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PropertyBT: Selling Singapore's new dream homes

PropertyBT: Selling Singapore's new dream homes

Business Times23-06-2025
Singaporeans have always had a special interest in real estate investment so GuocoLand's recent success in Lentor might have piqued your interest. It certainly piqued Leslie Yee's interest.
As host of The Business Times podcast PropertyBT, he sat down with Dora Chng, residential director at GuocoLand to garner insights into their residential developments in the latest podcast episode.
Unearth market trends and insights
The pair explore why new condo units in Singapore are commanding high prices and selling like hotcakes. With Chng's expert insights, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the unique appeal and advantages of owning a brand-new condo compared to resale properties. This episode is packed with data and observations that can help potential buyers and investors make informed decisions.
She explains the intrinsic value and attraction of new condos, such as modern designs, fresh tenure, and state-of-the-art facilities. She also points out that new developments often integrate leisure and practical amenities, making them highly desirable.
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Despite the higher price point of new condos—40 per cent higher on average compared to resale units—Chng explains why these properties are worth the investment. She proposes that enhanced facilities, strategic locations near MRT stations, and flexible, contemporary layouts are key reasons.
The conversation then delves into GuocoLand's successful projects in the Lentor area, illustrating how the company has innovatively marketed and sold multiple developments despite a competitive landscape. Here again Chng shares insights into their strategic approach which offers valuable lessons for real estate professionals and investors.
Evolving buyer preferences
Yee and Chng move on to discuss how buyer preferences are shifting, with modern buyers valuing location convenience and flexible living spaces. Chng highlights the changing demographics and needs of condo buyers in Singapore, ensuring that listeners are up-to-date with current market trends.
The podcast shines a light on GuocoLand's forward-thinking projects that emphasise wellness and sustainability. Chng then shares intriguing details about the upcoming Spring Leaf Residence, designed to coexist harmoniously with its natural surroundings—an increasingly important factor for environmentally conscious buyers. A definite highlight for listeners who might be considering a property purchase.
Show flats vs virtual walkthroughs
The episode covers the enduring importance of show flats in an age of advanced virtual reality technology. Here Chng provides practical advice on what to look for in show flats, offering essential tips for potential buyers to visualise their future homes accurately.
Listen now to this candid discussion, between Leslie Yee of The Business Times and Dora Chng from GuocoLand which addresses common concerns about the timing of property purchases and financial planning. Useful advice whether you are a prospective buyer for investment or looking for a home.
PropertyBT is a podcast of BT Correspondents. Look out for the next episode featuring senior correspondent Ben Paul. And if you have any thoughts or questions, feel free to reach out to us at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.
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Written and hosted by: Leslie Yee (lyee@sph.com.sg)
With Dora Chng, residential director, GuocoLand
Edited by: Emily Liu & Claressa Monteiro
Produced by: Leslie Yee, Emily Liu & Chai Pei Chieh
A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media
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Follow BT Correspondents:
Channel: bt.sg/btcobt
Amazon: bt.sg/btcoam
Apple Podcasts: bt.sg/btcoap
Spotify: bt.sg/btcosp
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Website: bt.sg/btcorresp
Do note: This podcast is meant to provide general information only. SPH Media accepts no liability for loss arising from any reliance on the podcast or use of third party's products and services. Please consult professional advisors for independent advice.
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Discover more BT podcast series:
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From Normal (Technical) to PhD: Computer engineering professor among 167 MOE scholarship recipients
From Normal (Technical) to PhD: Computer engineering professor among 167 MOE scholarship recipients

Straits Times

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  • Straits Times

From Normal (Technical) to PhD: Computer engineering professor among 167 MOE scholarship recipients

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Most Asean nations get softer US tariffs, mitigating growth risks ahead of Aug 7 hikes
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Most Asean nations get softer US tariffs, mitigating growth risks ahead of Aug 7 hikes

