Discussion About Single & Hdb Flat Ownership + Hdb Loan (Compiled)

[Sweetie Pie]

1 hour ago, Guest guest said:

But the reno cost for a 4 rm would be more expensive than reno a 3 rm. Even have money to buy, maybe no money to reno.

Singapore cost will never go down again.  Next GST hike is a month away and who knows what else will go up like a yearly ritual for the PAPPPYY garment.   Many people cannot afford a flat, and if they could by squeezing out some savings, they face another challenge - renovation cost and once they are settled with their basic housing, the rest became a maintenance struggle.  Was it not?

Edited November 5, 2023 by Sweetie Pie

[marriedmlyT]

On 10/28/2023 at 11:13 PM, Sweetie Pie said:

There are many people like us from all walks of trade.  You ought to be more concerned with whether hiring him will be more expensive instead of less expensive.

 

I used to hire an older freelancer for minor plumping work, I would pay him less than $50. In contrast, foreigners charged more than $120 and their vans would arrive at your house in seconds after you called them.

Can share ur older freelancer contact pls?

[Guest HDB]

2 hours ago, Guest guest said:

Roughly how much is the HPS for a 4 rm? Anyway, i would think anything should be more costly to maintain a 4 rm flat than a 3 rm flat.

Premium rates are age-based and also depends on the size & tenure of your loan (not the size of flat): Home Protection Scheme Premium Calculator

[Sweetie Pie]

5 hours ago, marriedmlyT said:

Can share ur older freelancer contact pls?

That elderly man is no longer contactable. 

[Guest guest]

9 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

Factors such as:

 

1. Age (Next birthday)

2. Occupation (High or low risk)

3. Sum insured.

4. General health (Smoker?)

5. .......

 

will determine the premium. You can opt for the HDB HPS which means it will deduct a lump sum of your CPF and provide mortgage protection during the tenure of the loan. Or you can choose a commercial insurer like Income Insurance Limited with yearly premium. I am on Income as the total sum paid was lower by 10%.

 

Now already year end and by 2024 our GST will be 9%. Everything will cost more so be mentally prepared.

I thought if your house loan is HDB loan, it is compulsory to get HDB HPS. Only if you take bank loan then can choose commercial insurer for your HPS. Correct me if i am wrong.

[Guest guest]

9 hours ago, Sweetie Pie said:

Singapore cost will never go down again.  Next GST hike is a month away and who knows what else will go up like a yearly ritual for the PAPPPYY garment.   Many people cannot afford a flat, and if they could by squeezing out some savings, they face another challenge - renovation cost and once they are settled with their basic housing, the rest became a maintenance struggle.  Was it not?

This sound so depressing.

[Guest Guest]

Wondering under this two situation, which one will you buy?

 

1. The flat currently facing an empty piece of land but next time will build BTO but don’t know when.

2. The flat facing the opposite land is currently just started building BTO and only be completed in around 3 years time.

[keyboard]

Are you going to be at home most of the time during day time?

 

For the dust generated, just get a robot at discount around $220 and let it run daily.

 

Choose the one with better location/amenities/things you use.

[Guest Guest]

7 hours ago, keyboard said:

Are you going to be at home most of the time during day time?

 

For the dust generated, just get a robot at discount around $220 and let it run daily.

 

Choose the one with better location/amenities/things you use.

On weekdays mostly would not be at home during the day, due to working. But if on leave or MC, then will be at home. Weekends should be at home during the day. But hearsay those BTO usually will work at night also. So there might be lights and noise from the work site.

 

If both location/amenities/things are about the same, then choose which one?

[Sweetie Pie]

10 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

Wondering under this two situation, which one will you buy?

 

1. The flat currently facing an empty piece of land but next time will build BTO but don’t know when.

2. The flat facing the opposite land is currently just started building BTO and only be completed in around 3 years time.

For greatest  privacy protection,  choosing the one that is the furthest away.  Personally, I still prefer a unit facing the park, a river, canal, low houses, sea...etc so that you don't wake up every morning staring into another building and saw someone staring back at you.   

[Guest guest]

4 minutes ago, Sweetie Pie said:

For greatest  privacy protection,  choosing the one that is the furthest away.  Personally, I still prefer a unit facing the park, a river, canal, low houses, sea...etc so that you don't wake up every morning staring into another building and saw someone staring back at you.   

Unit facing such a good view demand quite a high price, esp when you buy the unit as resale. Will you buy a unit that has an unblocked view, and yet downstairs is a traffic junction or road?

[Sweetie Pie]

56 minutes ago, Guest guest said:

Unit facing such a good view demand quite a high price, esp when you buy the unit as resale. Will you buy a unit that has an unblocked view, and yet downstairs is a traffic junction or road?

 A traffic junction on a side street or narrow lane is not the same as one on the main route. Some people enjoy it, particularly in my town, when military tanks roll into residential areas during occasional national days or chingay procession, giving those residing close to the main road a clear view of the entire possession.   

 

 

Each person has their own preferences, and the ones mentioned above are most definitely not mine. One of the many traffic noises that I hate is the hissing sound that originates from public buses and you bet I chose a unit away from every traffic noises. 

