"I am a better salesman than your half-dead Associates! Over 6 months and you can’t sell my HDB! Why don’t you go to the HDB sales unit where there are many prospects (to solicit new HDB apartment buyers?)" shouted the angry ex-husband Owner.

It is not that our Associates are zombies from Haiti but that the Sellers wanted $25,000 above valuation besides the following problems:

• Ethnic ratio. In HDB re-sales, every month the HDB decreeds whether the unit is open to all races or just to minority races. As Sellers are from the minority races, it was difficult to sell when restrictions permitting only minorities to buy applied for that month. The market obviously is reduced considerably.

• 2^nd floor. The majority races (the Chinese) dislike second levels and prefer higher floors. Some think that they have to tolerate funeral and wake noises the whole night as the void deck (lst floor) is used for such functions. In our case, the void deck was too small.

• Holiday season. December and January (Christmas and Chinese New Year) are not the off-season. You would waste money advertising in the Straits Times.

• Tenanted apartment. Tenants objected to viewing late at night but most prospects want to view in the evenings, past 8 p.m. Locked rooms prevented prospects from seeing the whole unit and causing loss of confidence as they thought there would be problems.

• "Ah Long". We had to contend with "Ah Longs", the loan sharks. Tenants were clients of the loan sharks and we had to seek permission from Mr Long.

• Unreonvated apartment asking for high prices.

• Junk piled outside the unit along the corridors by neighbours, giving poor impression of untidiness.

• "Buy back of 3 rooms by the HDB". Apparently, the HDB is selective nowadays and the one "appointed realtor" acting for the HDB buy-back scheme (having a monopoly) dictates that both divorced spouses must wait for him during day-time hours, at the same time or else, no deal. Time was more important to this HDB licensed buy-back realtor.

It will be good if the Singapore Government reviewed its policy
to open the Scheme to all agencies in the public interest.

• "Divorced papers" not ready and therefore cannot proceed with the sales.

• Difficulty in contacting the divorced spouses. Ex-wife works night shifts. Ex-husband became a vagabond, sleeping in void decks at one time.

• Use of private lawyer because the HDB apparently does not deal with such complicated divorce cases.

• Sellers have to agree to pay the fees of the private lawyer.

• Divorce papers missing.

• Ex-wife refused to meet with the private lawyer at the same time as ex-husband.

• Market in January 1998 supports around $5,000 cash above valuation for well located HDBs, not $25,000. Many HDBs are selling way below valuation!This case is really not worth the time and money spent on advertisements (3x per
• Good luck to your new Career in 1998.

Anne Brocklebank

This case needs Agent to be patient and to receive abuses.
Perhaps, best to avoid such cases, as the 3-month valuation report expires fast. You will need to pay for another one, being the Exclusive Agent.
It is common knowledge that divorce cases
need enormous amount of time for sale and closing.
With loan sharks circling around, you may get bitten or beaten?
My Associate is still optimistic that the end is near and we can cut losses.

Affordable home for expats - RESEARCH ADVICES
Properties for sale
Properties wanted