If you have been actively searching for an investment property in the past year, you might have come across several developers offering different Deferred Payment Schemes (DPS), a popular marketing scheme that was previously abolished in October 2007 due to the upswing in the economy and the property market.
More recently, projects such as 8 St Thomas, Southbeach Residences, Brooks I and II, Reflections at Keppel Bay, The Crest and Nouvel 18 have all offered variations of this scheme that are creatively titled "Stay and Pay scheme", "Reserve and Stay Scheme" or "Reservation Scheme" among others.
But in essence they are deferred payment schemes, just with varying booking and option exercise fees and completion periods.
The return of DPS is yet another interesting and creative loophole that developers are using to incentivise buying in projects that have been slow to sell out, or burdened by the upcoming Qualifying Certificate (QC) and Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) penalties for not selling all units within a stipulated period.
In the past, such schemes were only offered in new project launches, and payment of up to 90 percent of the purchase price could be deferred until the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) date.
The latest versions of DPS are different from what they were previously, as they are now only allowed after the Certificate of Statutory Completion is issued, and the project is delicensed and no longer under the purview of the Controller of Housing.
What are the benefits of buying a DPS project?
The usual key mechanisms of a DPS lies in the booking fee required, when the option needs to be exercised, and how long the completion period is deferred for.
Typically, a buyer would pay a 25 percent down payment (five percent in cash and 20 percent in cash or Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings) for a new unit, pay for stamp duties within two weeks of exercising the option to purchase, and start paying progressively increasing instalments within six to nine months as their housing loan starts disbursement.
A buyer would also not be able to re-assign their option to purchase to another buyer without incurring the Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD).
In a resale purchase scenario, a buyer would also pay the 25 percent down payment, pay stamp duties within two weeks of exercising the option to purchase, and draw down on the remaining 75 percent loan within 10 to 12 weeks.
This means that he or she would begin servicing their monthly installments upon completion as their loans are fully disbursed.
In addition, a buyer would be able to resell the option prior to exercise if there were a provision of “And / Or Nominee(s)” in it.
The beauty of DPS lies in the flexibilities developers have upon delicensing their projects.
Payment schemes can be tweaked to incentivise different groups of buyers with different needs.
Case study 1: Singaporean owner-occupier seeking to upgrade
John Tan faces difficulty in upgrading his family home as he has an outstanding loan for his current property.
According to the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) financing guidelines, he would need 25 percent in cash for the down payment, another 25 percent in cash or CPF savings, and be eligible for only a 50 percent maximum loan.
He would also be liable for ABSD.
In his case, a DPS where the developer allows a longer deferred completion period would address his obstacles and reduces his down payment to 10 percent in cash, offer him the flexibility of moving into a new home early, ample time to sell his previous home and therefore qualify for a 75 percent loan.
One example of this was the DPS introduced at CapitaLand’s The Interlace and d’Leedon projects.
Case study 2: Property investor keen to get into the market and feels there is potential upside in the next two years
Dylan Lee would like to buy into properties with ready cash flow, but feels that the ABSD could be revised in the next two years.
He however, does not want his funds to remain idle in the meantime, and wants to start deploying them to work.
In his case, a DPS that allows him to own a property with minimal cash down, a deferred exercise and completion date means he could possibly pay less ABSD if the rules are tweaked in the near term.
As an investor, he would also enjoy the flexibility of being able to sell the property anytime during these two years without incurring any SSD.
As such, a project like The Peak @ Cairnhill I and II, with its own version of the DPS, is suitable as it allows investors to take possession and rent out their units and exercise the option only 18 to 24 months later.
The option between the developer and the buyer also has a nomination clause that allows the option to be exercised by another buyer should the market improve and the initial investor decides to sell.
This unique arrangement means that an investor experiences a higher return on equity before the completion, as he can start collecting rental income by putting down only 20 percent in cash and having no installments to service for that same period.
At the same time, the rental return also lowers the absolute entry price of his property, giving him an extra safety net.
In summary:
Buyers would be prudent to do their due diligence on whether a project offering a DPS is marketed at a reasonable price today.
Most projects have lesser discounts due to this scheme, and it would be wise to make a comparison between the normal payment scheme and the DPS.
If the discount range is significant and the financial aspects make sense, it could be a wise choice to go with the normal payment scheme instead.
Would you like to be informed of the latest projects with deferred payment schemes today?
Drop me a WhatsApp to get a current and updated list of all the projects with deferred payment scheme available today.
Need an opinion on your property investment plans, the best buys available today or help marketing your properties?
Get a 1-time free 30 min Property Wealth Planning consultation. Schedule one right now.
A PWP consultation includes:
- An in-depth financial affordability assessment and timeline planning
- Highly relevant investment insights
- A clear and customised investment road map
- A curated list of best buys in today's market with good growth potential & minimal risks
- Selecting units with the highest potential in a new launch project
- Advice on marketing and getting a buyer for your property fast
- Has your property stagnated in price? What options do you have?
Stuart Chng, Senior Associate Executive Director of OrangeTee & Tie, is a renowned leader and personality in the real estate industry.
He adores music and can play a few instruments decently without upsetting his neighbours. When not doing so, he enjoys pillow fighting with his son and coming up with silly puns which barely amuses his wife.
Professionally, he is a licensed real estate agent, an avid stocks, options and real estate investor, business owner, team leader, speaker and columnist for several property newsletters and blogs and is often quoted in media interviews on 938FM, Channel 8, PropertyReport, PropertyGuru and other publications.
Throughout his career, he has helped many clients grow their wealth through selecting great property investments and managing their portfolios actively. Read his clients' reviews here.
Stuart has also coached many top million dollar producing agents from different real estate agencies in Singapore. Read his agents' reviews here.
Related readings:
Comments