Ku Swee Yong - The Future of Real Estate: Whats next after new tech and Covid-19?

Its rare to find someone who is so connected to the real estate industry but is able and willing to assess it objectively, often going against conventional wisdom, popular media, property consultants and property developers. Swee Yongs latest book, like his other books and writings, is highly accessible to the ordinary reader and investor. His views and prognosis are grounded in facts and an impressive grasp of local and global developments and likely trends. His views may not always be welcome but they are needed.

Dr Mak Yuen Teen

Associate Professor of Accounting, National University of Singapore and Corporate Governance Advocate

Ku Swee Yongs latest book is a thought-provoking read. The author faces sensitive issues that are relevant to the public head-on and discusses the imminent problems of real estate, including Singapores aging population, value depreciation of old HDB flats, inevitable job loss under technological disruptions and the massive impact of Covid-19 in different property market segments. He also proposes feasible solutions to these problems, which are strongly supported by relevant facts and figures. Thanks to the authors generous sharing of key data gathered over the years and his own research and analyses of the property landscape, the book debunks myths and provides a glimpse to the future of real estate.

Vina Ip

Real estate blogger at propertysoul.com

The Future of Real Estate is a provocative, well-researched summary of the challenges and opportunities facing the real estate sector in the next decade and beyond. Swee Yong neatly combines elements of demographics, economics and technology (and more!) into a story that will resonate with Singaporeans of every age and income level. Read it and give a copy to your children so you can prepare for the future together.

Matthew Dearth

Founder, TRQ Advisors and Adjunct Faculty, Singapore Management University

This is the first book dedicated to discussing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the property market. Swee Yong is data driven, unafraid to speak his mind and passionate about helping others make informed decisions about huge purchases and investments.

Jeraldine Phneah

Millennial Blogger, www.jeraldinephneah.com

Swee Yong is a notable author on books covering real estate in Singapore. In this book, he provides a comprehensive yet succinct analysis on the trends in public and private housing in Singapore.

Readers will gain much foresight and views on the property market that befuddles most of us. Not only does the book address current issues but also those issues that could surface in the next 10 to 20 years, given the coming of age of the millennials and the zoomers as well as aging Gen Xs and baby boomers. What is most interesting is the inclusion of how new technology will change and shape our homes. It also gives you a glimpse of how Singapore may look like in the future as urban planning is key to the transformation of Singapore into a Smart City.

The book is a recommended read and I applaud Swee Yong for updating all of us who have a keen interest in Singapore property.

Lee Chiwi

Chief Executive, PreceptsGroup

Readers and followers of Ku Swee Yong will find his hallmark contrarian views; specifically probing questions and discomforting answers. As the virus rages and statistics about deaths, illnesses and displaced families multiply in this unprecedented crisis, he asks if we should become introspective instead.

Swee Yong posits that This tumultuous pandemic year has offered many of us a great opportunity for personal growth, so he suggests that we study demographic shifts, technological disruptions and geopolitical transformations that steamroll ahead despite this microscopic malaise assaulting global economies. Readers of this book will enjoy the nuggets of real estate gold in this engaging collection of thoughts, probes and evocations.

Winston Lim

Architect and Managing Director, Winstudio Architects

THE FUTURE OF REAL ESTATE

2021 Ku Swee Yong

Published by Marshall Cavendish Business

An imprint of Marshall Cavendish International

All rights reserved

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National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Name(s): Ku, Swee Yong.

Title: The future of real estate : whats next after new tech and Covid-19? /

Ku Swee Yong.

Description: Singapore : Marshall Cavendish Business, [2021]

Identifier(s): OCN 1232210195 | eISBN 978 981 4974 18 9

Subject(s): LCSH: Real estate investment--Singapore. | Real property--Singapore.

| Residential real estate--Singapore. | Commercial real estate--Singapore.

Classification: DDC 332.6324095957--dc23

Printed in Singapore

Dedicating my sixth book on real estate to you who asked:

What does Swee Yong know about real estate?

It has been three and a half years since the publication of my fifth book, Preparing for a Property Upturn. A relatively long break considering that the first book, Real Estate Riches, was published in early 2011 and by late 2017 the fifth book was already on the shelves. Six years to roll out the first five books and more than three years for this one.

I was happy with the success of Preparing for a Property Upturn, particularly which highlighted the long-term issues of retirement for our ageing population coupled with the decaying values of old HDB flats with short remaining leases. Many readers and their families have benefitted from having deeper and wider discussions about their lifelong savings stuck in home ownership vis--vis their retirement adequacy. As more readers and families are concerned about this topic, I have included a few more chapters on public housing, including a policy proposal crafted with Prof Tay Kheng Soon and ex-Chief Economist of GIC Mr Yeoh Lam Keong, in this book.