The recent sale of a three-bedroom penthouse at Orchid Mansion in District 15 has been the talk of the town. The transaction took place on Dec 31, 2024, and resulted in a whopping profit of $2.58 million (112%). This makes it the most profitable resale transaction in the area over the past week, from Dec 31, 2024, to Jan 7, 2025.The penthouse unit, located on the 21st floor of the freehold development on Amber Road, spans 2,842 sq ft and was sold for $4.88 million, translating to $1,717 per square foot. It was previously purchased in March 2009 for $2.3 million, which works out to $809 per square foot. This means that the lucky seller has made an annualized profit of 4.9% over a period of almost 16 years.This sale also marks it as the most profitable resale transaction in Orchid Mansion to date, surpassing the previous record of $1.15 million (72.6%) set by the sale of a 1,507 sq ft three-bedroom unit on the seventh floor for $2.73 million ($1,812 per square foot) in July 2022. The buyer had bought the unit for $1.58 million ($1,050 per square foot) in June 2007.However, the penthouse was just one of the stars of the week in the resale market. The second most profitable transaction occurred at Villa Marina when a three-bedroom unit on the ground floor was sold for $2.35 million ($1,446 per square foot) on Jan 3. This represents a profit of $1.72 million (273%) for the seller, who had purchased it for just $630,500 ($388 per square foot) in September 2006. The annualized profit for this transaction stands at an impressive 7.6% over a period of 18 years.In addition, this sale also set a new record for the most profitable transaction at Villa Marina, breaking the previous record of $1.58 million (219%) set by a three-bedroom unit on the fourth floor, which was sold for $2.3 million ($1,200 per square foot) on July 16 last year. The unit was previously bought for $720,416 ($376 per square foot) in November 1998.Villa Marina is a 99-year leasehold development located at Jalan Sempadan in District 15. Completed in 1999, the development features a total of 27 low-rise residential blocks with a mix of one- to four-bedroom units ranging from 1,087 sq ft to 2,314 sq ft. The site, which spans 460,685 sq ft, is adjacent to the Masjid Kampong Siglap mosque and is conveniently situated near Siglap MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line and East Coast Park. Families with young children can also take advantage of the various primary schools around the area, such as Bedok Green Primary School, CHIJ (Katong) Primary, Ngee Ann Primary School, St Stephen’s School and Tao Nan School.While the week may have seen some excellent resale transactions, it also saw its fair share of unprofitable ones. The most unprofitable transaction of the week occurred at Marina Bay Residences, where the sale of a two-bedroom unit on the 17th floor resulted in a loss of $386,000 (16%) for the seller. The 1,130 sq ft unit was sold for $2.1 million ($1,858 per square foot), but had been purchased for $2.49 million ($2,200 per square foot) in November 2007. This translates to an annualized loss of 1% over 17 years.Last year, Marina Bay Residences saw a total of 25 resale transactions, with 13 of them resulting in losses ranging from $43,600 to $1.25 million. The most significant loss was recorded on March 22, 2024, when a 1,227 sq ft unit was sold for $2.8 million ($2,282 per square foot).The average resale price at Marina Bay Residences in December was $2,242 per square foot, which is higher than the average prices at other developments in the area such as The Sail @ Marina Bay ($2,052 per square foot), Marina Bay Suites ($1,917 per square foot) and Marina One Residences ($2,133 per square foot).Marina Bay Residences, a 428-unit development on Marina Boulevard, is one of two 99-year leasehold luxury condos within Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC). The development underwent an extensive $5 million revamp from January 2022 to September 2023, which saw upgrades to various facilities and common spaces throughout the 15-year-old condo. The mixed-use MBFC development also comprises three Grade-A office towers, Marina Bay Residences and the 221-unit Marina Bay Suites.
Investing in the Singapore real estate market as a foreigner requires a thorough understanding of the government regulations and limitations on property ownership. While condos are generally more accessible for foreign investors, there are stricter rules in place for purchasing landed properties. Additionally, foreign buyers must be prepared for an Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) of 20% on their first property purchase. Despite this extra cost, the consistent stability and potential for growth in the Singapore real estate market remain a strong draw for foreign investors. Therefore, condos continue to be a popular choice for foreign buyers looking to invest in Singapore’s property market.…