Invest in Singapore: Be careful of tricks property agents play on Option to purchase

Invest in Singapore: be careful Tricks agents play on Option to purchase in Singapore

Option to purchase OTP in Singapore. An option to purchase is a prelude to buying a property in Singapore. An option to purchase gives the purchaser the right to buy a property within a given time window at an agreed price, but not the obligation to do.



Bad Property deal Practices by dishonest Property agents regarding OTP Option to purchase



We treat any act that puts the interest of the buyer and seller last as unethical and bad practices.



Some Bad Singapore Property agents want the seller to sign an Option to Purchase document leaving out the date and the price unfilled. This puts the seller at risks of selling accidentally below cost and gives a potential dishonest property agent a chance of a quick sale which could costs the Owner hundreds of thousands of dollars.



On the buying side , the unethical property agents trick the property buyers into making an offer, believing that the price is agreed.



In this scenario , Dishonest agent dupes buying into believing that the deal is sealed at $1.23m, and this is the agreed asking price.

So the Property buyer makes an offer and pays a deposit for the option to purchase of $12,300 for the property. The Dishonest property agent then banks this cheque into the property owner bank account . He/she forces or sweet talk the Seller into agreeing to the deal.



In case the Property seller refuses, the property buyer is stuck while his/her cheque is already cashed by the property seller. Then the Property agent uses delay tactics to delay returning the money.

This causes buyers much worry. When they are most anxious , the dishonest property agent will offer a solution to help negotiate with the seller.



Be really angry if you will because , during this time, the crooked property agent may ask for some fee for "doing you a favour".



In case this does not work, he/she may come back telling you that the property selling wants $1.31m instead of $1.23m. And since your Option to purchase money is stuck and the Dishonest property agent has no intention of returning you the money easily (even if it is not them who kept the money), some buyers may be tricked into paying more. BINGO, the deal is done! The deal is closed!!!



We are no match for the Dishonest Singapore Property agent, they are smooth

The common man or woman on the street is usually no match for the dishonest property agents as even very senior executives get cheated. Nothing to be ashamed of, because these people have an innocent face and are genuinely cunning. But of course, there are a small fraction of honest singapore agents out here, you just have to look very hard.



A new bad development in our opinion. This practice stems from a botched deals where smart buyers discovered last minute that something is not quite right and cancelled the cheque.



Since these buyers actually do outsmart the property agents and agencies, something needs to be done to protect the interests of the Property agencies and property agents.



So they came up with a document called OFFER TO PURCHASE. An offer to purchase may hold legal weight or it may simply function more like an acknowledgement slip. But the terms of the offer needs to be carefully evaluated.



Do check through on the terms and make sure that they are reasonable for an Offer to purchase and that you have the right to rescind the offer should it not be accepted within 3 days. If possible, post date your cheque. And that you must also specify your rights such as "the offer is valid upon a reasonable and satisfactory terms stated within the Option to purchase" or words to that effect.

What if a Buyer offers to purchase and it is accepted and the subsequent Option to purchase comes, but with terms that are UNFAIR and not acceptable? Does that mean that the Property Buyer has also accepted the terms and conditions of the Option to Purchase?

Will Dishonest property agents show you an Option to purchase OTP document for your review?

Try asking them to provide you a copy of the Option to purchase, 9 out of 10 will be most reluctant to show you. Since the agencies drafted the Option to purchase documents, it usually favours the agencies and the agents and sometimes to the detriment of the Property seller and buyers. Those rare agent who may be willing to show you may be new to the trade.

So if a Singapore Property agent asks you to offer a cheque and sign an OFFER to purchase, ask them to send you both documents for your review first. And have the terms and conditions of an Option to purchase included in the offer to purchase. Otherwise you may be signing a blank cheque.

If worried , you can sms Property Buyer Singapore Mortgage Consultants at +65 - 9782-8606 in Singapore or email them at loans@propertybuyer.com.sg to guide you through the minefield of Dishonest Singapore Property agents. They have crossed swords with property agents in protecting buyer's and seller's interests in many occasions.



Should the Property Buyer sign the Option to Purchase?


Only the rightful sellers needs to sign the option to purchase. There is no need for property buyers to sign the Option to purchase. The property buyer only needs to have the original signed copy of the option to purchase in their possession. Do not leave the original copy with the Property agent!!!

Beware of letting your agent handle your original option to purchase document. They can easily sub-sale your property without you knowing about it, simply by filling in the name of the buyers if it is not filled in.



During property hype , we have heard that some agents who held copies of the original option to purchase managed to flip the properties for higher price making the difference. When the original buyers wanted to exercise option, they did not want to HAND OVER the ORIGINAL option to purchase. The buyers have no recourse as they do not have the original OTP and cannot exercise the option.



Some of the option to purchase contains a section called "And / or nominees". If the names of the buyer and the and /or nominee section is NOT filled up, then the BUYER needs to hold the original copy of the option to purchase OTP.



Some crooked Singapore Property agents may take your original OTP , make copies and then submit it to many banks to try and secure property loans from their favourite bankers and lawyers from which they have an under-table deal. These rogued lawyers then over-charge you and pay the dishonest agent a commission , which is illegal.



Is your Singapore Property agent too eager to introduce to you a bank, a banker to you? RUN for your life.

Is your property realtor too eager to recommend a lawyer or law firm? RUN for your life.

Is your Singapore property agent too keen to recommend you a contractor? RUN for your life.



