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we are a couple with kids looking to shift into a next home, currently staying in a 4 room HDB.

Reason for shifting is simply cause our kid is going to primary 1, we are clueless if we should move to a condo near the school or a maisonette literally next to the school.

Are maisonette worth buying ? looking at listings they range from $800K to over $1M. Take this amount vs buying a condo (not new launch), since we need to move ASAP.
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9 Answers

Hi,

I would be most glad to assist you further and pls feel free to let me know if you need any assistance. Have a good day ahead.

Regards
Aaron Chong
 9730 8455 
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Dear parents,

I can understand your anxiety and considerations when it comes to having a child heading into primary school, having experienced it 4 times over the past 12 years, each time with different challenges and feeling :D

Nevertheless, it will still be important to be clear about the priorities when it comes to your home purchase, whether are you angling it for future appreciation potential or it gives you the best convenience when it comes to shuttling to and from school where the intangible values are unmeasurable. I was in such a position too when I purchase my current place, and decided that due to the nature of my business, my preference is to be as near the school as possible since ferrying 4 kids to and from school with different dismissal hours each day can be quite a headache for me when I also need to attend to appointments.

Given the short turnaround time you have from now until school starts, will you be considering to rent a place near school first before you commit to a purchase? It will be helpful to have a detailed discussion in order to strategise the next move.

I have been in the real estate business since 2009, with more than 13 years of experience serving the Singapore real estate market.

I am very active in the residential segment of Singapore real estate market, having transacted hundreds of deals from HDBs to private condominiums and landed properties in Singapore, and have handled many unique cases in sales and purchases as well as rental deals.

Over the years, I have also established a network reaching out to more than 9,400 expatriates, bringing my market presence to both in and outside of Singapore. This has created an additional exposure when I manage my client's portfolios, on top of the conventional on and offline platforms, where other estate agents are relying on. This has allowed me to consistently convert leads into results.

With an evolving market, where change is the only constant, I have also been investing in upgrading of my knowledge and skills sets to improve myself and meet the demands of current and future market.

We are offering our clients a complimentary first consultation without obligations (Absolutely FREE!). Schedule for your FREE session today!

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Geryl Lim
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Jay Lim 林俊哲
Hello!

Based on the details you have shared, I am assuming that your primary reasons to move are proximity to school radius, while having more space that a maisonette can offer in comparison to a 4-room HDB.

Are your doubts between HDB vs. Condo primarily from a financial standpoint? If it is purely on a financial standpoint without a tight budget constraints, then I would say going for a resale condominium will be better in comparison to a Maisonette. Here’s my views.

There are several considerations to think about.
- Maisonette are fetching such prices currently because condominiums in that size are much more expensive. If you are looking for more space for your family, you may want to compare the prices of the Condominiums that can offer the same amount of space, and consider if you can stretch your budget.
- From a financial standpoint, a primary factor that will affect HDB prices in the future (maisonette or not), is its current lease remaining. As Maisonettes tend to be older (~50-60 years remaining), future buyers buying over your old flat, will have a harder time obtaining financing, as banks may not provide maximum loan for flats lower than 50years, and eventually there will be restrictions on CPF usages. For example, a flat with less than 20years left, future buyers cannot take any loan. So if you want to sell it at 800k then, the buyer have to fork out 800k cash.
- For a resale condominium, there are several more options to choose from, whether you are looking at a Freehold/999, or a leasehold 99 option. For a 99-leasehold that are older than 50 years, will also face similar financing restrictions, but because it is a private land, there may be developers looking to collectively buy over the whole development (otherwise known as en-bloc) and redevelop it into a new development. However, going on en-bloc does not mean that you will gain a profit, as it largely depends on what price you entered as well as the potential for the land. Hence choosing a right resale condominium project is crucial in your property journey.

My questions to you is to think and prioritise your needs. Here are some areas to think about, to determine your current needs.
- Holding period: are you planning to stay in it as your ‘forever home’? Or are you looking to move out after say, 20 years?
- How important is the size of the unit?
- Age and Budget. Age affects your loan amount eligibility, depending on your current age and how long more until you hit retirement age, it could affect your decision.
- Alternatively, you may also explore more options like buying a HDB first, and another condominium eventually.