 

I advise you to take your time finding the ideal house rather than focusing only on the next roadblock or view obstruction.    Is it dark, sunny, windy, claustrophobic, and polluted (particularly in the vicinity of an industrial area)?   Is there enough space in your town for people to jog or stroll without having to go to the stadium or gym? How many coffee shops are there around your block? It is preferable to have at least 5 than 1.  Right?

 

 

Since time is money, how about convenient transportation that goes not only to the North and South but also to the East and West, the Circle Line, etc. and shortest time possible? Then came your personality: are you a gregarious or antisocial being? This will dictate which way you want your main door to face, which floor you want to be on so you can avoid certain people by taking the elevator or climbing stairs, etc.

 

My point is,  you don't choose,  you create a choiced unit and then start hunting for it.  With luck and perseverence, like me, you can find a good unit without burning your pocket. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Sweetie Pie

[Guest guest]

13 minutes ago, Sweetie Pie said:

 A traffic junction on a side street or narrow lane is not the same as one on the main route. Some people enjoy it, particularly in my town, when military tanks roll into residential areas during occasional national days or chingay procession, giving those residing close to the main road a clear view of the entire possession.   

 

 

Each person has their own preferences, and the ones mentioned above are most definitely not mine. One of the many traffic noises that I hate is the hissing sound that originates from public buses and you bet I chose a unit away from every traffic noises. 

 

I advise you to take your time finding the ideal house rather than focusing only on the next roadblock or view obstruction.    Is it dark, sunny, windy, claustrophobic, and polluted (particularly in the vicinity of an industrial area)?   Is there enough space in your town for people to jog or stroll without having to go to the stadium or gym? How many coffee shops are there around your block? It is preferable to have at least 5 than 1.  Right?

 

 

Since time is money, how about convenient transportation that goes not only to the North and South but also to the East and West, the Circle Line, etc. and shortest time possible? Then came your personality: are you a gregarious or antisocial being? This will dictate which way you want your main door to face, which floor you want to be on so you can avoid certain people by taking the elevator or climbing stairs, etc.

 

My point is,  you don't choose,  you create a choiced unit and then start hunting for it.  With luck and perseverence, like me, you can find a good unit without burning your pocket. 

I don't think there is so called an ideal house. Every house sure have some flaws, even the house with the super nice view and away from traffic, might also have some others flaw. If really want to find a perfect and ideal house, i wonder how long it will take to find that ideal house. I heard before; some people can take 1-2 years to find their house, or can view over hundreds of houses, and waiting for that ideal house to appear. 😅

 

[keyboard]

12 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

On weekdays mostly would not be at home during the day, due to working. But if on leave or MC, then will be at home. Weekends should be at home during the day. But hearsay those BTO usually will work at night also. So there might be lights and noise from the work site.

 

If both location/amenities/things are about the same, then choose which one?

For the empty piece of land, you can look at URA plan to see what is it designated for - school, community hospital, religion etc.

If you have nearby plots already have BTO, likely this is just coming in the next few years (e.g. Tampines East, currently Tengah, next Bedok North, near MRT sure next year a lot). See how high the plot ratio is - higher means old method of constructing - at least 4-5years to complete.

 

The work at night won't be noisy or dusty, lights also wont shine into your house, not something curtains (or blackout curtains very popular these days) won't fix. Also won't be usual, it's usually rush to complete or something then will have some few days late nights.

 

Would choose the one that you can bear with now, or later. Especially it takes a few months + renovation before you can move in, if it's already in construction, you will minus off those months from today.

[Sweetie Pie]

13 hours ago, Guest guest said:

I don't think there is so called an ideal house. Every house sure have some flaws, even the house with the super nice view and away from traffic, might also have some others flaw. If really want to find a perfect and ideal house, i wonder how long it will take to find that ideal house. I heard before; some people can take 1-2 years to find their house, or can view over hundreds of houses, and waiting for that ideal house to appear. 😅

 

Finding a new place to live should not take longer than a year, but it should move more quickly with the agent's help.   Because it takes time for the agent to look through available stocks and for you to have a break before making a decision, 5 viewings a month is deemed reasonable.     In addition to making you more weary in the process, it gives the Agents a terrible impression if someone needs 100+ of viewings to find a house. It also raises questions about your sincerity in purchasing a home and shows that you are unsure of what you really need.   Extended waiting periods further increased the danger of encountering more stringent CPF/HDB rules (MOP, borrowing limit, quotas), rising interest rates as a result of geopolitical unpredictability, and another abrupt spike in HDB prices, your retrenchment,  inflation renovation/furnishing cost ..etc.  Under such circumstances, your budget cannot keep up with time and most agent will want you to be realistic if you insist on having "idealistic" expectation.

 

Some agents are so kind that they will even provide suggestions so you can both check the house rather than just you.  When I first walked inside a house, the agent told me straight up that he didn't feel it, and I decided to trust him.   In my experience, men agents are typically more approachable, whereas female agents are more skilled at persuasion to get you to agree to something you didn't want.

Edited November 9, 2023 by Sweetie Pie

[Startup]

“Still, we expect HDB resale volume and prices to remain relatively stable in the fourth quarter of 2023, supported by those with more immediate housing needs,” she said.

