Cecil Lee

This poster (split into three parts) shows what one can do to avoid over eating during Chinese New Year. Did you find all the familiar snacks found during Chinese New Year and what YOU CAN DO?

Do remember that when one comes across such a description when buying a new or resale home: "Large uncovered drain behind a house" Be prepared to exercise CAUTION when buying such a home. CAUTION? Implies further investigations should be made or contacting a geomancer to review it.

Impact of cooling measures introduced on 11 Jan 2011 18th January 2013 Summary For those smart people who do not want to waste their time reading all the details: The Singapore Property Market has become one with very low upside potential in the medium term (3 ? 5 years), but with quite significant downside risks. Low upside because: The govt is committed to not letting the prices to go up significantly. High Downside because: Huge supply (200 k units), and lower demand (reduction of foreign labour). Possible course of action if you agree with the above analysis : If you do not have any sentimental or intangible value for your apartment, it is perhaps a good time to sell and take profit. Rent for a year or two and get into private property after 2014. For those who have nothing better to do than derive some pleasure from reading the below: This is one of the most Comprehensive set of measures covering 1. ABSD: Increasing upfront cost in the form of higher stamp duties even on Singaporeans who are potential HDB upgraders. 2. LIQUIDITY: Reducing significantly the quantum of financing available to 50% for those who already have one loan and more significantly, increasing the quantum of upfront cash to 25% from 10% 3. PR HDB: Virtually squeezing the PRs out of the HDB market by not allowing subletting and 5% stamp duties on purchases. These measures have been taunted as anti cyclical measures to calm the market until the long term structural measures such as increasing the supply get the required time to play out its impact. Let us look at the impact of these measures Mid and High end (above 1.7 million) : ABSD: this market has already been impacted since Dec 2011 and with the further increase to 15% for foreigners , 5 to 10% for PRs and 7 to 10% for Singaporeans, all the buyer segments are significantly affected. I do not see many Singaporeans who do not own any property to be potential buyers of this segment (the only exception being investors who have cashed out in anticipation of measures and market crash) LIQUIDITY: Buyers in this segment need to come out with 50% cash, which in absolute quantum is around 1 million out of which 500 k could be cpf. Overall the investors in this segment are likely to be savvy and would stay away from the market which is what they have been doing. The property price in this segment has been virtually flat for the past 2 years and the rentals are under pressure. The existing landlords will have the resources to hold on even if the rentals fall by 20%. No major distress selling except by those speculators who bought in 2010 and later and would desperately need a tenant to make the emi payments. Mass market (800 k to 1.7million) ABSD: The key buyer group in this segment are the HDB Upgraders, high income first timers, and middle income investors who are looking at rental income. There is no impact on the high income first timers. They will have a lot to choose from. HDB UPgraders who earlier had the option to move into a condo and rent out their HDB Flats at a good rental yield of 8 to 10 %, now face a ABSD of 7%. On a 1.2 million property, that amounts to 84k upfront cost. They can choose to sell the HDB to avoid the ABSD, but that is exactly what the GOVT wants to increase the supply of resale HDB flats and bring down the resale prices. The psychology of this group of people would be rather to hold on to their HDB flats. This would result in lesser demand and developers would be forced to lower prices or offer big discounts. (check out this has already started to happen) The middle income investors are likely to be already having one or two properties and will be subjected to high ABSD OF 7 to 10%. The savvy ones were already in the sidelines. The gullible ones in this group will have lesser opportunity to be gullible as they will not be able afford the ABSD and higher cash requirements. On top of this, the PRs who are currently renting a place and looking for resale apartments in the mass market, would also be better off renting because of the higher ABSD and lower financing. A PR buying a 1.2 million property, will have to come out with 60k in ABSD , 30 k in BSD, 240k in cash or CPF Upfront, and around 4.5 k a month in EMI. Most potential buyers in this segment will be squeezed resulting in significant reduction in demand and consequently lower prices from developers. The current landlords are unlikely to sell in panic. They are enjoying a nice rental yield and they will continue to hold even if the rental yields drop a little. If they sell, getting into the market would be very costly under the current regulations. One unintended consequence of this policy is that the supply of resale private apartments will be lowered significantly. HDB resale apartments The government?s key objective is to arrest the price inflation of HDB resale flats. They have so far not been successful because very few owners are willing to sell. This round of measure aims to correct the supply imbalance partially. PRs will be forced to sell because they cannot sublet. Some HDB UPgraders will sell to get a refund of the 7% ABSD. And some of the savvy ones may sell because they can the see the deluge of pubic and private housing that is being built, and expect prices and rentals to head south. On the demand side, ABSD on the PRs will dampen demand from this segment. HIGH income PRs are generally not in this segment as they are likely to have some private property in their home country and so are not eligible. For the low to mid income PRs, the 5% ABSD is quite steep. On a 500k, HDB flat, it amounts to an extra 25k. And they cannot sublet it in the long run and so it loses its attraction as an investment opportunity. Demand from the HDB second timers will also decrease because of the more than 23K BTO flats that will be on offer this year. The above will certainly put downward pressure on the HDB resale prices. Possible course of action if you agree with the above analysis: SINGAPOREAN First timers : no hurry to buy. You will have plenty of options. Bid lower aggressively and ask developers for steep discounts(20%). Their margins are one of the highest in the world, and can afford to bring down the pricing. Current HDB owners and Upgraders: if you do not have any sentimental or intangible value for your apartment, it is perhaps a good time to sell and take profit. Rent for a year or two and get into private property after 2014. Point to note: Once you sell your HDB, it is quite difficult to get back into public housing. Private property owners: If you do not have any sentimental or intangible value for your apartment, it is perhaps a good time to sell and take profit. Rent for a year or two and get into private property after 2014. Private property investors (assuming you already own one property): Currently you are subjected to the ABSD, which is a cyclical measure and is likely to be reversed when the market comes down. So just wait for that to happen. No need to rush. If you can?t sit on your butt quietly, the go and bid lower aggressively. PRs HDB owners: owner occupiers can continue to stay at low cost housing. For those who live in private property and are renting out their HDB, will have to decide between selling the HDB or moving into it because they cannot rent it out legally. Private property owners: for those with long term plans, owner occupiers are better off staying put. If you sell, you need to pay 5% ABSD to get back into the market increasing the overall transaction cost to 10% (ABSD, BSD, brokerage, small renovation) Private property investors with one property and getting a good rental yield has the most difficult decision to make..if you sell, you lose the rental yield, and buying back will make sense only if there is a significant downturn (more than 15%), as the overall transaction cost around 10% quite high (5%ABSD, 3% BSD, 2% brokerage, small renovation). If you don?t sell, you will be subjected to 10% ABSD when you want to buy another property in the event of a downturn. Private property investors who own more than one property are better off not selling, as they will be subject to 10% ABSD to buy back which makes the overall transaction cost (ABSD, BSD, brokerage, small renovation) around 15%. PR First Timers: no hurry to buy. You will have plenty of options. Bid lower aggressively and ask developers for steep discounts(20%). Their margins are one of the highest in the world, and can afford to bring down the pricing. Foreigners: Private property owners: for those with long term plans, owner occupiers are better off staying put. If you sell, you need to pay 15% ABSD to get back into the market making overall transaction cost 20%. Private property Investors: Private property investors are better off not selling, as they will be subject to 15% ABSD to buy back which makes the overall transaction cost (ABSD, BSD, brokerage, renovation) around 20%. Foreign First Timers: Run away unless you have so much money that you need to park it somewhere safe for the long term and do not mind paying 20% transaction cost. Every one knows that these are temporary measures which will be reversed when the market hits a low and when the supply comes in. It makes absolute sense to wait and not incur these heavy upfront costs. Property Hobbyist Ref: Impact of cooling measures introduced on 11 Jan 2011