Singapore property agents don't do things for free, just try asking them to give you some comparisons and some paperwork, they will try all ways to turn it away. Many are lazy and yet want to make money. If they are too keen, something's fishy. Just tell them firmly, NO thank you. We will find our own contractors, our own bankers, our own mortgage consultants and our own lawyers. Check with your close friends who are not agents to find out.



Many people in Singapore do not buy property regularly , so naturally, you may need a Singapore Mortgage Consultant at loans@propertyBuyer.com.sg who has no stake and no commission in property buying. Propertybuyer.com.sg offers free mortgage advice and property buying guidance for free. They offer their services for free to property buyers in selecting home loans as they fill the role of independent and unbiased outsourced bankers. Banks would need to incur staffing cost if not for mortgage consultants, therefore this service is offered to you free of charge at sms (text) +65 9782 8606.

Singapore property agents speculate and fleece buyers

Singapore property agents speculate and fleece buyers
Article contributed by www.PropertyBUYER.com.sg

Do you really think you can get a good deal from property agents?

Do you really think you can outsmart the property developer?

Read on.

Do you remember some months ago that we warned that property agents are out hunting again. Their tools are catch words such as “it will sell out soon”, “En-bloc”, “sea view”, “Expats are buying”, “MRT”, “population growth”.


To us, these are simply qualitative aspects of an economy or a property or a development. It has no research value and very little bearing on the true value of a property.

Sometimes simply the word “MRT” will make you part with more than you realize and then after a while, you felt that you had overpaid.

During June to September 2009, there are many developer's condominium launches. Developers have a field day clearing inventory while Singapore property agents pounce on genuine property buyers.

Is it possible to get a good deal from developer launches?

Developers always find ways to enhance value of their properties through features and uniqueness. Many of these uniqueness are building related, some of these are location related and others perhaps are landscape related.

Many building related unique features will only last while the building is in good condition. Over time, the building deteriorates and the unique feature and it’s value is consumed and disappear.


So can you outsmart the property developer?

Condominium launches are timed to extract maximum benefit for the developer. You will only get a good deal when the developers are starved of cash and wants to let go of their properties cheaply and quickly.

Generally it is hard to get a good deal at property launches. This is because the property developers have: -

· They have inside news and development plans
· They have an in-house economic team
· They have political connection and relationships
· They have holding power
· They can constrict supply
· They can time the market
· They can influence the media, advertise and create PR
· The whip up the consumer sentiment.

In other words, the launches are timed to perfection exacting the maximum damage on your wallet.

Although all property cycles follow the economic fundamentals, but property cycles can also defy fundamentals for a period of time when sentiments are especially bullish, the prices only fall back down once the sentiment fades and tracks again the economic fundamentals.

There is another element of surprise. Recently our contacts have been telling us that the agents are themselves the speculators and they are fleecing the buyers.

Singapore property agents speculators add to your problems

A property developer will likely appoint 1 or 2 property agencies as marketing agents. These agencies will inform their agents to stand-by to sell the properties.

Developers normally do not launch the condominiums directly with the exception of Far east organization. Therefore the property agents are then able to get market information of the launches and then gauge the market response.

They will jump in and buy first if they sensed a possible killing. They have no plans to stay in the condos.

So Singapore property agents buy the properties and flip immediately at a huge profit. This profit is of course at the expense of genuine property buyers.


So do consumers get a choice to the best units and the best prices?

Usually not. This is because Singapore property agents dominate access to these information. And will they share these information with you?

Mostly not! Many agents with their “potong jalan” grab all mentality will not think of long term. They will leave the best for themselves and give you the scraps.

If they call you and tell you it’s a good deal, that’s because they don’t find it good enough, else they or their families will have already bought it.

Genuine property buyers will have to pay more

Of course you as genuine property buyer, if you like the development, not only you have to pay the developer’s already high asking prices, you will also have to suffer paying easily 5 to 15% more because of these Singapore property speculators if you really like the condo.

Property agents Convince property buyers that valuation can be matched

Property agents convince property buyers that bank’s home loan is obtainable as valuation can be matched when in fact there is no such thing.

After paying the 1% deposit for an option to purchase, the property buyer is stuck.

So how much did the Singapore property agents make from you?

Purchase price = $850,000
(Only a few banks can match as it is too high valuation)

Speculator buys at $850,000 and puts it up again at $920,000
(within days).

Property agents - how how does it cost them to speculate

$850,000 + $20,100 (Stamp duty) – $8,500 (1% commission for selling property) = $861,600.

Property agent flipper makes = $920,000 - $861,600 = $58,400.

This is the extra money you have to pay because of these property agents cornering the market and because banks refuse to raise valuations any higher.

Many people will fail to get a Singapore home loan and lose their 1% deposit. Luckily for some, they have come to us Property buyer mortgage consultants at SMS 9782 8606 to do an Approval in Principle for their potential purchase.

The EXTRA cash you have to pay because of Speculator property agents

$58,400 (extra) + $42,500 (5% cash) + $22,200 (Stamp duty) =

$123,100

Suddenly you are out of budget by $80,600.

Usually you can pay your stamp duty using the Central provident fund (CPF), but because for sub-sale, there may not be enough time to complete the transaction and insufficient time for your lawyers to work with the CPF lawyers to disburse the funds. Instead of using your central provident fund (CPF) to pay for your stamp duty, you will have to first pay it through cash.

Should I buy a Sub-sale unit?

It depends on how desperate you are to buy that property. There are more than 280,000 condominiums and private properties in Singapore. If you are patient you can always find another one as good, if not better.

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Singapore property investors
Singapore mortgage consultants