He's Glad That 2-Year Saga Is Finally Over

Source : The Straits Times, Apr 27, 2008

Mr Micky Sim was overseas when he first heard that his estate, Finland Gardens, was going to be sold en bloc two years ago.

The first thing he did was to call his contractor who was renovating the unit he had recently bought there.

'I cut back by at least 30 per cent. Forget about partitions. And we made things movable, rather than fixed,' said Mr Sim, 38.

He bought the apartment before the deal was announced.

Two years on, he can finally go ahead and finish the renovations.

As one of the minority owners who contested the sale of Finland Gardens, he is delighted that the estate will no longer be sold.

But he feels that most of the majority owners will not be unhappy either, as the deal was made before the upswing in the property market last year.

Mr Sim, who works as a director in a shipping company, thinks that even if the owners sell the apartments themselves, they can do better than the $504 per square foot price offered by the en bloc buyer - even though the market has since been cooling.

Still, he is happy to stay put at his home and will sell only if the price is right.

The two-year saga has hurt the spirit of the community somewhat, he conceded.

But he feels that most neighbours are still on good terms.

'It's time for everyone to move on. Let bygones be bygones,' he added.