How We Upgraded From A 2+Study To A 5-Bedroom Condo: A Buyer’s Case Study

This case study is based on a recent consultation conducted by Daron (R057116H), a property agent and partner property consultant with Stacked. This write-up walks through the key decisions, trade-offs, and market considerations involved, with insights that buyers and sellers may find useful.

A solution for a listing that sat for too long

Usually, how well your property upgrading path unfolds begins with securing the sale of your previous property. Sometimes this is straightforward: you list it, get responses fast, and can move on with minimal delay.

But sometimes, a unit can sit on the market for too long and the delay can get in the way of your upgrading plans.

That was the situation our couple in this case study found themselves when they first reached out to us. By the time our consultant Daron engaged with them, their unit had been on the market for three months.

There had been viewings for their unit, but none of them resulted in a successful deal. According to this couple, the most frustrating part was a lack of clarity from a previous property agent they had engaged – why were there viewings for their unit, but none seemed to bear fruit?

They highlighted that the lack of updates from their realtor at the time left them in the dark. Without a habit of constant communication from their previous agent, the couple felt they didn’t really understand where they stood regarding the sale of their property.

In addition, there was the added challenge of selling their previous home due to its configuration – a two-bedroom plus study unit at Normanton Park.

In general, this unit type didn’t resonate neatly to a definitive buyer profile on the resale market back then. 

“It was a unit type that sat in between the typical three-bedders favoured by upgraders, while pricier compared to two-bedroom alternatives. Families found it too small and the asking price was too high for most investors,” says Daron. He adds that this made it a niche unit due it is size and thus attracted a narrower pool of potential buyers.

Nonetheless, Daron took over the marketing of the unit and focused on consistent communication with the couple. With frequent updates and a more structured viewing schedule, the couple eventually gained greater familiarity with how their unit could be positioned on the market, and how prospective buyers were responding.

“We made it a point that each week, there would be something for me to report back to them. Even if no offer was received, the sellers need to know how things are moving and what we were going to do about it,” Daron said.

Overall, the couple were as accommodating as their situation allowed them to, which helped them overcome some initial constraints with Daron.

With a newborn at home, available slots to schedule views were limited. Weekends, which are usually the most active periods for viewings, were not always possible. On weekdays, slots had to be co-ordinated with the couple’s work schedules since they work from home.

“In a situation like this, it becomes a partnership. If the seller is too rigid, you lose opportunities. But if they’re flexible, there are ways to work together make it a success,” says Daron.

Eventually, by adjusting the sales and marketing approach – from leaving the unit as a passive listing to an actively managed one – started to yield results.

New launches: both competition and opportunity rolled into one

While Daron and the couple were working to sell their unit at Normanton Park, a new factor came into play. The launch of Skye at Holland, a 666-unit project in Holland Village, brought renewed buying interest to their neighbourhood.

The spotlight brought more buyers who were looking for units in the Holland Village area, and their comparisons brought attention to resale listings at condos like Normanton Park.

The boost in enquiries and viewings came with trade-offs. Some agents introduced prospective buyers, but without genuine interest in a closing a deal. There was a chance that some agents brought their clients to the unit at Normanton Park to pivot them to Skye at Holland, by expressing that the new condo compared better.

Overall, Daron says that he made the best of the situation since it still meant more foot traffic and exposure to the unit he was trying to sell. With the right price and positioning, this increased market activity would be turned to the sellers’ advantage.

“If the unit is priced correctly, the launch of a new condo in the vicinity could help to close a deal on your resale listing,” he says. “The price comparison with the new project could be a determining factor that helps you to drive home the sale”.

Eventually the right buyer came along, but the sale involves a mystery. 

The couple’s two-bedroom plus study unit at Normanton Park eventually found the right buyer, and the unit was sold for $1.68 million in January this year.

The mystery surrounding this was that another higher-floor unit, of a comparable size, was selling for $1.65 million. Initially, when Daron found out about the higher-floor unit that was listed for $1.65 million, he braced the couple for potential bad news. Logically, most buyers would pick the cheaper unit for sale.

But their buyer still chose the couple’s relatively pricier unit instead – why this happened still isn’t clear to this day. Daron postulates that perhaps they found the renovations and overall condition to be better, or they preferred the pool-facing view of the couple’s unit, even if it was on a lower floor. 

It’s even possible that the buyer had a more comfortable viewing experience, which is a very real and human reason.

“At the end of the day, some buyers don’t always go for the cheapest option. If the unit feels right and other factors are in play, some just might be willing to pay a bit more,” says Daron.

The next issue to solve was avoiding a so-called double-move

After securing a buyer, Daron and the couple moved quickly to solve their next issue: finding a replacement property. Even after locating one, they wanted to avoid the complexity of having to move twice – moving out, renting, and then moving again later.

Usually, a logistical challenge for regular families, it’s tougher when you have a newborn to manage.

