Wednesday 29 December 2021

Overseas Property Investing Risks

 

Property disputes in Batam


Need we say more?


Another good example in showing the difference between knowledge and wisdom....


That's why my former Swiss expat boss have a lawyer vet through his employment contract each time he got a new overseas assignment - especially when big money is involved. 

Ever puzzled why companies have to pay millions in compensation when firing their CEOs?

The CEOs got good, better, best lawyers drafting their employment contracts!!!


It reminded me of a legal case I learnt during night class decades ago...

A construction company agreed to hand over a property development to the owner AFTER completion of a 12 floor office building.

Guess what?

The construction company just build up to 11 floor and never handed over the building, citing construction delays... Meanwhile conveniently leasing out the lower floors in its possession.

Like that also can!?


So when people "promise" a lease extension for a "premium"... The wise and savvy ones would ask, "What is a premium?"

You "assumed" its a few hundred Ks? 

People can ask for a billion or a trillion! Nothing wrong right?



You think why big daddy dropped the 99 year leasehold bombshell on us years ago?


Its to prepare the ground for the day they take back those "ancient" HDB flats when their 99 year leases are up - without compensation.


Not every citizen got study Business Law...


Show with example the best:


Geylang private homes returned to State


Glad our repossessions are done more professionally; no fuss, no muss.



Many years ago when a Mainland Chinese supplier told me he prefers to work with Singaporeans, he has to be very alert when working with Hong Kongers and Taiwanese, I didn't take it as a compliment. 


What he meant between the lines is that Singaporeans are follow the law straight straight "bei kambing" little red riding hoods... Much easier to deal with! 



Sure, overseas property investing can be "cheaper". 


If going overseas to do your university degree, you would want to go to universities that are more prestigious than our local universities right?


But doing overseas property investing, similar to you no choice have to go overseas to study as you can't get into our local universities, is same same but different!


Same same overseas degree; academic respect not the same. 


As evident in your starting pay...



Just ask yourself. Would the Batam developer do what they did if majority of the owners were local Indonesians?


Any property developments that are targeted exclusively to foreigners, is that a good thing or bad thing?


Don't look far, just look around back home. Wink.


Passing tourist dragon can't beat local local snake!







2 comments:

  1. Hmmm. I always feel that property ownership for foreigners can be a big mess if we don't know what we're getting into. Even then, we still have to be wary of rules that can change like prata flips. Wasn't it a while ago that our neighbours updated stringent requirements for the Malaysia second home scheme to weed out the "less desirable" ones? Yikes - discrimination!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kevin,

      The best comment is from that Japanese on existing Malaysia 2nd home scheme, "If I got offshore RM40,000 per month income, I won't have chosen Malaysia!"

      Imagine the stress if we are one of those who relocated to Malaysia, now find yourself "priced out" with the new requirements!!!


      I think foreigners and some Malaysians must be missing Najib... At least things get done!

      Najib was good to Singapore. The Malaysian railroad land got resolved. Things went much smoother. We even got the HSR started!

      Unfortunately, the moment Najib left, the HSR got cancelled. Now its back on again!? And this time no need to involve Singapore!? Huh? They change their minds faster than women!


      What a wasted opportunity. The Singapore/KL HSR is not just between Singapore and Malaysia.

      The vision is we can extend the HSR from KL to Bangkok. And from there, we can have one route go North all the way up to Kunming, China via Laos; the other route we can go East to Vietnam, and then up North to Guangzhou, China.

      I guess we have koala bears and pandas in politics too.

      People who can't see beyond their own toes...


      Delete

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