While Japan, South Korea and New Zealand have zero restrictions against foreign ownership of residential property, other countries across Asia Pacific have a full spectrum of restrictions for both resident and non-resident foreigners.

Here is a regional snapshot.

Thailand

• Foreign buyers can buy freehold for up to 49% of a single development, if exceeded, the tenure will be leasehold.
• Foreigners can buy land as a leasehold, whereas the improvements (residence) can be freehold.

Cambodia

• Foreigners are allowed to own apartments and condominium units above the ground floor.
• Land can be held by foreigners on long (renewable) leases.

India

• A foreign national of non-Indian origin, resident outside India cannot purchase any immovable property in India unless such property is acquired by way of inheritance from a person who was a resident in India.

Vietnam

• Non-resident purchasers who do not meet other criteria set out in Decree 51 are unable to purchase apartments or condominiums.
• Foreigners are not allowed to own land (red book).

• Foreigners can buy property without restriction but must pay a 15% additional buyer’s stamp duty.

Malaysia

• No restrictions but subject to a general pricing threshold of RM500,000 and above per unit.

Singapore

• Foreigners can buy private condominiums freely although they are subject to 15% additional buyer’s stamp duty.
• Sentosa Cove is the only place in Singapore where non-PR foreigners may buy a landed home.

Indonesia

• A foreign national who is not resident or considered to benefit national development is unable to buy residential property in Indonesia.

China

• Non-resident foreigners are not permitted to buy property in mainland China.

Australia

• Foreigners can purchase dwellings that add to the housing stock. This includes ‘new dwellings’: off-the-plan properties under construction or yet to be built, or vacant land for development. Foreigners cannot buy established dwellings as investment properties or as homes.

Japan, South Korea and New Zealand

• No restrictions.

 

Source: BTINVEST

In an effort to hedge against rising mortgage rates in the US, Singaporeans are expected to switch to fixed-rate loans. However, some local banks have already raised the interest rates on their products.

For instance, Maybank increased the interest rate of its three-year fixed loan by 0.1 percentage point on Monday, while ANZ raised its two-year fixed mortgage by 0.17 percentage point.

On the other hand, some lenders have put an end to fixed-rate packages. Standard Chartered stopped offering fixed-rates, while Citi discontinued this product last month.

Moreover, ANZ’s two-year fixed loan rose from 1.48 percent to 1.65 percent, while Maybank’s interest rates now start at 1.25 percent for the first year and average out to about 1.4 percent in the next three years.

Despite the increase, the rates are still relatively easy on the pocket, as a rise from 1.15 to 1.25 percent works out to an additional monthly payment of around S$50 for a S$1 million 30-year mortgage.

However, some fixed rates are 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points higher than the floating rates, so “do not assume refinancing in the future will have lower spreads”, noted FindaHomeLoan.sg Founder Sean Lim.

 

Source: PROPERTYGURU

Singaporeans are often said to have a love affair with property. But the issue may be wider than that. The search for yield and a fear of the alternatives is what drives many to keep faith with property.

THE regulator’s recent move on bank lending is not meant to be another property market cooling measure but it will certainly have a bearing on anyone contemplating a real estate investment.

It’s not that buyers haven’t already been softened up somewhat, given there have been seven rounds of cooling measures since 2009 in a bid to slow rising home prices.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) index for private properties is up about 60 per cent from 2009.

But even as prices remain at an all-time high and even as buyers appear to take every new cooling measure in their stride, there is little doubt that the market has started to cool its heels.

Data shows that flash estimates of prices for the second quarter increased just 0.8 per cent. For the first quarter, they inched up 0.6 per cent.

Measures to date

THE first round of measures in 2009 included scrapping an interest absorption scheme which allowed buyers to avoid interest for a certain period. The confirmed list of government land sites for sale was reinstated.

In February 2010, a seller’s stamp duty was imposed on residential property and land bought and sold within a year.

Loan-to-valuation (LTV) limits – the proportion of a home’s value that a buyer can borrow – were tightened. They were reduced to 80 per cent, meaning a 20 per cent downpayment was required.

In August 2010, the holding period for the seller’s stamp duty was increased to three years.

The LTV limit was cut to 70 per cent for those with other home loans, meaning a downpayment of 30 per cent would now be required.