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/hdb-resale-prices-volume-rebound-in-october-million-dollar-flats-in-2023-total-377

 

 

World’s Most Expensive City to Face First Rental Slump in Four Years

 

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/world-s-most-expensive-city-to-face-first-rental-slump-in-four-years-1.1995574#:~:text=(Bloomberg) -- The longest rally,be coming to an end.

[Guest Guest]

10 hours ago, keyboard said:

For the empty piece of land, you can look at URA plan to see what is it designated for - school, community hospital, religion etc.

If you have nearby plots already have BTO, likely this is just coming in the next few years (e.g. Tampines East, currently Tengah, next Bedok North, near MRT sure next year a lot). See how high the plot ratio is - higher means old method of constructing - at least 4-5years to complete.

 

The work at night won't be noisy or dusty, lights also wont shine into your house, not something curtains (or blackout curtains very popular these days) won't fix. Also won't be usual, it's usually rush to complete or something then will have some few days late nights.

 

Would choose the one that you can bear with now, or later. Especially it takes a few months + renovation before you can move in, if it's already in construction, you will minus off those months from today.

The empty plot of land already indicate will build high rise residential building and place of worship. Think the highest floor should be around 20-23 floor.

 

Construction of BTO flats usually will need to take at least 4 years or longer, so the other site that i am referring to already started doing foundation work, next time the BTOs height will not exceed 18 storey.

 

Even it takes a few months before i can move in, the longest also takes 6 months or so, don't think these 6-8 months can build a lot of things.

[Guest guest]

5 hours ago, Startup said:

“Still, we expect HDB resale volume and prices to remain relatively stable in the fourth quarter of 2023, supported by those with more immediate housing needs,” she said.

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/hdb-resale-prices-volume-rebound-in-october-million-dollar-flats-in-2023-total-377

 

 

World’s Most Expensive City to Face First Rental Slump in Four Years

 

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/world-s-most-expensive-city-to-face-first-rental-slump-in-four-years-1.1995574#:~:text=(Bloomberg) -- The longest rally,be coming to an end.

Rental still quite ex now. Even a HDB 2rm flat can also rent at $2500 to $3000. Overall rental for whole unit close to $3000, cannot get below $2500 even for a HDB 3 rm flat.

[Guest guest]

8 hours ago, Sweetie Pie said:

Finding a new place to live should not take longer than a year, but it should move more quickly with the agent's help.   Because it takes time for the agent to look through available stocks and for you to have a break before making a decision, 5 viewings a month is deemed reasonable.     In addition to making you more weary in the process, it gives the Agents a terrible impression if someone needs 100+ of viewings to find a house. It also raises questions about your sincerity in purchasing a home and shows that you are unsure of what you really need.   Extended waiting periods further increased the danger of encountering more stringent CPF/HDB rules (MOP, borrowing limit, quotas), rising interest rates as a result of geopolitical unpredictability, and another abrupt spike in HDB prices, your retrenchment,  inflation renovation/furnishing cost ..etc.  Under such circumstances, your budget cannot keep up with time and most agent will want you to be realistic if you insist on having "idealistic" expectation.

 

Some agents are so kind that they will even provide suggestions so you can both check the house rather than just you.  When I first walked inside a house, the agent told me straight up that he didn't feel it, and I decided to trust him.   In my experience, men agents are typically more approachable, whereas female agents are more skilled at persuasion to get you to agree to something you didn't want.

It would be surprisingly it might take a year or longer to find a house, esp when there is not many people selling in the area that you are looking. Many times finding a house also must see luck. If your luck is so bad, you might not able to view any house for weeks. And it is not due to you are fussy in finding your house, even i want to lower my expectation, but there are really no one is selling. 😅 Or the available units in the location that you want is all low floor, between level 2 to level 5. Would you buy?

[Sweetie Pie]

2 hours ago, Guest guest said:

It would be surprisingly it might take a year or longer to find a house, esp when there is not many people selling in the area that you are looking. Many times finding a house also must see luck. If your luck is so bad, you might not able to view any house for weeks. And it is not due to you are fussy in finding your house, even i want to lower my expectation, but there are really no one is selling. 😅 Or the available units in the location that you want is all low floor, between level 2 to level 5. Would you buy?

When looking for a flat, one needs to be flexible, open-minded, and realistic.  If your favorite town doesn't have any units available, you might choose one that is close by.  In the event that you are unable to locate a flat in Toa Payoh, two MRT stations distant is Ang Mo Kio and no one is stopping you to get a unit there.  

 

Depending on the direction it faces, a high floor may not always imply that it is good.  Due to the fact that his flat faced other people's landed properties, my friend lives on the fifth level with an unobstructed view.  Although my coworker lives on the 12th floor, there are tall buildings all around them, forming a concrete jungle to the left, right, and front.

 

I felt I had sufficiently discussed my flat hunting experiences for those who might be interested in purchasing a unit in the future.  Nobody can persuade you to live differently, you are, after all, the one living and spending your money in the unit and God Bless that your house bring peace, good health and fortune, more important than many other things.

[thickhead79]

In June 2023, a Tiong Bahru HDB flat sold for S$1.5 million, the highest HDB resale price at the time. A Toa Payoh Design, Build And Sell Scheme (DBSS) unit in Toa Payoh broke that record in a milestone sale today (9 Nov).

