to buy or not to buy now...

[independent]

more confused than ever before...
so is now the time to buy...
looking at the east coast... approx 2000 sq ft...

[$Pripps]

why would you ever want to buy as an expat?

[Agent007]

Now that's a stupid question!

[GetReal]

Now that's a stupid question!

Yup, why would you ever want to buy - period.

[pointer]

Postpone your decision until after the weekend elections. The market may crashed depending on the outcome.

[Even]

Postpone your decision until after the weekend elections. The market may crashed depending on the outcome.

The outcome is inevitable...... as it always is.

[$Pripps]

Now that's a stupid question!

In which way?

An expat per definition is a person who will eventually move home

Its much smarter to save money here and then go home and buy something at home for a fraction of the price.

[to pripps]

That is rather a dumb assertion.

A property could be an investment or defray rent if you pay it. Also an inflation hedge and rates are low.

I'm not saying I'd buy now, I wouldn't but to see no reason to buy property anywhere other than home is pretty dim.

[$Pripps]

That is rather a dumb assertion.

A property could be an investment or defray rent if you pay it. Also an inflation hedge and rates are low.

I'm not saying I'd buy now, I wouldn't but to see no reason to buy property anywhere other than home is pretty dim.

Not at all, if you are an expat you do not have the same security here that you would have as a citizen. E.g. talks about not renewing PR bla bla bla..

Thus, buying something here as an expat seems unwise. BTW I am talking about Singapore - if you didn't understand - vs the country you most likely will return to when the contract ends.

[to pripps]

Still dumb. Singapore from a regulation point of view is safe. PR is irrelevant unless you buy something restricted Tnot sure what happens then if you lose it) but with a condo no issues. Plenty of non residents buy sg property which is half the price problem.

[Duh!]

Gosh Pripps, never heard of investing?  Perhaps you'd buy as an expat in your temporary home because you think that it has greater growth potential than a market that has already peaked at home? 

I wouldn't buy here now, but that's not saying that I never would.  And if you are buying a condo, PR renewal does not even enter the equation.

[$Pripps]

Gosh Pripps, never heard of investing?  Perhaps you'd buy as an expat in your temporary home because you think that it has greater growth potential than a market that has already peaked at home? 

I wouldn't buy here now, but that's not saying that I never would.  And if you are buying a condo, PR renewal does not even enter the equation.

Well i wouldn't want to buy here now, because I find more value for money elsewhere but OK I am not a gambler type.

[Dr. Phil]

Now that's a stupid question!

In which way?

An expat per definition is a person who will eventually move home

Its much smarter to save money here and then go home and buy something at home for a fraction of the price.

Or, an expat is someone who is not living in the country of his birth; and may never do so.

I do agree, watching these over-priced apartments advertised for sale in London, Mayfair, Belgravia, they are good value! And the prices were as high as GBP 500,000.
But that, incidentally, would not buy a mediocre apartment on a mediocre condo here!!! 
However I do see condo rents falling a lot more than anyone predicted.

[$Pripps]

Now that's a stupid question!

In which way?

An expat per definition is a person who will eventually move home

Its much smarter to save money here and then go home and buy something at home for a fraction of the price.

Or, an expat is someone who is not living in the country of his birth; and may never do so.

I do agree, watching these over-priced apartments advertised for sale in London, Mayfair, Belgravia, they are good value! And the prices were as high as GBP 500,000.
But that, incidentally, would not buy a mediocre apartment on a mediocre condo here!!! 
However I do see condo rents falling a lot more than anyone predicted.

Personally I don't like living in big cities, I prefer country side living and (at least where I come from) you can buy a very nice house by a lake for half what a shoe box condo costs here. So your argument/sarcasm misses the mark.

[buy bye]

I would get in on the action while you can.  Sure make money one.