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1. HDB is not a private limited co. "Financial dificulties" give way to this rules?, wait long long. If someone in HDB allows this and made known to the public, super super long Q will be seen. Think of the consequences. 2. Rules have be to strictly followed, unless there are loopholes. 3. If she approaches MP, MP most likely "introduce" her more job, or refer her to "non-profit" making org for help. And the ball keeps rolling/knock here & there until she bleeds & gives up...... 4. If unit is under husband & wife and divorce is confirmed... unit has to be sold away! Be prepared!

Sometimes, actually most of the time, thoughts run faster than hands and therefore got typo errors, pls forgive me: 1. Corride door = corridor 2. It should be read as "portable" instead of "removable". 3. Those stuff outside house, are not allowed to be fixed (by mean of screw/glue/cement, etc)onto wall or floor, stuff like rack, pot, stand, etc. 4. Any hook within house is ok, but not OUTSIDE. People like to hang these stuff outside :flower pot/bird cage/banners....obstruct traffic and cause potential danger.... I have a "granite stone bench"-can sit abt 3 people, weighed abt 150kg, next to my entrance door. Made in 3 pieces, anytime can be carried away, have consulted town council, it is acceptable.

Unlikely that the agency will give u any "sweets". I suggest , in your letter, do not use such words "I thought....", instead use such " I was misrepresented into signing the commission agreement, as part of the OTP document....." . Anyway, ask yourself it is worth fighting for 1% comm? A real story on me about furniture: Last yr May, at furniture mall (Geminis Lifestyle), beach rd, one shot ordered 2 sets of full-teak day beds ($1,500x2), & 1 set customised full-teak tv console, 8 ft long (no joint)($,2800), to be delivered mid Jan 2010. Deposits paid and no delivery charged stated in sale order. Eventually what happened? Many calls followed, many empty promises, the paint not dry, coating not dry, called me 10 min later, .....actually they forgot my order. The TV console is customised to fit into the feature wall/TV/sound bar...I was YYY, no choice delay the reno a bit & expedite the console making. Finally, one fine day, saw/touched the 8-ft console at my lift entrance and 2 hr later, they took back!!!!!!!! Could not go into lift and delivery team no manpower to carry up to 23rd floor! After much exchanged of "words" over the phone, I gave in and paying extra $100, so 4 men carried the console up to 23 fl. Day beds what happened? Never mind can wait, we sleep on floor for 2 weeks! Never mind, What time these 2 teak beds reached door step? Almost 12pm mid night! I threaten to cancel order, to bring to case, to go to smc...Al,l these take time/energy/..., finally decided to pay $ and let matter rests. Don't know who will be the next "Toad", remember don't go to "Geminis Liftsytle"- Dear Mr Lim & Patrick sure remember me for life.

Thank you for "seeing me up": ha ha, take this: History repeats itself everyday, every moments. As bible says: "Nothing new under the sun". - ST forum has repeatedly reported these and HDB has promptly replied these. Question is : Over time, new comers don't know this & fall into traps set by agents. - Police handle only criminal case, no commercial breach or trust. "undue influence", can result to "misrepretation" which can lead to criminal intention. What exactly I intend to say is: make a police report to say you were under undue influence of quickly to process the transaction and therefore misrepresented to sign the commission letter whereby you were not intended to pay such as you walked in to view the flat, not under any real estate agent. Show him the PR and challenged your agent to bring u to whatever Court. In reality, many things can not be taught/learnt in schools, have to learn through "hard way" by paying expensive fee. I have paid such many times before and now a bit more "wise" and also becoming very stingy to pay......I wrote to many gov departments before, ST, SM, LHZB....etc, now I do not waste my bullets, but making sure: one bullet kills.

You have absolute right to ask agent to produce u a copy of receipt, OTP doc, comm letter....for your safe keeping. 1. Ask agent to produce u the "commission letter" where u've signed. Do not sign the "typed" letter from "drafted" letter. 2. If you have signed the comm, I suggest u to 2a- pay him the mentioned comm 2b- ask him to forget the comm, but give him a angbao, say $500. If he rejects this, then 3c 3c- Do not pay him the comm, told him the "comm letter" was signed under "undue influence"- misled to sign against your intention. Challenge the agent to take u to small claim court (<$10,000) and stress to him you will repeat 3c in front of the panel of inquiry.

