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I REFER to the letters, ‘Citizens may suffer as PRs buy up HDB Flats’ by Mr Chua Teck Kee (July 15) and ‘Home and Singapore from a PR’s viewpoint’ by Mr Amit Nagpal (July 25).

We wish to reiterate the principles underlying our public housing policy.

First, public housing in Singapore caters primarily to the housing needs of Singapore citizens and their families.

Second, the Government is committed to keeping public housing affordable, particularly for first-timers and the lower-income households.

Third, it does this by subsidising public housing, either directly by way of a grant to buy resale HDB flats or indirectly by pricing new HDB flats below their equivalent market values.

We recognise and value the contributions of Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs). However, some benefits such as subsidised public housing are for Singapore citizens only. This differentiation between citizens and SPRs is necessary to safeguard the privileges of citizenship. Nonetheless, SPRs enjoy certain privileges such as being able to buy resale HDB flats in the open market, an option not available to foreigners.

Mr Chua was concerned that SPRs may be driving up prices of resale HDB flats, and suggested a separate quota for SPRs.

Prices of resale HDB flats are influenced by various factors, such as the supply and demand, pace of economic growth, and market sentiments.

In the last 18 months, prices of resale flats have risen in tandem with economic growth, reduced unemployment rate, and improved market sentiments. To meet the growing demand, HDB has stepped up its building plan from 2,400 units in 2006 to 6,000 units in 2007, and 8,400 units in 2008.

The increase in the supply of new HDB flats would cater to the higher demand for public housing from citizens, particularly the first-timer households. There is no need for a separate quota for SPRs buying resale flats.

Mr Chua also asked how the increased numbers of SPRs would affect the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP).

The EIP is an important national policy promoting racial harmony by ensuring a balanced ethnic mix in Singapore’s public housing estates. It provides HDB residents of different races with opportunities to interact as neighbours, which is important especially for new immigrants amongst us.

The EIP is applied consistently to both citizens and SPRs. We regularly review the EIP policy to ensure it achieves its intended objective.

Ignatius Lourdesamy
Ag Deputy Director (Marketing & Projects)
Director (Estate Administration
& Property)
Housing & Development Board
 
Source : Straits Times - 23 Aug 2008

WE REFER to the letter by Mr Steven Lau last Saturday on the SAEA salesperson accreditation.

The SAEA scheme was introduced to accredit both agencies and agents. The original scheme requires agents who wish to practise as principal licence holders and bosses of agencies to pass the Common Examination for House Agents (Ceha).

The recent salesperson accreditation provides for a two-tiered accreditation for other agents - basically salespersons who do not wish to become agency bosses, but would like to continue working as agents. They are those that deal with the buyers and sellers on the ground. Currently not many of these salespersons have basic qualifications.

The Association of Singapore Estate Agencies is one of the bodies that advocates the introduction of the salespersons accreditation for all practising salespersons to pass the Common Examination for Salesperson (CES) as an entry point.

This move will help to ensure that henceforth, anyone claiming to practise house agency is suitably qualified. With the accreditation, recalcitrant salespersons will be hauled up and reprimanded under the scheme.

The CES will, therefore, not only raise the level of professionalism in the real estate agency industry, but will also provide protection for consumers.

David Ong
President
Association of Singapore Estate Agencies

Source : Straits Times - 22 Aug 2008

WE REFER to the letter ‘HDB resale net services open to abuse’ by Mr Steven Lau last Saturday. We would like to take this opportunity to clarify the misconceptions about the SAEA (Singapore Accredited Estate Agencies) accreditation schemes.

The SAEA scheme was launched in November 2005 with the objective of raising the level of professionalism in the estate agency industry by getting agencies and agents to be accredited.

A time frame of three years was proposed so that agents would have the opportunity to upgrade themselves during that period. The accreditation requires agencies to have a certain percentage of their agents pass the Common Examination for House Agents (Ceha), starting with 40 per cent in 2006, 60 per cent last year, 80 per cent this year and 100 per cent next year.

To support the SAEA accreditation scheme, the HDB has kindly provided the use of the HDB resale net services to accredited agencies, bearing in mind that there are agents with the accredited agencies who do not possess the Ceha.

During the implementation of the scheme, feedback from the industry and agency bosses was obtained. One of the feedback given was to introduce a two-tiered accreditation scheme, one for agents who intend to practise as a principal licensee, and another for salespersons on the ground, who deal with the buyer and seller.

This two-tiered scheme is not uncommon in other countries. Hence, the SAEA salespersons accreditation was announced in April this year. Under the two-tiered scheme, agents can either take the Ceha or the CES (Common Examination for Salespersons) to be accredited as an accredited agent or salesperson.

The syllabi for the CES examination are as extensive as the Ceha except topics like those that deal with the management of the agency, such as business operations and human resources management, are excluded. Those taking the CES, for instance, are required to understand the procedures to carry out HDB resale transactions, to be aware of the HDB policies and familiar with the resale checklist, various upgrading programmes and so on in order to pass.

The possession of Ceha or CES is only one of the requirements for accreditation. All accredited agents or salespersons are required to comply with a code of ethics and conduct, and will be subject to disciplinary action if they misconduct themselves.

We urge Mr Lau or the public who is aware of any abuse of the HDB resale net services to inform us so that appropriate disciplinary action can be taken against our accredited agencies.

The two-tier system is a good system to exercise control on the estate agency industry where there are close to 20,000 agents who do not even have a basic qualification and understanding of real estate and property transactions.

We urge the general public to deal with accredited agents or salespersons in order to protect their own interests.

Wilson Lim
Executive Director
Singapore Accredited Estate Agencies (SAEA)
 
Source : Straits Times - 22 Aug 2008

WE REFER to Ms Christina Heng’s letter, ‘Queries on HDB valuation scheme’ (Aug 12).

The methods adopted by the valuation profession are applicable to all properties, be it HDB flats or private properties. There is no new valuation method used.

To refresh our earlier reply on June 28 in response to Mr Patrick Tan’s query on ‘What determines market value of property’, we stated that the market value of a property is determined on the basis of a willing buyer and a willing seller, with both parties acting with knowledge, prudence and without compulsion in an arm’s-length transaction.

For homogeneous properties such as HDB flats, the common valuation method adopted is the direct comparison approach. This approach is similar to that used by a potential buyer when considering the purchase of a flat. He would look at the location, consider the age, size, design, height and other important characteristics of the flat and compare the prices paid for comparable flats in the locality.

The final selling price of a property is dependent on the demand and supply of a property and the negotiation between the buyer and seller. Some buyers may pay a premium for a flat for personal reasons. The cash top-up is a legitimate part of the resale market price. It is the willing buyer and seller that determines the final price and this final price as considered by the market forces can be above or below the valuation.

Janet Han (Ms)
Secretariat
Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers

Source : Straits Times - 21 Aug 2008

I REFER to the letter, ‘Queries on HDB Valuation Scheme’ published on Aug 12.
The writer attributed the increase in resale prices of HDB flats to a new method of valuation implemented by the HDB that incorporates the cash-over-valuation (COV) amount. This is not correct, as there has been no change in the method of valuation recently.

We wish to clarify that valuations of resale HDB flats are carried out by professional private valuers, and not by HDB. The private valuers on the panel are licensed by Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore and are members of the Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers.

Buyers and sellers of resale flats are free to negotiate and agree between themselves the selling prices. Information provided by HDB on the median COV for each flat type in each town serves to help them make an informed decision. As stated in HDB’s press release of July 25, about 10 per cent of the resale transactions registered in the second quarter this year were done at or below valuation, that is with no COV.

Gopal Singh
Head (Valuation & Alienation)
Housing & Development Board

Source : Straits Times - 21 Aug 2008