Low Floor vs. High Floor: What Transaction Data Reveals About the Premium

Some condos show low-floor units outperforming higher floors in resale ROI. Our analysis reveals when paying a premium for views may not pay off.

By Ryan J. Ong

Published 21 August 2025, 9:36 PM SGT · 17 min read · 411

Condos where low floor units have outperformed higher floor units 1

Higher-floor units almost always come with a price premium, but whether that premium is justified is less clear once you look at resale performance. While buyers often assume higher floors will hold or even grow their value, the data shows this isn’t consistently the case. In fact, there are projects where higher-floor units lag behind their lower-floor counterparts, particularly when ground-floor units offer strong alternatives.

In this analysis, we break down actual transactions across several developments to see where paying more for a higher floor hasn’t translated into stronger resale returns, and what this means for buyers weighing the trade-off.

A quick explanation of low floor and higher floor units

For this analysis, transactions are grouped by floor level: units on the fifth floor and below are classified as low floor, while units on the 6th floor and above are classified as high floor. We considered transactions from 2014 through June 2025, including only developments with at least 10 transactions in both the low- and high-floor categories.

Let’s start with the basics: how profitable have low-floor units been compared to their higher-floor counterparts?

Frequently asked questions

Do higher-floor units usually sell for more than lower-floor units?

Higher-floor units generally come with a price premium, but the resale performance data shows that this premium does not always translate into better returns. In some cases, lower-floor units have comparable or even better resale gains.

Are low-floor units better investments than high-floor units?

The data indicates that low-floor units tend to have similar or slightly higher ROI and fewer unprofitable transactions compared to high-floor units, making them potentially better investments in some cases.

How does the resale performance of low-floor and high-floor units compare across different projects?

Across several projects, low-floor units generally achieve higher average ROI and experience fewer losses than high-floor units, especially in resale transactions.

Why do low-floor units sometimes outperform high-floor units in resale gains?

Low-floor units often have lower initial purchase prices, allowing for larger percentage gains. Market timing and transaction conditions also influence resale performance, sometimes favoring low-floor units.

Does the type of unit affect the difference in resale performance between floors?

Yes, the analysis shows that for both one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, low-floor units tend to achieve stronger ROI and have fewer losses compared to high-floor units.

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Ryan J. Ong

Partner at Stacked

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.