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Spikey

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Posts posted by Spikey

  1. Posted

    Hi all,

    Just a quick update on my resale status and hope it can be of use of to anyone else who may be experiencing this during their house hunting.

    As stated in my first post, seller agent requested for commish after I exercised OTP (this was before 1st appt).

    Since at no point in time did we agree to use the SELLER agent's services, and plus the fact we found the flat on our own, I wasn't prepared to pay. So I flat out told the agent no, and he relented and said he hoped to discuss with me further down the road. From that time on till the 1st appt, he SMSed me once to enquire about the commish. I ignored the SMS and there was no contact until the 1st appt.

    Come 1st appt, everyone shows up (sellers, agent, us) and we go thru the process hassle free. After the 1st appt concluded however, agent pulled me to one side to ask about the commish again. I told him no again, and he said to let him know what we are comfortable with paying. I said I'll think about it. He added that its in my best interest to settle this matter with him, otherwise he will have to let his company (ERA) handle it. I believe he was implying a legal case against us. Again, at no point did we agree, verbally or otherwise, to hire him as our agent, so we felt even if it had to come to a legal issue, we wouldn't lose.

    So we didn't hear from the agent until the 2nd appt when he reminded us to turn up for it. At the 2nd appt though, he sent her colleague and he wasn't present. Again, the 2nd appt went thru smoothly with no hiccups.

    So now here we are, with the keys to our new flat and no agent fees paid.

    Long story short (too late), you don't have to pay the SELLER AGENT's commission if you did not agree to their services. Regardless of what they may claim, and in my case he said it's the norm to pay the commish as a BUYER, as long as you didn't sign on the dotted line hiring their services, you are in the free and clear.

    *CLAP CLAP*

    Happy house hunting.

  3. Posted

    wow, is there such a flim?

    I only understand that privacy flim works when your environment is darker than outside.

    Just like the police interrogration room is usually bright where the observatory room is pitch dark.

    Do correct me if I'm wrong?

    i thought so too - usually mirror films makes it easier for people to look in at night...but does it help if you apply mirror film on the outside as well as the inside?

  4. Posted

    you need to talk to your condo management office.

    i am doing my reno for my condo now. They ask for a security deposit of 2K. Initially, i thought that they will only keep the cheque and return to me when the reno is completed. But they actually bank in the cheque. Also, they give me a max of 3 months to complete the reno and i must provide a person contact number as point of contact as they will call this person if the reno workers dirty the place and did not clean up etc

    is this 2k kept permanently or used to later your monthly conservancy?

  6. Posted

    Just my view. The interest rate seems to be lower but the interest amount is substantial to eat up all your profits. Let's do some very simple calculations (for discussion sake, and don't include inflation, compounded rate, reducing principles, etc). Say, if you buy a unit at $350K only, and your loan is 2% every year. Your total interest over 30 years of tenure is $210000. Let's say property price went up and you sell it at $450K 5 years later. Your interest for that 5 years should be $35K. Plus the reno costs and whatever fees you need to pay in relation to the sale, you don't earn anything. But note, this is a simplistic scenario. In reality, your loan interest is not 2% forever. So, my view is, service the loan quickly up to a substantial amount so that you have little principal to pay off in the subsequent tenure period.

    1. Must remember that we are not actually spending $350k...buying a $350k means using at most $70k in cash.

    2. No need to reno.

    3. So if sell for $100k profit (minus the stamp duty, lawyers fee etc) for $70k outlay is quite solid don't u think?

    Leverage....

  7. Posted · Edited by Spikey

    hi,

    i'm in the midst of renovating my condo. for my side, working hours is 9am to 5pm. and between 12pm to 1pm cannot work. it's slightly over 2 months since the start of my reno. it's almost complete overhaul for me. only keep hall/dining flooring.

    but i was told by my builder friend that work of this scale takes about 6 weeks only and my contractor is slow.

    hope this helps!

    hi merydith (fellow raindance rainshowerhead!)

    did u need to talk to the management committee to apply for a reno permit?

  10. Posted

    Hi!

    I'm buying one too! Its like nespresso, ie using capsule but cheaper (about 0.82/capsule) and the machine cost about 399. They were having a promo at 299, not sure if its over. You can call them down for a demo and also try all their flavour of coffees! Their office at #02-01, 1 Fullerton, William 9382 6575/Ray 8168 5448. Website: http://www.h2way.biz/

    Brand is Tcaffe Tiziano Model TSK-1136B.

    cheers,

    Woody

    anybody use the built in ariston coffee machine before?

  13. Posted

    Was in discussion with my fren yesterday.

    He mentioned, that if you have HDB and Private property, you can not stay in the private. You have to stay in HDB. Reason being:

    - HDB is to stay, but not for speculation.

    And this is not about MOP.

    However, I never remember there is such a rule. Anyone can help to enlighten this? any link about it?

    yup - that's correct...and your address on the ic better reflect the HDB address or else your name is going to come out in the newspapers very soon......

  15. Posted

    Heat pump water heater systems typically have higher initial costs than conventional storage water heaters. However, they have lower operating costs, which can offset their higher purchase and installation prices.

    Before buying a heat pump water heating system, you also need to consider the following:

    * Size and first hour rating

    * Fuel type and availability

    * Energy efficiency (energy factor)

    * Overall costs.

    do heat pump heaters give higher water pressure at the showerhead?

  20. Posted

    hi, i'm targeting to finish servicing my hdb loan in 3.5yrs time and should be buying a private property in a yr time. question, let say if i buy private and service it with cash, and upon finishing servicing my first property, can i use cpf to service my 2nd property even if i do not meet the min sum in my cpf and since i am no longer servicing any loan usng cpf? thanks

    u still need to meet min sum to service a second property...it would be better not to finish paying off your HDB yet and build up more CPF in order to meet the min sum required to fund your 2nd property

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