Some people think a home is a liability. It is not. It is actually an asset. It really is. It is not just a place to keep you protected from the elements and for storing stuff, it is also a place of stability. Your family needs a home and a secure environment to grow, to play and to live a meaningful life.
Of course, as with any kind of investments, there is also a downside if we play it wrong. The short answer to this is, 'then don't play it wrong.' Rather, play it safe, buy within our means, especially when it comes to investing and it is our own money that we are putting down.
But the beauty in property investment is the leverage we get to enjoy. Unlike the stock market where we have to pay in full and within a short period of time, with property we get substantial leverage and the loan tenure can stretch to a term of up to 30 years.
So, is buying a property in Singapore a worthy venture?
Many home buyers and investors seem to think so. Here are some factors to toy around with.
If this is your first home?
1. Definitely yes. Why pay rent, when you can pay installment and end of the day, the home is yours, with substantial profit to boot.
2. Putting your Central Provident Fund (CPF) money to good use.
3. Singapore is relatively well off economically. The city state is pro business and pro foreign investments. This translates into jobs and a hub of economic activities that generate earnings and income for companies and the people living and working here.
4. Singapore is politically stable. No strikes and no riots. Policies are in place to ensure that everything here works like clockwork. Crime rates are low, so is unemployment rate. In short, the city state is focused on giving its citizens a functional and secure environment to live, work and play.