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Hottest Trends In Millennial Home Hunting

By year 2020, half of the global workforce will consist of Millennials. As they transcend to the top of the chain, it is important to know how they will spend their money on properties.

#1: IN WI-FI WE TRUST

Above all the hierarchy of needs, technology shines as a newcomer. It comes as no surprise that Millennials value convenience and connectedness. In fact, they are willing to pay more in order to secure their homes with smart technology. Smart technology includes electronic access, key-less locks, security cameras, voice-activated assistants, and so on. Having the ability to control your home from a smartphone is something that appeals to many buyers of this generation.

#2: HOME IS WHERE THE GREENS ARE

Eco-living has been trending nowadays as many people encourage zero waste. Vast majority of Millennials identify themselves as environmentally-conscious individuals who prefer to lead a sustainable lifestyle. This philosophy extends to their homes.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

For instance, they may opt to use Nippon Paint Odour-less or Nippon Paint Aqua Bodelac for its low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) content. VOCs are believed to cause many physical reactions to one’s body. Aside from this, they may opt for energy-efficient appliances.

#3: VERSATILITY IS KEY

Open interior layouts with less walls or partitions attract the Generation Y. You see, these open layouts allow them to socialize and to live freely. Moreover, they use one room in a variety of ways. The living room can double as a dining or a gaming room. They redecorate whenever possible.

#4: SIZE DOES NOT MATTER

When it comes to purchasing their nests, size does not matter for Millennials. Since they prioritize convenience over space, they are willing to sacrifice by living in small flats. They prefer locations closer to their offices or the public transportation modes.

#5: HERE FOR THE LONG RUN

People from Gen Y tend to purchase properties later in life. Flexible long-term payment schemes are seen as a safer option rather than paying upfront. You see, they want to live a life in their own terms.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

They do not want the responsibility to hinder them from pursuing their passions!

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

How To Quickly Sell Your Property In Singapore

You can sell your property in a faster pace by combining strategy with a little dedication. Consider these tips:

SET AN ATTRACTIVE STAGE

There is something that you cannot deny. We all heard the saying: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression”. The essence of this statement is clear. The second and succeeding impressions are not as pervasive as the first! Most people dwell on the first meetings or interviews to create consistency. It is up to you to make a stellar introduction of your home.

Home staging is the process of transforming your property into an appealing “show flat” before listing it on the market. It is important when there is a surplus of properties in a relatively slow market. Begin by making minor tweaks such as adding flowers in the living room or by making major tweaks such as re-painting the entire flat. Doing these things will help increase the perceived value of your property.

If you have a shortage of creative juices, consider hiring companies that offer Home Staging Services such as the Singapore Furniture Rental. Singapore Furniture Rental usually accessorizes the flats with neutral colors as it can attract the highest number of potential buyers or tenants.

MARK THE RIGHT PRICE

It is no secret that sellers typically underrate or overrate their beloved properties. Swaying in either of the two directions can lead to losing a significant amount of money. Let us start by dictating an elevated price point. Quoting too high can discourage the buyers from grabbing your offers.

Let us focus on the other side of the coin. Singaporean buyers are becoming more prudent. So, a low price point is immensely attractive. However, you are at risk of earning almost nothing as you need to cover fixed and unforeseen fees.

It is difficult to get the price right without sufficient resources. Widen your knowledge by browsing through the local property websites. Renowned sites include Asia’s premier iProperty and SPH’s very own Singapore Real Estate Exchange. After your digging online, gather information from a couple of experienced agents. You have to hire one that could easily give the reasonable price for your property.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

DEPERSONALIZE AND DECLUTTER

Imagine tagging your spouse along with you for nest hunting. You came across a decent flat at Yishun. During the open house, you were greeted by colorful walls filled with wedding pictures. It does not stop there. The bedroom is garnished with baby photos. Yes! Everything is adorable. However, it highlighted the “real” owners of the home. It was hard for you to focus on the other features of your potential home.

