Sturdee Residences was one of the most hotly contested piece of real estate, with a total of 16 developers placing their bids to secure it - indicating the prime location of this land parcel. Sturdee Residences was eventually won by Sustained Land Capital.

On 23 April 2016, Sturdee Residences held their much anticipated preview and sold 122 units out of their whole total of 305 units available from $1,4xx psf onwards, with a overall average at $1,550 psf.

Many foreigners see Sturdee Residences as a good investment among Singapore properties as we saw more than 20% of buyers comprising of both foreigners and permanent residents.

Its attractive city fringe location along Sturdee Road and short walking distance to Farrer Park MRT station, eateries and amenities, together with its iconic design saw many buyers falling in love with Sturdee Residences instantly.

If you want to know more about Sturdee Residences, the official launch will be held on 30 April 2016. You may register HERE to rsvp your attendance for the official launch express entry.

843 new homes were recorded sold last month seeing the demand for new private homes shoot up to an eight-month high figure on the back of better market sentiment due to the expectation that the Government would not lift measures in the near future probably nudged those sitting on the fence to commit to a purchase.

This market sentiment together with a surge of new launches probably pushed the sales figure in March to be more than double the 303 units sold in February and the highest monthly sales since 1,655 homes changed hands in July 2015, according to Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). The figures here exclude executive condominiums (ECs).

In March 2016, developers launched 682 new private homes last month, including The Poiz Residences, Cairnhill Nine and The Wisteria - much more than February's 209 units.

CapitaLand's Cairnhill Nine, near Orchard Road, was the top performer, selling 177 units out of the 200 units launched at a median price of $2,441 psf. This was followed by Northern Resi's The Wisteria in Yishun, which sold 125 of 216 units at a median price of $1,112 psf. The Poiz Residences sold 59 units with a median price of $1,475 psf.

"Overall, developers' priced-to- sell strategy seems to have borne fruit. The rally in the stock market and an overall improved market sentiment in March have also lifted sales volume in existing launches," noted Cushman & Wakefield research director Christine Li.

The spike in transactions last month lifted private new home sales to 1,470 units in the first quarter, up from 1,379 in the same period last year, but lower than the 1,692 units sold in the fourth quarter of 2015.
Mass market homes or those in the suburban areas remained the most popular, with 461 new units sold last month, driven largely by The Wisteria. There were 210 units moved in the city centre, thanks to Cairnhill Nine, while 172 homes in the city fringes were sold.

If ECs are included, sales came in at 1,328 units in March - also an eight-month high and triple February's total transactions of 433. The best-selling EC project was Sim Lian Group's Wandervale in Choa Chu Kang, the first EC development launched this year. It sold 292 of 534 units last month at a median price of $770 psf.

The number of launches in the near future is expected to taper off in the coming quarters as the Government trimmed the supply of land.

- Extracted from The Straits Times on April 16, 2016, with the headline 'New private home sales hit 8-month high'.

A lesser known government land sale (GLS) land parcel near Sembawang Park at Jalan Kandis attracted a impressive 9 bids on 7 April 2016 from small and large developers, like Nanshan Group Singapore Co, KSH Development, Allgreen Properties and TA Corporation - showing the affordable nature of the land price and the attraction of its location, although the site is not near transportation nodes or amenities.

Dillenia Land, a unit of Tuan Sing Holdings, submitted the top bid of about $51.1 million, or $481 per sq ft per plot ratio, for the 0.7ha plot slightly higher than the second-highest bid of $50.2 million by China developer - Qingjian Realty.

Business Times reported William Liem, chief executive of Tuan Sing Holdings saying they propose an exclusive project in a quiet, green estate near the water with about 130-140 units (two bedrooms and larger units) targeting primarily at families, launching by end of 2016. They estimate to price between $1,000 - $1,100 psf to attract upgraders from nearby estates in the Sembawang and Canberra area.

Desmond Sim, head of CBRE Research told the Business Times that when completed, this project will be the only non-landed project within a two-km radius in a precinct that is predominantly landed.

Tuan Sing chief financial officer Chong Chou Yuen noted after yesterday's tender closing that while the company has land bank in China and Perth, it has none left in Singapore. In fact, we currently see many developers with low or no land bank for development in Singapore especially where are also fewer GLS land tender sales this year compared with last year or 2014.

Many of us remember the 39 years old Rochor Centre Complex as a nostalgic place rich in culture and tradition.

For land scarce Singapore, changes to our landscape is a norm to be expected by Singaporeans, just as the government's announcement that the 39-year-old Rochor Centre Complex will make way for the upcoming North-South Expressway that will reduce traffic jams and assist in cutting down the travelling time on the road.

This year 2016, come September, the Rochor Centre Complex with its four iconic blocks - painted green, yellow, blue and red - will be consigned to the pages of history, just like Outram Park Complex, and many others.

Signs of abandonment e.g. unwanted television, cupboards, mattresses and bulky household items at the void decks with a stench of urine at deserted corners. The place is quiet with no one in sight.

The Rochor Centre Complex place used to be frequented by devotees buying religious goods on the way to nearby temples, such as the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple. But these days, only six of the 15 shops selling religious goods, such as statues of Buddhist and Hindu deities, are still open.

Rochor Centre Complex's shop tenants have to move by Sept 30, but most of the shops that are still open have yet to find a new place.

Mr Kum Yuen Chuen, 56, owner of Hup Yick Furniture, which sells Buddhist and Taoist altars, said: "There are no more shops in Singapore with sizes as big and rent as cheap as the ones here.

Others, such as a shopkeeper who wanted to be known only as Mrs Yeo, were frustrated at yet another move. Said Mrs Yeo, 70, whose son is the owner of party supplies shop Yeo GM Trading: "It is already our third shift. First, (it was from) Blanco Court, then (from) Victoria Street, and now here. "Even if I've made memories here, I will have to forget them all because we are moving yet again."

Well, at least not all are sad, the residents are happily anticipating for the collection of the keys to their new HDB flats at Kallang Trivista.

The Straits Times

A DBSS five-room hdb flat with a area of 119 sqm at Block 8 on the top floor of City View @ Boon Keng has been transacted for more than $1 million, according to Shin Min Daily News.

From the Housing Board's website, records show that eight flats changed hands at the Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) development between January and March at prices ranging from $833,300 to $1,004,888.

Last month, a buyer offered $1,028,000 for a five-room unit, also on the highest floor of one of the three 40-storey blocks, but the transaction has yet to be completed. City View @ Boon Keng is the second DBSS project after The Premiere @ Tampines, was launched in 2008, with each unit going for between $349,000 and $727,000.
It has condominium-like features including large bay windows and lift lobbies with card access systems. It is also located near Boon Keng and Bendemeer MRT stations and boasts views of the Kallang River.

                                                                                                           - Extracted from Asia One Business