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reporter2
30-05-14, 17:22
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/archive/friday/premium/singapore/rule-changes-new-system-moderating-bidding-ec-sites-20140523

Published May 23, 2014

HOUSING

Rule changes, new system 'moderating bidding for EC sites'

CDL-TID and JBE top bidders for two EC plots in Yishun

By Kalpana Rashiwala

[email protected] @KalpanaBT


THE result of the latest state tender for two adjoining Yishun plots near a golf course and reservoir reflects a moderation in executive condominium (EC) land bids.

Analysts attribute this to a mix of last December's rule tweaks for EC buyers which have clipped new EC demand, and the batched tender system aimed at making developers more conscious of the dangers of overbidding.

For the first time since the system of simultaneous tender closings for adjacent residential sites was reintroduced last year, a pair of 99-year sites in Yishun Street 51 tendered yesterday will end up in different hands.

A City Developments Ltd-TID joint venture placed the highest bid of $330.13 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr) for Yishun Street 51 (Parcel A).

For the next-door Parcel B, the $334.57 psf ppr top bid came from JBE Holdings - controlled by Hong Konger Patrick Lam Kong Yin, who also developed The Luxe at Handy Road.

While the six contenders for Parcel A also vied for Parcel B, two bidders - JBE and Chip Eng Seng - participated in the tender for only Parcel B. That may be due to Parcel B being located nearer to Lower Seletar Reservoir, said ERA key executive officer Eugene Lim.

Added SLP International executive director Nicholas Mak: "Parcel A is less favoured by developers because the view towards the reservoir of some of the lower floors in the future development is likely to be blocked by The Shaughnessy, Skies Miltonia and The Miltonia Residences."

Most property consultants termed the six bids for Parcel A and eight for Parcel B as a healthy participation rate.

"Developers are still hungry for land. The relatively small total quantum for the sites - about $178 million and $184 million - has enticed a spectrum of developers to place competitive bids," said CBRE Research Singapore head Desmond Sim. Jones Lang LaSalle national director Ong Teck Hui noted that despite keen interest in the two sites, the top bids show a moderation in bidding.

"Compared to the Canberra Drive EC site, which fetched $350 psf ppr in January, the subject sites are about 4-6 per cent cheaper, but are more attractive as they enjoy views of the reservoir and greenery. With 10 previously awarded EC sites in the launch pipeline generating some 6,000 units, bidders would be expected to be measured in tendering for the sites," he said.

Expecting CDL-TID and JBE to launch their respective projects around the same period, Mr Mak said they will have to "take extra caution in their pricing strategy to compete with each other".

CDL-TID's top bid for Parcel A was 2.1 per cent more than the second highest bid of $323.29 psf ppr by Sim Lian Land. For Parcel B, the top bid by JBE was 4.5 per cent higher than the second-highest bid by the Singapore unit of China's Nanshan Group.

The Longkou City, Shandong-based group is involved in a range of fields, such as finance, high-tech industries, property and education. Parcel B can generate about 520 units.

As for Parcel A, a CDL spokeswoman said it will explore a 12 to 13-storey project with about 480 units . "Given the popularity of ECs and the site's breath-taking views of Lower Seletar Reservoir waters and greenery, we expect the development to be well received. Recent EC projects in the vicinity have enjoyed healthy uptake and there is limited supply of unsold EC units in Yishun," she added.

In January, a CDL-TID joint venture clinched the Canberra Drive EC site.

ECs are a public-private housing hybrid with initial buyer eligibility and resale conditions which are completely lifted 10 years after the completion of an EC project.

reporter2
30-05-14, 17:52
http://www.straitstimes.com/archive/friday/premium/money/story/big-and-small-players-win-bids-exec-condo-plots-20140523

Big and small players win bids for exec condo plots

Published on May 23, 2014 1:42 AM


A BIG hitter and a small player came up trumps in two tenders for adjacent executive condominium (EC) plots that closed at the same time yesterday.

But while interest was high, both offers for the parcels in Yishun Street 51 came in at the low end of expectations on fears of a possible oversupply of ECs in the island's north.

A consortium led by property giant City Developments (CDL) emerged tops in a six-way contest for Parcel A, with a bid of $178.5 million or $330 per sq ft (psf) per plot ratio (ppr).

Next door, boutique developer JBE Holdings lodged the top offer for Parcel B at $184.1 million or $335 psf ppr, pipping seven other contenders.

Closing both tenders at the same time is a recent government strategy aimed at capping soaring land prices.

Analysts said the sites drew bids from a variety of developers across the spectrum because of their palatable plot sizes.

"Developers are still hungry for land. The relatively small total quantum for the two sites has enticed a spectrum of developers, big and small, to place competitive bids," said CBRE research head Desmond Sim.

Although the number of bids was in line with expectations, JLL Singapore research director Ong Teck Hui said the subdued offers signalled that developers were bidding more moderately.

"With 10 previously awarded EC sites in the launch pipeline generating some 6,000 units, bidders would be expected to be measured in tendering for the sites," he added.

Parcel A has a gross floor area of 540,698 sq ft and can yield about 490 units.

CDL said in a statement yesterday that the consortium planned to build around 480 units in blocks of 12 to 13 storeys.

The consortium's bid was just 2.1 per cent above Sim Lian's $323 psf ppr.

The lowest bid was $268 psf ppr lodged by Wee Hur Development.

All six bidders for Parcel A also threw their hats in the ring for the adjacent Parcel B, which was slightly bigger and more popular. It has a maximum gross floor area of 550,349 sq ft and can yield about 520 units.

Parcel B was likely more attractive because it was closer to the Lower Seletar Reservoir nearby, said ERA key executive officer Eugene Lim.

Analysts had predicted that developers would gun for both sites at the same time to eliminate competition that could come from the future neighbouring development.

The CDL consortium also bid for Parcel B but came in third with an offer of $319.80 psf ppr, a whisker behind Nanshan Group Singapore's $320.20 psf ppr.

The lowest bid came from Chip Eng Seng, which did not bid for Parcel A. It offered $252 psf ppr for the plot.

Both EC sites are on 99-year leaseholds.

MELISSA TAN