Portfolio Update Aug 2020

Portfolio value increases to $197k due to buying back of Frasers Centrepoint Trust and Mapletree Industrial Trust which were sold last month.

While industrial Reits remained sluggish and corrected slightly, retail Reits of the likes of Capmall Trust and Suntec Reit actually recovered to negate the losses from Ascendas Reit.

The property developers in my portfolio remained stagnant other than Guocoland which rose to reflect the 6 cents dividends announced.

I have received $1.2k of dividends in Aug and they go into my war chest.

SRS portfolio inches up $1.8k to $69.8k due to slight recovery from Comfortdelgro and SATS. ST Engineering reported a decent set of results to prove its resiliency and managed to maintain an interim dividend of 5 cents. 

I have opted for script dividend at $7.81 for the upcoming OCBC dividends as OCBC will be an ultra long term investment for up to 30 years and I am happy to make use of scrip dividend to achieve the dividend reinvestment compounding effect.

The local stock market remains weak and sluggish regardless of S&P 500 and DJI hitting new highs. I look forward to and hope that it continues to remain weak until the rest of the year so that I can still add on more Reits and bank counters to my portfolio at decent valuations. I will stick to my plan of staying invested while continuing to add on to my investments to achieve greater passive income for the future.

Stay safe and thanks for reading.

With love & peace,
Qiongster

Net Worth Update Aug 2020 - Surpassing $950k

My net worth surpasses $950k for the first time in Aug 2020.

It is another small step towards achieving the millionaire status.

I have depleted my war chest in POEMS Money Market Fund after buying back Mapletree Industrial Trust and Frasers Centrepoint Trust which I sold off in Jul 2020.

I intend to top up $2.5k to renew an expiring fixed deposit at rate of 1.15% for 14 months with UOB. The expiring FD has a rate of 1.6%. I will then be cash poor. The 1.15% p.a interest rate is still higher than the yield of Sep 2020 Singapore Savings Bond at 0.88% average return over 10 years.

This is my living example of being rich as a broke person. Asset rich but cash poor.

It is fine because nowadays I seldom dine in coffeeshops and hawker centres paying cash. I do my shopping in malls and pay groceries in supermarkets using credit cards. There are also rebates by the government to Town Council S&CC and utility bills to lower my spendings.

I am looking forward to receive this bunch of upcoming dividends to restart my war chest rebuilding.

$581.60 Ascendas Reit (27 Aug)
$76.65 Suntec Reit (27 Aug)
$83.76 Ascott Reit (28 Aug)
$334.00 Capcom Trust (28 Aug)
$164.58 Capmall Trust (28 Aug)
$141.91 Keppel Reit (28 Aug) SRS

$101.00 SSB (1 Sep) 

$235.00 ST Engineering (2 Sep) SRS
$327.90 Far East Orchard (4 Sep)
$576.00 Aims Apac Reit (17 Sep)

I have completed all the actions for tax reliefs in 2021- top up $15.3k to SRS, top up $7k to own CPF SA and $7k to parent CPF RA accounts.

In the next few months till end of 2020, I will channel all my savings from active income to the investment portfolio.

My top purchase targets are Aims Apac Reit, Mapletree Logistics Trust and UOB. I will monitor their price movements closely and add them at <$1.18, <$2.08 and <$19.60 after XD respectively.

Reserve targets are CapMall (hint: going to merge with Capcom soon to be the largest S Reit and should see strong recovery), Mapletree Commercial Trust and Mapletree Industrial Trust and Frasers Centrepoint Trust at <$1.85, <$1.90, <$3.10 and <$2.34 respectively. 

I believe the best time to invest is now or never. Ignore all the naysayers and bullshit from news to pick up whatever good assets or businesses we can during a crisis like this. Reits and banks are still preferred.

Stay safe. Be fearless and charge towards freedom. Thanks for reading.

With Love & Peace,
Qiongster

Site Survey of Bishan Towers - Aug 2020 HDB BTO

Bishan Towers is HDB Build-to-order development opened for application from 12 Aug to 18 Aug 2020. For the first time in 14 years, there are new HDB flats for sale in Bishan Town.

This development is situated on a plot bounded by Bishan Street 11 and Bradell Road and along the Kallang"River".

There are only 2 blocks of 472 units of 2 Room Flexi, 3 Room and 4 Room flats ranging 25 to 33 storey in height.

Source: HDB

A site visit to this plot begins with a 15 min walk from Junction 8.

This plot of land is where the 2 HDB blocks will reside in end 2026 (estimated).

To get a glimpse of the scenary that dwellers in Bishan Towers could view, let's head up to 20th storey of Blk 156, Bishan Street 11, the tallest building in the area with south facing view of this plot of land. 

Spot the Kallang River. It is that canal filled with rain water after a heavy pour. Otherwise, it would just be an empty longlang. At the top of the picture, we could see Toa Payoh Estate which is separated from Bishan Town by Bradell Road. Comfortdelgro building and BCA academy can be spotted in top left. The plot for Bishan Towers is the vast green land on bottom right.

 

The park connector can connect to both Ang Mo Kio Bishan Park and Kallang Riverside Park. Great for cyclists, joggers and marathoners to click their mileague in training and for recreation. 

Let's check out the Kallang "River". 

Peaceful and wide park connector for cyclists and joggers. 

Checking out the wet market at Blk 151A and dry market shops in Blk 150 and 151 which were closed in the afternoon. There are also a handful of coffeeshops in Blk 151 and 150. 

I feel that living in this part of Bishan is not very convenient for people who commute by public transport. For those who drive, it will be very convenient as it is a stone's throw away to CTE.

The amenities in this matured estate are not appealing. Shops are closed early and there are no supermarkets nearby except for a 7 eleven. The food stalls in the coffeeshops are not as attractive as hawker stalls in Toa Payoh nearby.

However, the park connector does offer a gateway to nature and a conducive environment for exercising. As one of the last few available plots of land in Bishan for public housing, this is the best offer now. 

Thanks for reading. 

With love & peace,

Qiongster