1. By coincidence, this subject was just published, today:- http://www.tremeritus.com/2013/01/17/a-politically-motivated-education-system/ 2. Although the actual subject matter is not exactly the same as this topic. 3. What it bears resemblance is that one can say that there might be I believe a modern motive for it. 4. In the past, correct me if I am wrong, some even said that Jesus is not actually born on 25 December or Christmas day. He is suppose to be born on another date. 5. As we all know, even in a tiny island like Singapore, almost every year; the Christmas spirit gets kinda earlier and earlier. In fact, in many Shopping malls, Christmas decorations come up as early as mid-October and early November. 6. What this tells us is that, today in modern times, I believe Christmas is highly commercialised. And one of the objectives is profit driven. Who cares if Santa is just a man, dressed in an oversized stuffed clothing with a false wig and hat... Who cares if Santa is not real. So long as "Santa" can drum up business for me this is fine. 7. Drawing a parallel to the Chinese "God of Wealth". Many who drum up the God of Wealth is into trying to make a buck or two. There are people selling posters, figurines and anything else in the name of the God of Wealth. Again, I believe the motive is commercial. 8. Is it true that when we hang a large red sock in our room or at the fire place, Santa will sure to find our house and deposit a gift? 9. Same here! For example in Singapore, just one estate: the recent By-Election: Punggol SMC has 30,000+ homes. How does the God of Wealth know which home has offered an offering to him? 9.1 Even if the God of Wealth multi-tasks; he may need lots of super computer to detect a few homes out of several millions that has placed an offering to him. 9.2 Look at it this way, more likely, few if ever placed an offering to him anyway. Does it also mean that if he visits a home expecting to find an offering but none provided? What do you think he will do? Get extremely angry with that household? 9.3. Furthermore, God of Wealth is suppose to originate from China. And some claim that they are pre-Tang dynasty individuals who were elevated to the title of God of Wealth. 9.4 And since Singapore is in the Far East, does it mean that every year, the God of Wealth would travel e.g. First Class on China airlines to Singapore and visit those homes that placed an offering to him. 10. What do you think? 11. Therefore, I personally feel that both Christmas and God of Wealth is highly commercialised, today. No joke! 12. Again, for those who want to believe; if it makes you happy and hopeful, go ahead... since it may be a positive thing for you.

