Unit prices ranged between $2,000 per sq ft (psf) and $2,800 psf, while the average price stood at $2,330 psf.
If you're looking to buy a new flat from the government, read this handy article on the various HDB sales launches: Build-to-order (BTO), Sale of Balance (SBF), Open Booking, Executive Condominium (EC) and more.
Somewhat unexpectedly, the Covid-19 pandemic didn’t affect condo demand across the board. In fact, the demand for small-sized one-bedroom units soared among buyers. In the secondary (resale) market, 58 condo units at or below 50 square metres (sq m), also known as shoeboxes, changed hands in 2020—a 37% from the 555 such units sold in the...
The post These resale condos saw HIGH demand for one-bedroom units in 2020 appeared first on 99.co.
Perhaps you’ve bought a property with a sibling or friend, instead of your spouse. Or maybe you have aspirations toward owning a second property later, under your spouse’s sole name. In these situations, it pays to be forward-looking: owning your property as tenants-in-common is sometimes the smarter choice. Here’s what you need to know about...
The post Investing In A Property With A Friend/Family? Here’s How To Choose Between Joint Tenancy And Tenancy-in-common appeared first on Property Blog Singapore - Stacked Homes.
Image Credits: The Reef at King’s Dock, by Mapletree & Keppel Group A rare residential development in the heart of Harbourfront Precinct, The Reef at King’s Dock will be a sought-after property that offers a resort lifestyle to its residents. A development by Keppel Land and Mapletree, this property is set to rise as the [&hellip
The post Seaside Resort-Style Living at The Reef at King’s Dock appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.
Image Credits: One-North Eden, by TID Residential The perfect setting for living the high life, One-North Eden is soon to be the highlight of District 5’s residential enclave. A condominium development by TID Residential, which is a joint venture of Japan’s Hong Leong Holdings and Mitsui Fudosan Company, One-North Eden is a mixed residential and [&hellip
The post Relaxation and Luxury at One-North Eden appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.
Having a smart home in Singapore helps to make our lives easier and more convenient, be it improving the security and safety of our home, trimming the energy bill, or managing and automating the devices in your house, such as lights, air-conditioners or TV.
But while they help to make our lives more comfortable, at the back of every homeowner’s mind is whether outfitting your home with smart home devices are sound investments. In other words, whether it helps to improve the resale value of your home should you sell it in the future.
After all, what use are voice-recognition or keyless locks if they’re not enough to sway potential buyers, right?
Curious? Read on to find out!
Suggested read: Why a smart home can make you feel like a million bucks (and 5 smart homes projects that will help you)
What Is a Smart Home?
Put simply, a smart home refers to a residence that’s equipped with smart devices. These devices are connected to the internet, allowing you to control them wirelessly or remotely via applications, voice control or even artificial intelligence.
A popular example of smart technology is smart speakers such as Google Nest and Amazon Echo. By speaking to these speakers, you can interact with the smart devices in your home to control or automate them to do things.
For example, you can control your lights, set the room temperature, to monitoring your home remotely.
Do Smart Home Devices Increase a Home’s Value?
According to agents we spoke to, the type of renovations that you do will affect the resale value of your property. Simple renovations that improve the home’s overall livability, efficiency and functionality tend to be popular among homebuyers, and are likely to increase a home’s resale value.
On the other hand, highly personalised renovations such as built-in furniture and open kitchen are potential turn-offs.
So, what about smart devices? Does smartening a home with smart devices such as lights, thermostat, or locks help to increase your home's resale value?
Bren Soon, Division Director at Huttons Asia, says that generally, smart home features do not increase a home’s resale value because buyers do not prioritise them when looking for a home.
However, he said that younger buyers may resonate with smart homes better, though they may not necessarily pay more for them.
“Younger buyers who are more tech-savvy and appreciative of smart technology may find it interesting. However, they may not be willing to pay more for the property because the cost of installing smart devices is actually cheaper as compared to the overall price of the property.”