DBSS properties are oft-coveted flats built by private developers, with The Peak in Toa Payoh counting among the most popular estates.

Today, a top-floor unit at The Peak was sold for an impressive S$1,568,888.

The property agent who brokered the deal cited the great view, immaculate condition, and convenient location as reasons for securing the record-breaking transaction.

[keyboard]

14 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

The empty plot of land already indicate will build high rise residential building and place of worship. Think the highest floor should be around 20-23 floor.

 

Construction of BTO flats usually will need to take at least 4 years or longer, so the other site that i am referring to already started doing foundation work, next time the BTOs height will not exceed 18 storey.

 

Even it takes a few months before i can move in, the longest also takes 6 months or so, don't think these 6-8 months can build a lot of things.

Can i assume, the 20-23 floor building is not in prime area - i see outskirts like tengah etc they don't build as high, there is one thing, higher floors they cannot use the new lego method of construction, so will take longer to build. The 18 storey one if they started work would show up in HDB website when the estimated completion is. 18 storey they can do lego, so will be completed in 3.5 years, which means compared to the other full 4-5 years of build, you already cut 1+ years by the time you move in.

 

I wouldn't choose near place of worship due to the noise and air pollution. So it does not seem like the two sites are equal.

[Sweetie Pie]

4 hours ago, keyboard said:

I wouldn't choose near place of worship due to the noise and air pollution. So it does not seem like the two sites are equal.

The place of worship could mean many things like Crematorium/columbarium, Church, Taoist temple, Buddhist Temple, Mosque,  Hindu temple..etc.  If you stay high floor, shouldn't be an issue as you are not able to see them.  Church should be ok because it is mostly quite quiet.  

[thickhead79]

Ubi HDB Maisonette Sold For S$1.06 Million, First In Estate To Break 7-Figure Mark 💰

A real estate agent cited its location and complete interior furnishings as reasons for the high cost.

[Guest guest]

On 11/9/2023 at 10:53 PM, Sweetie Pie said:

When looking for a flat, one needs to be flexible, open-minded, and realistic.  If your favorite town doesn't have any units available, you might choose one that is close by.  In the event that you are unable to locate a flat in Toa Payoh, two MRT stations distant is Ang Mo Kio and no one is stopping you to get a unit there.  

 

Depending on the direction it faces, a high floor may not always imply that it is good.  Due to the fact that his flat faced other people's landed properties, my friend lives on the fifth level with an unobstructed view.  Although my coworker lives on the 12th floor, there are tall buildings all around them, forming a concrete jungle to the left, right, and front.

 

I felt I had sufficiently discussed my flat hunting experiences for those who might be interested in purchasing a unit in the future.  Nobody can persuade you to live differently, you are, after all, the one living and spending your money in the unit and God Bless that your house bring peace, good health and fortune, more important than many other things.

Surprisingly that you said higher unit not necessary will be good or have good view, whereas a much lower unit will have an unobstructed view. 😅 People always find stay as high level as possible is better, since it tends to be airy, windy and unblocked view. However, i find too high level unit, it would get over windy and cold, might ended up always cannot open windows, so what's the point of staying super high floor.

 

Anyway, agreed that if unable to locate a unit in my favorite town, can choose another one which is close by. But if a person's luck really so bad, even i have 3 different town to choose, still might not have any decent units available at that point of time.

[Guest guest]

7 hours ago, thickhead79 said:

Ubi HDB Maisonette Sold For S$1.06 Million, First In Estate To Break 7-Figure Mark 💰

A real estate agent cited its location and complete interior furnishings as reasons for the high cost.

Many sellers add in their super expensive reno cost that they have spent when they are selling the house. Hoping to recoup the reno that they have spent. But the reno always at least 5 year old or even longer, and yet they still tell buyers how nice the reno they have done.

[Guest Guest]

12 hours ago, keyboard said:

Can i assume, the 20-23 floor building is not in prime area - i see outskirts like tengah etc they don't build as high, there is one thing, higher floors they cannot use the new lego method of construction, so will take longer to build. The 18 storey one if they started work would show up in HDB website when the estimated completion is. 18 storey they can do lego, so will be completed in 3.5 years, which means compared to the other full 4-5 years of build, you already cut 1+ years by the time you move in.

 

I wouldn't choose near place of worship due to the noise and air pollution. So it does not seem like the two sites are equal.

Didn't know higher floors BTO, they cannot use lego method of construction. No wonder for those super high floor BTO which is 30 floor and above, took so long to complete. The 20-23 floor building is not in prime area.

 

You are right to say the 18 storey BTO site that i was talking about, the estimated completion time is around 3-4 years. I noticed usually they will complete before the estimated completion date, if construction is smooth.

 

Place of worship usually would not know what worship place they will build, so quite a gamble to take. Actually the two sites do not say totally equal but still have some similarities. Like you would not know after the BTO have fully completed, will the blks going to block your view since the site is infront of your windows.

[Guest guest]

8 hours ago, Sweetie Pie said:

The place of worship could mean many things like Crematorium/columbarium, Church, Taoist temple, Buddhist Temple, Mosque,  Hindu temple..etc.  If you stay high floor, shouldn't be an issue as you are not able to see them.  Church should be ok because it is mostly quite quiet.  