The only thing that is similar is that God of Wealth (Cai Shen Ye) is that he is suppose to arrive close to mid-nite. On the safe side, one is told to give around 6 to 7 hours allowance. Thus, if one was told to place a bowl of e.g. rice or bottles of drinking water; one should do it 6 to 7 hours before mid-nite of either Chinese New Year's eve or on the eve of the 4th day of Chinese New Year. So how come some say, there is one God of Wealth and it should be eve of Chinese New Year. While others say that there are lots of different Gods of Wealth. And some even say he comes on the 5th day of Chinese New Year! Which is which? Why so confusing. Why so many practises which does not add up to each other? Does it matter? So long that it satisfies some person's HOPES and Aspirations and for some who see that they have been showered with BLESSINGS! Ain't this good enough for that person. Who knows no wiser!

One can say that inviting God of Wealth or Cai Shen Ye is equivalent of trying to bring HOPE and Blessings into one's home. Here, if one where to slot this into one of the three holy trinity of luck: Heaven, Earth or Human (Man) Luck. It will certainly fit more into the area of Human (Man) Luck factor(s). Especially of perhaps feeling good factor .... Logically, what is the difference between say Christmas Blessings and God of Wealth Blessings.

These are some considerations: 1. This area has more to do with a belief of sorts. 2. The key essence of this "exercise" is all about HOPE. 3. Frankly, drawing a parallel, I can think of Father Christmas. Many young children (Catholic/Christian) have been told that they should hang e.g. a stocking ... 4. And this brings much excitement especially on the EVE of Christmas. (Sounds familiar?) 5. Here, we are looking at the EVE of Chinese New Year. 5.1. And the equivalent of hanging e.g. a stocking with the hope of receiving a gift; 5.2. Some belief that on the EVE of Chinese New Year; and in 2013, one should place "something" at SE "to invite" the God of Wealth to "bless". 5.3. Thus, psychologically speaking, if you feel excited and happy to do so then, there are many, many, many ways of becoming happy:- 6. Some (Invite God of Wealth) by asking one to place a bowl or receptacle with items that range from e.g. a bowl of uncooked rice or a bowl with 3 I-ching coins or bottles of unused drinking water at South-East sector. 6.1. And most of the time: one is asked to place such an item at a certain timing e.g. usually 6 to 7 hours before mid-nite of the last day of the last lunar month which is the Eve of Chinese New Year. 6.2. Other methods include, placing a bowl of rice or rice with 5 coins (to represent North, South, East, West and Centre of the House). 7. Alternatively some advisers would ask you instead to place the bowl of "treasure" below your bed. 8. In fact, there are lots (really lots of advice = dime a dozen). Where some say that there are lots of Wealth God: some say: There is the god of wealth related to business (Quan Gong) and another for children's studies. 8.1 And some advisers say, it is not the eve of Chinese New Year but the 5th lunar day of Chinese New Year. 9. In addition, in the Chinese myth;there are actually more different types of God of Wealth. 10. Here, this is to give you a flavour that at least, I know of no less than or over at least 20 different practises. 11. I like to come back to this main essence : HOPE. Some humans depend more on "literal" hope. As in doing some or one of the above: perhaps to feel good afterwards. 12. Since there are so many different beliefs on how to invite the god of wealth... personally, having lived more than a decade on this earth, I have never ever done such things. And will always question the story about Father Christmas bringing real presents ...... 12.1 Could I have done better IF I HAD invited the GOD of Wealth? I don't think so. But, again, hey! If it makes YOU feel good, what the heck! Follow SOME of the Jones. As only some Jones do it. Many others don't.

