If You Have 1.6m To Spend, To Choose Condo Or Landed?

[sodan 0]

Dear all smart hunters, condo-owner and landed owner,

If you had 1.6m to spend, would you rather spend on CONDO or LANDED??

I'm curious to know answer to the question above. Condo price is shooting week by week and yet Landed price is still keeping low (around $400-$600psf++). I believe there are alot of non foreigner, ie LOCAL is buying condo at all time. I don't understand since the local have the choice to landed but why they show more interested in Condo instead? Hmm... is it juz fore investment purpose only?

Is just an open discussion ^____^

[Diamonds 0]

Dear all smart hunters, condo-owner and landed owner,

If you had 1.6m to spend, would you rather spend on CONDO or LANDED??

I'm curious to know answer to the question above. Condo price is shooting week by week and yet Landed price is still keeping low (around $400-$600psf++). I believe there are alot of non foreigner, ie LOCAL is buying condo at all time. I don't understand since the local have the choice to landed but why they show more interested in Condo instead? Hmm... is it juz fore investment purpose only?

Is just an open discussion ^____^

Landed got cockraoches, rats, ants, air polution, road noise, must exterior maintenance on own, climb stairs, hot, need lots of security measures, at night little bit of sound cannot get to sleep, friends visit car parking problem, road side parking always bumper got dent or scratches, children play at roadside dangerous, festive period whole place (roads) jam, irritating dogs barking, no swimming pool, no tennis courts, no gym etc etc.

[sodan 0]

What about those cluster house, inter terrance type of landed? Don't these type of landed looked after by strata/management as well??

Landed got cockraoches, rats, ants, air polution, road noise, must exterior maintenance on own, climb stairs, hot, need lots of security measures, at night little bit of sound cannot get to sleep, friends visit car parking problem, road side parking always bumper got dent or scratches, children play at roadside dangerous, festive period whole place (roads) jam, irritating dogs barking, no swimming pool, no tennis courts, no gym etc etc.

[bepgof 20]

1. Condo attracts younger couplers for:

- Facilities

- Maintenance issue

- Amenities

- Deem easier resale, pack & go

- No carpark issue

- No security issue

- Afordability

2. Landed attracts older ppl, like me haha

- No amenities "needs" as compare to younger ones.

- Can tell from most landed situated at "ulu" areas.

- More closer to earth, no lift, bear foot on soil

- Gardening

- More close to Nature

- Slower pace of life

- No longer "fancy" abt those condo facilities which cost $$$.

Factors influencing choice(or life style choice?)

1. Family structure - Parents with adult children more prefer landed, don't mind staying "far far away" for gardening & skywatching at night, bear foot walking here & there.

2. Style/taste - Younger ages trend to "show off" to peers.

3. Old men don't mind get robbed, house break-in, car get scratch. Valuables always at "somewhere". Anytime can buy another new house or new car, if need really arises.

1.6m can buy a "lok Kor" single storey with zinc-roof inter-terrace, get "stuck" & "cramped" in the centre.

Edited June 14, 2010 by bepgof

[Duku 0]

I have stayed in condo , cluster house and will be moving to landed.

Condo

Good

- Amenities and facilities for kids and adults

- Lots of space to move about

-Security

- No need to maintain the area

Bad

- Small unit compared to landed of the same price

- Ever increasing maintence fees

Cluster

Good

- Some facilities

- Space!

- Neighbours to look after your house

-Maintence free on the outside

Bad

-Neighbours

-Parking (Esp if you have only 1 carpark space

- Increasing Maintence fee

- Limited outdoor space

- All the AGM

Landed

Good

-Space both indoor and outdoor

- Larger space vs condo

-Your own personal piece of land

- You can do whatever you want on landed , no need neighbours to consent

Bad

-Security

-Parking

-Noise

If I have to choose , I will take landed. I was once a procondo person , but I hardly use condo facilities and see no need for it.

For parking, choose a unit that has wider road. For security, just use CCTV or cisco security.

For noise, if you cant beat them , join them : )

Lastly for investment, landed should withstand the test of time given its limited supply

[yoongf 11]

1.6Mil today is tight for landed. Maybe can get a older inter terr, but add in the transection cost + reno work + furniture, will be quite simple. 1.6Mil condo is very comfortable.

Landed as an investment is subjective, as it needs substantial holding power. The rental yield will not cover the holding cost. Any capital appreciation expected must be backed by the ability to service the holding cost.

[bepgof 20]

I have stayed in condo , cluster house and will be moving to landed.

Condo

Good

- Amenities and facilities for kids and adults

- Lots of space to move about

-Security

- No need to maintain the area

Bad

- Small unit compared to landed of the same price

- Ever increasing maintence fees

Cluster

Good

- Some facilities

- Space!

