In this Stacked Pro breakdown:
- We analysed sales data across 2- to 4-bedder units at Martin Modern to reveal how purchase timing impacted profits
- See why some early buyers walked away with $1 million more than later buyers — even when units had similar holding periods
- Understand how floor level, market cycle, and launch phase strategy all play a role in resale outcomes
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Watertown condo is an interesting case study, as buyers weren’t sure what to expect when it launched in 2012. At the time, many still considered Punggol to be too “ulu” to see good resale gains, and some were sceptical about the impact of Waterway Point as a major recreational/family hub. Still, some buyers were bold and jumped in early, perhaps because of the integrated status and access to Punggol MRT. Let’s see if their decision paid off, compared to those who took longer to decide:
Did early buyers of Martin Modern secure the best gains, or did those who waited for later phases come out ahead?
In this installment of our case study series, we examine how different batches of buyers have performed over time. By comparing price movements from Martin Modern’s initial launch phase to subsequent sales periods, we aim to address a common investor question: Is it always better to buy early, or can waiting actually pay off?
The challenge for many buyers today isn't access to information.
It's interpreting that information in a way that makes sense for their finances, goals, and stage of life.
Over time, that's also why we decided to work with agents who shared the same data-driven and advisory-led approach behind our editorial, consultants who could help readers think through decisions more objectively, rather than simply push transactions.
Today, the team has worked with more than 2,000 clients across over $5B in property transactions.
The rundown on Martin Modern
Martin Modern is a 99-year lease condo in River Valley (District 9), with 450 units. The initial launch of Martin Modern was in July 2017, and the project was completed in 2021 (the lease start date is from 2016). The average holding period throughout the project is around five years, with average annualised returns being around 2.75 per cent.
Let’s look at whether the earlier or later buyers saw better returns:
2-bedder units
| Sold on | Address | Size | Bedrooms | Sale PSF | Profit/loss | Purchase PSF | Purchase date | Days | Years | Annualised (%) |
| 14 Jul 2023 | 10 Martin Place #15-11 | 883 | 2 | 2,606 | 370,883 | 2,186 | 21 Jul 2017 | 2,184 | 6.0 | 3 |
| 5 Apr 2023 | 10 Martin Place #16-11 | 883 | 2 | 2,662 | 411,193 | 2,197 | 21 Jul 2017 | 2,084 | 5.7 | 3.4 |
| 20 Apr 2022 | 10 Martin Place #28-11 | 883 | 2 | 2,707 | 316,843 | 2,348 | 21 Jul 2017 | 1,734 | 4.8 | 3 |
| 27 Jun 2022 | 10 Martin Place #17-11 | 883 | 2 | 2,662 | 228,070 | 2,404 | 1 Nov 2017 | 1,699 | 4.7 | 2.2 |
| 3 Mar 2023 | 10 Martin Place #21-11 | 883 | 2 | 2,696 | -6,660 | 2,704 | 26 Jan 2018 | 1,862 | 5.1 | -0.1 |
| 24 Nov 2023 | 10 Martin Place #23-11 | 883 | 2 | 2,793 | 67,000 | 2,717 | 14 Sep 2018 | 1,897 | 5.2 | 0.5 |
In general, early buyers (i.e., those who purchased during the initial launch at lower PSFs) saw the best overall returns, both in profit and annualised percentage gains. The buyers in 2017 saw returns of about 2.2 to 3.4 per cent, while the 2018 buyers saw a gain of just 0.5 per cent, and a marginal loss of 0.1 per cent.
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