's a Pastor doing with so many units!? One for each disciple and one for him???)

$6.3 Billion into Singapore's Pocket; Indonesia Govt Weeps

Source: The Business Times, Thursday Oct 5, 2007

It can't be more clear. The Singapore Government has collected a princely $6.3b this time round, though supposedly overshadowed by the $14b from 1998 (which rock were you hiding under in 1999?). Are we seeing more handouts from Progress Packages on the radar come General Election?

On another note, I guess the Indonesian Government's have the right to get mad at us. We (used to) buy sand from them at dirt(!) cheap prices and their people buy it here marked up a gazillion times (minus Indonesian Sovereignty). Long Live the Free Market.

Cascadia Showroom Sneak Peak

I was just about my mid-days browsing when I came across these images of Cascadia's showroom even before it launches. Looks like plenty of effort was spent on making this mass market project look as up market as possible.


Image Source: http://www.livingpod.com

Ong Choon Fah on Enblocs pulling up HDB prices: 'Not such a bad thing. Everybody should feel a little richer'

Source: The Business Times

Trust the big cheese of one of Singapore's leading Real Estate Agencies, Ong Choon Fah, ECD, DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, to sympathize with heartlanders in these Only-the-Rich-Gets-Richer times. When quized about the latest price hike in property prices, he blabbered that it is 'not such a bad thing. Everybody should feel a little richer'.

While HDB flats and low/mid-end private housing have no doubt gained in capital appreciation with even HDB 4-roomers asking for up to 70k above valuation (what my agents tell me), these heartlanders will still have to find another place to live after cashing in; in my terms, the roof that covers your head is NOT an investment.

Oh well...but what is all that to Ong Choon Fah, my Condos and me. Time for a cuppa by my little patio with the morning paper.