Ravi Chandran
A 2018 survey of young Singaporeans has suggested that many young Singaporeans are open to the overseas property investment idea.
The survey by international money transfer specialist WorldFirst said the majority of young Singaporeans (83.3 per cent) would entertain overseas property investment idea if they had the money, information, tools and resources to make good investment decisions.
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Rising local property prices (43 per cent) was the most frequent reason cited by young Singaporeans for entertaining overseas property investment idea. Properties to rent out now and retire in later were the most popular type of overseas property investments sought by those surveyed (37.5 per cent), followed by overseas holiday rentals (20.5 per cent) and overseas property investments which would serve as diversified property funds (20.3 per cent).
This survey which confirms that young Singaporeans are open to overseas property investment idea, mirrors another survey done in June 2018, which said that millennials are the most likely to buy multiple homes.
The research paper ‘Beyond the Bricks 2’ by HSBC interviewed more than 10,000 people across 10 countries and territories to arrive at this conclusion. Their survey included 1,000 home owners and prospective home owners from Singapore. The survey said millennials (those aged between 21 and 36 years of age) are the most likely in Singapore to be owner of multiple homes, as well as the quickest to save for housing deposits.
54 per cent of those surveyed in this age group were home owners, and 24 per cent from this group owned multiple homes. In comparison, only 17 percent of baby boomers (those aged 54 and above), and 19 per cent of Gen X (those aged between 37 – 53 years old) owned multiple homes.
HSBC Bank Singapore retail banking and wealth management head Anurag Mathur said then: “This research bucks the stereotypes of Millennials being paycheck spenders and short-term planners.” He added: “Instead, what the research reveals is a very clear focus on future proofing and investing.”
Of the prospective home buyers that were surveyed, 43 per cent of millennials said that they expect to own multiple homes in the future. 74 per cent from this group also said that they intended to use their second home for investment purposes or to rent out.
The survey said that almost half (47 per cent) of all millennials here check the prices of their homes at least once a year, with the intention of switching their mortgage or home loan provider. This is more often than any other age group.
Millennials further proved that they were more focused and astute as savers as it took this generation of home owners an average of 5 years to save for their home deposits. The baby-boomers and Gen X took 6 and 7 years respectively to save for the same purpose.
Anurag noted that the survey suggests that the millennials were going after the most competitive mortgage proving that they have a “very clear focus on future proofing and investing”.
“Millennials are known for being digitally savvy, and they’re backing this up with financial savviness too. Technology has also made it easier for property investors to research and track their loans. This is why it is so important that mortgage providers offer greater transparency, more competitive deals and a wider variety of options to meet all their needs,” added Anurag.
The chief mortgage consultant of iCompareLoan Paul Ho said: “it is not surprising that young Singaporeans are open to overseas property investment idea. Younger people are also more receptive to mortgage brokers and they are also used to price comparison sites. Older people tend to think that we are not the bank and so are more apprehensive.”
Mr Ho added that older people tend to place a lot more respect on bankers despite the fact that banks have lowered their criteria for hiring bankers.
“A banker cannot tell you that his bank is not giving you the best packages as his or her role is to sell the bank’s packages,” Mr Ho said.
Mr Ho further said that from the data he gathered from icompareloan.com, which is the leading mortgage comparison website in Singapore, “baby boomers who are IT savvy or who are able to surf the network effortlessly are most likely to overcome the mental block of using mortgage brokers to search for best home loans in Singapore.”
If there is a silver lining to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it is that many windows of opportunity have opened up for real estate investors around the world.
The attractive property prices and lower interest rates globally mark a good entry point for those who wish to enter the market and ride on the post-crisis growth. In fact, investors have already been out and about house-hunting in the luxury residential market.
Having a second property overseas in the right location can provide a good source of recurring and passive income. The additional costs associated with the purchase of multiple properties in Singapore, such as the Additional Buyer Stamp Duty (ABSD), makes investing abroad even more attractive.
Increasingly, investors are also looking to diversify their portfolios by investing in real estate abroad, especially in countries that are doing well in weathering the crisis. Take Japan, which has remained an investment safe haven due to its stable currency amid these volatile times.
But buying a property overseas is not just about numbers and figures – it also means owning a beautiful holiday home you can call your own.
Forget about competing with other tourists for accommodation during peak travelling seasons, or having to settle for a less-than-ideal hotel. A holiday house is a place where you can retreat to for that getaway you need, and still feel right at home with everything you need.