Although Smart Homes May Not Fetch a Higher Price, Some Smart Features Help Make It Easier to Sell
While smart homes may not necessarily increase your home’s resale value, Bren said that some smart features help to make your home more appealing to buyers, especially if they can resonate with the tech.
“For example, smart lights that automatically turn on when you step into the bathroom. This feature helps young children who can’t reach the light switch. Parents will also appreciate the convenience of not being woken up by their kids if they want to visit the bathroom.
“Apart from that, smart security features such as smart doorbell camera or QR code generators for visitors are also popular. Explaining the benefits and convenience of these smart features would give a better impression of your home and make it stand out from the rest.”
Another smart tech that may help to sell your home is temperature screening camera that can detect the temperature of individuals. This is especially true during these trying times.
Apart from that, smart cooling and energy-saving systems were among the top features that home buyers look for, according to a study by PropertyGuru.
Smart Home Products That Are Potential Turn-Offs
On the flip side, smart home features that are too personalised or too techie will affect your home’s resale value. For example, if the feature is hobby-related, buyers may use it to negotiate the price down, Bren said.
“I once chanced upon a home that had mini speakers wired around the whole house. This caused a fair bit of devaluation to the property. Buyers who viewed the house wished to remove them and factored in the cost of dismantling all the mini speakers.
“Another example is older folks who are not tech-savvy; they may find it challenging to operate a home with built-in smart features because they’re unfamiliar with the technology.
Conclusion: Smart Homes Aren’t for Everyone, But having practical smart home features help
In short, smart tech isn’t very popular among Singaporean homeowners. If you have a smart home and you’re concerned about your home’s resale value in the future, or thinking of smart tech as an investment, one thing you could do, is to relay the features and benefits to your agent so that he/she can educate the buyer. This also helps to differentiate your home from the rest.
Another tip is to go with a smart feature that’s familiar to the average consumer so that it’s easier to explain. For example, you can talk about the benefits of smart LED lights, such as how they help to reduce energy cost while also allowing the occupants to set the mood and tone of the house.
Remember that while a smart home can help to make things easier and more convenient, it’s also important not to overly emphasize on the smart features. If you plan to install sophisticated or expensive tech, be prepared that not all buyers are willing to pay more for your home.
Other Common FAQs Related to Smart Home
Is a Smart Home Worth It?
While the cost of installing smart home devices can be a little more expensive, they provide long-term benefits such as reduced energy cost, convenience and safety.
Does Smart Home Increase Home Value?
The demand for smart homes has been increasing. According to a report by consultancy firm Kearney, the smart home market in Asia is expected to hit $120 billion by 2030. To increase your home’s value, go with smart features that will bring practical benefits, such as smart lighting.
Does Smart Home Save Money?
Smart home feature energy-efficient devices that can help you save up to 40% in energy costs.
For more property news, resources and useful content like this article, check out PropertyGuru’s guides section.
Are you looking to buy a new home? Head to PropertyGuru to browse the top properties for sale in Singapore.
Already found a new home? Let PropertyGuru Finance's home loan advisors help you with financing it.
Millennials are tightening their grip on their finances and embracing digital to prepare for the future 62 per cent of Singapore’s millennials are embracing digital as they find it more challenging to manage their money day-to-day, with only 18 per cent feeling in control of his/her own personal finances The uptake of digital tools for day-to-day money management [&hellip
The post COVID-19 triggers Singapore millennials to prepare for their financial future in new ways appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.
In tough economic times, you may need to fall back on your house to tide over financial difficulties – and this is where the right home makeover can do wonders for you By: Hitesh Khan/ In the days of an uncertain economic growth and job insecurity, there’s no place like home sweet home. Even with [&hellip
The post Right home makeover can do wonders for your in tough economic times appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.
As widespread lockdowns and travel restrictions stalled investors’ short-term capital deployment plans, local investors boosted demand for real estate Despite the devastating impact of the pandemic on economies around the globe, the real estate markets of Japan, Germany and South Korea showed resilience in the first half of this year as they leant on deep [&hellip
The post Local investors are boosting demand for real estate says research appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources.