Buildings can last 100 years easily with proper upkeep

[reporter2]

Buildings can last 100 years easily with proper upkeep

DEC 29, 2017


I do not agree with Mr Kumar Pillay Thangavalu's view (High maintenance costs likely behind bids to sell en bloc; Dec 23).

Nearly 80 per cent of the buildings sold en bloc this year were 35 years old or less.

Technology has progressed. From an engineering point of view, concrete buildings can last 100 years easily.

With regular maintenance and proper upkeep of our buildings, it is possible to live in them for that long with minimum maintenance cost. This approach is adopted in many developed countries overseas.

Mr Kumar was right in his observation of "sell high, buy high" for those who have to look for replacement homes.

To ensure a level playing field, a collective sales tax should be levied on rental or investor units, as these owners are more likely to vote for a collective sale at the expense of those who genuinely want to live in the estate and make it their home.

It is time for the Strata Titles Board to review its collective sale policy to keep up with the times and protect homes rather than destroy them.

Consideration should be given to all quantifiable and non-quantifiable factors, such as social and environmental impacts, and not just the sales proceeds.

Andy Goh Siak Joo

[Kelonguni]

I think Andy is not quite aware that the regular maintenance and proper upkeep is the one that may be quite costly.

It's not just the buildings, but tiles in the swimming pool, facade of all the facilities, the landscaping, waterproofing of ceilings (no way to actually upkeep), leaking pipes etc.

And in any case, I suppose if prices do go sky high next year, the authorities will definitely start to consider shorter lease new buildings for those who can't keep up with price. Maybe 60 year LH or 75 LH?

[jwong71]

Keep the buildings for 100years? And look like those dirty and cluttered apartments like hongkong.?

[thomastansb]

You can keep it for 500 years also. But ultimately, who pays for the increased maintenance? If the owners are paying, surely they have a say right? That is why 80% rule is there. Democratic system.

[teddybear]

Why would it be dirty and cluttered? I don't see Ardmore Park being >20 years old looking dirty and cluttered!

So, fact is, it depends on the owners, whether they willing to pay for the maintenance!

I know many OCR condo owners want cheap, want good, better still if free, and not willing to pay more to maintain their property estates, so obviously will be dirty and cluttered!

Keep the buildings for 100years? And look like those dirty and cluttered apartments like hongkong.?

[teddybear]

Don't be so stupid lah!

So you are telling that us that because older properties >20 years expensive to maintain and enbloc is the cheaper solution?
What a joke! Are you telling us that the developers are doing charity to you 99-years leasehold property owners so that you can buy another new property of the same size at the same price in the same vicinity nearby?

Why don't you tell everybody that when your 99-years leasehold properties go enbloc, you can't even afford to buy back another property of the same size in the same vicinity at the same price because you need to top up your lease if you want to buy a new 99-years leasehold properties?
Very simple, developers pay you a price, then top up the land lease, add on construction costs, add on their profits, the new properties they going to sell will be very much higher than what they pay you! Enbloc only benefits the investors, not resident owners! No wonder OCR private condos prices are going up like no tomorrow! Strange that gov keep warning us about "property bubble" but they never really acted on the REAL "OCR private property price bubble"!

Just go look at the prices of new 99-years LH condo prices in OCR, example D19 and you will see that their prices are at THOUSANDS YEARS Historical PEAK!

A big crash of OCR private property prices in coming recession is just a matter of time!

The gov's warnings is valid, but just that they have not been particularly frank to tell you that the "property price bubble" is only in OCR private properties and strangely so far they have been unwilling to act on the "property price bubble" in OCR that they have been warning about!

I think Andy is not quite aware that the regular maintenance and proper upkeep is the one that may be quite costly.

It's not just the buildings, but tiles in the swimming pool, facade of all the facilities, the landscaping, waterproofing of ceilings (no way to actually upkeep), leaking pipes etc.

And in any case, I suppose if prices do go sky high next year, the authorities will definitely start to consider shorter lease new buildings for those who can't keep up with price. Maybe 60 year LH or 75 LH?

