Why This Singapore Homeowner Wakes At 5AM To Commute – And Has Zero Regrets

When you’re buying a property, what’s one of the first things you look for? Besides schools, we bet its proximity to work. No one relishes the thought of living an hour or more away from their workplace, and making that journey there and back every weekday for years on end. However, there is the occasional homeowner who, due to special circumstances, decides to pick a location that makes their daily commute an epic trek. This week, we look at the homeowner experiences of those who choose to do this, and why:

1. The last thing this homeowner wants is to be close to work

GT works in logistics, in Defu Industrial Park. Given that he has to be at work by 6.30 am, you might assume he would want to live somewhere close – but instead, GT lives in Upper Bukit Timah, where his closest train station is Cashew MRT (DTL). He requires both train and bus services to get to his workplace, and he estimates the commute at around an hour and 15 minutes. 

This means he wakes up at around 5 am, and leaves while his family is still asleep; and he usually grabs a curry puff or spring roll where he can for breakfast. But why? GT says:

“I don’t want to be near my work as I don’t enjoy the area. When I see the place I feel tired, I won’t feel recharged if I’m always near there, even on my off day. 

It’s a bit longer for me to get to work, but it’s easy for me to go to Beauty World, Hillion, and all this. So to me, most important, when I have my own time, I am near the places I like to be. Don’t be a slave to work.”

GT also feels that his condo, near the Hazel Park area, was the better buy than the options near Defu:

“My place is 999 years, there’s a shopping centre nearby, there’s an MRT nearby. If I had bought near Defu it would have been smaller, leasehold, and there’s no MRT station*. My wife needs the car more than me for her work, so I go to use public transport.”

GT also adds that he has a “hidden bonus.”  Whenever possible, his wife will pick him up from Defu and they’ll drive back together, so on some days he only has to endure the morning trip. But he does say he would still have picked his current home, even if that wasn’t possible. 

*Defu MRT station may be operational by 2030

2. Saving money by staying put 

VF also works in logistics, but her work is in a “very deep-inside area of Changi airport.” This weighed on her choice of home, but not in the sense that you might expect. She says that:

“Since it’s so deep in and I drive anyway, I decided there’s no point paying more to shave a few minutes off my drive. If it’s 10 or 15 minutes more, I guess it matters when you’re walking, but in the car, what’s the difference right?”

For this reason, VF decided to save money, and not move from her flat in Tampines. Prior to this, her husband had contemplated moving to a condo near places like Loyang, Tanah Merah, and other areas known to be near the airport. However, VF said that most of the properties near Changi airport tended to lack amenities (barring the airport itself.) They were also less accessible, making it tough for the grandparents to visit. VF also says she was unimpressed by the lack of conveniences like coffee shops, minimarts, and other such businesses, which she could easily find near her flat. 

Another worry was that properties near the airport will be impacted by height restrictions, making them tough to en-bloc; an especial concern as many are leasehold properties. 

“After I worked out all the driving distances, I realised the time saved is nothing much. So instead we kept our flat, where we’re already familiar with the surroundings, and we saved a lot of money this way.”

While VF says the couple may still upgrade in the future, being near her workplace won’t be one of the key concerns, so long as they’re “still in the east.” 

3. Seaside living is non-negotiable for this homeowner

YP works in Jurong, and yet lives in Lucky Heights. This is quite the commute even though she drives, and she says that – with morning rush hour – it can take her just over an hour to get to work. She even gets up a bit earlier, in the hopes of beating the worst of the traffic. 

YP and her husband live in a landed property, which YP inherited from her late father. However, YP chooses not to sell it and move despite the considerable proceeds, because “most of my life is in the east.” 

YP is a self-described “ocean lover,” and she holds BBQs by the seaside almost every other month. Her husband and son are also avid fishermen, who spend their weekends at places like Bedok Jetty. As such, she considers the distance to work tolerable, so long as she has access to a car. She’s also hoping that, with the upcoming restructuring in her company, there may be a branch office in a more central area. 

“I also don’t want to sell because this was the home I grew up in, since I was seven,” YP says, “And when my dad passed on, his wish was that we keep this house for as long as my mum needs it. While she’s said she’s willing to move if we need to, this is the surrounding she’s familiar with.”

However, this arrangement may not hold. YP says the couple don’t intend to renew their COE once it expires; and if they decide not to lease a car, they will switch to public transport. At that point, YP says she may consider finding another place of work, or simply hope that the company has a closer branch office.  But selling the house is still out of the question for her. 

Do you know of anyone who chooses to have a home far from work? Let us know in the comments. Also, let us know if you have interesting property stories or insights, as we’re always eager to learn about different homeowner experiences on Stacked.