Do you see why depersonalization plays a crucial part to sales? Take down the family photos, political ornaments, religious items, and other personal materials. The prospective buyers need to picture their lives in the home…not yours!

Remove excess furniture and rubbish while you are it. The fewer things there are, the larger the space will look. Aim for that.

SHOWCASE IT ONLINE

How can people know more about your property if you do not publicize it? Make it easy for potential buyers to view your wonderful home by becoming more flexible with your schedule. Let people visit in different times of the day. Furthermore, you may consider making an online listing.

It is safe to say that when you are selling your home beyond 2017, a significant fraction of the target market will be Millennials. Take advantage of technology as Millennials fall between ages 18 to 35. List your property on social portals like Facebook and Carousell. Or, you may list it directly on property websites such as propertyguru.com.sg and 99.co.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Remember to attach high quality photographs to boost your chances!

Sources:1, 2, & 3

Top 5 Investments Business Owners Should Make

When you run a business, whether it’s a small start-up or a large corporation, you need to be confident in where you invest all company profits. Pumping a lot of the money back into the business is the place to start in order to help it grow and remain profitable. Yet there are many other areas in which you can invest as a business owner that will provide dividends to gain further profits for strengthening the firm. Here are five of the best investments for business owners to make.

Penny Stocks

Especially for start-ups, new and small businesses, penny stocks are a great place to start for any business owner making their first investments. These are companies that trade with exceptionally low share prices (usually £3 or less), which means a lot of shares can be invested in with a low amount of capital. They are a highly volatile investment but do make a great starting place for learning the basics of investing.

Forex

If you want to find a reputable way of making some extra money for your business by investing profits, then forex trading with Fx Pro is a good option. There are a number of safe currencies to invest in during times of uncertainty, or more risky choices if you’re feeling brave. For beginners or experts, it offers a good way to boost profits across international currency markets.

Equity

Buying an ownership stake or equity investment in another company can provide additional capital for your firm. Obviously, it is highly inadvisable to invest in any competitors. Finding a successful company or one that is on the rise to take an ownership stake can result in good percentage profits for your business, as long as it doesn’t perform poorly or go bankrupt.

Property

Real estate is a great way to enter an entirely new market and with house and rent prices still rising, it can be incredibly lucrative. It may be better to invest in commercial property, related more to your business though, such as buying your office rather than renting if you have the profits. This provides a useful asset and one that will hopefully grow in value.

Bonds and Mutual Funds

For long term, safe investments bonds and mutual funds are the go-to option. Government bonds are some of the safest investment options out there, while mutual funds can be found that have low risk attached to them. They provide a good place to learn about market trends without the risk of losing big in one go.

Consider these five investments if you’re a business owner looking to put your profits in a worthwhile place.

Are You Cut Out To Be A Landlord In Singapore?

While looking out for a flat seems like an easy task, hard work needs to be poured behind the scenes. Ensure that you are prepared to be a landlord by analyzing some of the initial factors:

Are you familiar with the legal regulations?

Much like the systems imposed in many institutions in Singapore, rental property owners need to follow a set of regulations as mandated by the Law. Facets include leases, licenses, security deposits, maximum number of tenants, and eviction matters. These facets are examined by attorneys and other authorities in order to protect the interest of the landlords and the tenants.

It is important to be specific when it comes to written documents in order to have a strong support to your case, shall a dispute arise. Acknowledge the landlord-tenant rights as well as the eligibility standards for renting out a flat in Singapore. For starters, you have to be a Singaporean Citizen who has met the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) to rent out an HDB flat.

Can you afford to become a landlord in Singapore?

Since your first property is the flat that you are occupying at the present, your investment will be considered as a “second property”. Just because you have a sufficient amount of money saved up for down-payment does not necessarily entail that you can afford to purchase a second property! Remember that you are living in Singapore – one of the most expensive cities in the world.

It will become your responsible to keep up with the ownership fees, maintenance costs, and mortgage. Familiarize yourself with these expenses before taking the significant plunge.

