Auctions dominated by owners seeking good deals - not bank foreclosure
The value of properties sold at auctions in 2007 was the highest in eight years - and the second best showing ever. But property consultants reckon that this is about as good as things will get for now. Next year could see a slowdown led by the high-end residential sector, a star performer this year.
Colliers said that the value of properties sold at auctions conducted by private auction houses in 2007 reached $407.4 million, up 28.2 per cent from last year and just a tad shy of the $409.5 million achieved in 1999, when the market was recovering after the Asian Financial Crisis. Similarly, Knight Frank's research showed the value of properties transacted at auctions rose 32 per cent to $422 million this year.
'The big difference between 1999 and 2007 was that the record auction sales in 1999 was dominated by mortgagee sales as valuations had fallen a fair bit from the high in 1996 and this drew buyers. Whereas this year, auction sales were predominantly by property owners themselves who took advantage of the auction method to extract the best price, after two years of steep price appreciation,' observes Colliers' deputy managing director and auctioneer Grace Ng.
She expects the value of properties sold at auctions to fall by about 25 per cent to $300 million in 2008 as fewer high-end homes as well as fewer older apartments with en bloc potential may be put under the hammer. Ms Ng also expects the number of properties transacted at auctions to fall to about 160-170 next year from 204 this year.
Knight Frank's executive director (auctions) Mary Sai too predicts a 'cautious buying mood' at auctions next year, citing stock market uncertainty and 'exceptionally high price expectations from some owners'.
But assuming that the economy remains in fine fettle, Ms Sai expects strong demand for properties in mass-market developments, especially those near MRT stations or good schools. Auctions will also be a popular hunting ground for those who've sold their homes in collective sale and are looking for replacement properties within a short span of time, Ms Sai reckons.
The increase in value of properties transacted at auctions this year was achieved despite a drop in the total number of properties put up for auction, from 2,018 last year to 1,456 this year, going by Colliers' figures.
The drop was due to a 54.4 per cent decline in the number of properties put under the hammer by mortgagees/banks in cases where borrowers defaulted on their property loan repayments.
The value of mortgagee properties sold at auctions this year fell 24.2 per cent to $143 million, while the value of properties sold by property owners themselves through auction nearly doubled to $265 million in 2007. Colliers attributed the nosedive in mortgagee sales to a vibrant economy and high employment situation which resulted in a lower (mortgage) default rate.
And even in instances where borrowers were facing difficulty servicing their property loans, the robust property market enabled them to sell their properties in the open market - instead of waiting for bank foreclosure.
On the other hand, 810 properties were put up for auction this year by their owners - up 35 per cent from last year and the highest in 10 years, according to Colliers.
This reflects the continuing trend of auction losing its stigma among property sellers, market watchers say. 'Amidst the property boom this year, more owners turned to auction to attempt to achieve the best price for their properties,' Ms Ng said.
There was a strong deceleration of auction sales in second-half 2007 - as the mood in auction halls became more subdued amidst US sub-prime mortgage woes, stock market turmoil, as well as stricter collective sales rules, hikes in development charges and withdrawal of the deferred payment scheme. After seeing 131 properties changing hands for $263 million in H1 2007, the market slowed to just 73 deals worth $144 million in H2, based on Colliers' analysis.
The strong full-year auction sales in 2007 was buoyed by the vibrant residential market in the first half of this year, when sales were dominated by high- end residential condominiums and old apartments with potential for collective sale. The year also saw keen interest in shops/shophouse properties amidst the office supply crunch, as well as development sites put up for auction.
The value of non-landed residential properties sold at auction more than doubled to $109.5 million this year, from $41.5 million in 2006 - helped by the sale of 12 apartments at Tuan Sing's Botanika development at Napier Road, which fetched a total $52.92 million. The value of shops/shophouses sold at auctions jumped 172 per cent, to slightly over $78 million this year, from only $28.9 million in 2006.
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