Primary: the review this article explains
Your 48-Hour Property Decision Review
Tell me what you are deciding. I come back within 48 hours with your cash after the loan, CPF refund and costs, what you can afford next and what to check before you commit.
Get your 48-hour reviewWhatsApp JamesMost people buy or sell a home having compared prices and never having seen their own numbers. A Property Decision Review puts them on one page before you commit. Here is what it covers and where it stops.
Short answer: A Property Decision Review is a written view of one decision, returned within 48 hours: what you would really walk away with after the loan, CPF refund and costs, what you can afford next, what to check in the building before you commit, and my honest view, including when the answer is don't. It is property analysis, not financial advice.
Each point is explained in full below.
What you walk away with after the loan, CPF refund and costs
The headline price is not the number you keep. Take a hypothetical flat sold for $1,000,000. These figures are illustrative round numbers, not a real client.
In this example 43.5% of the price reaches your bank account. Most owners guess a higher figure, and the gap decides what you can afford next. A review replaces the guess with your loan balance, your CPF usage and your real costs.
What you can afford next
Lenders test total monthly debt against income, and MAS caps it at 55% (TDSR). So the question is not what price you can find. It is which loan survives the test and how much cash remains after the next downpayment and duties.
For HDB owners buying private, ABSD timing sits on top of that. If you are weighing an EC against a condo, my EC or private condo guide shows what you trade for the price.
What to check in the building before you commit
Price tells you what you pay today. Governance tells you what ownership feels like in year five: the sinking fund position, the managing agent and how the defects period was handled. These are questions to put to the seller and the MCST, not scores, and they differ between a 2012 resale and a 2026 launch.
My DLP checklist guide shows the kind of questions I mean. A review lists the ones that matter for your building.
What the review will not do
It will not forecast prices, and it will not promise a return. Nobody can know where a project sells in five years, and a figure that claims to is a guess in a suit.
What it can do is narrow the range of outcomes you have to plan around. If the sale lands 5% lower, or the loan rate moves, or the next unit needs more cash than the brochure suggested, you see what each does to your position before it happens. That is the difference between a decision you can defend later and one you hope works out.
Secondary: ask what is included
Want to know what is included first?
Message me what you are deciding and I will tell you what the review would cover for your situation before you send anything else. No calls unless you ask.
WhatsApp JamesMy honest view, including when the answer is don't
If the numbers say don't, I will say so. I will not tell you what to buy or sell, because that is your decision. I will tell you what the numbers show and where the risk sits.
It is not financial advice either. CPF strategy, insurance, income planning and financing belong with a licensed financial adviser, and the review marks where that line falls.
How it works and who it is for
You send your name, your mobile number and what you are deciding through the form on the homepage. You hear back within 48 hours, and there are no calls unless you ask. If you want to know what is included first, message me on WhatsApp and I will answer there.
If you are not sure whether your situation needs a review at all, say so when you message me. I would rather tell you it does not than have you wait for something you do not need.
Questions readers ask
What do I need to send?+
Your name, mobile number and what you are deciding, for example selling a flat, an EC versus a condo, or helping a child buy. Figures such as your loan balance help, but you can start without them and add them later.
How much does it cost?+
Message me on WhatsApp for what is included and the terms. I would rather confirm them with you directly than print terms here that may change. There is no obligation to proceed after you ask.
Is the review financial advice?+
No. It covers property-specific analysis. CPF strategy, insurance, income planning and financing belong with a licensed financial adviser. I will point out where that line falls so you know what to take to them.
Will I get a call?+
No calls unless you ask. You hear back within 48 hours. If you would like to talk it through afterwards, tell me and we can set a time that suits you, but the choice is yours.
What if I have just been retrenched?+
The review can map property-specific options such as holding, renting out a room, downsizing or restructuring. For CPF, insurance and income planning, speak to a licensed financial adviser. Send your situation and we start there.
Sources
Show all 6 sources+
- MAS, Total Debt Servicing Ratio framework
- CPF Board, CPF refund on sale of property guidance
- IRAS, Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty guidance
- BCA, Defects Liability Period guidance for new private homes
- Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA), Singapore Statutes Online
- MyChoiceHomez, DLP checklist guide and EC or private condo guide
Disclaimer & licensing+
This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Property investments involve risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Readers should seek independent advice from licensed professionals before making any property or financial decision. James Ong is a licensed real estate salesperson (CEA Reg No. R008385F) with PropNex Realty Pte Ltd and is not a licensed financial adviser.
James Ong | CEA Reg No. R008385F | PropNex Realty Pte Ltd
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