Goldilocks and the property bears

NOT too hot, not too cold. It could be said that Singapore’s housing market has entered a kind of Goldilocks phase, as property prices stabilise and home sales move at a slow and steady pace, post cooling measures. Is the lukewarm porridge palatable? 

For house hunters, very much so. As Leslie Yee points out, neither a weak nor a strong housing market is good for those looking to sell their homes and buy new ones. Falling prices throw up bargains, to be sure, but sellers may not get a good price for their properties. On the other hand, rising prices feed gains for homeowners, but can make it hard for those who have sold to buy their next home within their budget. 

Under the prevailing market conditions, sellers whose price expectations are reasonable will easily find takers. And those in the market to buy can browse and shop in relatively calm conditions, without fretting that they will be outbid by others or feeling pushed to sign on a purchase in a frenzied showflat crowd.