This rule not in force yet. Pay 4% PT to property where u stay, pay 10% PT to property u rent out. "Only 3%" of qualified HDB owners who sublet whole unit - I guessed gov considered this figure is "acceptable", so not further action to these ppl. But, after Pohs' case, expected a increase to this figure, cos ppl do not want to "get-caught" or being "tipped off". This rule is quite a powerful tool but desstructive to GE vote. Expected will come into force after GE.

Agreed. Bank loan is better at this juncture. Too many strings attached to hdb loan.

Read today ST's front page, HDB takes against agent cum owner. He himself a member of Institute of Estate Association, yet foul the rules. Where is the "standard" of agent ! Hope this case aware IEA and quickly come out something positive to make a healthy mkt with "healthy agents". To me, agents = typical salemen. They use their "big mouth" to make a living by: -Say what their customers like to hear -Hiding important facts/disadvantages far far away/hehind from client -Failing to observe rules -Telling lies without eye blinks -Make empty promises -Act blur -Use "sweetener" to hook "toad" -Last but not least, when find client would'nt hook - threatening! What else they can use?

Well done HDB !, Pohs deserved it. A profession in real eastate claimed he does not aware of the rules? Surely, he was desperate, caught off-guard by the tip-off. Salute to the one who gave tip. Please tip off hdb if u come across such to make mkt for fair competition.

Ever asked agent or seller abt seller's next accomodation issue? In progress to buy hdb unit/pte unit?, renting? already got place to stay? VERY IMPORTANT issue to BUYERS. Hope seller already settled his next accomodation, if not u have to wait long, long, long... Get a copy of these from seller's agent asap, you are entitled to, pay him/her photostate fee if he/she asks: 1. Yr $5k receipt. Receipt for valuation report & resale submission fee are negligible. 2. OTP document, see pg 4/10, clause 11. How many "day" agent has filled in- if "90", then "good luck to you". Most seller agents don't explain this buyer. 90 days is the maximum, meaning agent has 90 days to "play with" before submitting the resale application! I have repeated these many times in my postings. Wait for submission(90day), wait for 1st appointment(11 wk), wait for 2nd appointment(8wk), renovation, move in - Merry Christmas and Happy new year. 3. Commission letter, if u have signed. OTP is a very important doc(10 pages only), should be read & undestand with due attention. By right seller should sign first (who gives u an option to exercise) the decision to buy or not. Then u sign, follow by agent as witness signed. Again, most agents will ask the buyer to sign first - it is wrong!!!!! If u are interested I can send u those docs which I've kept over the years, for yr ref only. Drop me a mail from my profile.

Wow, very lengthy paragraph, very "standardised" format, 1st sentence applies to seller noy u/why seller's agent still leave it there? Before answering u , questions: 1. U viewed the unit with your agent or walk in yourself? If with yr agent, just pay your agent. 2. Have u signed the commission agreement with seller's agent? If u have signed and now step back, it would be wrong on you. 3. Have u paid 1K for deposit and 4K for exercising the OTP? If yes, the deal is considered legally bind (actually still subject to 1st appointment) Legal contract = offer + consideration, the "offer" could later become a "counter-offer". Consideration=1K +4K, in this case(if u have done). "Exclusive" means "the one and the only", anyway, I doubted seller has signed exclusive agreement with his agent, "usually" has to pay the agent 2% comm. This does not apply to u. You are legally, absolutely need not to pay seller's agent even a cent, if u have not signed commission agreement with him/her. If you need the valuation report for bankloan purpose, just pay him $180, or you can ask for a seperate valuation to be done and absorb the cost. In Singapore, there is not "legislation/regulation" as to buyer must pay comm to seller's agent in a transaction, this is especially true and practiced in the resale private property transaction. In HDB resale, it is up to buyer whether to pay comm to seller's agent - walking case applied. I guessed, most "walk-in" buyers engaged seller's agent to represent buyer's and therefore pay 1% comm to seller's agent, mostly due to uncertainties of procedures. PM me if you wish, very lengthy to write here. Anyway, just let you know: 1. In 2006, I entered an exclusive agreement with agent to sell my 1st hdb unit, paying 2% comm. I happened to meet the buyer only during 2nd appointment. 2. In 2009, again, I engaged an exclusive agreement with agent to sell away my private prty. Paid 2% comm 3. In 2009, I engaged seller's agent to represent me (walk in for viewing) and paid 1% comm.

