A couple of weeks back, I happened to go to one of the "less developed" areas around the north east region. When I say "less developed", it simply means there are still plenty of grassland and an old-fashioned "feel" to the place, and not saturated with tall buildings one after another. But of course, being the way this country is run, this "less developed" area is now being earmarked for development of high-rise housing. I hope that certain old-fashioned part is still retained though.
In any case, I saw a housing development that was going to be built. I kind of like this area because it faces a cosy estate on one end, with a new sort of shopping "village" consisting of modern eating places and groceries, and the famous eating stretch with lots of good food at all hours on the other side. Right at the end of that stretch is the development of our new aerospace hubs, with a few colonial bungalows scattered here and there. Behind the eating stretch are the last remaining farms to be found here, which I suspect their days may be numbered too.
So it is a pretty good place, away from the congested area yet not too "countryside" at the same time. In any case, there is a new development going to be built, and I enquired about it. Essentially, the place is going to consist of four blocks, with a mixture of two-bedroom units, three-bedroom units, four-bedroom units and penthouse units.
Out of curiosity, I enquired about the penthouse units first. Now, housing here is not cheap. Anywhere else I go, I can easily buy a mansion with a fancy car with the amount I need to spend on just a three-bedroom apartment here. So a penthouse unit can cost high up in the millions.
Guess what? All penthouses were sold out within the first half hour of launch! People always complain they are poor, lacking in funds and that our housing is too expensive, yet the penthouses are the first to go! Makes me wonder what exactly is their definition of "poor" and "lack of funds"?
In any case, I am unable to buy an apartment there, not because of lack of funds. I have enough savings set aside to buy a new flat. The trouble is the regulations here. Because I am unmarried and below the age of thirty-five, I am not able to get a brand new apartment, as these are reserved for couples (as in married couples), families, or people who intend to get married in the very near future. There must be a certificate of marriage or a document stating intention of marriage in order to get a brand new apartment.
For family units, it has to be either someone buying with the parents or the parents buying together with the children. However, if the parents already own a property, be it public or private, then they are no longer entitled to get another place. And parents as in father and mother, both their names have to be in, because we are not allowed to split up the family unit, unless one dies or divorces.
Furthermore, there is the income consideration. The combined household income must not exceed S$10,000.00 for a normal brand new flat, or S$12,000.00 for a higher-end public flat. Household income means the combined income of the flat-owner(s) and all occupiers.
Which means in my case, it is very tricky. Since I am not yet thirty-five, I cannot get a flat in my own name. Even after I reach thirty-five and can get a flat in my own name, I cannot get a brand new flat. I can only get a resale flat or an old flat which had probably changed hands several times, and these can cost even more than a brand new flat.
Secondly, I cannot apply with my parents because they already own a landed property. Technically, my mum owns the house as it is under her name, so I should be able to buy a flat with my father as his name is "free". However, if I buy a flat with my father, my mother has to be listed too, as I have mentioned, we are not allowed to split up the family unit. But if we put my mother's name in, then we are not entitled to get any flat at all, ie our application will not go through, because she already owns a property, and besides, her income alone is more than the required cap.
So what can I do but to give up on this apartment that I am eyeing? The housing regulations here is really too much I feel. Afterall, there is no guarantee that someone can marry by age thirty-five, is it not? There can be many circumstances relating to why a person is unmarried by then, so why must it seem as if it is our fault that we do not get married by then, and then "punish" us by not letting us have our own place? Does it mean just because we are not married, we are not entitled to our own place at all?
I really hope the regulations change soon as promised. The news is out that the regulations will change for singles thirty-five years and above to be able to buy a brand new flat just like everyone else, so I am keeping my fnigers crossed that that can actually be done soon!
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