Do you consider yourself as a “people person”?

The media has portrayed landlords as people who exude unpleasant characteristics such as being slow in tenant assistance. If you really want to break this stereotype, you must determine if you are a genuine people person.

A “people person” finds delight when interacting with other people. Some landlords are naturally born with this trait. However, others have to bring extra effort when socializing. Ask yourself these questions:

a. Do you have the capacity to understand the tenants’ needs?
b. Are you willing to actively listen to your tenants’ concerns?
c. Will you tend to the property matters immediately?
d. Are you willing to make upgrades on your property regularly?

Answering these questions will help you determine if becoming a landlord is right for you. I cannot deny the fact that having good communication and interaction skills can help you to attract more tenants!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Rental property ownership is one of the most profitable investments for your retirement portfolio. It is also an excellent source of passive income. To know whether you are cut out for the job or not, you must initially analyze the factors above.

Sources: 1 & 2

An Investment for Property Lovers and Dividend Seekers

Singaporeans are fixated with buying property – and they don’t just stop at one.

In a report published in June 2016, Maybank Kim Eng’s research team found that approximately 1.1 million households in Singapore own the homes they occupy, but there are another 200,000 housing units are currently held as investments. This demand, coupled with land scarcity, means that property in Singapore doesn’t come cheap.

There is however, a more affordable option for those looking to invest in property: real estate investment trusts (REITs). REITs – Singapore REITs (S-REITs) in particular – have been making headlines recently for offering handsome dividends, made even more attractive by a persistent low interest rate environment. If you are a dividend investor, you may want to learn more about this asset class.

How Have Singapore REITs Fared?

According to a Bloomberg report in October 2016, the 7% yield offered by S-REITs exceeded those listed in Australia, the US and Japan. That’s been the driving force behind an approximately 9% increase in the FTSE Straits Times Real Estate Investment Trust index this year as yield-hungry investors flock to the offerings amid record-low interest rates.

Findings by SGX My Gateway published on 11 September 2016 also showed that the sector logged an indicative average dividend yield of 6.7% p.a. thus far, compared to that of the Straits Times Index (3.9% p.a.) and MSCI World REIT Index (3.9%p.a.).

Compared to fixed deposit rates? The difference is even wider. In September 2016, the 12-month fixed deposit rate – or the average rate compiled from that quoted by 10 leading banks and finance companies – was 0.35% p.a.

What is a REIT Anyway?

A REIT is a trust that owns and operates income generating real estate. The rental income or interest payment that is earned by the REIT is passed on to investors in the form of dividends.

Here are more facts about REITs and S-REITs:

There’s a reason why S-REITs pay handsome dividends. They are required to distribute at least 90% of their taxable income each year in order to enjoy tax exempt status by IRAS, subject to certain conditions.

Investing in one REIT gives you exposure to not just one, but a portfolio of properties, and at a fraction of the price that it would cost you to buy a single property.

The portfolio of properties are not limited to those in Singapore. Some REITs have international properties in their portfolio.

REITs are more liquid compared to property as they can be bought and sold on stock exchanges throughout the day just like any other stock.

What S-REITs are Out There?

There are different types of S-REITs to choose from, and they are affected by different factors.

Maybank Kim Eng’s research team believes that industrial REITs, like Ascendas REIT and Mapletree Industrial Trust, could benefit from public spending’s focus on boosting innovation and productivity. Business parks, science parks and high-spec industrial space will be in demand. So if you are wondering what type of REITs to watch out for, you could consider finding out more about industrial REITs and whether they fit the objectives of your portfolio.

Disclaimer: This message is for general knowledge or information only. It is not an offer or invitation to buy or sell securities, futures or other products or services. Our products or services vary in different jurisdictions, subject to their respective terms and conditions and the licences our affiliates and us hold. This message is not an advice or recommendation for any financial planning, investment, legal, tax or other purposes and, accordingly, no responsibility or liability is assumed by us or our affiliates, whether directly or indirectly, from any person taking or not taking action

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