Instead, Daron proposed a rent-back arrangement. This meant that after the buyer purchased their unit at Normanton Park, the couple would propose to rent the unit from the new owner and continue to stay there while continuing their search for a new home.

“When you have more time and flexibility to search for your next home, you’re less likely to be pressured into making a bad decision. Rash compromises arise when most buyers feel like they are rushed into the process,” says Daron.

A replacement home – what to do when the familiar options don’t seem available

With the immediate pressure of their accommodation needs eased, the couple could focus on their search for a new home more thoughtfully.

Their initial preference was to stay in familiar West-side locations, which meant condos like Parc Clematis, Clavon, Whistler Grand, and Twin Vew were considered. These are well-known projects, close to Clementi MRT, and generally met most of their initial requirements.

But when they started viewing available resale units, they realised that the asking prices for many of the units they had considered were beyond their budget. Most four-bedroom units in these condos were changing hands for $3.2 million to $3.5 million. Even at that price, the couple felt that the space didn’t feel like a significant upgrade from their existing home.

“The sticking point for them was that they would be paying quite a bit more, but not getting that much more space,” says Daron.

Units in older condos in the area were raised as another possibility, since these older condos typically feature units that are priced at a relatively lower PSF and are larger in size compared to newer projects. But after living in a new development like Normanton Park, the couple found that developments which were 20 to 30 years old didn’t resonate with them.

Expanding the search, and a small shift that changed the outcome

At this point, Daron suggested broadening the scope of their search. Rather than focusing strictly on condos in Clementi, they widened their range to include nearby areas that were still within proximity to an MRT station, as well as units that fetched a lower $PSF and offered a better size for the quantum.

This led them to The Myst, a 99-year leasehold condo by City Developments Ltd (CDL) that launched for sale in 2023. Located near Cashew MRT station on the Downtown Line, the 408-unit condo is expected to be completed by 2029.

At The Myst, they found a 1,690 sq ft, five-bedroom unit that was priced at just $3.237 million. This wasn’t only within their budget but was also almost double the size of their previous home.

“When they saw the size of the unit, their focus in the conversation shifted. There was less emphasis on having to stick to a home in Clementi, so it would seem that they considered it a good trade-off,” says Daron.

Although Bukit Panjang, where The Myst is located, wasn’t originally on their shortlist, the space they would be getting for the price was hard to match elsewhere. There was also no serious loss of convenience since there was still an MRT station nearby.

Choosing a unit that’s not on a high floor 

The couple eventually secured their unit at The Myst in November 2025.

At that point, it had been about two years since the project first hit the market and it had some remaining units. Based on caveats (on April 9), The Myst has sold at least 373 units and set an average price of $2,093 psf.

An interesting decision was their choice of unit; the couple selected a lower-floor unit even though higher-floor options were available.

This may seem counterintuitive at first glance. Units on higher floors are often associated with better views and can command stronger resale appeal. But in this case, the decision came down to a combination of layout, timing, and cost.

First, the unit had a good internal layout and external facing views. It overlooked a landscaped courtyard with water features, and the residential blocks are staggered to avoid direct facing into neighbouring units.

Next was the issue of price. At the time, each increase in the floor amounted to an increase of about $17,000 in the price of the unit. Waiting for a higher-floor unit would mean a higher purchase price, without necessarily improving the fundamentals such as sheer spaciousness.

But the timing of the purchase was the main consideration, because the couple was selecting from a pool of remaining unsold units, the availability of the unit they were eyeing was a concern. If they passed on this unit, the next available unit might be on a higher floor, and a lot more expensive, says Daron.

He adds that the couple eventually decided to prioritise: the unit met the main requirements in terms of layout, privacy, and overall liveability. Thus, they decided to secure their purchase rather than gambling on possibilities.

A note on the financial considerations

In addition to the purchase price, the couple had clear financial requirements, they wanted to ensure their combined monthly outlay – including loan repayments and interim housing costs – remained manageable.

When they made their purchase, The Myst was being constructed and was at least three years from its expected completion. This meant a shorter waiting period, but also a faster ramp-up in loan repayments under the Progressive Payment Scheme (PPS) since several stages of construction had been completed.

However, the trade-off was that the couple paid less in the way of rent. “In general, when faced with a short timeline, you’ll also have a shorter period to pay rent and your loan at the same time. And arrangements like this can help to keep monthly overheads manageable,” he says.

It’s an approach worth considering for anyone with an eye on cashflow when upgrading properties.

Final thoughts

This case shows that rather than finding the “perfect” property, you’ll find better outcomes if you think in terms of acceptable trade-offs. It also shows how much of the upgrading process depends on everything before the purchase.

The initial bottleneck was a listing that had lost momentum. Only once that was addressed – through clearer communication and a more active approach – could the rest of the process move forward.

Later, by being open to a slightly different area, the couple was able to secure significantly more space for a similar quantum. And by not over-fixating on factors like floor level, they were able to lock in a unit that met their actual day-to-day needs, at a price that wouldn’t strain them.