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Business Times
21-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Making property agents do better by consumers
Singapore has over 36,000 property agents. That's a lot of name cards. But are they all really adding value or just inflating costs? In this episode of PropertyBT, a podcast of BT Correspondents from The Business Times, senior correspondent Leslie Yee sits down with Professor Sing Tien Foo, provost chair at NUS Business School, to dig into the sharp edges of Singapore's real estate agency scene. From eyebrow-raising commissions to the rise of a few market giants, this episode pulls no punches. What exactly are you paying for when you engage an agent and should more be done to keep the industry honest? Why listen? Because buying a home shouldn't feel like playing poker blind Professor Sing breaks down what really happens behind the sales pitch and why the incentives in the current system don't always work in your favour. Because new launch commissions are quietly off the charts A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up In a hot market, some agents barely need to break a sweat to close a deal. So why are fees climbing to 5% and beyond? Because five firms dominate nearly 90 per cent of the market That's not competition. So is it consolidation? And it raises real questions about pricing power, choice, and whether the little guys stand a chance. Because too many agents don't actually transact If you're wondering why productivity's an issue, consider this: nearly half of all licensed agents don't close a single deal a year. So why are they still in the game? And because HDB resale is big business Should the government step in and play matchmaker to cut out the middleman? Professor Sing says maybe. At least for those who want a DIY option with fewer headaches and fewer fees. Listen now for a clear-eyed look at the people and policies shaping your biggest financial decision—buying your 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@ --- Written and hosted by: Leslie Yee (lyee@ With Prof Sing Tien Foo, provost's chair professor, Department of Real Estate, NUS Business School 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 --- Follow BT Correspondents: Channel: Amazon: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: YouTube Music: Website: 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. --- Discover more BT podcast series: BT Money Hacks: BT Podcasts: BT Market Focus: BT Branded Podcasts: BT Lens On:
CNA
01-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Why CEOs are paid so highly — and why it matters
CNA938 Rewind Play Singtel chief executive officer's pay rose more than 16 per cent in FY2025, on the back of the company's increased profits. Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines CEO saw his pay fall by 13.5 per cent even as the flag carrier's earnings reached a record high. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman chats with Professor Mak Yuen Teen, Professor of Practice of Accounting at NUS Business School. They find out what determines a CEO's salary and whether it is reflective of the company's performance. CNA938 Rewind - Why CEOs are paid so highly — and why it matters Singtel chief executive officer's pay rose more than 16 per cent in FY2025, on the back of the company's increased profits. Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines CEO saw his pay fall by 13.5 per cent even as the flag carrier's earnings reached a record high. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman chats with Professor Mak Yuen Teen, Professor of Practice of Accounting at NUS Business School. They find out what determines a CEO's salary and whether it is reflective of the company's performance. 8 mins CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: How Pranati Bagchi built a lavender spaceship to fuel young girls' confidence Pranati Bagchi the founder of The Lavender Spaceship Project, an online school that provides a "girl-centric" education in coding and other tech-related skills. Pranati shares how the seeds of her entrepreneurial journey were planted when he daughter had a dispiriting experience at a coding class, how she persevered through the early days of being a one-woman-operation, and how her students are gaining more than just technical skills but the confidence to believe that they too can reach for the stars. 34 mins CNA938 Rewind - TalkBack: Pre-authorisation certification - Are you using more private healthcare services? Great Eastern has halted pre-authorisation certificates for admissions to Mount Elizabeth hospitals in Orchard and Novena, citing 'efforts to manage rising healthcare costs and ensure long-term affordability for all policyholders.' Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin speak with Alfred Chia, CEO of SingCapital, to discuss whether more Singaporeans are turning to private healthcare services. 17 mins CNA938 Rewind - First RTS Link train unveiled — an engineer weighs in The first of eight trains for the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System has been unveiled, as the project gains steam. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin speak with engineering expert Teo Chor Kok, a member of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technical Committee at the Institution of Engineers, Singapore. 10 mins
CNA
30-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Who could replace Jerome Powell as Fed chairman?
Plans to develop Bishan into a new business hub could see the introduction of around 200,000 sqm of new office space to the area. This will match the scale of that in Paya Lebar Central. Are we going to see more towns adopt the live-work-play model? Daniel Martin and Justine Moss discuss with Provost's Chair Professor at the Department of Real Estate, NUS Business School, Sing Tien Foo.
CNA
27-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - A new business hub for Bishan: will more towns follow this LIVE-WORK-PLAY model?
CNA938 Rewind Plans to develop Bishan into a new business hub could see the introduction of around 200,000 sqm of new office space to the area. This will match the scale of that in Paya Lebar Central. Are we going to see more towns adopt the live-work-play model? Daniel Martin and Justine Moss discuss with Provost's Chair Professor at the Department of Real Estate, NUS Business School, Sing Tien Foo.
CNA
25-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Professor Sing Tien Foo on URA's draft master plan
At least 80,000 new homes will be built across Singapore in the next 10 to 15 years, including near the iconic shopping belt of Orchard Road, under URA's draft master plan. The plan also includes new integrated community hubs in Woodlands North, Yio Chu Kang and Sengkang, bringing together health, sports, retail and recreational facilities under one roof. CNA speaks to Professor Sing Tien Foo, Provost's Chair Professor in the Department of Real Estate at NUS Business School.
