The Business Times
Leslie Yee

Leslie Yee

SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

Leslie Yee is a Senior Correspondent with BT. His focus is on property, where he writes a weekly column The Level Ground. Leslie has a monthly podcast PropertyBT and helps to produce the newsletter Property Insights. He also writes a monthly column on wealth and investing Sense and Cents as well as contributes corporate commentaries.Leslie has over 25 years of experience in banking and real estate. He has worked for foreign financial institutions and regional property groups in Singapore and overseas. Leslie holds a degree in Economics and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

emaillyee@sph.com.sg
Low interest rates may not be sufficient to keep private housing demand buoyant in 2026.
THE LEVEL GROUND

Housing developers should brace for rougher conditions in 2026

Slower economy, more tepid HDB resale market and stiff competition for land await 

The issue of finding a successor to Mapletree's Hiew Yoon Khong can be side stepped should Mapletree merge with CapitaLand.
HOCK LOCK SIEW

A fitting swansong for long-serving chief Hiew: Help list Mapletree or merge it with CapitaLand

Lay the foundations for Mapletree’s next chapter and let retail investors own equity in it 

Major groups may be acting sensibly in privatising listed hotel-owning entities.
THE LEVEL GROUND

Owning luxury hotels is tough but can be richly rewarding for patient capital

Jardine Matheson and Frasers Property could gain from hotel ownership over the long term

Consider allowing seniors who own one private home to buy an HDB resale flat without grants while keeping ownership of their private unit.
THE LEVEL GROUND

Expand HDB choices for seniors: Offer new dual-key homes and short-lease 3-room flats

Let seniors who own a private home buy an HDB resale flat without selling the private unit 

Living an increasingly long life raises the risks that one may run out of money.
SENSE & CENTS

Learning to cope financially with the longevity ‘curse’

Live beyond 100? Inflation can be ruinous, timing when to run down capital gets tricky, and taxes could rise

A prime landed home may not be better than a luxury condo unit for meeting future needs of wealthy local owner-occupiers.
THE LEVEL GROUND

Luxury condo or landed house? A local homebuyer has sound reasons to buy prime condos

The right apartment unit can make a great home and investment for a wealthy Singaporean

A positive outlook for the Singapore dollar could spur interest in local real estate from overseas buyers.
THE LEVEL GROUND

Stronger Singdollar makes ‘long Singapore property, short overseas property’ strategy compelling

Local currency strength can erode overseas property returns, while foreign purchases of Singapore real estate may gather momentum

Launching a Reit could be key to GuocoLand's share price re-rating significantly going forward.
HOCK LOCK SIEW

GuocoLand and IOI Properties should pool assets worth S$12.5 billion for a Singapore office-led Reit

Leverage softer interest rates and the clamour for premier assets 

Securing a choice unit in an HDB Prime BTO project can pay off.
THE LEVEL GROUND

Despite 14% subsidy clawback, a S$788,000 Berlayar BTO flat is a solid buy

The desirable estate will be a good ‘forever home’, and also has potential to generate robust capital gains and rental income

Despite an uncertain economic outlook, some major new condo launches have seen hot sales.
THE LEVEL GROUND

Hot sales at new condo launches can be too much of a good thing for developers

Increasing risks include fierce bidding for land and government action 

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