Most people love a decent cup of coffee. Some like it hot, some like it freezing cold. And if you drink too much of it, it might give you the jitters. I don’t like the jitters. I feel like a human being on vibration mode. Not fun!
In Singapore, most people love to talk about real estate. We are Asians, and it is in our blood to talk about owning and buying properties. It may seem kind of weird to you if you aren’t from around here, but the first thing an Asian says to another Asian is almost always, “Have you eaten?” Yes, this unexplainable phenomena is rampant and persistent, and it sticks to us like Velcro. And if this is not bad enough, the next question, like the first, is even more horrid, “Are you attached now?” Trust me, every Asian growing up had to suffer through these two extremely determined and awkward questions until they, finally are, attached. Hope it was sooner than later. (If later, then you poor thing…)
Then comes question number 3. “When are you getting married?” You’d think that can you heave a sigh of relief if you answered a firm “Yes!” to the well-meaning, but irritating, prober. Well, no. There is a 4th question. This is where the caffeine kicks in, in my story.
“So are you getting an HDB or a condo?” you are asked. The jitters.
Yes, Singaporeans (or Asians in general) are really much less verbose around their older family members, preferring to avoid the do-re-mi-fa-so questioning that has made our society globally top-ranking progressive. Singapore is like number one for almost everything, approximately speaking. If we are not, we definitely want to be. It is our national pastime–driven by the internal gears of kiasu (literal fear of losing) and kiasi (non-literal fear of dying).
If you are above forty years of age, then chances are you can relate to the above (not to far, right?). You would probably agree that growing up in Singapore can be likened to a serious case of caffeine overdose. Anyway, I digress.
So, just so that you do not need to guess, I really love real estate, and just as much as I love coffee. I view properties on a weekly basis just as numerous as my weekly trips to Starbucks. To me, coffee is always a happy drink to have in my hand, and talking about real estate is associated with the same degree of happiness in my life. And the only way for me to keep drinking the coffee that I love, is to drink it decaffeinated. In the same way, real estate should be decaffeinated as well. It will keep the conversation going for a long aromatic time.
I am creating property-decaffeinated for people who love discussing real estate, owning them and keen on helping others to enjoy them. I really wish that we can discuss real estate in a way where jargon is reduced to simple concepts and nerves are stilled. I hope that people like you, who are reading this, will learn something from here on or help others learn something that can help them be a proud owner of real assets. I hope to forward articles I write here, to those who might need them, and help them see some light where there was no bulb.
The true intent of property-decaf, is to continue the discussion that is real to you and may have a deep impact on your lives. I hope that it will be a beacon that lets you know that you are not alone, and you shouldn’t be.
Welcome to property-decaf! 🙂
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