In January 2011, the seller’s stamp duty was extended to homes sold within four years of acquisition and the rates were increased.

The benefit of these moves was to help remove the speculative froth from the market. People had been turning up at new launches and then flipping properties within a few months for a quick buck.

In December of that year, the additional buyer’s stamp duty (ABSD) was introduced. Foreigners now had to pay a 10 per cent duty on their first purchase while Singapore citizens were hit once they bought a third and subsequent properties.

These measures were aimed at curbing foreigner demand, one of the factors seen as responsible for surging prices.

The measures changed tack last year and focused less on speculation. This time there was more of a focus on curbing investor demand while tackling more comprehensively the risk of borrowers taking on too much debt.

First-time buyers remained untouched.

Last September’s measures included capping new home loan tenures at 35 years.

The seventh set of cooling measures unveiled in January this year included raising the ABSD by between 5 and 7 percentage points. The proportion of a home’s value that a buyer can borrow was slashed to as low as 20 per cent for certain buyers, while minimum cash down payments for those with at least one housing loan were raised.

Chief operating officer at DTZ Southeast Asia Ong Choon Fah noted that the measures “have resulted in a sharp decline in foreign demand from about 20 per cent in the last quarter of 2011 to the current 7 per cent.”

Total debt servicing ratio

WHILE not regarded as a cooling measure as such, the latest policy move – called total debt servicing ratio – took effect on June 29 and imposes a new lending framework on banks.

A person’s total monthly debt repayments cannot now exceed 60 per cent of his gross monthly income so anyone applying for a new mortgage will have to consider how their entire debt load stacks up. That means any car or personal loan will now be factored into the debt equation as well.

These measures are timely as the cheap flow of money stemming from the United States Federal Reserve that has depressed interest rates here and elsewhere looks like it is going to be eased.

It is also clear that there is a group of borrowers in Singapore who are potentially at risk from rising interest rates. First-quarter numbers from the Credit Bureau show that about 12 per cent of borrowers held multiple loans.

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam noted over the weekend that with interest rates set to rise, between 5 and 10 per cent of borrowers may be over-leveraged.

Unintended consequences

EVERY policy has side effects. One of them here is that banks may end up having their hands tied too much.

Take the 30 per cent discount that has to be imposed on the variable element of a borrower’s pay. While that is a prudent move, banks need to appreciate that in the ever-changing workplace, there are fewer jobs where a fixed pay is the norm.

In efforts to be more responsive to changes in market conditions, more jobs may offer pay with a higher variable element. Banks should be given some leeway to ensure that while prudence remains the priority, they are also sensitive to the growing number of people whose pay fluctuates from month to month and indeed year to year.

Rethinking property investing

THE question is often asked if all these measures will sound the death-knell for the Singaporean’s undying love affair with property, one that is shared by those in Malaysia, Hong Kong and China.

Yet the issue may be wider than that. To encourage people to invest in other asset classes may require a review of the alternatives out there.

What drives many investors is the search for yield in a market where it is increasingly difficult to find good returns.

But many are loath to view stocks as the new Prince Charming in waiting. One reason could be investors’ painful experience of the global financial crisis.

Another could be how the Central Provident Fund (CPF) rules skew investors towards property.

If I have $5,000 in my account that is allowed to be invested in equities or unit trusts, I can buy only $5,000 worth of SingTel shares. However, I can start paying for a $1 million residential property in Singapore with regular monthly CPF payments.

And while investing in blue chips on the Straits Times Index should be a safe bet from a corporate governance point of view, investors have to be conscious of market risk as these big boys expand overseas.

What it means is that putting $100,000 in CapitaLand requires an understanding of the risks the firm faces in the China market, for example, while buying DBS Group Holdings shares means understanding policy risks in Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Indeed, the daily gyrations of shares may engender a sense of insecurity and the challenge of deciphering financial statements makes stocks appear riskier and more complex.

While the price of some S-chips has plunged practically to zero, the perception is that property in Singapore will at least retain some of its value and offer a regular income stream.

That is why many investors feel comfortable buying a property here. Simply put, a property investor living in Pasir Ris and buying an investment property in the same area feels more comfortable with the risks and growth potential. He knows if new amenities are coming up nearby. He can see the condo taking shape. He knows there are laws to protect him should a developer go bust.

