From Large Condo To Small Flat: Homeowners Share Their Downgrading Regrets In Singapore

Get The Property Insights Serious Buyers Read First: Join 50,000+ readers who rely on our weekly breakdowns of Singapore’s property market.

A seasoned content strategist with over 17 years in the real estate and financial journalism sectors, Ryan has built a reputation for transforming complex industry jargon into accessible knowledge. With a track record of writing and editing for leading financial platforms and publications, Ryan's expertise has been recognised across various media outlets. His role as a former content editor for 99.co and a co-host for CNA 938's Open House programme underscores his commitment to providing valuable insights into the property market.
The post-Covid era is generally regarded as a good time for sellers. Home prices were at a high, so those looking at property gains for retirement (or other investments) would theoretically have done well. But as we’ve found out, not all downgraders who rushed to capitalise on their gains have been totally happy. This is where real estate differs from other financial investments, in that it tends to go far beyond money:
1. Some belongings are not worth giving up, even for the money
YK is in his mid-forties, and he just right-sized from a large, 2,000+ sq. ft. condo unit, which was handed down from his late mother. YK and his wife moved into a smaller two-bedder unit. This meant lower maintenance fees, as well as savings on transport and necessities: the couple’s previous home was quite far from malls or MRT stations, causing the couple to spend excessively on food and grocery deliveries.

Within the first year, however, YK says he already began to have regrets:
“The shock of moving from 2000+ sq. ft. to 650 sq. ft. is huge, and there’s definitely a negative impact. We had to give up a lot of hobbies, and we underestimated how little the space really is.”
It was especially painful for YK who collects vintage electronics, and he had to auction off his collection of game consoles, which included a prized complete set of ZX Spectrum games. In addition, belongings like sporting equipment, bicycles, and large parts of the couple’s wardrobe also had to be given away. In hindsight, the couple find themselves missing these more than they enjoy the monetary savings.
Even having food nearby started to lose its charm:
“When we lived far away, having a 24-hour coffee shop and prata at all hours was like a fantasy. After the first two months, I was already sick of the food, and I started ordering on Grab Food again anyway.”
The biggest loss though, according to the couple, is the ability to easily host his father, siblings, or nephew when they want to stay overnight:
“In our old place, we had a guest bedroom, so it was easy for them to stay. And when they visited they would stay longer, because if it was too late they would just spend the night. Now we don’t have the room, so we’ve lost our late-night conversations and all-night movie marathons, which were the highlight of the weekend for me.”
YK describes the financial gains as “substantial” and agrees that, on paper, the move was a good one which made sense. However, both he and his wife still feel it was the wrong move, given the impact on their lifestyle.
The main regret?
“Big houses are rare today. I don’t think at the prices today, I will ever have the chance to own a unit that’s so big again; so my biggest regret is that I can’t undo this move.”
2. Negative impact on children
Joan is a recently widowed parent of two, who downgraded from a condo to a resale flat in 2021. Part of the reason was financial: Joan was previously a homemaker; she has just re-entered the workforce, and is earning less than her late husband. In addition, only one of her children is of working age, and able to contribute.
Nonetheless, Joan says that in hindsight her decision to downgrade was too much of a knee-jerk reaction:
“We could have kept the condo because it* was insured, and we could have coped with the maintenance. My in-laws and my own parents also promised to help if I needed it. But I was in a lot of fear at the time, and I suffered from anxiety attacks every few days; downgrading to have more savings was my way of feeling secure.”
Joan realised she had made a mistake when, a year after the move, her children seemed less outgoing, more moody, and often refused to leave the house:
More from Stacked
We Evaluate The Truths Behind 4 Common Property Sayings
The Singapore property market is awash with sayings and platitudes. Some old favourites include “If you want to see a…
“Previously they had friends and they socialised a lot. Now they mostly stay at home and watch Netflix. For my eldest, I thought at first she was just tired, because she had started working. But after a while I realised it’s because they’ve lost touch with their circle of friends.”
Joan says that, even though keeping in touch is easier with social media, there’s less time and inclination to meet up due to the realities of distance. Her children don’t want to travel for 30 to 40 minutes each way to meet up, and to just hang out for a much shorter time than they had before.
There is another major issue that worsens this: Joan says that she shouldn’t have implemented the move so soon after the loss of the children’s father, as this likely imposes even more stress.
Her advice to downgraders, especially those facing big changes in their financial situation, is to: “Calm down, give yourself time to think, don’t rush to downgrade because of a panic. And consider the impact on other family members as well.”
One of the few upsides though, is that the downgrade has helped to ensure Joan’s eldest can quit her part-time job to focus on schooling, if he so chooses.
*This refers to the mortgage. Mortgage insurance pays off the outstanding home loan in the event of death.
3. The loss of privacy isn’t worth the money
BK moved from a landed home in the Jalan Eunos area, to a three-bedder in the Middle Road area. This was due to the needs of his mother, who suffers from dementia. The former landed house not only had stairs, it was also easy for her to wander out the front gate and directly onto the road.
(Incidentally, BK raises some points that might be useful to know: Smaller homes are less confusing than large, multi-level homes for people with dementia. And even if you install a lift, which BK did consider, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s harder to monitor dementia patients when they might be on a different floor).

