Make sense of your mortgage.

Clementi's $896k record: why a block's first resale matters more than the number

A first-ever resale in a Clementi Peaks block set a town record of $896,000 for a 3-room flat, and because the block has no prior transaction history, this sale becomes the valuation anchor for future units. Buyers need gross household income of roughly $10,200 to $14,000 to qualify under MSR rules on an HDB loan, and any gap between valuation and purchase price becomes cash-over-valuation payable entirely in cash.

Sarah Chen·19 Aug 2026

Reprice, refinance, or wait? A breakeven test for 2026 borrowers

The right choice between repricing, refinancing, or waiting depends on the gap between your contracted rate and current market rates, whether a lock-in or clawback penalty is still active, and how large your outstanding loan balance is. Repricing with your existing bank is cheap and fast but usually offers a smaller rate cut, refinancing to a new bank unlocks the biggest savings but involves upfront costs and notice periods, and waiting makes sense only when penalties outweigh the potential savings. Borrowers who locked in near the end-2023 rate peak and are past their lock-in period stand to benefit the most from switching now.

Sarah Chen·18 Aug 2026

HDB prices are falling while condo prices rise. Here's what it actually means for upgraders.

Sarah Chen·17 Aug 2026