Why Some Homebuyers In Singapore Hate “Efficient” Layouts
“There’s no way it can compete with an older condo” is a sentiment I still hear these days. This is despite moves like GFA harmonisation, and developers implementing dumbbell layouts wherever possible. Among a certain group of Singaporeans, you’ll never change the perspective that newer condos are just shinier hamster cages; no matter how much one goes on about efficiency.
Is it fair? Do they have a point?
Well…kind of. It’s easy to handwave all this as prejudice – but the truth is, that “better layouts” are always going to be subjective. Take, for example, the dumbbell layout I was just talking about: this layout tends to use the living/dining area as a connecting point between bedrooms on either side. This removes the need for a corridor connecting the two rooms.
(A corridor is wasted space, since it’s square footage that you can’t sleep in, dine in, play in, etc.)
But I’ve met several home buyers who absolutely loathe this efficient layout. It’s especially abhorrent to some believers of ‘90s style layouts, where the private spaces (bedrooms) should be separated from the communal spaces. Case in point, a show flat viewer last week who complained that his job is very stressful, and the last thing he wants is noise from the kids screaming over their Xbox to enter both bedrooms.
And I have to say, he’s got me there.
With both bedrooms flanking the living room, it’s easy to have your sleep disrupted; especially if half your family likes sleeping at 2 am while the other half, like me, thinks 2 am is the perfect time to be binge-watching The Penguin.
Then there’s the people who like corridors, which are the perfect gallery for family photos or grand mirrors; and the Feng Shui believers who hate how the front door opens straight into the living/dining room.
Then there’s the balcony, which to some is still a quintessential luxury
I don’t get it, and I know a lot of homebuyers who don’t get it either. The only people I know who like sitting outdoors in the Singapore weather are foreigners, who have had it with a lifetime of freezing winters. But for me – and I’m sure for some of you – our humid tropical climate feels as pleasant as having your head tucked under an orangutan’s armpit.
So balconies, to the likes of us, are just wasted square footage. But while we cheer on developers for not doing it, there’s a large demographic who frown at the lack of balconies. These are the types who love balconies they can put a chair (or a whole dining table) on, for alfresco dining and taking in the view. This group of homebuyers will adore ’80s-style terrace condos, where the living room opens into a balcony big enough to park a small plane. Never mind the headache of scrubbing and cleaning an outdoor area that large.
Then there’s the types who are focused on sheer square footage
Yes, they’re aware of GFA harmonisation. Yes, they’re aware planter boxes and bay windows take up space. And they may hate balconies too. But these are the people who well and truly have a lot of stuff.
Musicians who really need space for a piano, or guitars*. Photographers who use their home as a studio, or fish enthusiasts who need an aquarium that could fit a dolphin. For home buyers like this, “better layouts” and “improved efficiency” still take a backseat to sheer, raw, square footage. And however inefficient a layout from an old condo like, say, Pandan Valley or Bullion Park may be, it doesn’t matter: it’s still bigger (at a more affordable price) than newer condos today. So no amount of clever, Tetris-like repositioning of rooms will impress these buyers. As far as they’re concerned, the newer projects aren’t fit for their purpose, and will never be better.
I think the single, universally agreed-on new feature that everyone likes is only the nook kitchen. Everyone prefers a kitchen where you can have cabinets and counters on all three sides.
*Guitars are like Pringles, no one stops at having just one.
Meanwhile in other property news…
- It’s 2025 and condo prices are high; perhaps now is the time to cash in and right-size back to a flat. Here are the main considerations before doing so.
- Can a condo further from the MRT fetch better gains, than one closer to the station? The results may surprise you.
- Parktown Residences smashed records by moving 1,041 units at launch. But why, when Tampines North is still ulu?
- A pricing comparison between Union Square Residences, Canninghill Piers, and Riviere. Check it out before you buy.
- Freehold terrace houses from $3.38 million, and in the East Coast no less. Check out this enclave.
Weekly Sales Roundup (17 February – 23 February)
Top 5 Most Expensive New Sales (By Project)
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | TENURE |
| MEYER BLUE | $6,106,000 | 1905 | $3,205 | FH |
| TEMBUSU GRAND | $4,208,000 | 1711 | $2,459 | 99 yrs (2022) |
| PARKTOWN RESIDENCE | $4,048,000 | 1679 | $2,411 | 99 years |
| ELTA | $3,907,000 | 1776 | $2,200 | 99 years |
| THE ORIE | $3,866,000 | 1453 | $2,660 | 99 yrs (2024) |
Top 5 Cheapest New Sales (By Project)
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | TENURE |
| PARKTOWN RESIDENCE | $1,070,000 | 463 | $2,312 | 99 years |
| ELTA | $1,158,000 | 506 | $2,289 | 99 years |
| KASSIA | $1,160,000 | 549 | $2,113 | FH |
| BAGNALL HAUS | $1,303,000 | 495 | $2,632 | FH |
| THE ORIE | $1,379,000 | 517 | $2,669 | 99 yrs (2024) |
Top 5 Most Expensive Resale
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | TENURE |
| YONG AN PARK | $15,000,000 | 6878 | $2,181 | FH |
| THE DRAYCOTT | $6,350,000 | 2637 | $2,408 | FH |
| HILLTOPS | $5,888,888 | 2056 | $2,864 | FH |
| LEEDON RESIDENCE | $5,820,000 | 2131 | $2,731 | FH |
| RIVIERE | $5,100,000 | 1711 | $2,980 | 99 yrs (2018) |
Top 5 Cheapest Resale
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | TENURE |
| HEDGES PARK CONDOMINIUM | $680,000 | 484 | $1,404 | 99 yrs (2010) |
| # 1 SUITES | $705,000 | 581 | $1,213 | FH |
| PALM ISLES | $725,000 | 560 | $1,295 | 99 yrs (2011) |
| EUHABITAT | $728,000 | 517 | $1,409 | 99 yrs (2010) |
| KINGSFORD WATERBAY | $730,000 | 474 | $1,541 | 99 yrs (2014) |
Top 5 Biggest Winners
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | RETURNS | HOLDING PERIOD |
| YONG AN PARK | $15,000,000 | 6878 | $2,181 | $6,500,000 | 14 Years |
| THE ANCHORAGE | $2,950,000 | 1604 | $1,839 | $1,990,000 | 22 Years |
| LEEDON RESIDENCE | $5,820,000 | 2131 | $2,731 | $1,984,038 | 12 Years |
| WATTEN HILL | $5,000,000 | 2626 | $1,904 | $1,700,000 | 9 Years |
| VERSILIA ON HAIG | $2,610,000 | 1313 | $1,987 | $1,533,340 | 16 Years |
Top 5 Biggest Losers
| PROJECT NAME | PRICE S$ | AREA (SQFT) | $PSF | RETURNS | HOLDING PERIOD |
| HELIOS RESIDENCES | $3,902,888 | 1668 | $2,339 | -$2,087,112 | 12 Years |
| THE OCEANFRONT @ SENTOSA COVE | $2,780,000 | 1711 | $1,624 | -$864,430 | 17 Years |
| HILLTOPS | $5,888,888 | 2056 | $2,864 | -$311,112 | 4 Years |
| RIVIERE | $5,100,000 | 1711 | $2,980 | -$135,000 | 2 Years |
| REFLECTIONS AT KEPPEL BAY | $3,300,000 | 1905 | $1,732 | -$62,335 | 6 Years |
Transaction Breakdown
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