Homeowner Stories

Tour A 25-Year Old HDB Transformation: How A Couple Created A Cosy Minimalist Home With $55k

You can tell a lot by a home account’s Instagram name sometimes, and today’s feature @twohermits.sg is no different.  As you can probably tell, E and XN are the sort that love to stay at home. And if you are…

• 31 Aug 2022
• 10 min read
• 0

My $10,000 HDB Window Horror Story: How It Caused A 10-Month Delay

Most of us don’t think too much about the windows in our HDB flats… until it becomes a problem. Then we might find out it’s a pricey nightmare to change them; or that the type of windows we have can…

• 25 Aug 2022
• 7 min read
• 14

Inside An Amazing $34k Renovation Of A Punggol 4-Room BTO: How A Couple Self-Designed & Thrifted Their Charming Home

There’s always just something about designing your own home that you may not quite get with an ID – and that’s a home that just oozes personality and character.  This is what Sha and Jim (@ho_me_space) tried to achieve in…

• 22 Aug 2022
• 10 min read
• 0

We Paid $35k For Our 4-Room BTO Renovation 6 Years Ago: Here’s How We Remade It Into A Modern Boho Home Instead

Moving into a newly renovated home is always going to be one of the nicest feelings in the world. But what happens after you’ve stayed for a couple of years? Things get a little stale, that TV console that you…

• 17 Aug 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

Confessions Of A Property Agent In Singapore: Why I Had To Drop My Worst Client Ever

We’ve all heard the terrible agent stories. Cheating unsuspecting buyers, always pushing for new launches for the high commission, hiding details that could break the deal – it’s no wonder many feel that an agent’s job is akin to one…

• 15 Aug 2022
• 7 min read
• 3

An Old 1986 Executive Maisonette In Hougang Gets A Cosy Transformation Into A Modern Farmhouse Look

An executive maisonette is all the rage these past few Covid-19 years. The two-storey feature and unique layout are perhaps what makes it sought-after even today, almost three decades after it was discontinued. With an incessantly rising demand and limited…

• 10 Aug 2022
• 11 min read
• 4

Tour A Incredible $60k HDB Transformation: How A Couple Self-Designed A Modern Coastal Retreat

Given that we basically live on an island, it’s interesting that we don’t see as many coastal-inspired designed homes in Singapore.  And even though a coastal home design is not as popular here, it has actually been around for a…

• 4 Aug 2022
• 9 min read
• 1

Tour An Old 1987 HDB Transformation: How A Couple Achieved A Japandi Look With A $90k Reno Budget

If there’s anything that Singaporeans have a common love for, it’s anything Japanese. Even when it comes to a home, that minimalist Muji-look is very much a look that is sought after.  But for some, that minimalist look can be…

• 30 Jul 2022
• 8 min read
• 1

How A Couple With A $60k Reno Budget Created A Mid-Century Modern Home With Iconic Lamps

Step into Shannon and Shawn’s (*not their real name for privacy reasons) 4-room HDB home in Sin Ming and the first thing that captures your attention is the half-wall colours of off-white and green that are reflected throughout most of…

• 28 Jul 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

I Spent 24 Hours With Migrant Workers In Singapore: A Behind The Scenes Look At The People That Build Our Homes

Buying, renovating, and moving to a new home can be one of the most stressful periods of your life. The uncertainty of securing a BTO or even a resale condo, to the anxiety of working with a renovation ID (oh,…

• 25 Jul 2022
• 10 min read
• 3

Tour A 1,001 Sqft HDB Home Transformation: How A Couple Broke Down Walls To Create A Bright Open-Plan Layout

There’s a reason why recently MOP-ed HDB units are in demand. Given the newer condition (compared to an older HDB resale), you’re less likely to spend a fortune for the reno since it’s newer.  However, this notion is not actually…

• 23 Jul 2022
• 11 min read
• 1

Tour A Charming 1,300 Sqft European Farmhouse Inspired HDB Home In Bedok

It’s not often you see a home that is done up in a European Farmhouse style in Singapore.  For those who might not be familiar, a European Farmhouse design is actually one that sports a lived-in comfortable vibe, with a…

• 20 Jul 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

Tour This 1,292 Sqft DBSS Home Transformation: How A Couple Converted Bay Windows & Planters Into Lovely Usable Spaces

When Sarah and Gareth (*not their real names) (@hownowbrownhouse) purchased their 5-room DBSS resale unit at Ang Mo Kio, they knew they had the right canvas to realise their dream home. “We purchased it as we wanted a larger unit…

• 18 Jul 2022
• 8 min read
• 0

From EC To District 10 Condo: How A Couple’s Property Investment Decision Evolved

Would you pay off an Executive Condominium (EC) in full, or buy a District 10 condo on loan? They’re vastly different approaches to real estate, and you might think we’re talking about two different buyer profiles. However, that’s the journey…

• 11 Jul 2022
• 5 min read
• 0

10 Old Iconic Private Apartments In Singapore In The 1970s/80s: A Conversation With Finbarr & Samantha

Did you know that high-rise apartments have actually been accused of many unpleasant outcomes? Chief of these are themes like fear, dissatisfaction, stress, behaviour problems, suicide, poor social relations, reduced helpfulness, and hindered child development. (Adapted from Robert Gifford, The…

• 11 Jul 2022
• 8 min read
• 0

Tour This Minimalist Korean Aesthetic Home In Telok Blangah Towers Built At A Cost Of $70k

Telok Blangah is an ideal place for those who want to reside in a peaceful area that’s not too far from Singapore’s urban landscape. Not only does it have amazing views of both lush greenery and the sea, but it’s…

• 9 Jul 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

Inside A New York Loft-Inspired 1,369 Sqft Home That Is Vibrant & Homely

A New York loft is something like living in a shophouse here in Singapore. Both are prevalent historic building types that are now very much part of the built identity of the cities.  Traditionally, a loft is an apartment within…

• 6 Jul 2022
• 7 min read
• 0

How This Old Maisonette In Paya Lebar Was Transformed With A $110k Renovation Budget

Did you know that the HDB stopped building maisonettes in 1995? And so owning this type of home nowadays means having to purchase an old one and renovating it to suit your preferences. But herein lies the challenge. As they…

• 2 Jul 2022
• 9 min read
• 0