Even stay high floor, doesn't mean you cannot see them completely. But one thing for sure, you still can hear them even stay high floor. High floor means above 25 floor? Or 18/19 floor also consider high floor?

[single42]

49 minutes ago, Guest guest said:

Surprisingly that you said higher unit not necessary will be good or have good view, whereas a much lower unit will have an unobstructed view. 😅 People always find stay as high level as possible is better, since it tends to be airy, windy and unblocked view. However, i find too high-level unit, it would get over windy and cold, might ended up always cannot open windows, so what's the point of staying super high floor.

 

I am staying in a rented apartment at bedok reservoir road, exec masionette unit. top floor. extreme corner of the apartment building. The fact is that top floor, unblock view, yes, i can see as far as kaki bukit mrt station direction (10mins walking distance away) from the kitchen bathroom & former living room, I can see city hall & Marina Bay Sand.

 

yes, it is windy, not that cold as the building faces east coast park direction from the back. Can see Parkway Parade building from the kitchen window. when weather its hot, it's like u're staying in a microwave / oven. cold weather, when all windows are closed, its not that cold either esp. right now it's the el nino season. 

 

41 minutes ago, Guest Guest said:

Place of worship usually would not know what worship place they will build, so quite a gamble to take.

 

Now, as for place of worship, for e.g., my parents, they shifted into Sembawang Drive in year 2000 (extreme end of the estate), HDB promised them it's an open view of the Straits of Johor, and HDB guaranteed my parents, the government will not build anything other buildings in front of the apartment building within the next 30years. guessed what, a secondary school popped up somewhere in 2010 right below the block and a mosque was right next to the school. every Friday, u get to hear the morning prayer from the mosque, loud & clear. the streets that lead to the mosque on Friday are so jammed packed, police cars & military vehicles have a hard time of getting thru.

 

with the school right at the foot of the apartment building it's worst, u can hear lessons ongoing during the day. imagine it's ur off day, u want to rest & sleep in... every hour or so... u hear the school bells going off. u will go bananas on it. 

 

yes, 11th floor isn't that high (highest was 14th floor), it's still unblocked view, but you're facing the straits of Johor, the shipyard where they sand blasted the ships to removed rust on the ships' bodies. guess what, the whole apartment floor becomes sticky due to the salt from the sea, the sand particles from the shipyard. 

 

so, one has to decide & take a gamble where you want to stay. 

 

And high floor means 14th floor & above. 

[single42]

13 hours ago, keyboard said:

I wouldn't choose near place of worship due to the noise and air pollution.

 

It's never about the Crematorium/columbarium, Church / all kinds of Chinese temples, Mosque, Hindu temple etc. Imagine folks who stayed in Yishun facing KTPH & the community hospital as well. Imagine the sounds of ambulance going off every now & then... some folks will scream suay ah!!! UNLUCKY AH!!

 

I'm staying at bedok reservoir road, sometimes in the mornings, I get to hear the RSAF jets flying over-head every now & then esp. the unit I am in, it's the top floor most extreme corner unit. Imagine rehearsing for national day period, it's worst!

 

Folks who stayed at Dakota, I am sure, they will tell you, they have RSAF jets flying over their exec masionette apartment building which is less than 10 storey high... the taking off & the landing of the jets.

 

it's how well can you accept the noise pollution & the tolerance level you have. 

Edited November 10, 2023 by single42

[keyboard]

10 hours ago, Guest guest said:

Surprisingly that you said higher unit not necessary will be good or have good view, whereas a much lower unit will have an unobstructed view. 😅 People always find stay as high level as possible is better, since it tends to be airy, windy and unblocked view. However, i find too high level unit, it would get over windy and cold, might ended up always cannot open windows, so what's the point of staying super high floor.

 

Anyway, agreed that if unable to locate a unit in my favorite town, can choose another one which is close by. But if a person's luck really so bad, even i have 3 different town to choose, still might not have any decent units available at that point of time.

It's not about luck lah, when you have a seller market, people hold for higher, when you have a buyer market (say recession time), 10-15 units waiting for you to buy. It's all about having enough money to buy what you want at the price you can afford (not want).

 

Then also, it's still better you have high unit when you can open or close window to regulate airflow. Lower floor, you tear down the window also no wind come in. Just like my bedroom - the wind direction is always one way due to obstruction.

 

18 hours ago, Sweetie Pie said:

The place of worship could mean many things like Crematorium/columbarium, Church, Taoist temple, Buddhist Temple, Mosque,  Hindu temple..etc.  If you stay high floor, shouldn't be an issue as you are not able to see them.  Church should be ok because it is mostly quite quiet.  

Stays opps church. Daily will have 3 times they ring their bell, per ring used to be longer close to a min. Imagine on leave and woken up by alarm bell outside your control or WFH on conference and that goes off. Their major festivities will end 11:15-11:30pm with next day first mass early in the morning. No sleeping late/in on those days. Relatively, it's not worse than the other religions i suppose. The crowd doesn't bother me (since i don't take the bus at the same time), used to have lots of horning because they alight and cause traffic jams.

 

10 hours ago, Guest Guest said:

Didn't know higher floors BTO, they cannot use lego method of construction. No wonder for those super high floor BTO which is 30 floor and above, took so long to complete. The 20-23 floor building is not in prime area.