- Neighbours to look after your house

-Maintence free on the outside

Bad

-Neighbours

-Parking (Esp if you have only 1 carpark space

- Increasing Maintence fee

- Limited outdoor space

- All the AGM

Landed

Good

-Space both indoor and outdoor

- Larger space vs condo

-Your own personal piece of land

- You can do whatever you want on landed , no need neighbours to consent

Bad

-Security

-Parking

-Noise

If I have to choose , I will take landed. I was once a procondo person , but I hardly use condo facilities and see no need for it.

For parking, choose a unit that has wider road. For security, just use CCTV or cisco security.

For noise, if you cant beat them , join them : )

Lastly for investment, landed should withstand the test of time given its limited supply

I guess yr age is catching up & kids have grown up.

Edited June 15, 2010 by bepgof

[leechaorui 2]

I have stayed in condo, HDB and landed.

Depending on location and the unit you get, the pros and cons are quite different. I can't comment on all condos and landed but just to share my experience of the two which I own.

Condo

I think the floor area is 3 + 1 bedroom, leasehold 99 years, 1770 sq ft at very high floor on a hill with lots of greenery and mature trees on the slope. Accessible to MRT, coffee shop & market by 15 mins walk for older pple. Very convenient, cooling and comfortable. Maintenance fee is quite high but if you own 3 cars, more or less can offset the maintenance fee. Got tennis court, swimming pool, child care, grocery shops, playground and lots of space in the estate. Very ideal for living as the condo is sitted on a large piece of land and not those type of cramped condo. I can't stand cramp condos where you can see your neighbours very clearly from your balcony or through the windows. Children has a lot of space to run around and there is some security guards that patrol the place.

I think there is enbloc potential and is a fairly good investment.

Landed

Quite near MRT, 15 mins walk for young man and 25 mins walk for older folks. Quite near CTE and TPE. Near to eateries, shopping centre, sports complex, wet market, etc... Lots of people jog in my estate and they are the "free security guards" for my place. I have been to China for two and half weeks and left the door ajar and the gates are not locked. Nobody came in to steal anything. Neighbours are friendly and usually, my family will cook something for them and they will also cook something for us. Very friendly. The estate is also not jam pack with cars unless it is election time when the nearby sport complex football field is used for rally talk. Generally, the estate is not noisy except for my family ( the children makes a lot of noise playing even in the night ). Neighbour only say that the children are very active. I think there is space to park a few cars in my house and at the side along the main road, can also park a few cars. So far, no problem with parking or people scratching car. For rodents, ants, cockroaches, these are inevitable. As long as you do not throw food around or leave them at the table, you see very little of ants, cockroaches problem. Occassionally, you see rats passing by but when the drains were upgraded and covered, hardly see them anymore.

Not as cooling as condo but more spacious and there is plenty of room for gardening. We plant our own sweet potato, herbs, lemon grass, ginger, banana tree, curry tree, etc... So far, so good and quite happy. There is also no horrendous story about maintaining the exterior. Probably paint the place once every 5 years. Nothing to maintain. Only need to pay fees for rubbish disposal which cost less than $19 every month. I find living in landed house very economical and convenient.

I think end of the day, you have to be selective of which unit (condo or landed) that you want. Not all condos are free of parking problem and not all landed are in ulu places. I think it is no good to make generalization and based on generalization decide whether condo or landed is better. Choose based on the pros and cons of your selected unit (condo or landed) and whether you think it is suitable for you.

Cheers!

Edited June 15, 2010 by leechaorui

[blueocean 0]

Landed housing or condo caters to the needs of different profiles of families.

Although most people look forward to having quiet time, lots of space and have own land/garden to do hobbies, as one retires, and when the children move out, there are also health issues that needs to be considered.

One should also consider the functional aspects of aging - risk of falls, declining eye sight (staircases, narrow roads), osteoarthritis of knees, crush fractures of the spine, complications of pre-existing health problems - heart failure with exertional breathness or cerebral vascular accidents with lost of strength. Hip fractures are a real issue with aging and one of the most common reasons for admission to the hospital.

Things to consider :

- climbing staircases may be a problem if you have bad degenerating knee joints or hips or crush fracture of spine (may need to install a mechanical lift in the property - assuming that is space for it)

- access barriers for wheelchair access

- future problems if you have loss bodily functions after a stroke

- maintenance ... may need a full time domestic helper to look after house

- risk of dementia also rises as one ages - real problem of being "lost" in a landed housing

- poor eye sight - falling down staircases etc

Also do consider the surrounding amenities for successful aging ? near medical facilities, pharmacy, easy of access to shops

If are renovating your house/condo, do consider width of doorways to assess if suitable for wheelchair to go through especially if installing carpentary works, grab bars for toilets to prevent slips etc

And also depending on the place you buy, i know of some people who bought landed housing in the 90s, and are still incurring a lost. So cash flow and exiting from your a landed housing to a smaller unit because of ill health may incur bigger losses ..

