Lifting the hood on changing needs of home buyers and tenants
Get insights on what matters when people look for a home from PropertyGuru’s Yao Lu, in conversation with senior correspondent Leslie Yee.
The way Singaporeans search for a home has changed more in the past few years than in the previous fifteen combined. It is no longer a straight line from budget to location to a call with an agent. Today, listings get their first click from a TikTok video, an Instagram post or an AI search engine, and the profile of who wants what has fractured in ways most people would not expect.
In this episode of PropertyBT, a BT Correspondents podcast, Leslie Yee speaks with Yao Lu, managing director, Singapore of PropertyGuru Group, about how buyers and tenants actually search for homes today, how AI is reshaping the process for agents and consumers alike, and whether Singapore’s love affair with homeownership still makes sense.
Why listen
- Why age gaps of just a few years produce wildly different housing preferences Among high income singles, 42 per cent of those aged 30 to 34 want private housing, while 52 per cent of those aged 35 to 39 want a four-room or bigger HDB flat. Yao Lu breaks down what is really driving these choices.
- Why rental remains a minority choice despite rising interest among Gen Z Four out of five Singaporeans aged 21 to 29 say they want to move out, yet only 15 per cent actually have. Yao Lu explains the financial and personal readiness gap behind that number.
- How AI is already changing agent workflows and consumer trust From listing co-pilots that automate mundane tasks to an AI moderation engine that flags heavily enhanced photos, Yao Lu walks through where artificial intelligence is genuinely improving the home search experience.
- Whether AI will eventually mean fewer property agents Yao Lu’s answer centres on something AI still cannot replicate: trust.
The home search journey has never been more fragmented or more personal. This conversation makes sense of both. Listen now.
Discover more episodes at bt.sg/podcasts. Got feedback? Email us at btpodcasts@sph.com.sg.
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Written and hosted by: Leslie Yee (lyee@sph.com.sg)
With Yao Lu, managing director for Singapore, PropertyGuru Group
Edited by: Nicole Teo & Claressa Monteiro
Produced by: Leslie Yee, Nicole Teo & Chai Pei Chieh
A podcast by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media
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ABOUT THE PODCAST
BT Correspondents brings together some of The Business Times’ most trusted columnists in a single series. Featuring Mark to Market, WealthBT, TransportBT, and PropertyBT, weekly episodes deliver expert analysis and clear perspectives on stocks, wealth, mobility, and real estate. It is essential listening for professionals who want context, clarity, and depth.