Feel free to reach out to me if you would like to discuss this more in-depth (:

If you appreciate my response to you, I will appreciate it if you can leave a rating on my PropertyGuru profile page.

Regards,
Jay Lim
 +65 8885 6761 
jay@themindful.space
w: jaylimrealty.com | themindful.space

Assoc. Director
PropNex Realty Pte Ltd Read More
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Hi,

Thanks for sharing about the situation. I believe your MOP of 5 years is fulfilled. Having worked with clients in a similar situation, I can share what is important to look out that will help you decide the next step. Most EMs in Singapore are around 30 to 40 years old, so assume you stay at this location for another 10 years, the EM will probably be 40 to 50 years old if you decide to plan the next move. The resale value may be affected by the less balance lease at that time, and the buyer pool will become limited as they have to use more cash to buy a flat with a lesser lease. Unless you have plans to get a 2nd property so to be able to rent out this EM and get rental income, otherwise it may be a bit tough to breakeven next time if going for this EM route, and it may affect your retirement years next time. EM owners also sell as they can't manage climbing up and down anymore at the later years, and the upkeep of a bigger space when the kids move out. So there is a possibility you will sell or move out eventually next time as well.

As for condo, it depends on how the financial situation and affordability looks like and whether the condo justifies the move. The same size condo can easily cost double the EM pricing. Happy to work out the numbers for you and help you understand the best move going forward. I am contactable at 97432395  for further discussion.

May I have more info and requirements about your plans so as to make better recommendations? Thanks and look forward to value-add to your housing plans.

Warm Regards,

Ivan Ng Realtor
ERA Senior Marketing Director
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Robbie Chen Chee Howe
Hi,

There is no right or wrong answer to your question. There are pros and cons to each. You will need to assess various factors and see what fits your family best.

I personally just went through an upgrade from 4RM flat to and EM, and will be able to give you a more appropriate recommendation and advise if I can better understand your profile.

I am experienced and well-versed in both HDB and private transactions. I will be able to assist you in your property plans. Please get in touch with me for a more in-depth discussion.

Should you need require further assistance in matters relating to property, please contact me at my mobile 9748 6305  . I will be happy to assess and share with you the possibilities for you in the current market.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Robbie Chen
 9748 6305 
PropNex Realty Read More
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Hi Sir/Mdm,

It is hard to compare a condo with a EM flat because they are different. A condo in a good development may continue to appreciate in the future but the psf price are higher and the space it may provide may be similar to your 4 room flat. As for maisonette, they are popular with family with kids or multi generational living because they are more spacious with 4 bedrooms. The psf price is lower and therefore it is a value for money buy for own stay. As all HDB flats, as the lease runs down, the price may depreciate with time.

Please contact me so that I can provide you with more information and do a detailed study between the 2 options so that you can have a clearer picture before deciding.

Regards,
Nick Tan
(M) +65 9.6444854
B.Eng(Chemical)(Hons)(NUS) / Cert-in-REA
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Hi, appreciate your sharing
Looking forward to assist you at 9696 4398  or email me at stewartlim96964398@gmail.com

Cheers
Stewart-PropNex Read More
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Hi,

1) Maisonettes were mainly built in the early 90s' till mid 90s'. So their remaining lease is around 66~71 years old. In other words, they are not that new.

2) Due to the size, it is also very costly to renovate and maintain it. It also needs a lot of effort to upkeep it.

3) If the above is not a concern, I would think that a maisonette is a rare property that gave us that kind of space that no other HDB flat types could compete.

4) With $1M in current market. I would think you could only get a 2 bedroom condo. If it is the space you are looking for. Then this might not be the right choice.

Please give me a thumbs-up if the answer provided is relevant to your main concern. Thanks!!!

Hope the above answer your main concerns, but if there are more queries, please feel free to contact me at 90110636  , or email: ling.ck7@gmail.com if more information is needed.
I'll be glad to assist.

Best regards
Ling CK
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