Thursday, March 25, 2010

Price of HDB flat

Dear Mr Tan,
Will HDB Minister Mah Bow Tan and all other PAP Ministers again defend that this is an exception rather than norm... That PRs are NOT driving public housing prices in Singapore?  Today's Asiaone article: 
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A TAIWANESE couple have paid $650,000 for a four-room flat in Bain Street - smashing Housing Board (HDB) records and reflecting the strength in the red-hot resale market.
The sale price works out to be $736 per sq ft for the 30-year-old flat on the 25th floor of a block at Bras Basah.
That is the highest psf price paid for an HDB property and is on a par with prices of private homes in suburban areas.
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Regards, 
Concerned but feel hopeless Singapore Citizen


COMMENT BY TAN KIN LIAN
The problem is the use of the "market price" as the benchmark for deciding on the price of new flats. If the price of new flats is based on cost and there is adequate supply to meet demand (and the state has a lot of land and airspace that can be developed) the people will not need to fear and drive up the prices further. It is better to have property based on "cost plus" rather than "market".