● 吳慧敏 報道 政府的房地產降溫措施並沒有將買家留在場外太久。昨天出爐的官方數據顯示,11月的新私宅銷量不但進一步回升,而且還反彈至今年來的第二高水平。 這帶動今年首11個月的新私宅銷售量衝破1萬5000個單位關口,不但超越去年全年1萬4688個單位高水平,也刷新了2007年全年的1萬4811個單位紀錄。 一些房地產分析員相信,這個最新數據很可能迫使政府在近期內再次實施另外一輪的房地產降溫措施。 高力國際(Colliers International)研究部主管鄭惠勻說:“11月的數據清楚顯示,8月30日的措施並不足以馴服熾熱的買氣。如果不采取任何行動,旺熱的買氣有可能再次將樓價推高。” 她猜測,政府有可能在未來兩三個月內推出更多更嚴苛的措施來冷卻樓市。 仲量聯行(Jones Lang LaSalle)研究部主管蔡炎亮也說:“這顯示政府的降溫措施並沒有想象中有效。政府實施另一輪措施的風險,已進一步提高了。” 他猜測,政府快則一個月,慢則在明年初實施新的降溫措施。至於可能出現的降溫措施,估計包括提高第二套房的首期現金需求和降低第二套房的借貸頂限。“在12個月內購買超過一個房地產的人,或許也會需要支付較高的印花稅。至於實施資本利得稅(capital gain tax)的機會,估計不大。” 國家發展部在8月30日實施的房地產降溫措施,被不少業者評為1997年以來最嚴苛的一次。新條例,包括將第二套房的首期現金需求提高至一成,以及將第二套房的銀行貸款頂限降低至七成。為了抑製短線炒賣活動,政府也對買房後三年內轉售的房子,征收賣方印花稅。 措施實施後,買家確實暫時退場,這帶動9月份的新私宅銷售量由1259個單位下跌至911個單位。不過,買家在觀望了一陣子後又陸續回流,10月的新私宅銷售量回升至1065個單位。 市區重建局昨天公布的最新數據顯示,發展商在今年11月賣出了1909個新私宅單位,比10月份飆漲79%。如果將執行共管公寓(EC)計算在內,11月份的新私宅成交量則高達2084個單位,比10月份上升31%。 這是過去7個月來的最高水平,也是今年來新私宅銷量第二高的月份,僅次於4月份賣出的2208個單位。 一些市場人士認為,今年樓市銷售特別紅火,一個原因是EC在闊別五年後“重出江湖”。一名市場觀察家說,發展商在過去兩個月狂銷近3700個單位,但是當中大約兩成屬於EC。 “EC並不是政府需要降溫的領域,因為買家都必須遵守五年的持守期,沒有什麽炒氣。”他認為,由於政府已賣出八幅EC地段,未來六至12個月內估計還有至少3000多個EC單位等著上市,因此,接下來的私宅銷售量很可能還是會在EC的支撐下居高不下,人們在解讀每個月的銷售數據時,應將這點考慮在內。 不過,不包括EC在內,發展商還是在今年首11個月賣出了1萬5025個新私宅單位,提前刷新2007年的紀錄。這也就是說,2010年已鐵定成為有史以來,新私宅交易量最旺熱的一年。如果包括EC,發展商在今年首11個月則已賣出超過1萬5700個新單位。 《聯合早報》 Another round of Govt property cooling measures? Analysts say surge in private home sales reinforce the case for harsher measures A surprising surge in private home sales last month – coming at a time when the Government’s cooling measures were expected to take effect – has prompted analysts to predict that another round of intervention could be on the cards. Private home sales in November jumped almost 80 per cent from the previous month, bringing the total number of homes sold so far this year to more than 15,000, surpassing the 2007 record of about 14,800 units. According to data released yesterday by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), 1,909 private residential units, excluding executive condominiums, were sold last month, up from 1,058 units in October. Lakefront Residences in Jurong was the most popular property, selling 437 units at $1,075 per square foot (psf) last month. The most expensive residential unit, priced at $4,358 psf, was sold at Scotts Square, a Wheelock Properties’ project on Scotts Road, while the cheapest sale was at Waterview, a Sim Lian project at Tampines Avenue, for $501 psf. The surge in sales caught analysts off-guard as it comes just three-and-a-half months after the Government took steps on Aug 30 to cool the property market, including asking banks to demand more upfront cash from homebuyers with existing mortgages. Said Colliers International director of research and advisory Tay Huey Ying: “It just goes to show that a lot of investors are still viewing property as a safe place to park their wealth in spite of the high exposure to policy risks.” Ms Tay noted that another “driving factor” could be foreign purchases that were “diverted from the HDB resale market” as well as from Hong Kong and China, which introduced property curbs in recent months. The suburban market led the pack in November, with 1,229 units sold outside the prime central region; the core central region, by comparison, saw just 213 transactions, with the remaining 467 units getting sold in the rest of the central region. Analysts said that buyers are rushing to take advantage of low interest rates amid concerns about overleveraging. In the latest annual Financial Stability Review, MAS said that while “household balance sheets continue to be strong, supported by conducive economic conditions” household credit exposures “need to be closely monitored and the risks appropriately managed”. According to URA, 2,329 units were launched last month. Industry watchers expect between 800 and 1,300 units to be sold this month as developers will likely launch fewer properties during Christmas and New Year. Industry watchers say yesterday’s figures have buttressed the case for another, harsher set of cooling measures, such as a tax on profits from property sales, in the next few months. Chesterton Suntec International head of research and consultancy Colin Tan said: “What’s going to happen if the buying doesn’t stop? While we may not feel the impact now, the consequences may come a year or two later, and they can be pretty adverse.” Source : Today – 16 Dec 2010 Private units sales up in Nov A total of 1,909 private residential units, excluding executive condominiums, were sold in November, up from a total of 1,058 units taken up in the previous month, data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority showed. The data, released every month, showed sales outside the prime central region (ORC) led with 1,229 units sold, followed by rest of central region (RCR) at 467 units, and core central region (CCR) at just 213 units. A total of 2,329 units were launched in the month. OCR, again, led with 1,638 units, while units launched in RCR and CCR totalled 353 and 338, respectively. The most expensive residential unit, priced at S$4,358 per square foot, was sold at Scotts Square, a Wheelock Properties’ project on Scotts Road. The cheapest unit was sold at Waterview, a Sim Lian project at Tampines Avenue, for S$501 per square foot. Source : Channel NewsAsia – 15 Dec 2010 |