Frankly, if one is trying to apply,this needs investigation: http://wiki.geomancy.net/wiki/Feng_Shui_Triage

If the earlier house can be described as beautify; the house that is beside this beautiful house (to the left) can be considered as the most ugly (beast) of a house!

Some homes are like a beautiful work of art on a canvas. If we split the houseexactly in the middle: both the left and right side of this homeare equally (identical) andbalanced. And with a triangle roof at the apex, it really looked "handsome". If this is the face of a woman, it can be considered as beautiful! If this is the face of a boy, he is so... so... handsome! In land scarce Singapore and ever so tiny landed property homes... don't you think that this is a rarity. (Location: along Upper East Coast Road) This home definitely gets good score from a Shapes and Forms point of view.

Still can't understand the true picture. However, since you mentioned that you are in a cubicle (enclosure) and if the entrance is not facing the "direct" opening; it may not be an issue at all. 0n 1/14/2013 2:54:11 AM, jolie qe wrote:

Many HDB flats were built around 1975 onwards. And when these flats reach 40 years, their 99 lease would have only 60 miserable years left. It is not the magic 60 that is miserable. But rather, a potential new buyer would not be able to fully utilise the CPF or all types of loans to secure or buy over your home! Thus even those whose HDB lease started in the 1980's would find that they are closer to this predicament. A 99 year lease home is ultimately not a "permanent" home. And can't last more than two generations. It has to revert back to the government.

An interesting article on Singapore's public housing: 99 year lease apartments... ?Property cooling? or ?Political heating? measures? ?Property cooling? or ?Political heating? measures? 13th January 2013 I refer to the article ?Govt announces new property cooling measures? (Todayonline, Jan 11). The link to the joint press release by the three Ministries ? ?Additional Measures to Ensure a Stable and Sustainable Property Market? is HERE. HDB less than 60 years left need cooling? What is the rationale for tightening ?the terms for granting HDB loans and the use of CPF funds for the purchase of HDB flats with remaining leases of less than 60 years (details of this measure are in Annex IV)?? Played out by asset emhancement? As more HDB flats age from the time that they were built, those who have subscribed to the ?asset enhancement? policy which arguably lead to huge increases in HDB prices, may find it harder now to monetise their flats to retire. Lower-income hardest hit? This may especially affect lower-income Singaporeans who purchased 2 and 3-room flats and may lack the financial ability and savvy to change to a second new Build-to-order (BTO) flat or resale flat with a new or longer lease balance, in order to avoid the problems that may arise from this new cooling measure. Enhanced HDB upgrading threat? In the past, voters may have been afraid to vote for the opposition because of the upgrading issue. Now, with this new cooling measure, voters may arguably be even more afraid to vote for the opposition, because if their flats are not selected for the Selective En-bloc Re-development Scheme (SERS), it may become much harder to sell them as they age beyond 34 years. With the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of five years, very few people may want to buy flats with a lease balance of 65 years (more than 34 years old). Less CPF can be used? To illustrate this problem, for example, if a 30 year-old couple buys a flat with a lease balance of 59 years, their prorated Valuation Limit (for the use of CPF), will be only 58 instead of 100 per cent of the valuation at the time of purchase. The 58 per cent is calculated (34 divided by 59 years) ?based on the ratio of the remaining lease when the youngest buyer who can use CPF turns 55 years old, to the lease at point of purchase? This means that they will no longer be able to use their CPF to pay once the use of CPF hits 58 per cent of the valuation. From this point onwards, only cash can be used to pay for the mortgage. Can?t use CPF? For flats with a lease balance of less than 30 years, use of CPF is not allowed at all. HDB loan restrictions? There are also restrictions on getting a HDB loan ? ?Lease balance of 30 ? 59 years ? ?Allowed, if remaining lease can cover the buyer* to the age of at least 80. Loan tenure will be the shortest of: 30 years; 65 years minus average age of buyers; and balance lease at the point of purchase minus 20 years.? Lease balance of 20 ? 29 years ? ?Allowed, if remaining lease can cover the buyer* up to the age of at least 80. Loan tenure will be the shortest of: 30 years; 65 minus average age of buyers; and balance lease at the point of purchase minus 20 years.? Lease balance of less than 20 years ? ?No HDB housing loan.? Why need to cool over 40 years? old flats? S0, in view of the serious economic and arguably political implications of this cooling measure, this policy change should be debated and reviewed, as it may make no sense to cool the property market for this segment of very old HDB flats, which as I understand it may form a very small proportion of the total number of HDB flats now. How many such transactions? By the way, how many ?over 40 years old? flats? transactions are there in a year? Still higher MSR for HDB loans? If we really want to cool the public housing market, we should also reduce the Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR) for HDB loans from 35 to 30 per cent, to be the same as private property and HDB bank loans. Because HDB flats not so affordable? Unless, HDB prices are so unaffordable in terms of the price to income ratio, that we have to use a higher MSR of 35 per cent? Leong Sze Hian Leong Sze Hian is the Past President of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, an alumnus of Harvard University, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow and an author of 4 books. He is frequently quoted in the media. He has also been invited to speak more than 100 times in 25 countries on 5 continents. He has served as Honorary Consul of Jamaica, Chairman of the Institute of Administrative Management, and founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of Brunei and Indonesia. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors degrees and 13 professional qualifications. He blogs at http://www.leongszehian.com. .