 

You are right to say the 18 storey BTO site that i was talking about, the estimated completion time is around 3-4 years. I noticed usually they will complete before the estimated completion date, if construction is smooth.

 

Place of worship usually would not know what worship place they will build, so quite a gamble to take. Actually the two sites do not say totally equal but still have some similarities. Like you would not know after the BTO have fully completed, will the blks going to block your view since the site is infront of your windows.

Look at the surround areas to see what places of worship is already there. It's built around population density.

 

If it's a "released" site, HDB already published the site plan - how the blocks will be placed. For newer HDB, it's no more the facing your neighbours living rooms right, unless that plot is along a shared "green zone", like those in punggol where two rows of blocks share the walking path/covered walkway. Look at recent launch, they have the MSCP facing less desirable path, then covered walkways to main roads/bus stops, blocks face non-east/west combo.

 

 

 

[Sweetie Pie]

8 minutes ago, keyboard said:

Stays opps church. Daily will have 3 times they ring their bell, per ring used to be longer close to a min. Imagine on leave and woken up by alarm bell outside your control or WFH on conference and that goes off. Their major festivities will end 11:15-11:30pm with next day first mass early in the morning. No sleeping late/in on those days. Relatively, it's not worse than the other religions i suppose. The crowd doesn't bother me (since i don't take the bus at the same time), used to have lots of horning because they alight and cause traffic jams.

 

It must be a catholic church?  I know the protestant church near my town rang the bell, ding dong ding don like the big ben of London,  on the first day of every month during noon time.  Not as bad as the warning siren that blasted across the island occassionally.

Edited November 11, 2023 by Sweetie Pie

[Sweetie Pie]

24 minutes ago, keyboard said:

Lower floor, you tear down the window also no wind come in. Just like my bedroom - the wind direction is always one way due to obstruction.

 

Do you mean the BTO on the lower floor?  I agree that the way BTO blocks are now connected by high-story MSCP and densely packed together makes it harder for wind to move through them.  Also, when navigating through some BTOs to find the correct block number, I frequently feel lost.    Because there is no MSCP and two blocks are frequently far apart, older HDB apartments have an advantage in this situation and due to constant wind throughout the year, we frequently witness construction workers dozing off on the void deck in older HDB.

 

[Sweetie Pie]

10 hours ago, single42 said:

 

It's never about the Crematorium/columbarium, Church / all kinds of Chinese temples, Mosque, Hindu temple etc. Imagine folks who stayed in Yishun facing KTPH & the community hospital as well. Imagine the sounds of ambulance going off every now & then... some folks will scream suay ah!!! UNLUCKY AH!!

 

I'm staying at bedok reservoir road, sometimes in the mornings, I get to hear the RSAF jets flying over-head every now & then esp. the unit I am in, it's the top floor most extreme corner unit. Imagine rehearsing for national day period, it's worst!

 

Folks who stayed at Dakota, I am sure, they will tell you, they have RSAF jets flying over their exec masionette apartment building which is less than 10 storey high... the taking off & the landing of the jets.

 

it's how well can you accept the noise pollution & the tolerance level you have. 

Granted, not all towns are perfect. Terrible roaring sounds can be heard in Dakota, ubi, Paya Lebar, Changi, and anywhere close to a helicopter or plane landing site.  The PIE, MRT track, expressway, and bird/dogs pet stores are a few more potential areas with noise pollution.   Aside from noise, certain areas next to cargo ports, and Jurong—also have certain smells that make them unsafe for your health. Consider also the smell of factory chemicals, petroleum factory smoke, heavy-duty vehicle engines, recycling centers, and other similar places can startle you with weird odor in the middle of the night.   Unfortunately, not many people consider all these crucial factors other than "unblock views,  New house, new furnishing, new town, next to MRT...etc.   House hunting is not supposed to be hit and run process, but having extreme knowledge of what you will be getting into, is crucial. 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2023 by Sweetie Pie

[keyboard]

2 hours ago, Sweetie Pie said:

It must be a catholic church?  I know the protestant church near my town rang the bell, ding dong ding don like the big ben of London,  on the first day of every month during noon time.  Not as bad as the warning siren that blasted across the island occassionally.

It is a catholic church. Is it only specific types ring bells? The warning siren is only once a year at 6+ pm whereas this ones is 3 times daily.

 

1 hour ago, Sweetie Pie said:

Do you mean the BTO on the lower floor?  I agree that the way BTO blocks are now connected by high-story MSCP and densely packed together makes it harder for wind to move through them.  Also, when navigating through some BTOs to find the correct block number, I frequently feel lost.    Because there is no MSCP and two blocks are frequently far apart, older HDB apartments have an advantage in this situation and due to constant wind throughout the year, we frequently witness construction workers dozing off on the void deck in older HDB.

 

Yea, lower floor. Had relative at Bedok Reservoir, their "sheltered walkway" is actually on the 3 or 5th floor connecting all the blocks (they are in a straight line), it will actually pass through some units (directly - the kind that you can kick their shoes outside their door type) or indirectly via their kitchen windows. When it rains, you can expect thousands of people walking pass your main door.

