Balance score card
For the whole of 2014, prices in CCR, RCR and OCR have fallen by 4.1 per cent, 5.2 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively
PRIVATE home prices fell one per cent in the fourth quarter of 2014 over the previous quarter, higher than the 0.7 per cent decline in Q3 2014, based on the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) flash estimates released on Friday.
This marks the fifth consecutive quarter-on-quarter drop in URA's widely watched private home price index.
For the whole of last year, the index eased 4 per cent - contrasting with a 1.1 per cent rise in 2013.
URA said prices of non-landed private homes fell in all three geographical segments in Q4. In Core Central Region (CCR), prices fell 0.9 per cent in Q4 2014, higher than the 0.8 per cent drop in the previous quarter. CCR covers the Downtown Core planning area, Sentosa and the traditional districts 9, 10 and 11.
In the city-fringe, or Rest of Central Region (RCR), prices eased 1.2 per cent, higher than the 0.4 per cent decline in the previous quarter.
In suburban locations, or the Outside Central Region (OCR), prices declined 0.9 per cent, higher than the 0.3 per cent fall in the previous quarter.
For the whole of 2014, prices in CCR, RCR and OCR have fallen by 4.1 per cent, 5.2 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively
Prices of landed properties shed 1.1 per cent in Q4, a smaller drop compared with the 1.8 per cent decline in the previous quarter.
For the whole of 2014, prices of landed properties fell by 5.2 per cent.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) released the flash estimate of the price index for private residential property for 4th Quarter 2014 today.
Overall, the private residential property index fell 2.1 points from 207.9 points in 3rd Quarter 2014 to 205.8 points in 4th Quarter 2014. This represents a decline of 1.0%, which is higher than the 0.7% decline in the previous quarter. This is the fifth continuous quarter of price decrease (see Annex A). For the whole of 2014, prices have fallen by 4.0%.
Prices of non-landed private residential properties declined in all market segments. In Core Central Region (CCR), prices fell 0.9%, higher than the 0.8% decline in the previous quarter. Prices in Rest of Central Region (RCR) fell 1.2%, higher than the 0.4% decline in the previous quarter. In Outside Central Region (OCR), prices fell 0.9%, higher than the 0.3% decline in the previous quarter (see Annex B). For the whole of 2014, prices in CCR, RCR and OCR have fallen by 4.1%, 5.2% and 2.2% respectively. Prices of landed properties fell 1.1% compared to the 1.8% decline in the previous quarter. For the whole of 2014, prices of landed properties fell by 5.2%.
The flash estimates are compiled based on transaction prices given in caveats lodged and survey data on new units sold by developers during the first ten weeks of the quarter. The statistics will be updated 4 weeks later when URA releases the full real estate statistics for 4th Quarter 2014, which captures more data on the caveats lodged and the take-up of new projects. Past data have shown that the difference between the quarterly price changes indicated by the flash estimate and the actual price changes could be significant when the change is small. The public is advised to interpret the flash estimates with caution.