By shifting to a single-floor condo, BK had multiple intentions: the first was that it was safer for his mother. The second was to prepare for retirement. BK expects this to happen within the next decade, and he says that: “I know how I am, if I didn’t do it within five years, I would have ended up staying there forever.”
Everything makes sense, so why was BK unhappy after the first year?
“I should have picked a smaller place, because the noise is quite bad. The moment I try to walk out, there are people shouting, there’s a roar from the waterfall pool, there are dogs barking and kids on scooters. It’s not an environment that my mum would feel comfortable walking in.”
BK also misses the opportunity to sit in his own garden and backyard, and just relax as the sun goes down. While he’s tried to do this in the quieter areas of the condo, he’s inevitably interrupted by cleaners, kids starting ball games (even though it’s against the rules), and food delivery workers, contractors, etc. going by.
BK says his mistake was simply underestimating the impact of living with many more people; and it may be the contrast that worsens it:
“I think if you are going from a condo to HDB or HDB to condo, it’s a bit less jarring. But when you go from landed to either of these two, especially if you were in a quiet place like Jalan Eunos, it feels like you step into a pasar malam every time you head in and out of your house.”
Do you know anyone who isn’t too happy after downsizing their home? Comment and let us know their story.
You can also follow us on Stacked for more stories on homeowner experiences and advice. If you’d like to get in touch for a more in-depth consultation, you can do so here.
Ryan J
A seasoned content strategist with over 17 years in the real estate and financial journalism sectors, Ryan has built a reputation for transforming complex industry jargon into accessible knowledge. With a track record of writing and editing for leading financial platforms and publications, Ryan's expertise has been recognised across various media outlets. His role as a former content editor for 99.co and a co-host for CNA 938's Open House programme underscores his commitment to providing valuable insights into the property market.Read next from Homeowner Stories

Homeowner Stories I’ve Lived in Twin VEW for Four Years: What It’s Like Living Without an MRT Nearby

Homeowner Stories Does The “Sell One, Buy Two” Strategy Still Work In 2025? 3 Real Stories From Singapore Homeowners

Homeowner Stories “If We Sell, We’ll Never Have A Home This Big Again”: What Singaporean Parents Do After The Kids Move Out

Homeowner Stories I’ve Lived In Braddell View For 14 Years: What It’s Like To Live In Singapore’s Largest Residential Site
Latest Posts

On The Market 5 Biggest HDB Flats Over 1,700 Sqft From $950k

Pro 2 Reasons Costa Del Sol Underperformed—Despite Its Seafront Location And Family Appeal

Editor's Pick The Surprising Truth Behind Singapore’s Longest Held Condos – And Why Residents Refuse To Sell After 20 Years

Pro 7 Reasons Reflections at Keppel Bay Underperformed—Despite Its Iconic Design and Prime Waterfront Location

Singapore Property News Clementi 4-Room HDB Sold For Record $1.28 Million – Here’s What Makes It So Special

Editor's Pick This New River Valley Condo Starts At $1.2M: And It’s Cheaper Than Some City-Fringe Launches

New Launch Condo Analysis This New 376-Unit Condo In Sembawang Might Be The Best Pick For Young Families: Here’s Why

Editor's Pick Where To Find Freehold Semi-D Landed Homes From $4.4m: Touring Gilstead Road

Singapore Property News The Trick to Seeing Through a Condo Showflat (Most Buyers Never Do This)

Editor's Pick Can You Really Buy A House In Italy For €1? Here’s What Singaporeans Should Know

On The Market 5 Cheapest 5-Room HDB Flats Near MRT Stations From $550k

Pro Why Seletar Park Residence Underperformed—Despite Its District 28 Location And Large Unit Sizes

On The Market Inside A Luxury Waterfront Home at The Residences At W Singapore Sentosa Cove

New Launch Condo Analysis Singapore’s Tallest New Condo Comes With the Highest Infinity Pool: Is The 63-Storey Promenade Peak Worth A Look?

Property Market Commentary We Tracked The Rise Of Million-Dollar HDB Flats By Estate — And The Results May Surprise You
