Picking out a new home can be exciting and terrifying at the same time. A lot of people are not sure on what types of property there are in Singapore and what they have to offer. You probably have some idea of the "look" and size of the home you want, and what location suits you. The first thing you must decided is whether you are going to by a new home, a resale home, a custom built home or a condominium.
Below is a list of property types to help you make that all important decision.
HDB (Housing & Development Board)
The Build-To-Order (BTO)
The Build-To-Order is a responsive system offering flexibility in location and timing for flat buyers. Eligible buyers (planning to shift into a new HDB apartment in the near future) can apply for apartments in their preferred location from the specific sites launched.
Design, Build & Sell Scheme (DBSS)
The Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) was introduced in 2005 to offer greater choice and wider variety to meet the housing aspirations of higher income flat buyers for better design and finishes. The involvement of the private sector enables public housing to be more responsive to the needs and aspirations of Singaporeans.
Executive Condominiums (EC)
Executive Condominiums were introduced to cater to Singaporeans, especially young graduates and professionals who can afford more than an HDB flat but find private property to be out of their reach. ECs are comparable in design and facilities to private condominiums as they are developed and sold by the private developers.
HDB's Studio Apartments (SA)
HDB's Studio Apartments (SA) are designed to meet the needs of elderly residents. The SAs are sold on 30-year leases, beginning from the date of keys collection. The SAs are located in estates with well-established transportation networks, with easily accessible facilities and amenities. Each SA can accommodate a one- or two-member household comfortably.
The SAs are sold in ready-to-occupy condition. Each SA comes with:
- Floor tiles in the entire flat
- Wall tiles for the bathroom/WC and kitchen.
- Window grilles
- Built-in wardrobes
HDB 2-room
2-room flats provide more affordable housing options for the lower income households. Each flat comes with:
- A living area that may be subdivided into an extra room
- A kitchen
- One bedroom with attached bathroom
- Storeroom-cum-apartment shelter
HDB 3-room flat
A compact living space catering to all your needs. Each flat comes with:
- A living area
- Kitchen
- One master bedroom with attached bathroom
- One other room
- Service yard
- Storeroom-cum-apartment shelter
HDB's 4-room flats
4-room flats offer an intimate and cosy living space. Each flat comes with:
- A living/dining area
- Kitchen
- One master bedroom with attached bathroom
- Two other bedrooms
- Common bathroom
- Storeroom-cum-apartment shelter
HDB's 5-room flat
5-room flats are ideal for a family of 4 or 5 members. They offer a comfortable living space even for an extended family. Each flat comes with:
- A living area
- Dining area
- Kitchen
- One master bedroom with attached bathroom
- Two other bedrooms
- Common bathroom
- Storeroom-cum-apartment shelter
3Gen flats, 115 square metres
3Gen flats are designed for multi-generation families to stay under one roof and also support the needs of larger families which may require an additional bedroom with attached bathroom. Each flat comes with:
- A living area
- Dining area
- kitchen
- One master bedroom with attached bathroom
- An additional bedroom with attached bathroom
- Two other bedrooms
- Common bathroom
- Storeroom-cum-apartment shelter
Executive Flats, 130 square metres
Some executive flats come adorned with a balcony as well. Give wings to your creativity in this generous living space. Each flat comes with:
- A living area
- Dining area
- Kitchen
- Main bedroom with attached bathroom
- Two additional bedrooms
- Common bathroom
- Storeroom-cum-apartment shelter
Private Housing
There are 5 different types of landed properties.
- Good Class Bungalows: This class of bungalows are detached houses that are built on land that cannot be developed for more intensive use (e.g. condominium), and where the minimum plot size must be at least 1,400 square meters. There are altogether 39 Good Class Bungalow Areas (GCBAs) in Singapore.
- Detached houses: Also called bungalows, they stand within their own boundary, with no common wall. It may be single-storey, double-storey or higher. To qualify as a bungalow the land size must be above 400 square meters. Below shows the different classes of bungalows
- Semi-detached houses: They are a pair of identical dwellings joined by a common boundary partition which rises from the ground. Each one of the pair is considered a separate property from the other.The minimum plot width is 8 meters and the minimum plot size is 200 square meters.
- Terrace houses: These are residential dwelling houses in a row of similar houses joined together by a common boundary. Though joined, each house has its own party walls, boundary walls and its own roof. The minimum plot width is 6 meter and minimum plot size is 150 square meters. Each terrace houses has it own land title.
- Cluster houses: Similar to a condominium but the housing type is landed property instead of high-rise apartments. The housing units are strata title properties which share the common properties and recreational facilities, parking lots and other common space through undivided shares in land.
Condominium and apartments
Condominium refers to blocks of apartments in exclusive private housing estates where individual owners of each unit own the following:
- exclusive ownership of an air-space on a floor level;
- shared ownership of the common property by undivided share.
- Exclusive ownership of air-space
The owners may purchase the strata lot direct from the developer (proprietor of land) or from an existing unit owner (subsidiary proprietor).
Each individual owner may own the apartment (also known as strata lot) by sole ownership, joint tenancy or tenancy-in-common, depending on the relationship of the joint owners.
Each individual owner has an exclusive ownership in the airspace of an apartment on a particular floor level, as well as an undivided share in the land and common properties including all public areas, the outside walls, grounds, and walkways etc.
Shared ownership of common properties and land
Each individual owner must pay a proportional share of the maintenance and upkeep expenses of the common properties. Before committing to the purchase of a condominium, the purchaser must remember to check the following:
- Share value of each unit
- Maintenance fees payable every month
- Financial health of the project, i.e. management fund
- Parking lot entitlement
Shophouses
Known as Chinese Baroque or Singapore Eclectic architecture, these shophouses sport a rich mix of Malay, Chinese and European architectural details, all giving a distinctive look to Singapore’s urban landscape. The shophouse was so called because the lower floor was used for business while the upper level served as living quarters. The design, initiated by Raffles, had detailed specifications to achieve conformity. They were arranged in a linear form and built of masonry with tile roofs. Linking the shophouses was a covered path called the “five-foot way” because the width between the building and the street had to be exactly five feet. The style later evolved to two-storey residential terrace houses with occupants on both floors. Over the years, five distinct shophouse styles developed: Early, First Transitional, Late, Second Transitional and Art Deco – many of which have been restored to their original splendour.
The type of home you buy will depend on you lifestyle and budget. Each housing option has its own benefits and drawbacks; what is important is that you carefully weigh each option to ensure that you are meeting your lifestyle needs. Happy house hunting.
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