 

1 hour ago, Sweetie Pie said:

Granted, not all towns are perfect. Terrible roaring sounds can be heard in Dakota, ubi, Paya Lebar, Changi, and anywhere close to a helicopter or plane landing site.  The PIE, MRT track, expressway, and bird/dogs pet stores are a few more potential areas with noise pollution.   Aside from noise, certain areas next to cargo ports, and Jurong—also have certain smells that make them unsafe for your health. Consider also the smell of factory chemicals, petroleum factory smoke, heavy-duty vehicle engines, recycling centers, and other similar places can startle you with weird odor in the middle of the night.   Unfortunately, not many people consider all these crucial factors other than "unblock views,  New house, new furnishing, new town, next to MRT...etc.   House hunting is not supposed to be hit and run process, but having extreme knowledge of what you will be getting into, is crucial. 

That's why I say, do minimum renovation for first 5 years for resale. Don't like, just find new one and move. Can't image those people living near the Eye of Sauron having to deal with the smell on most days all the way into the night. 10 years later they sure find higher rate of cancer patients in that zone.

[Sweetie Pie]

38 minutes ago, keyboard said:

 

That's why I say, do minimum renovation for first 5 years for resale. Don't like, just find new one and move.

How many 5 years have you shifted house already?  I am curious that some people loves moving house like frequency of changing their underwear.   One of my cousin is an example, and never feel contented nor rooted in one place. 

[Guest Single53]

Anyone knows for those single 55-years-old seniors 2room BTO flex-lease at Sembawang/Woodlands area if select the 40-years flexi-lease 2-room BTO, is generally costs how much in Sembawang/woodlands? 

[keyboard]

1 hour ago, Sweetie Pie said:

How many 5 years have you shifted house already?  I am curious that some people loves moving house like frequency of changing their underwear.   One of my cousin is an example, and never feel contented nor rooted in one place. 

When your neighbour grows into the neighbour from hell. Why do you need to be rooted in small tiny island of Singapore? Go until Jurong Bird Park is still in Singapore mah.

 

14 minutes ago, Guest Single53 said:

Anyone knows for those single 55-years-old seniors 2room BTO flex-lease at Sembawang/Woodlands area if select the 40-years flexi-lease 2-room BTO, is generally costs how much in Sembawang/woodlands? 

You cannot divide by 99 years - the front part is more expensive. I have a post somewhere on numbers with the shorter lease.

https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/property-guides/ultimate-list-of-bto-flat-prices-54099

HDB BTO Prices in District 25 (Woodlands)

Woodlands South Plains (Woodlands)     Aug 2022    $98,000 to $154,000 (2-room Flexi)

 

HDB BTO Prices in District 27 (Yishun, Sembawang)

Canberra Vista (Sembawang)    Feb 2020    $89,000 to $141,000 (2-room Flexi)

Sun Sails (Sembawang)    Nov 2020    $92,000 to $122,000 (2-room Flexi)

[Guest guest]

15 hours ago, single42 said:

 

I am staying in a rented apartment at bedok reservoir road, exec masionette unit. top floor. extreme corner of the apartment building. The fact is that top floor, unblock view, yes, i can see as far as kaki bukit mrt station direction (10mins walking distance away) from the kitchen bathroom & former living room, I can see city hall & Marina Bay Sand.

 

yes, it is windy, not that cold as the building faces east coast park direction from the back. Can see Parkway Parade building from the kitchen window. when weather its hot, it's like u're staying in a microwave / oven. cold weather, when all windows are closed, its not that cold either esp. right now it's the el nino season. 

 

 

Now, as for place of worship, for e.g., my parents, they shifted into Sembawang Drive in year 2000 (extreme end of the estate), HDB promised them it's an open view of the Straits of Johor, and HDB guaranteed my parents, the government will not build anything other buildings in front of the apartment building within the next 30years. guessed what, a secondary school popped up somewhere in 2010 right below the block and a mosque was right next to the school. every Friday, u get to hear the morning prayer from the mosque, loud & clear. the streets that lead to the mosque on Friday are so jammed packed, police cars & military vehicles have a hard time of getting thru.

 

with the school right at the foot of the apartment building it's worst, u can hear lessons ongoing during the day. imagine it's ur off day, u want to rest & sleep in... every hour or so... u hear the school bells going off. u will go bananas on it. 

 

yes, 11th floor isn't that high (highest was 14th floor), it's still unblocked view, but you're facing the straits of Johor, the shipyard where they sand blasted the ships to removed rust on the ships' bodies. guess what, the whole apartment floor becomes sticky due to the salt from the sea, the sand particles from the shipyard. 

 

so, one has to decide & take a gamble where you want to stay. 

 

And high floor means 14th floor & above. 

I assume your rented apartment at bedok reservoir road not that high, maybe around 12 to 15 floor most. So for such level of high floor, still not as windy. I referring to those super windy unit on high floor is located 25 floor and above. I have viewed one unit before on a 30 floor, i can feel the strong wind keep blowing into the flat, and the owner only opened a bit of the window. Don't think it would be nice to stay in such flat where strong wind keep blowing, and the flat always feel cold.

 

Anyway, how come you are on renting? No buy a flat? Many people say renting is like throwing money into the drain.

