Interest rates have been flying low for sometime now. At less than 2%, home loan rates are even lower than the 2.6% offered by the Housing Development Board (HDB). Though the latter offers stability despite inflation, the small difference is considerable for the large purchases real estate surmounts to.
And though there has been talks of rate hikes, a sharp increase has not yet happen and while interest rates have plunged to near-zero in 2011 and not surged since then, many have been favouring the floating-rate loans which are pegged to the Singapore Interbank Offer Rate (Sibor). But at the same time, the property cooling measures rolled out in waves by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) have restricted the ability of many to refinance their previously high-interest home loans.
Parc Centros private condominium on Punggol Walk.
MAS has since adjusted the total debt servicing ratio (TDSR) framework as of 1st September, and more home owners and new buyers will find that they now qualify to refinance their loans or service a less taxing one. Now all home owners are exempt from the 60 per cent income cap. Previously, the monthly repayment amount for total household debt can only be of and less than 60 per cent of the household income.
As the goal of this regulation is to prevent a property bubble and to stop buyers from overextending themselves and running into debt, property investors may still find themselves restricted by the rule, but now with the change, less so. The loan threshold may be surpassed if they pass the bank’s credit checks and they also have to commit to repaying at least 3 per cent of the outstanding bank loan within a 3-year period. This may still keep errant property investing in check while allowing those we have done their risk calculations carefully an opportunity to plan their financial growth.
The property market has been gradually cooling for a few years now and while no change downwards or upwards has been sudden nor drastic, and although the authorities say this is in no way a relaxation of the property cooling measures, this is nevertheless a good start on the pathway to building a more structured and robust real estate industry.
