Too poor to retire

Well either way the good thing about both hk and Singapore is they are easy and open to invest in, even if you don't live there.

Again, you don't need to live in some countries to be able to invest in them. Don't confuse these two concepts.

 

I've in the past looked as far as Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Russia, San Fran, Detroit, Vegas, Berlin and various parts of Eastern Europe - always looking for the best return vs risk - not that likely I would Iive in these places long term.

 

I do not in any way want prices in australia to reach Singapore like levels. it would be terribly for society.

 

Im not interested in wanting to see the country as a whole and many people in it suffer just so I can make more money. the needs of the majority are more important than the greed of a few.

pretty scary that you'd genuinely like the government to do their best to facilitate ridiculously high house prices and you're happy with most people being unhappy like in singapore just so you can make money of it. to each their own I guess.

 

Agreed, so if the opportunities overseas are still there for you why would you want to see the same problems brought here too?

perhaps I'm more sensitive to this because I was born in singapore and still have strong ties there both family, friends and business wise so I'm well aware of its failings and how much harder life is for the average person there today vs 10/20 years ago.

 

Of course I am not happy that people are unhappy. What a foolish statement. I would rather people are happy of course. But the relative happiness or unhappiness of people in a country will not deter me from objectively assessing whether it's a good place to invest in.

 

I dont know how to make this any clearer but ill try a last time.

1) assessing opportunities in overseas markets - I absolutely agree with, we're on the same page

2) you have expressed a desire for prices in australia to be as high as Singapore and hk.

3) it has been pointed and you agreed that many people in singapore are unhappy.

4) you have expressed indifference to that since feelings aren't ROI or whatever.


connect points 2, 3 and 4. you are hoping for a system that you acknowledge leaves people unhappy so that you can make more money.

nothing foolish in my statement there.

 

Ok. I'll let you live in the world of magic happiness. Where everything is affordable, everyone is happy and investors make money. Good luck to you!

 

@sanj my mum was literally born on Orchard Rd near a Char kway teow stand

 

If you have a unhappy population....and high prices....that would eventually cause some instability.

Singapore has gone through a down turn before...and real estate prices followed. Might be happening in Honkers as we speak. @Omnidragon .... can you comment on buying opportunities in Honkers....

 

To invest in singapore is not as easy being a foreigner. there are only certain places for landed property one can buy and some are leaseholds. SIngapore is no different to here with hordes of chinese buying up the properties. It is though far more effcient .

If i were to live and buy i would do it in bali, indonesia. less stressful and only couple hours away from australia.

 

Yep. It seems most in Australia tacitly assume their super will look after them in retirement and never think to check if it will, or to build an alternative plan.

 

Yes. Singapore property prices will defiantly fall next few years.

I'm also very familiar with the HK market it anyone is interested ... HK should remain at current levels for a while before picking back up again.

 

Because unfortunately most people who invest these days are borrowing to there hill where cash flow becomes a issue.

 

Better to do something and fail then not to try at all.

Better to educate and understand what you are doing and to give you best chance of success and get successful then not try at all.

 

Well I'm not sure if it's 'most people' who are borrowing to the hilt, but its a catch 22. In my opinion its very hard to create meaningful cash flow with residential real estate without 'equity' or 'wealth' being created first, and generally this takes leverage using OPM.

 

I agree with what you are saying because failing is a great way to learn but what I am trying to point out is that you have to be prepared with a plan B as well.

and most people don't

 

Honkers broadly broken up into three areas.

Hk island (that'd be like north shore, bondi etc syd or inner South East/East Melb), Kowloon (that's like everything else within 20km of syd/Melb) and New Territories (probably anything outside of the 20km radius, but the best comparable would be outer west in both syd/Melb). To give you an idea, some people I know who live on Island go to Kowloon less than 10 times a year. It's the type of area you'd see in an American film about finance.

HK Island is holding firm - prices are down 7-10%. Great deals are not everywhere, but if you looked hard enough you'll find them. Eg someone was telling me about a Happy Valley apartment looking at racecourse, 70sqm, which went for $1.2m, which by most standards is pretty cheap. Kowloon is typically more residential, and what you'd expect to see in an American film about Chinese triads.

Kowloon is a big area, but generally the good suburbs are holding ground like Island. The weaker areas or older i serviced blocks are falling 10%+. American films wouldn't go here to film I'd think

Lastly is New Territories. 20%+ falls across board basically. Although I personally don't like buying there, but there's a strike price for everything. Like Singapore, Hk has heavy restrictions on foreign investment, including from greater China. I'm looking at Sg in partnership with a local, and I'm a local in Hk

 

Thanks still to expensive for my liking....

 

And meanwhile Australia has its doors wide open.

HK even has restriction on people buying milk powder... Australia says buy up ours, empty out the supermarkets, we don't car!