Homeowner Stories

Why I Bought Jervois Mansion As My First Home: My Journey As A First Time Homebuyer In Singapore

I’ve always thought buying a home was a very straightforward process.  First, you determine your budget. Then, you come up with a list of ideal homes, narrow down the list through pros and cons, and then decide on which you…

• 28 Oct 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

“It’s Sleazy But It’s Freehold” What It’s Really Like To Live At The Infamous Orchard Towers

Famed for sex and violence, Orchard Towers is one of the spiciest parts of Singapore. It’s even more surprising that it’s located in the very heart of Orchard Road; and it begs the question: would you put up with the…

• 27 Oct 2022
• 9 min read
• 0

Upgrading From A BTO To A 1,550 Sqft Executive Apartment: How A Couple Carefully Planned With A $50k Reno Budget

For some people, their first home may just be their forever home. But for others, the unpredictabilities of life can really change, and you can outgrow your existing house more quickly than you might think. This is what Alfisyah (@nurfish)…

• 24 Oct 2022
• 8 min read
• 0

A 23-Year-Old HDB In Bukit Panjang Gets A Unique Makeover Into A Spanish Country Style Home

Rach and Sam (@casagangsa) are a newlywed couple who bought a 5-room resale flat in Bukit Panjang that’s already 23 years old. Like most homeowners who choose an older HDB, their reason for doing so was space. “We knew we…

• 21 Oct 2022
• 8 min read
• 0

I Nearly Bought A Condo With A Ceiling Leak & Depleting Sinking Fund Issue: Why MCST Problems Need To Be More Transparent

Of late, we’ve had questions from a reader about the MCST system in Singapore; and about how it’s a little opaque and unfair. If you’re a foreigner or have bought property overseas, you may be struck by how little information…

• 17 Oct 2022
• 8 min read
• 16

A $3.5 Million Budget And 4 Options To Choose From In Bukit Timah: Here’s What This Buyer Picked For Their Family Home

M & W have got it all planned out for their kids. As they are alumni of both ACS and SCGS, they naturally wanted their kids to follow in their footsteps and go to the same schools. Well, that is,…

• 15 Oct 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

I Tried Renting Out My Own Home In Singapore: Here’s Why I Would Never Do It Again

A common complaint is that property agents charge too much for handling “simple” rental deals; and it has to be said the rising GST rate doesn’t help either. As one landlord found out however, finding your own tenants can devolve…

• 12 Oct 2022
• 6 min read
• 11

“I Ended Up A Tenant Of My Old Home” How 3 Singaporean Homeowners Are Dealing With The New Cooling Measures

The 15-month wait-out, from the September cooling measures, was one of the most stunning last-minute shifts we encountered. Several Singaporean homeowners were caught unprepared; these range from those who had just sold their condo units (and are now forced to…

• 12 Oct 2022
• 5 min read
• 1

We Moved From A 3-Room Tanglin Halt HDB To A Dakota Breeze BTO: Our Covid-19 New Home Journey

Tanglin Halt, which went under the Selective En-Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) in 2014, was for many the iconic HDB neighbourhood. As one of the five districts of old Queenstown, Tanglin Halt was one of the longest surviving HDB estates, rivalling…

• 6 Oct 2022
• 9 min read
• 0

My Biggest Regrets After Buying A New Launch Condo: We Share 5 Most Common Regrets Homebuyers Have

Unlike buying an iPhone (Apple has a great return policy btw) or even a new TV, you can’t just return a property if you realise that it doesn’t quite fit. And it’s not like you can just sell the house…

• 29 Sep 2022
• 8 min read
• 3

Tour An Old 1980 Everton Park Transformation: How A Couple Achieved A Monochrome Look With A $110k Reno Budget

The term monochrome is often very much misunderstood when it comes to interior design. While it’s true that the word monochromatic literally means just one colour, it doesn’t exactly mean that you have to use just one specific colour tone…

• 28 Sep 2022
• 9 min read
• 0

Inside A Coronation Road Landed Home In Singapore With An Incredible 7m High Family Hangout Space

The initial brief was seemingly simple: A house that allowed their grown-up children to have privacy and yet have sufficient space for interaction. But sometimes, what may seem simple on the outside may not be so easy to execute.  After…

• 27 Sep 2022
• 9 min read
• 0

A $13k Condo Renovation Breakdown: How This Creative Homeowner Self-Designed & Decorated Their 732 Sqft Home

Renovating a relatively small space can be quite challenging. You have to be creative with your design choices in order to really make the most of the space.  The approaches vary, but probably the most important at the top of…

• 24 Sep 2022
• 11 min read
• 4

What I Regret Most After Buying My First Home: We Share 7 Most Common Regrets From Readers

The first time buying a home is an unforgettable experience. It’s a mix of anxiety and excitement, and almost always a tiny bit of cognitive dissonance. No matter how much you actually research, nothing can quite prepare you when you…

• 17 Sep 2022
• 9 min read
• 0

How I Lost $5,400 In A Rental Scam In Singapore: Here’s My Story And How These Scammers Work

The property rental market is booming in 2022, and tenants are fighting tooth and nail for affordable accommodation. This sort of scenario is fertile ground for rental scams: tenants who are in urgent need may go out on a limb,…

• 16 Sep 2022
• 6 min read
• 0

Tour A Pinnacle@Duxton Home Transformation: How A Couple With A $65k Reno Budget Created A Cosy Home

As a young couple, it’s always an incredibly exciting time when you’ve managed to secure your first home.  But once you get through all the stress of finding the right home, you’d soon realise the next part of the journey…

• 13 Sep 2022
• 8 min read
• 0

Tour An Old 1978 HDB Transformation: How A Couple Created A Minimalist Expansive Home

There’s one big question that every homeowner will face after buying a resale HDB flat – how many structural changes do you want to do to the property? Hack down a wall to have a bigger living? Sure, it’s always…

• 7 Sep 2022
• 8 min read
• 2

My Journey As A Single Homebuyer In Singapore: Why I Bought My 3-Room HDB & Spent $29k To Renovate It

We all know what it’s like for singles to buy a home in Singapore. Other than the prohibitive, and quite frankly, arbitrary minimum to be 35 years of age, the other problem is that you don’t have unfettered access to…

• 3 Sep 2022
• 12 min read
• 2