We Uncover 6 Of Singapore’s Most Unusual Properties (Yes, One Includes A Free Balcony!)

As much as some people think that Singapore properties are quite safe and “boring” by nature, we have several really interesting and quirky projects that most people don’t know about. Some of them may have been born out of a different era (where the existing rules allowed for them to take place), while others were just created as a need to stand out from the competition.

Here are a few unique examples we found:

1. Ridgewood Condo

This is an older project dating back to 1981, at a time when condos were much less standardised. And unlike any condo today, Ridgewood units were sold with a car park unit (as in, the car park was literally included in the square footage). This isn’t a “1980s” thing by the way, as we haven’t heard of many examples of this still existing.

Today, this condo is mainly favoured for its good access to Clementi MRT (EWL, CRL). Dover is the closest station, but bus 156 provides direct access to Clementi, where you’ll also find Clementi Mall. This is the main heartland mall servicing the neighbourhood, so most of what you need is here.

Besides this, Ridgewood is often chosen for its proximity to Henry Park Primary and the School of Science and Technology. Singapore Polytechnic is also close to the nearby Dover station. A 999-year lease also offsets the older nature of the condo.

It’s not a bad location, since Clementi is well-developed, and well-known for its access to educational institutes. However, immediate amenities are rather limited (you can walk to Jelita Cold Storage which is 24 hours), until you take the bus out to Clementi Mall; and the condo is a bit deep in, so some may consider it an inconvenient walk. 

2. Orchard Court

This project can be considered boutique at just 96 units, and it’s technically an apartment and not a condo. Built in 1970, Orchard Court predates the existence of condos in Singapore (the first condo was Beverly Mai in 1974). The quirky bit about Orchard Court is that its lease is mixed. We’ve seen this before in some older landed projects like Teacher’s Housing Estate, but never in an apartment. 

Some of the units are on a 99-year lease, and some are 993 years (as good as freehold) – and as to how this works for issues like an en-bloc, or when the lease expires, that’s anybody’s guess. Perhaps there’s been no collective sale for so long, despite its prime location, precisely because of this mixed tenure. It will be down to a conveyancing firm and the government bodies to work this one out.

In any case, this may be one of the cheapest properties on a per square foot basis (around $1,680+ psf), for a private home within walking distance to Dhoby Ghaut MRT (CCL, NSL, NEL). This also means you’re in spitting range of the Orchard Shopping Belt, which is as good as it gets for amenities. 

Units are rather large though (which may not be a drawback to all), at well over 1,400 sq. ft. So even if the price psf is lower, we’d still brace for a quantum of over $2 million.

3. Skypark @ Somerset

This unusual project consists of a separate three-bedder and a one-bedder on each floor, which are practically connected via a large balcony deck (or terrace, as some may call it). Every floor only houses these two units, which if you own both makes it a private lift in that sense (as it opens up to the balcony before you get to the unit).

This boutique condo (56 units) was incidentally built during a time when Private Enclosed Spaces (PES) shenanigans were at their peak – so expect to find elements like big planter boxes and strata void spaces (although this is no longer supposed to factor into overall square footage for new projects).

If you’re not sure what we mean by all this, check out this more detailed explanation. 

In any case, the problem here is that – because the three-bedder and one-bedder are practically connected, most owners aren’t happy to have a separate person owning one of them – it would be like having a total stranger able to come onto your shared balcony deck. This leads to most buyers purchasing both units under two separate titles. 

In 2010 and before this wasn’t a big deal; but then in 2011, the ABSD was introduced, so you can probably see the issues. If a Singapore citizen were to purchase both the three-bedder and one-bedder right now, they would pay 20 per cent ABSD on the second unit. 

This makes the units very difficult to sell, as prospective buyers also aren’t interested in buying a near-connected unit sharing a balcony deck; if you want to sell, you probably need to convince someone to buy both units from you. 

It’s a pity, as the location close to Somerset MRT (NSL), and the Orchard Shopping Belt, makes this a highly desirable place to live. There are surrounding projects that don’t share this issue, however, so sellers are going to be hard-pressed to compete.

4. Meyer House

Meyer Road is jam packed with luxury boutique condos, so it’s quite a challenge to try and stand out. Just about everything that Meyer House boasts – from waterfront views, to access to the Katong lifestyle area, to being near lower-density housing – can be matched by projects like MeyerRise, Meyer Park, Nyon, etc. 

So to up the sense of luxury, the developers put in a private lift and lift lobby for every single unit (56 units). This is never going to be practical, especially from a maintenance perspective; but it is a level of indulgence that isn’t found in most projects. In essence, this means you don’t ever have to see your neighbours, as even a private lift doesn’t solve that.

This is a project that’s great for east-enders, who are focused on own-stay use (at a quantum that can reach over $7 million, there’s not much room for appreciation here); and Meyer House provides excellent access to both East Coast Beach, as well as the Joo Chiat/Katong lifestyle area. 

MRT access will be from Tanjong Katong MRT (TEL), which is within walking distance; but we doubt that anyone living here is likely to be a tenant, or don’t have their own private transport.

5. Jade Mansion

This is an older Holland V area condo, which is just on the other side of Holland Road from the Holland V MRT station (CCL). It’s not much in terms of looks – it’s from 1982 and is visibly dated, and the facade could seriously do with a facelift. But this project stands out for a number of reasons.

First, the units here are double-storey maisonettes, with a shared balcony between units; it’s not a layout that we encounter often, or anywhere else in Holland V. It’s also nestled among the landed enclave at Leedon, which makes it ideal for people who want the feel of landed living, without an actual landed house to maintain. We wouldn’t say it’s much cheaper though, as the units here are rather large (some units are over 2,700 sq. ft.), and the overall quantum at $4 million to $5 million can be almost as expensive as a landed property. 

There are just 27 units that share a swimming pool and a tennis court, so you can almost say you have exclusive use of the facilities.

It’s a rare project that combines spaciousness, easy access to the MRT and facilities, and a high degree of privacy; but you are paying quite a bit for such an old project. 

Also be warned that, according to realtors, some of the owners are eyeing an en-bloc sale. This is not entirely implausible, given the attractive location and small plot size. 

6. Westwood Residences (EC)

We don’t usually expect ECs to go bold and different, or to focus on too much of a niche; but Westwood Residences has no issues with that. 

Westwood Residences is focused on cycling enthusiasts. This is the first – and probably only – condo that has a dedicated bicycle racetrack. There’s also a traffic garden for children, and a BMX adventure park. Meanwhile, the basement has a proper bicycle garage, which goes beyond the usual storage racks hidden away in a car park corner (this is a big deal to serious cyclists who may own pricey custom bikes). 

Westwood was completed in 2017, so also has some attention for being just out of its MOP. It’s also surprisingly small and private for an EC, with just 480 units. It’s not near an MRT station (at least not until the Jurong Line stations are built in 2026, after which Gek Poh would be the nearest) but most residents would be comfortable with cycling to the nearest amenities, for self-evident reasons; Pioneer Mall is less than 10 minutes on a bike.