Property Stories

Are Condos In Singapore With The Number “8” More Prosperous? 

In Asia, few numbers are more emblematic of prosperity than the iconic “8.” In Mandarin, “8” (“ba”) sounds similar to “fa,” which means wealth—a linguistic coincidence that has made “8” a symbol of abundance. So we’ve decided to put this…

• 28 Jan 2025
• 4 min read
• 1

Touring A Rare Convenient Freehold Landed Estate Close To Marine Parade MRT (From $5m)

Today, we’re headed to Jago Close and Chapel Road, 2 parallel streets in the East of Singapore. These 2 streets are just off East Coast Road and between Marine Parade MRT station, the Marine Parade HDB estate, and many famous…

• 26 Jan 2025
• 10 min read
• 1

Touring A Little-Known Affordable Landed Estate Near Bedok Reservoir (From $2.85m)

One thing you may have noticed when visiting landed estates in Singapore is the penchant for redeveloping older houses and re-building them as high as possible – no surprise in land-scarce Singapore. Hence, when I saw that there was a…

• 19 Jan 2025
• 8 min read
• 1

“Why I Bought My Property Even Though I Might Lose Money” Singaporean Homeowners Share Their Stories

Is your property a way to make money, or just a roof over your head? Well, the most honest answer from most Singaporeans is “Why not both?” But every now and again, we encounter true owner-occupiers; genuine home buyers as…

• 13 Jan 2025
• 7 min read
• 0

Touring A Quiet Freehold Landed Estate In The East With Terrace Homes From $3.8m

As everyone knows, it’s increasingly difficult to find a non-strata, non-leasehold landed property in Singapore for under $4 million these days. Hence, when I saw that there was an estate in the East which had not 1, but 2, freehold…

• 12 Jan 2025
• 10 min read
• 0

Are You Overspending On HDB Renovations? Why You Should Rethink Custom Cabinetry

I think many of my ID and contractor friends might kill me for writing this, but one of my biggest pet peeves of BTO and HDB renovations in Singapore is the amount of needless custom carpentry that is not only…

• 7 Jan 2025
• 7 min read
• 2

Touring A Rare Convenient Freehold Landed Estate Close To Katong Park MRT (From $5.3m)

Today, we’re back in the East, visiting Margate Road, which is a residential street that runs perpendicularly between Mountbatten Road and Meyer Road. It’s an interesting street because one end has large detached units, whilst the other end has terrace…

• 5 Jan 2025
• 8 min read
• 0

Inside A Hidden Freehold Landed Estate In D11 With Cluster Landed Homes From $3.85m

I was on my way back from town when I came across some houses on Bo Seng Avenue – it’s a street I’d never visited before, so I thought it would be interesting to do a walkabout of it and…

• 29 Dec 2024
• 8 min read
• 0

The Surprising Property Deals That Closed On Christmas Day In Singapore

Does anyone sell their home on Christmas? The answer appears to be yes! Some surprisingly profitable transactions occur on Christmas day, so maybe someone got a gift-wrapped new condo. Not literally, because that would take a lot of wrapping paper….

• 24 Dec 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

My Search For A Better Old Folks Homes In Singapore: A Review Of A Spa-Like Retirement Home In London

Some time ago, I wrote an article about my search for a better retirement home (as compared to what we currently have in Singapore.) It seems I’m not the only middle-aged Singaporean concerned about his/her housing situation post-retirement, as the…

• 22 Dec 2024
• 8 min read
• 3

Why We Chose A Ground-Floor Condo In Singapore: The Unexpected Perks Beyond Price

Most Singaporean property buyers associate higher floors with better value. It’s why “all-floors-same-price” promotions are a favourite sales tactic when sales are slow, and if the price stays the same most people would choose a high-floor unit. Some buyers believe…

• 18 Dec 2024
• 6 min read
• 1

I Stayed in Quincy House Singapore for 2 Nights: Here’s My Experience Living in A Brand New Serviced Residence in Holland V

Remember when coffee shops were just quick pit stops for caffeine? Over time, they’ve transformed into curated spaces with distinct personalities: from matcha bars, animal-themed cafes, and even HDB-inspired hangouts. I recently came across an HDB-themed café and couldn’t help…

• 17 Dec 2024
• 10 min read
• 0

Touring A Convenient Freehold Landed Estate Next To Farrer Road MRT And An HDB Estate

A while back, we viewed Kingsville, a landed enclave in King’s Drive, Bukit Timah, which was of interest because of the properties’ leasehold status and thus lower price point. However, for many Singaporeans, buying a leasehold landed house makes no…

• 15 Dec 2024
• 8 min read
• 0

How My Home Loan In Singapore Was Rejected (And How I Fixed It)

It’s not just the festive season, it’s also home loan season: with interest rates cooling a bit, quite several Singaporeans are seeking to refinance into cheaper mortgages. At the same time, we’re seeing strong transaction volumes as condo sales pick…

• 14 Dec 2024
• 5 min read
• 0

What $11.3 Million Buys You In Katong: A Closer Look At Prime Freehold Landed Homes In Singapore

Some time back, we visited Swanage Road in Katong, where you can find terrace houses located within walking distance of many cafes, restaurants, shops, Chung Cheng High School, and Tanjong Katong Girls’ School. (Landed houses can sometimes be rather removed…

• 9 Dec 2024
• 7 min read
• 0

“I Said No to My Condo’s En-Bloc Sale” Why These 3 Singaporeans Said No To En-Bloc Millions

Most Singaporeans see their condo’s en-bloc sale as a windfall. For many, it may even be a planned exit strategy: ask around, and some investors will tell you it’s the specific reason they like older condos (i.e., buy cheaper because…

• 5 Dec 2024
• 4 min read
• 0

Retiring On A Cruise Ship In Singapore For $4.4k Per Month: Does It Make Sense?

To many, living on a cruise ship after retiring, and touring the world sounds like a dream. It’s somewhat similar to being on a permanent holiday! The fact that it comes with a thriving social scene, which many people lack…

• 1 Dec 2024
• 9 min read
• 0

Inside A Tiny Freehold Landed Estate In Ang Mo Kio Near The MRT From $4.75m

Shangri-La Close is a tiny, tiny, TINY freehold landed estate off Ang Mo Kio Avenue 2 and Ang Mo Kio Street 11 (it is connected to both of these roads.) It lies in between 2 estates that we had previously…

• 17 Nov 2024
• 7 min read
• 0