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 in the opposite though, and actively prefer the ground-floor units. Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t simply because the ground floor might be cheaper:

1. An easier transition from a landed home with a garden

May, who lives with her father, says their decision to get a ground floor unit was due to patio space:

“My dad and I both love plants, and previously we had a house in Siglap. But we sold it in 2017, after my children got married and moved. We chose this condo because we like how the patio links to the common garden, and we saw many of the neighbours had their own big pots (this refers to large potted plants); so we knew the management was okay with it.”

May says they accepted a condo would have less space than a landed home, but losing the plants was non-negotiable:

“Some of the plants in the big pots have been with us for so long, even before my dad retired. And some were from my late mum; so we couldn’t bear to just throw them. So when I told my property agent, he went and found for us all the condos where there’s room for the plants, planter boxes and whatever. But all the higher floor units were very expensive and the space is very cramped.

The only one we saw that came close was Bedok Court; that was my first choice but my dad was against it, because the whole place seemed about to en-bloc at the time. And we didn’t want to end up moving again. So when we saw this place, even though it was out of the original budget, we realised it had to be this one.”

May says there are some drawbacks to being on the ground floor, however, and she does wish the patio space was more secure:

“It’s not so safe. Inside is locked, but anyone can climb onto the decking, it’s not hard to climb (there is a waist-height fence around the deck). One time I actually caught a lady plucking my plants. There’s no CCTV covering this part, I had to pay to install my own.”

Another time May said that a couple were talking near her unit, and they left their empty drink packets on her patio fence. She suggests that:

“If you go for this kind of patio make sure it’s not near the BBQ zone or where people walk their dogs, and make sure your condo security is the alert kind.”

2. A more communal sense of living

KT says his previous home was also a ground-floor unit, which was a flat in Serangoon. His family was used to leaving only the front gate closed but the door open:

“We liked conversations with neighbours as they walked by. My dad is also a recent retiree, he was freed from his ‘prison’ (office work) in 2022. He likes just sitting and looking outside with the door open, and if anyone comes he can chit chat. But we made the move to a condo because my company moved. This is closer to my business.”

KT says his initial choice, which was a neighbouring condo, was a 12th-floor unit. However, the change felt jarring to his family:

“Some people prefer quiet, but we found it very eerie. Just white sky and silence. And there’s only two units per floor some more, and the neighbour was like a ghost. I know some people prefer privacy, but for us, it was too quiet, especially after our previous flat.”

After a few other viewings, KT settled for a ground-floor unit near the condo clubhouse. This offered a good view of the pool and gym area, and his Feng Shui consultant had noted that the pool – which also has a waterfall feature – was aligned toward the front of the unit, which was ideal. 

“We are one of the rare people who like to hear the families and the children. I think as we get older, we want to hear this sort of laughter, when one day our own children have left the house. And there is a bench right outside where my dad goes to sit and talk to other residents, and he can just walk back inside the house very easily. Don’t even have to take the lift.” 

However, KT says it may not be for everyone, as the noise levels are very high on weekends and special occasions:

“Friday and Saturday, everybody and their whole kampung will come, and sometimes there are events. When they have those New Year countdowns or residents’ flea markets, it sounds like a pasar malam outside your door. And on Saturday the Zumba class will play their music for one hour. I can feel my door vibrate. But for us we like it, it’s lively. For other people who are more private, I think they won’t appreciate it.”

3. A combination of many small conveniences

YT says it’s not so much a single issue, as it is a range of conveniences she enjoys with ground-floor units:

“I like that I can look out my window and see when my food is coming. When I call a Grab I can look out from my living room and see when they pull up, I don’t need to go outside and wait. I don’t need to wait for the lift and my food arrives sooner, and I can put any number of things I want on my balcony (actually the service yard) ledge, without getting fined. Nothing can drop and kill someone from here, right? So when there’s killer litter you also know there’s zero chance it was me.”

YT is also finicky about clean windows and considers it a plus that she can walk outside and clean off bird droppings or other such debris, rather than waiting for the management to get around to it. 

As a final bonus, she adds that: “Ground floor units are cooler, you don’t have the sun blasting in through your window; and the other blocks also shield you from the sun.” 

4. The ground floor unit came with extra space outside

Marcus says he had a choice between two units in the same condo, but picked the ground floor because of “secret bonus space.”  This is the area outside his unit, which doesn’t count toward his square footage:

“For the upper floors, there’s not much room right outside the front door. The neighbour warned me that when they put things like umbrella stands and shoe racks, they would be told by the management that it has to be cleared away due to fire safety.

But for the ground floor, there’s enough space to put a proper shoe rack and a seat outside, and it looks so much less cramped. I used to put a plant outside also, and management never stopped me, although it died, haha! I may get another one.”

Besides this, Marcus says he’s much less likely to miss the shuttle to the MRT:

“I had this experience in my previous condo. My girlfriend and I would always miss the shuttle because of the long waiting time for the lift. In the morning everyone is going to work at the same time, you have to be out the door extra early to wait at the foyer. Down here, I just open the door and dash out.” 

Marcus also adds that, if you’re the sort who keeps your curtains drawn most of the time anyway, you won’t feel any loss of privacy:

“I think the sense of lost privacy is when you see all the heads moving past your window, the people who could look in. But we keep our curtains closed all the time anyway, so we don’t feel that. And if you keep your curtains closed, there’s also no reason to buy a higher floor anyway, it’s not as if you’re enjoying the view.”