IS HE CAUGHT SLEEPING ON THE JOB? WILL HE GET FIRED? Do meet the SLEEPING guardian (the man in white) in the attached photo(S). Is he the guardian of the Thai 4 headed god? If not, why is he seated "guarding" the statue? Location: Off Mountbatten Road

All the attached posters are educational. Several warn that one may be severely FINED .... Singapore is famous for FINES: Throwing Litter and even parking a motor-cycle or scooter can costs (FINED) $5,000! Would you believe that? A poster is worth a thousand words?

You really don't want one of these parked outside your (landed property) home! The vehicle's decal screams out loud! YOU OWE MONEY! Is this a modern way to intimidate people to pay up what they owe? Is this a clever load shark way of getting those who live in landed properties to pay UP!

Sorry, the info is truncated or unreadable.

Chinese belief that "spirits" move in a straight (line) path. Thus, because of this belief, it is better to have foot-paths or landscaped paths in a home that is winding...

This condo unit has a high percentage of 3 bedrooms (variants) and 2 bedrooms stack. Majority of the bigger units face the afternoon West sun.

Note: the illustrations(s) are based on Singapore's Right-hand drive version of traffic flow. For America, China, Korea &Europe (other than UK) and other left-hand drive countries, one must follow or visualise the traffic flow in your specific country:- Yesterday, while transit to a Feng Shui audit, near-by, I took some photos (illustrations) of the site where your dream home is. The attached photos with remarks on some of them shows: an imaginery line of travel - if a vehicle happens to run amok and directly towards the site of your dream home. From the photos, they show that there is a directional sign with two support pillars. And to the left of this directional sign, there is a lamp post. Thus even if a vehicle where to run amok and plough directly to the site of your dream home, most likely the vehicle would be stopped in it's track by the pillar(s) of the directional sign or the lamp post. What is more concerned of or for your dream home is that hopefully you don't get LOW floors: as inadvertently it may be blocked by the large green directional signage or the lone lamp post slice into the unit's window(s) or balcony. Thus to be safe, if you want to get your dream home it is preferred that the stack /unit should preferably be at least 5th or MORE storeys high. In terms of resale value, most Singaporeans prefer higher the better. (But of course, the price usually goes up incrementally at each level).

Traditional Feng Shui cure(s) use either 6 coins = big metal or 7 coins = small metal. A string of 8 coins as shown in the example is a modern invention. Fuelled by the commercialisation of Feng Shui or rather "in the name of Feng Shui". Furthermore, these commercialised coins are extremely large: often twice or more (larger) than the traditional original coins. It has to do with the Chinese obsession with or the number 8. Which sounds like "prosperity". We can say that Feng Shui drives commercialisation.

I kept on charging more and more to my various credit cards for the purchase of useless products in the name of Feng Shui! Please help me! Selling, Cheap!

Some homes are like an unpolished gem. Some enhancement can do wonders to this home. But for some homes, the odds may be stacked against it. As no amount of enhancements can work. Such home often have more problem areas and instead of enhancements, one may have to use more Elastoplast (plaster) to fix up!

Is Feng Shui the mother-of-all cures? YES/NO?

I have a bad time at work: my boss is a task master and with no compassion. I am paid very little. And the costs of living in Singapore is so high.