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Hong Leong Investment Bank wrote in a note that from a trade standpoint, the harmonised US tariff rates across Asean ensure that Malaysia is not at a relative disadvantage. Ken Low, head of dealing at Moomoo Malaysia, noted that the tariff reduction offers short-term optimism. While the new rate is less damaging than the previous one, it remains on par with that of its regional peers, and continues to pose a hurdle to the competitiveness of Malaysian exports. In a statement on Friday, Malaysia's Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) stressed that the US-Malaysia tariff agreement was reached without compromising on key 'red-line' issues such as excise duty and Bumiputera equity quotas, thus protecting the country's sovereign economic policies. At a media briefing on Friday evening, Miti Minister Tengku Aziz said Malaysian semiconductor and pharmaceutical exports would remain exempt from US tariffs. 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Reported by Tan Ai Leng from Kuala Lumpur Indonesia: Room to breathe Indonesia, which is grappling with domestic economic pressures , has secured a final US tariff rate of 19 per cent on its exports, easing fears of the fallout from President Trump's Apr 2 rate of 32 per cent. While still nearly double the 10 per cent baseline applied during the reprieve, the revised rate offers some relief as the country grapples with domestic economic pressures. Indonesia's tariff rate remains lower than Vietnam's, a key regional rival in labour-intensive sectors like textiles and footwear. As the US ranks as Indonesia's second-largest export market, analysts believe the reduced tariffs could boost trade and protect labour-intensive industries from economic challenges. The deal was reached following an agreement between President Prabowo Subianto and Trump to open Indonesia's vast market of 280 million consumers to US goods. Indonesia, which runs a US$17 billion trade surplus with the US, will eliminate tariff barriers on more than 99 per cent of goods coming in from the US, and commit to purchasing US$2.5 billion in agricultural products and US$15 billion in energy supplies. Citi's research team sees the agreement as having a net dovish impact on the Indonesian economy. While the shift in import sources may slightly weigh on the trade balance, the broader macroeconomic effects are expected to be manageable. Risks to the rupiah remain, but are likely to stay contained as long as Indonesia's commodity export prices remain stable. Reported by Elisa Valenta from Jakarta Cambodia: Double cuts to match peers Cambodia cheered the 'great news' of a 19-per-cent tariff on its US exports – a cut from the earlier 36 per cent and a significant drop from the original 49 per cent, which would have devastated its manufacturing sector and jarred its economy. The kingdom's Prime Minister Hun Manet took to Facebook on Friday morning to praise the 'excellent outcome', but analysts BT spoke with cautioned that Cambodia is not yet out of the woods. Adam Ahmad Samdin, an economist at research firm Oxford Economics, said that transshipments, the definition of which is left to the discretion of the US authorities, remain a bugbear for Cambodia, because its production is heavily reliant on Chinese inputs. The nation's post-pandemic economic expansion has been picking up speed, and annual growth has surpassed 5 per cent, but the double whammy of US tariffs and recent border disputes with neighbouring Thailand has clouded its outlook. Adam acknowledged that the reduced levy mitigates a substantial amount of downside risk to Cambodia's growth, noting that there remains scope for more immediate near-term support, as the kingdom improves its public debt ratio and rebuilds its fiscal space. 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Support local: FairPrice launches farmers market with Singapore-grown produce, includes exclusive plushies and more, Lifestyle News
Support local: FairPrice launches farmers market with Singapore-grown produce, includes exclusive plushies and more, Lifestyle News

AsiaOne

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  • AsiaOne

Support local: FairPrice launches farmers market with Singapore-grown produce, includes exclusive plushies and more, Lifestyle News

Looking for ways to support local? From Aug 2 to 3, FairPrice Group (FGP) will be hosting its first-ever Made in Singapore (MIS) Farmers Market as part of ongoing SG60 celebrations to support local farms and produce, they announced in a press release today (Aug 1). It will feature more than 60 locally-farmed products from six Singapore farms: The Fish Farmer, Chew's Egg, Yili Farm, Sustenir, Green Harvest as well as Growy SG, and feature produce like fresh vegetables, eggs, fish, ice cream and more. The farmers market will take place at FairPrice XTRA Jem and feature a variety of family-friendly activities designed to educate the public on local produce and why it's crucial to our country's food security. Speaking with AsiaOne at the launch today, Malcolm Ong, CEO of The Fish Farmer and president of the Kranji Countryside Association, shared that Singaporeans are becoming more aware about the importance of local agriculture, "especially during Covid-19" when there were disruptions to foreign produce importations. "Eggs coming in [faced] problems, chicken coming in [faced] problems. That's when people became more aware that there's a need for local produce," he stated. Jack Moy, co-founder of Singaporean superfood farm Sustenir, also agreed on the importance of local produce for "food resilience" on a national level. On a more personal level, he said that a lot of nutrition in produce is often lost in transit. "For example, vitamin C, easily 50 per cent of it is lost within 24 hours of harvest," he stated, explaining that local farms will be able to deliver produce from farm to supermarket "within less than 24 hours", helping retain most of its nutrition and allowing consumers to enjoy fresher products. Some highlights at the farmers market include: plucking a free local produce-inspired mascot plushie from the Lil' Cuddle Farm and having it "cooked" at the Lil' Cuddle Kitchen. This will be available for every $60 spent in-store in a single receipt with at least two local produce items, limited to the first 250 redemptions per day while stocks last. Other activities include: trying novel food products like Nippon Koi Farm's locally made spinach ice-cream, participating in a sure-win gachapon (vending machines that dispense toys) with prizes like Limited Edition Mascot Plushies from Singapore Food Agency (SFA), as well as enjoying flash deals on local produce, with trays of eggs going for as low as $0.60 and $6 seafood promotions. In addition to these highlights, the MIS Farmers Market will also feature live cooking demonstrations with local produce, organised in collaboration with SFA to showcase how they can be used to create popular local dishes like egg foo yong and steamed fish with crispy chai poh (preserved radish). For those who can't get enough of the local goodies, the MIS Farmers Market will be followed by FPG's annual MIS Fair, a two-week-long initiative highlighting locally-made products with discounts, promotions and activities across FPG supermarkets and online. [[nid:659567]]

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