Singapore, The Right Location

Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. A tiny nation-state which has as its business card to the world: a first-class airline, an immaculate garden city and a food lovers' and shopping paradise. Heralded as one of the economic Asian Tigers since the 1970s, Singapore has prided itself as a haven for family living, career opportunities and most of all, a sound property investment venture.

In cosmopolitan Singapore today, downtown residence best captures the vibrance and plurality which mark the land. Standing apart from suburban residence, high-end city living features access to swanky malls, leisurely sidewalk cafes, theatres with the newest plays in town and pubs with 24-hour licenses. The arts and entertainment scene is bejewelled with annual events like the World of Music and Dance (WOMAD), Sentosa Zoukout, and clubs such as Café del Mar, the Butter Factory and St. James Power Station, just to mention a few. For life in the fast lane, the first night-racing Formula One Grand Prix is scheduled to be held in the city streets in 2008. For sunseekers, the offshore Sentosa island offers a tropical beach holiday getaway; Yet more sun and sea is upcoming with the plans for the St John Islands.       

 The burgeoning activity simply does not stop, not in Singapore. The two Integrated Resorts undergoing construction will endear a glitterati crowd to visit Singapore. Yet Singapore is as welcome to a multi-faceted group of friends: those who choose Singapore include those who seek excellent medical services, a place in the well-reviewed education system and a society with accepting differences in culture, race and religion. While basic living conditions are often taken for granted, the sunny island provides for premium qualities in freshwater and air, a natural-disaster-free territory, an efficient transport infrastructure, a largely safe society governed by the rule of law, etc. --- all a lynchpin for a prosperous society. For the multitude of reasons, it is not difficult to understand why travellers from around the world eventually become home-owners.

Such investments are reassured by a high rating in investment potential and the ease of doing business. Singapore has long embraced globalisation. A strategic geographical location at the heart of Southeast Asia, Singapore is a gateway between the East and the West. As with the trend in properties in London, New York, Tokyo, Moscow and Mumbai and other global cities, property here is increasingly sought after and is set to rise further. The government has made plans to increase the population to 5.5 million. The knock-on effect of an increase in consumer spending and business set-ups only points to an increase in downtown district pricing. As of now, Singapore has yet to see as large a disparity between downtown and suburb properties characteristic of major cities. If however, Singapore properties were to align itself to the density in price toward the city centre, examples in Kuala Lumpur, Moscow and London suggest that prices ought to reach around S$10,000 psf here. Besides, global investment in the form of a wide array of fund manager activity is testament to the potential for growth in Singapore. As shown in the last few cycles, home interest rates are usually at its highest (of 6-7%) when property prices peak. The current home interest rates is circa 3.5%.

To own a piece of Singapore would, by no far-fetched ideal, be a precious asset to anyone --- anyone looking for a viable and sound investment, or a premium city to live, work and to raise children, or simply as a permanent all-year-round summer holiday getaway. In particular, downtown properties in Singapore encapsulate all of these qualities at a time when property prices are on a rising limb. This is a city pulsating with endless possibilities. Why wait?

Photo Credits:

http://www.franchisehelp.com/FranchiseHelp-OnLine-October-2007/public.article.cfm/aid/255

http://newyorktraveler.net/a-stunning-singapore-f1-grand-prix-contest/