You can keep it for 500 years also. But ultimately, who pays for the increased maintenance? If the owners are paying, surely they have a say right? That is why 80% rule is there. Democratic system.

[jwong71]

Why would it be dirty and cluttered? I don't see Ardmore Park being >20 years old looking dirty and cluttered!

So, fact is, it depends on the owners, whether they willing to pay for the maintenance!

I know many OCR condo owners want cheap, want good, better still if free, and not willing to pay more to maintain their property estates, so obviously will be dirty and cluttered!

Cause adrmore park not as old as hk apartments yet.

[thomastansb]

What I mean is democracy. If 80% of the owners say sell, then sell lor. Who, except the owners, have say over their estate right? They are the owners. Respect their decision. Value, cost of maintenance, well, the owners have weigh their options, cost and have came to a decision. So respect that. Who cares about crash, whether can buy back or not. That is not up to anyone to say. It is their house. No one should tell the owners what to do. Whatever bubble or crap you say here is irrelevant to them.

Don't be so stupid lah!

So you are telling that us that because older properties >20 years expensive to maintain and enbloc is the cheaper solution?
What a joke! Are you telling us that the developers are doing charity to you 99-years leasehold property owners so that you can buy another new property of the same size at the same price in the same vicinity nearby?

Why don't you tell everybody that when your 99-years leasehold properties go enbloc, you can't even afford to buy back another property of the same size in the same vicinity at the same price because you need to top up your lease if you want to buy a new 99-years leasehold properties?
Very simple, developers pay you a price, then top up the land lease, add on construction costs, add on their profits, the new properties they going to sell will be very much higher than what they pay you! Enbloc only benefits the investors, not resident owners! No wonder OCR private condos prices are going up like no tomorrow! Strange that gov keep warning us about "property bubble" but they never really acted on the REAL "OCR private property price bubble"!

Just go look at the prices of new 99-years LH condo prices in OCR, example D19 and you will see that their prices are at THOUSANDS YEARS Historical PEAK!

A big crash of OCR private property prices in coming recession is just a matter of time!

The gov's warnings is valid, but just that they have not been particularly frank to tell you that the "property price bubble" is only in OCR private properties and strangely so far they have been unwilling to act on the "property price bubble" in OCR that they have been warning about!

[Kelonguni]

Enbloc is not about having cheaper options but the potential to build higher intensity that can lead to same (or larger) plus same floor space. Lesser carpark lots (going car lite), lesser amenities that are seldom if ever used, building higher.

Win-win.

[teddybear]

What you said doesn't make sense anymore because Gov clearly stated that they are not going to increase 99-years leasehold properties land plot ratio any more until the the land's lease expire and they took back the land!

If there is no plot ratio increase, the developers can't build higher intensity!
The only profits are due to higher inflation over the past 30-40 years where people who bought in 1970s and 1980s bought at very cheap price and they are able to cash out at a good profits, while those who bought from 2010 onwards have negligible paper gain and can't even buy back another property of the same size in the same vicinity!

Enbloc is not about having cheaper options but the potential to build higher intensity that can lead to same (or larger) plus same floor space. Lesser carpark lots (going car lite), lesser amenities that are seldom if ever used, building higher.

Win-win.

[thomastansb]

Obviously people who bought in 70s are going to earn like mad. They bought when SG was 3rd world country.

And 2010 will need to wait till 2040. Now is just 2018. What you expect? In fact, many who have bought in 2000s have already seen their house value doubled or even tripled.

What you said doesn't make sense anymore because Gov clearly stated that they are not going to increase 99-years leasehold properties land plot ratio any more until the the land's lease expire and they took back the land!

If there is no plot ratio increase, the developers can't build higher intensity!
The only profits are due to higher inflation over the past 30-40 years where people who bought in 1970s and 1980s bought at very cheap price and they are able to cash out at a good profits, while those who bought from 2010 onwards have negligible paper gain and can't even buy back another property of the same size in the same vicinity!