HDB & private property prices moving in opposite direction?

hdb-singapore

April 27, 2018

Why is it that private property prices are going up, whilst HDB prices are still going down?

I refer to the articles “Private home prices up 3.9% in first quarter” and “HDB resale prices down 0.8% in Q1; 3,900 new flats to be launched next month” (Channel NewsAsia, Apr 27).

The former states that “Private home prices rose 3.9 per cent in the first quarter of this year, according to the latest figures from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Friday (Apr 27).

This continues an upward trend after the 0.8 per cent increase seen in the previous quarter.”

URA Q1 2018

 

The latter states that “Resale prices for flats continued falling in the first quarter, with the resale price index declining 0.8 per cent from the previous quarter, according to public housing data released on Friday (Apr 27).”

Both HDB resale and residential private property prices have been going south from around the second quarter of 2013.

However, whilst private property resale prices have rebounded by about 10 per cent from around September last year – HDB resale prices continue to fall.

Historically, the two are very closely correlated.

So, why the apparent deviation now?

Has it got anything to do with Singaporeans realisation that older HDB flats may be declining in value rapidly to zero at the end of the typical 99-year lease?

Leong Sze Hian

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About the Author

Leong
Leong Sze Hian has served as the president of 4 professional bodies, honorary consul of 2 countries, an alumnus of Harvard University, authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been a radio talkshow host, a newspaper daily columnist, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for theonlinecitizen and Malaysiakini, executive producer of Ilo Ilo (40 international awards), Hotel Mumbai (associate producer), invited to speak more than 200 times in about 40 countries, CIFA advisory board member, founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of 2 countries. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors degrees and 13 professional  qualifications.