Author: Charles Tan
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Studio Units, SOHO, SOFO, SOVO, the difference?
A close friend asked me about a Studio Unit below 600sf for a below RM450,000 price. ‘Should she buy?’ I answered her that I do not like to buy SOHO, SOFO, SOVO or whatever acronym they may call the units because it is just not my type. At least one friend who bought these small…
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US$1.375 Billion settlement in inflated ratings case.
Investors love ratings. It gives them a sense of direction and confidence. However, what happens when the rating agency you trust did not rate accordingly? Perhaps they under-rated and you missed the opportunity? Perhaps they inflated and everyone bought and later it caused huge losses for all those who believed them? I personally like to…
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Bukit Bintang City Centre, Eco World, UDA and EPF
A friend asked me about Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC). Yes, he is skeptical. I asked him if he is thinking of buying a unit. He said no because he does not think this project would be successful. I told him that it’s good that he has a different opinion than me because then if…
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GST: Prices down vs Prices up.
Just two weeks ago, a colleague had lunch with me and asked what would happen with GST in April. She has a condo which she may want to sell and all her friends said that sell only after GST so that she can get a higher price. Then, she also said that she is thinking…
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RInggit now at three-week high. So?
4th February 2015. Ringgit is up, well not just up. It has hit a three-week high. Okay, first of all this may mean nothing more than a one off gain due to the rebound in oil price as well as the rebounding stock market. Ringgit managed to claw its way up to RM3.5610 against the…
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200,000 new marriages, 80,000 new properties
Yes, in Malaysia, on a yearly basis there are 200,000 new marriages every year. There are also a total of 80,000 new properties being built on a yearly basis. This information is from Mah Sing’s group Managing Director Tan Sri Leong Hoy Kum. He said due to this, there would always be shortages of sufficient…
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Housing affordability getting worst: 2014
Between 2009 and 2014, the housing affordability has worsened. From 3.4 times of annual gross household income in 2009, it has risen to 3.6 times in 2014. This is as per a survey by Rahim & Co Chartered Surveyors Sdn Bhd. As usual, this is just an average and it is based on the price…
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Believe please. Rating at A3 and outlook is POSITIVE
It’s tough to beat out all the negative news out there. After Fortune, at least we now have another piece of good news. This time, from Moody’s Investors Service. It has affirmed the government bond and issuer ratings of the government of Malaysia at A3 and the outlook remains positive. What is A3? A3 means…
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The location less loved by many, perhaps.
Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) is a very long road. According to Wiki, it’s 65km long. Consisting of many other expressways all along and connecting to each other etc. Basically, it’s convenient if you are staying somewhere along the roads as you will be quickly connected to all other roads and expressways. Recently, one piece…