Frankly speaking, in HDB resale, I completely found no sense for buyer who "walk-in" and closes the deal, owe seller's agent any amount, not even a cent! Seller agent has to settle the basic paper work and do some coordination in between. Let's do it and make it a norm.! If buyer engages agent to search for home is another story.

No intent to stereo-type any. There was one time viewing a house, seller's agent not attending, he phoned me to look at the valuation report. Asked owner his intended sell price, in returned he asked me to make an offer. Might as well put his house onto ebay, right?

I'm aware of all these agents' tactics. It is good to "open book" with agent in the beginning when selling/buying. Last yr when selling, I immediately signed an exclusively agreement paying 2% comm. I even promised to extend the agreement for another 3 months if unit could not sell within first 3 months. But I requested them (1 young & 1 mentor) not to tell buyers any lies/empty promises/treat buyers differently, I insisted to be around during viewing and could speak to buyers when I wish, etc everything to hold as transparent as possible, I don't care how the agents co-broke.. I gave them 100% access right to operate/open this & that during viewing, The mentor gave me a piece of advise to avoid indian agents far far away, she got vast unpleasant experience dealing with them. Anyone got experience?

KC, appreciate if u can highlight why buyer for private property(resale) needs not to pay comm to agent? The norm has been for howlong, any changes in future?

-Hacking walltile $1.0/psf -Hacking floortile $1.5/psf - Ceramic tile ~ $2.8/psf For a 5-rm hdb, master tiolet, walltile area=230sf floortile area=40sf

Hi how you guys add the hyper link to the post? Whatever hyper link I add, all become "reno.com"???

- Legally maximum 8wk from 1st to 2nd appiontment, anything longer than this will render the OPT doc void. - HDB will usually try their best to have 2nd appointment after 1st appointment within/at end of 6th wk. If buyer & sellers lawyers are from HDB, process will be faster. Lawyers like "black & white", and these "B&W" need to be exchanged hand to both party. That is why all the time spent. - Before/during 1st appointment, get common verbal agreement between 2 parties to fix a date for 2nd appointment, then let the HDB officer know, if agreed, this date will be printed on the paper. - If you(buyer) want earlier day to start renovation, can ask agent to draft a letter( experienced agent has used this letter ) many time!, signed by both parties to receive key earlier., though in eye of Singapore law, this paper is not recognised. REMEBER, reno permit application has to be signed by seller, meaning that "anything wrong" during the reno, seller is held responsible.

Look like yr "good below neighbour" is taking the chance, but quite honest to tell u that the problem existed before your reno. Must be the weight of the "overlaying" material worsening the situation. Download a file names "Rhandboo.pdf" from hdb's web will give you some light to somewhere, but.....likely the TC will ask 2 of u to settle and share 50/50?, 40/60? Good luck Technology was not so good 30 yr ago, Stacks/pipes without "sleeving", when floor slab expands due to weight or mechanical vibration, water goes to external of stack/pipes then to below unit, though you have laid "water proof" material. TC take cares only the Stacks(big one), the smaller one (pipes) maintain by owner.

-illegal modifications/installations like: - any fittings outside windows - corride door fixtures to be "movable" at any time - sanitary pipes any leakage/personal modification - Aircon /sliding/caseman window safety issue.... - hooks on ceilings(corride door) to be removed

Quite surprised no rule announced as to "subletting', especially to those who hold pte pty concurrently. Guess that gov "reserves' this powerful tool till last....

Yah!, 3 yr, might be extended to 5 years if mkt "hot" again. Imagine average 8.1% gains in resale(2009jan - 2009dec). CPI and salary increase where got so fast!

Changes within expectation. Soft approach, mild effects foresee. But..... - 1yr, 2.5yr all changed to 3 yrs. Resale mkt already under supply with "high demand", will this new rule narrows the supply further, or curbs the demand of resale, or "high demand" caused this this group of people? Sure COV will drop, cos only speculators or rich will sell/buy after 1 year/2.5 yr. - HDB loan make easilier(2nd loan), will encourage more people to trade in resale mkt(downsize), especially those "conservative" who know less or "scare" abt bank loans.

Sorry friends, just switched to rich text format. Before this was "standard" txt editor, whatever web addreesses I post, all become renotalk.com, below is the correct one. Good for buyers for resale private property, a lot of info in the report. streetsine