$828k For A 3-Room HDB In 2024? Here Are The Most Expensive 3-Room HDB Transactions So Far

4-room and 5-room flats may be more popular, but let us explain why 3-room flats are important: they are, for the most part, the best option for family units on a tight budget. They’re even seen as a springboard by some. Ask around: some homeowners may even tell you the best way to get a condo is to buy the smallest (read: 3-room) resale flat and aggressively hoard/invest the savings, rather than count on your flat’s appreciation. So while million-dollar flats are scary, it’s actually less frightening than the notion of 3-room flats becoming too pricey. Because once you can’t afford this segment of the resale market, your back may really be up against the wall. Here are where 3-room flats have reached hair-raising levels:

Yes, resale 3-room flats have crossed the $800,000 mark

Granted, these pricey 3-room flats are still central region outliers; but hand-waving them might be a sort of willful ignorance. This doesn’t look like the kind of freak incident that’s going to clear up in the next quarter or two, and it really shows how much even the smaller flats can end up costing:

1. Kallang Trivista

(Not to be confused with Trevista, which is a condo)

Kallang Trivista is at the intersection of Upper Boon Keng Road and Geylang Lorong 1, which makes this one of the best-situated HDB projects in Kallang/Whampoa. Besides an excellent waterfront view of the Kallang River, the project is right next to the Kallang Park Connector, which is a favourite riverside stretch for cyclists (this runs all the way to Ang Mo Kio).

Kallang MRT station (EWL) is just a short walk, and the Upper Boon Keng market and hawker centre are just across the road. This HDB enclave is very developed, and besides the usual heartland amenities, there’s a Sheng Siong right across from Trivista.

The Kallang Sports Hub, with the attendant Kallang Wave Mall, provides good access to a major lifestyle and retail spot; but another key highlight is the proximity to Geylang. Besides the slew of 24-hour food joints and minimarts, Trivista manages to be near this hotspot without being entangled in Geylang’s traffic problems.

To top it off, this project was completed only in 2017, so lease decay is still insignificant. 

There is just one major drawback to Trivista, and that’s the lack of schools within a one-kilometre radius. That doesn’t matter to retirees who are downsizing, however, or to lifelong singles who don’t care about school access; for these groups, the 3-room flats offer the lowest quantum for a highly convenient location.

2. Clementi Cascadia

Another “best of” development, besides Clementi Crest, Clementi Cascadia is probably the next best positioned HDB flat in Clementi right now. It’s next to Clementi Mall and the Clementi MRT station (EWL, CRL), so this project is right in the hub of the neighbourhood. Note that this is also just one stop from Dover MRT, where Singapore Polytechnic is located – a strong draw for families with tertiary education students.

Clementi’s market and hawker centre is also just a short walk from Cascadia, in case Clementi Mall isn’t enough. 

Besides Singapore Poly, there’s a cluster of reputable schools within one kilometre of Clementi Cascadia. Clementi Primary (right next door), Pei Tong, Nan Hua, Clementi Town Secondary, and Tagline Secondary are all within a close distance. 

There’s the usual trade-off for living in the hub of the neighbourhood however: the area around Clementi Mall is the busiest in the neighbourhood, so traffic and noise are inevitable. There’s also not much in the way of greenery, so more outdoorsy types may feel hemmed in. 

Cascadia was built in 2018, so lease decay is still negligible; and part of the price premium comes from this project being fresh out of its MOP last year. 

3. Havelock View

Havelock View mainly sees demand for its proximity to Tiong Bahru, Singapore’s hipster capital. This area is home to many artisanal cafes, boutiques, and homegrown designer brands; and gentrification has given it an upscale vibe. The flats at Havelock View are within walking distance of these stretches, and also within walking distance to Tiong Bahru MRT (EWL). 

Note that Outram Park and Tanjong Pagar are one and two stops from Tiong Bahru MRT, so Havelock View residents have excellent access to the CBD. 

Havelock MRT (TEL) is also about an equal distance away, and this provides good access to Great World and its attendant amenities. It also means residents have access to two train lines, for better overall accessibility.

While the surroundings are quite heavily built up, this is partly mitigated by easy access to the Alexandra Park Connector; and if you have no taste for the fancy artisanal cafes, the Havelock Road Hawker Centre is within walking distance. 

One other standout quality: most flats within the area of Tiong Bahru are very old, and the lease decay is off-putting to younger buyers. But Havelock View was built in 2011, which gives it access to Tiong Bahru without the drawback of age; this is what’s being reflected in the price.

4. St. George’s Towers

St. George’s Towers is near the Whampoa River, close to where it meets Serangoon Road. This project is within close walking distance of Boon Keng MRT (NEL), which is also the hub of the neighbourhood: the market and food centre are across from the MRT, and this stretch of Serangoon Road is dotted with coffee shops, fast food outlets, hair salons, etc. 

Bendemeer Shopping Mall, an HDB-run mall, is also within walking distance. Most day-to-day shopping and grocery needs can be found here. But for those who don’t mind driving or taking the bus for a few minutes, City Square Mall and Little India also provide more options. Due to the Boon Keng station being nearby, this development also has good access to hotspots like NEX megamall at Serangoon, just three stops away. 

Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital (Singapore’s largest single-site nursing home) is close to this development, though we believe it’s far enough that it shouldn’t matter. We do know some buyers have taboos about this though.

Overall, this is a convenient interconnecting point between Little India, Kallang-Whampoa, and Serangoon, and this is likely to keep the prices high. 

5. The SIT-era flats at Tiong Bahru

In a sense, these have cheated their way onto the list, as some might argue they can’t really be considered HDB flats. These very old projects (SIT predates the existence of HDB) can be humongous compared to present day counterparts, so even descriptors like 3-room have to be taken with a grain of salt. 

Sadly, many of these are so old that even proper floor plans are lacking, so we can’t give you precise details on how big the individual units truly are. It also doesn’t help that layouts in the SIT-era were much less standardised, so it’s tough to make common assumptions about size and features.

Nonetheless, these flats have a high price tag due to their scarcity, and their Tiong Bahru location. Tiong Bahru is a heavily gentrified, hipster capital of Singapore – it’s home to many local designer brands, unique boutiques, artisanal cafes, etc. It’s one of the most unique areas in Singapore, with a vibe and amenities that you just can’t find elsewhere. 

Unfortunately, these “flats” can’t be seen as much more than an indulgence, as their age means their leases are rapidly running down – at the price premiums we’re seeing, many aren’t really appropriate for investment. 

These flats also reveal a bit of a social conundrum: the old retirees who own them (Tiong Bahru was cheap and not particularly desirable in the past) are slowly being priced out of fancy amenities in the area. From word on the ground, there’s a lot of resentment among the older folk, who see their coffee shops and heartland stores being replaced by fancy Modern European restaurants and cafes. So as charming as the area is, the neighbourly spirit has soured a little.