
In today’s volatile market, Roland Ong, Division Associate Director at OrangeTee & Tie, guides property owners and investors through uncertainty by applying value investing principles—traditionally used in stock markets—to real estate decisions.
Building on 14 years of industry experience, Ong deepened his expertise during the Covid-19 pandemic by sharpening his financial literacy and advisory skills through a broad range of courses, from equities to e-commerce.
“Those courses gave me an in-depth understanding of the investment strategies across a range of assets, and this enabled me to combine what I had learnt into an investment strategy applicable to Singapore’s property market,” says Ong.
He refers to this as Properties and Charts — Charting Your Entries and Exits. His investment strategy, inspired by Buffett-style investing, is tailored specifically for real estate assets. Ong adds: “My strategy focuses on long-term investment and tapping into the intrinsic value of Singaporean properties.”
Roland Ong’s investment strategy, inspired by Buffett-style investing, is tailored specifically for real estate assets.
Just last month, Ong successfully applied this framework to advise a client in purchasing an executive condo (EC) unit at Hundred Palms Residences. The buyers, beneficiaries of the recent $810 million Thomson View collective sale, were seeking to reinvest their gains with a disciplined, value-driven approach.
“Originally, my client had intended to deploy their en bloc proceeds to purchase a $430,000 four-room HDB flat. But I showed them that their capital would be better utilised to suit their needs if they considered a three-bedroom EC unit,” says Ong.
Utilising his investment strategy, Ong demonstrated that the average price at Hundred Palms Residences is projected to increase to about $2 million in less than five years. Based on recent resale transactions, Ong calculates that a typical unit of about 900 sq ft at Hundred Palms Residences currently transacts for approximately $1.75 million.
He adds: “Their choice to purchase an EC unit, rather than a HDB flat, aligned with their desire to reinvest their property value into an asset that benefits from long-term capital appreciation, and is well-positioned to secure a source of generational wealth.”
Ong notes that this case highlights an important point: for some homeowners, opting for a lower-priced property may not necessarily offer the strongest investment potential. “Homeowners and investors should always consider important factors such as the expected growth rate of the value of the property, the type of real estate asset, and risk classification.”
He generally advises clients that properties priced over $4 million tend to be high-risk investments. Additionally, factors such as the district’s location are crucial to consider. These elements play a significant role, as investing in the wrong type of asset at an incorrect price can impede both price appreciation and capital growth.
Ong’s approach has built strong, lasting client relationships, with many returning for his expertise. For example, around 3½ years ago, he helped a client purchase a unit at One Amber, a freehold condo in District 15.
Earlier this year, after reconnecting with Ong, the client expressed interest in selling the condo and upgrading to a landed property. He adds: “I helped my client crunch the numbers, which showed that it was an opportune time for him to realise the value of his condo unit based on its recent capital appreciation.”
The buyer purchased the unit at One Amber for $2.41 million over three years ago. When the unit was listed for sale earlier this year, Ong secured two offers of around $3.15 million within just two weeks.
“This case also demonstrates that, while new launch units tend to yield attractive profits when they enter the resale market, resale condo units are also capable of healthy profits when sold at the right time,” says Ong, adding that the price gap between the primary and resale markets has widened in recent years, driven by strong buyer sentiment from HDB upgraders and resellers. This creates opportunities for sellers to capitalise.
As a technically adept and analytical professional, Ong bases his property advice on sound reasoning and data. He adds: “As an agent, I believe I can best value-add my services by helping my clients plot the projected value of their real estate assets, comparing them to current market prices. This helps buyers to decide whether to enter the market, and when to exit the market in the case of sellers.”
He also observes that many active investors and homeowners are increasingly concerned about the impact of US-imposed tariffs on the local property market. He adds that owners must consider whether their properties qualify as so-called ‘safe haven’ assets, similar to gold or the Swiss franc.
“In general, we can observe that real estate prices in Singapore have historically been on the uptrend, and this is grounded in a strong underlying domestic demand for high-quality properties in city-fringe and suburban areas,” says Ong.
For more information,
Contact Roland Ong | 92376160
Division Associate Director (R021554Z)
Orangetee & Tie Pte Ltd