Jan 2013 new private home sales jumped 43%

Sales of new private homes in Singapore jumped by about 43% on-month in January 2013, despite the latest round of cooling measures introduced last month.

According to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), 2,013 units of new private homes - excluding executive condominiums - were sold in January, compared to 1,410 units sold in December 2012.

A URA spokesperson said about 60% of the 2,013 units were sold before January 12 - before the latest cooling measures took effect.

The remaining 40% of the units were transacted from January 12 onwards.

The rush to beat the January 12 deadline partly caused the spike in new private home sales during what is traditionally a lull period.

Extending sales hours way into the night before the new measures kicked in helped pushed sales at La Fiesta in Sengkang.

The development saw a total of 404 units sold in January - making it the best-selling project for the month.

Out of the total sales, only 44 units were moved at La Fiesta post cooling measures.

Thomas Tan, executive director at RE/MAX Singapore, said: "After the cooling measures were announced, I think the effect will be seen probably after one quarter.

"You will probably see a truer picture - what is really happening in the market - from March or even April onwards, so that the cooling measures can take its course, then buyers can make informed decisions."

Experts said sales discounts in the form of furniture rebates and renovation vouchers also helped move sales after the new measures were implemented.

But they added that sales momentum may run out of steam in the coming months.

Getty Goh, director at Ascendant Assets, said: "In February, we may expect to see good volume but it may not translate to significant price increases. This is because of all the discounts given.

"Right now, although we do not have clear visibility. Going forward, when the Parliament passes new regulations to the developers' act, the Housing Developers' Act, which requires them to start publishing what sort of discounts they are giving, then after that, we will be able to get a better sense of the kind of actual figures that we are talking about here."

Meanwhile, data released by URA on Friday showed that 350 units of new private homes located in the core central region were sold in January.

Developers moved 376 new units in the city fringe and 1,287 units in the suburban areas.

Looking ahead for the full year, experts do not expect total sales in 2013 to surpass the record sales of 22,684 new private homes in 2012.

Source: Channel News Asia

And for those who are interested in d'Leedon, the wife and I understand that 263 units were sold at d'Leedon last month. This, coupled with a total of 848 units sold till Dec 2012, meant that a total of 1,111 units (although data in the URA website indicates 1,110) have been sold as at Jan 2013.

So if the project has indeed moved another 100 units in the first 15 days of February, the "left only less than 500 units" as informed by our agent friend could well be true...