Some things to consider

Edited June 15, 2010 by blueocean

[random_username 0]

since we're young and still looking to build up our financial resources, i'd split the 1.6 to buy 2 apartments, one for occupation and one for rental yield (and hopefully price appreciation should we want to sell it later on). strata units generally (just generally) have better rental yield, and are easier to market when it's time to be sold. if i were to buy a landed property, it would be for self-occupation for the same reasons above and because we like gardening and garden parties (growing up, we used to pitch tents in our garden and have bbq's, totally fun!!)

[bepgof 20]

Landed housing or condo caters to the needs of different profiles of families.

Although most people look forward to having quiet time, lots of space and have own land/garden to do hobbies, as one retires, and when the children move out, there are also health issues that needs to be considered.

One should also consider the functional aspects of aging - risk of falls, declining eye sight (staircases, narrow roads), osteoarthritis of knees, crush fractures of the spine, complications of pre-existing health problems - heart failure with exertional breathness or cerebral vascular accidents with lost of strength. Hip fractures are a real issue with aging and one of the most common reasons for admission to the hospital.

Things to consider :

- climbing staircases may be a problem if you have bad degenerating knee joints or hips or crush fracture of spine (may need to install a mechanical lift in the property - assuming that is space for it)

- access barriers for wheelchair access

- future problems if you have loss bodily functions after a stroke

- maintenance ... may need a full time domestic helper to look after house

- risk of dementia also rises as one ages - real problem of being "lost" in a landed housing

- poor eye sight - falling down staircases etc

Also do consider the surrounding amenities for successful aging ? near medical facilities, pharmacy, easy of access to shops

If are renovating your house/condo, do consider width of doorways to assess if suitable for wheelchair to go through especially if installing carpentary works, grab bars for toilets to prevent slips etc

And also depending on the place you buy, i know of some people who bought landed housing in the 90s, and are still incurring a lost. So cash flow and exiting from your a landed housing to a smaller unit because of ill health may incur bigger losses ..

Some things to consider

Hi Blueocean, no doubt, so far, you provide the most in-depth objective analysis on property in this forum, my appreciation here.

Abt a year ago, went to TK to look see look see, then one sentence made by wife really enlightened me: Children (now 15 &13) still young, get a place convenient for their schooling first, cut down tpt time......that was part of reason why i was back to bedok ave2, close to mrt. Frankly speaking, TK, Siglap, Kembagans' FH property prices are considerably acceptable at present moment.

Edited June 15, 2010 by bepgof

[Duku 0]

I guess yr age is catching up & kids have grown up.

My kids are both under 5

Still in my mid 30s...

[bepgof 20]

My kids are both under 5

Still in my mid 30s...

Parents always give priorities to children. The buyers who bought my previous 2 properties also "out of children". I shifted twice also "out of children" consideration, hope the next is "for me only". Heard of 孟母三迁 story?

Edited June 15, 2010 by bepgof

[blueocean 0]

Thanks !

If one owns a landed unit, you will be one of the lucky 70,000 unit owners then ...

Just to contribute. Some interesting statistics i gathered in the past :

****************

Top 10 planning areas ranked by number of singapore residents (June 2009) staying in Condo/Private flat

1. Bedok

2. Bukit Timah

3. Bukit Batok

4. Tampines

5. Hougang

6. Pasir Ris

7. Novena

8. Geylang

9. Kallang

10. CCK

****************

Top 10 planning areas ranked by number of singapore residents (June 2009) staying in landed properties:

1. Bedok

2. Serangoon

3. Bukit Timah

4. Hougang

5. AMK

6. Bishan

7. Marine Parade

8. Novena

9. Pasir Ris

10. Geylang

****************

Number of HDB public housing units 837,883

Number of condos owned by Singaporeans 134,311

Number of condos owned by non-Singaporean 32,839

Number of condos owned by companies 16,277

Number of landed units 69,498

Number of passenger cars 497,116

Number of private passenger off-peak cars 47,224

Abt a year ago, went to TK to look see look see, then one sentence made by wife really enlightened me: Children (now 15 &13) still young, get a place convenient for their schooling first, cut down tpt time......that was part of reason why i was back to bedok ave2, close to mrt. Frankly speaking, TK, Siglap, Kembagans' FH property prices are considerably acceptable at present moment.

[Hubstation 0]

Looks like alot of rich people in Bedok