Meanwhile other suitors stand waiting in the wings.

Anecdotally, many investors have made a beeline for property in Iskandar, Kuala Lumpur, London and Australia.

DTZ’s Ms Ong notes that since January, there has been a sharp increase in demand for properties in Iskandar. Others have ventured into more speculative investments such as land in the United States, she adds.

A few hundred thousand dollars can get you a property in Thailand. Around $200,000 offers a chance to own a serviced apartment in Dubai.

The irony is that Singaporeans are starting to put their funds in markets overseas, which are harder to track and where the investor protection framework is sometimes less established.

There are risks to owning property such as not being able to rent out the place or not being able to meet loan repayments.

But for most people, a property still speaks to a fundamental need for a source of retirement income and a sense of security. A change in that mindset will require a review of our investing framework.

 

Source: STPROPERTY

The outlook for Singapore’s banking system has plunged from stable to negative due to the recent period of soaring loan growth, as well as rising property prices locally and in countries where Singapore banks operate.

According to Moody’s Investors Service, these factors increase the chance that credit quality would deteriorate under potential adverse conditions in future.

“The operating environment for Singapore’s banking system has been favourable for an extended period, with low interest rates and strong economic growth domestically and in the surrounding region,” said Moody’s Vice President and Senior Analyst Gene Fang.

“With the potential risk of a turn in the interest rate cycle, we view strong asset inflation and credit growth trends as vulnerabilities, as this combination would likely cause credit costs to rise from their current low base.”

Fang was commenting on the recently released Moody’s report called Singapore Banking System Outlook, which details Moody’s forecasts on how bank creditworthiness will evolve in this system for the next 12 to 18 months.

Singapore banks have enhanced their non-performing loans (NPLs) in the past few years. However, asset quality may have peaked both in the city-state and in many regional markets in which these banks are active. A reversal in the credit cycle could likely lead to higher credit costs and a worsening of NPL ratios.

While it is difficult to accurately predict turning points in banking credit cycles, Moody’s believes the slowing of the US Federal Reserve’s bond-buying programme could be a potential trigger.

Nevertheless, Singapore banks continue to have robust financial metrics, which supports their high average ratings compared to other banking systems globally, both on standalone and supported bases.

Source: PROPERTYGURU

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has introduced a new rule which prohibits financial institutions (FIs) from tying up with property developers and agents to sell property, according to local media reports.

FIs were informed of this new rule the same day the latest property loan curbs were announced that will, among others, prevent banks from providing preferential interest rates to clients acquiring certain properties.

“MAS is of the view that, except for the granting of property loans, FIs should not be offering any property-related services to customers in general. FIs should therefore not engage in property advertisements or tie-ups with property developers/agents,” an MAS spokesman said.

“This is regardless of the location of the property (in Singapore or overseas) or the type of the property (residential, commercial or industrial). MAS will take into account an FI’s compliance on this issue, in its supervisory assessment of the FI,” he noted, adding that the central bank expects full compliance from FIs.

Tie-ups and property advertisements referred to in the new regulation include but are not limited to sending notifications (via phone text, mail or email) to customers on properties for sale or purchase or property launches; advertisement of properties for sale or property launches on mobile applications, websites and premises of FIs; organising special previews of property launches for customers; inviting customers to property launches; and arranging with property developers/agents to offer customers preferential rates for loans to acquire designated properties.

 

Source: PROPERTYGURU

The 60 percent cap on the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) will not be expanded to include non-property loans anytime soon, said Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is also Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

“We don’t intend to, any time soon, extend the TDSR to other types of loans, but it’s really for the banks to factor it into their own internal assessments,” said Mr Tharman on the sidelines of a community event in Jurong yesterday.

“Supervision is more useful when it comes to the broad range of loans, not just more and more rules.”

Implemented at the end of last month for all property loans, the new ruling takes into account the borrower’s total debt obligation including mortgages as well as car, student and personal loans.

The latest loan-to-ratio cap is expected to be a long term measure.

“There’s no hard data on this but our rough assessment is that five to ten percent (of borrowers) are at risk of having over-leveraged, bearing in mind that interest rates are going to rise, and you can’t say for sure what the economy will be like, what unemployment will be like, a few years down the road,” he added.

Source: YAHOO! NEWS