 

Agreed that is your place is near to a place of worship is quite scary, no matter which type of worship. School also noisy as you can hear the sound comes from the school. I have a friend also stay near to a sch, he told me every morning he would hear the sch assembly talking sound and the bell rings throughout the day.

[Guest guest]

14 hours ago, single42 said:

 

It's never about the Crematorium/columbarium, Church / all kinds of Chinese temples, Mosque, Hindu temple etc. Imagine folks who stayed in Yishun facing KTPH & the community hospital as well. Imagine the sounds of ambulance going off every now & then... some folks will scream suay ah!!! UNLUCKY AH!!

 

I'm staying at bedok reservoir road, sometimes in the mornings, I get to hear the RSAF jets flying over-head every now & then esp. the unit I am in, it's the top floor most extreme corner unit. Imagine rehearsing for national day period, it's worst!

 

Folks who stayed at Dakota, I am sure, they will tell you, they have RSAF jets flying over their exec masionette apartment building which is less than 10 storey high... the taking off & the landing of the jets.

 

it's how well can you accept the noise pollution & the tolerance level you have. 

Not easy to find a flat that is no noise from the surrouding. You see many flats facing a road and even an expressway. I really wonder how these people can live in there. I guess these people noise tolerance level is very high.

[Guest guest]

5 hours ago, keyboard said:

It's not about luck lah, when you have a seller market, people hold for higher, when you have a buyer market (say recession time), 10-15 units waiting for you to buy. It's all about having enough money to buy what you want at the price you can afford (not want).

 

I still believe luck plays a part in buying a flat. Example my requirement for a flat is mid to high floor and corner unit. But sometimes you really cannot find corner unit on mid floor and above selling. Either all units selling are corridor units or corner unit with low floor.

 

Also find the current marker is seller marker than buyer market. There are more buyers than the units available in the market. Often even you really found a unit that meets all your requirements, and you offer to the seller, but the seller does not necessary will sell the flat to you and might ended the flat is sold to another buyer.

 

This is why i am thinking should i just rent a unit for the time being and wait out.

 

[Guest guest]

4 hours ago, Sweetie Pie said:

Granted, not all towns are perfect. Terrible roaring sounds can be heard in Dakota, ubi, Paya Lebar, Changi, and anywhere close to a helicopter or plane landing site.  The PIE, MRT track, expressway, and bird/dogs pet stores are a few more potential areas with noise pollution.   Aside from noise, certain areas next to cargo ports, and Jurong—also have certain smells that make them unsafe for your health. Consider also the smell of factory chemicals, petroleum factory smoke, heavy-duty vehicle engines, recycling centers, and other similar places can startle you with weird odor in the middle of the night.   Unfortunately, not many people consider all these crucial factors other than "unblock views,  New house, new furnishing, new town, next to MRT...etc.   House hunting is not supposed to be hit and run process, but having extreme knowledge of what you will be getting into, is crucial. 

 

If need to consider all these factors that you have mentioned. I think high chance would end up cannot find a house to buy. Since there is no ideal and prefect house. You sure must sacrifice something and accept some flaws.

[Guest Single53]

51 minutes ago, keyboard said:

When your neighbour grows into the neighbour from hell. Why do you need to be rooted in small tiny island of Singapore? Go until Jurong Bird Park is still in Singapore mah.

 

You cannot divide by 99 years - the front part is more expensive. I have a post somewhere on numbers with the shorter lease.

https://www.propertyguru.com.sg/property-guides/ultimate-list-of-bto-flat-prices-54099

HDB BTO Prices in District 25 (Woodlands)

Woodlands South Plains (Woodlands)     Aug 2022    $98,000 to $154,000 (2-room Flexi)

 

HDB BTO Prices in District 27 (Yishun, Sembawang)

Canberra Vista (Sembawang)    Feb 2020    $89,000 to $141,000 (2-room Flexi)

Sun Sails (Sembawang)    Nov 2020    $92,000 to $122,000 (2-room Flexi)

 

you cannot divide by 99 years 

[Guest guest]

3 hours ago, keyboard said:

It is a catholic church. Is it only specific types ring bells? The warning siren is only once a year at 6+ pm whereas this ones is 3 times daily.

 

Yea, lower floor. Had relative at Bedok Reservoir, their "sheltered walkway" is actually on the 3 or 5th floor connecting all the blocks (they are in a straight line), it will actually pass through some units (directly - the kind that you can kick their shoes outside their door type) or indirectly via their kitchen windows. When it rains, you can expect thousands of people walking pass your main door.

 

That's why I say, do minimum renovation for first 5 years for resale. Don't like, just find new one and move. Can't image those people living near the Eye of Sauron having to deal with the smell on most days all the way into the night. 10 years later they sure find higher rate of cancer patients in that zone.

Where is Eye of Sauron?

[Guest guest]

2 hours ago, Sweetie Pie said:

How many 5 years have you shifted house already?  I am curious that some people loves moving house like frequency of changing their underwear.   One of my cousin is an example, and never feel contented nor rooted in one place. 

How many 5 years would a person has, and it is not cheap to move house. You need to spend quite a lot of money to move a house. Also, the time, energy, effort and stress you spend on searching for your next house, and the process of going thru in moving house is not a fun thing to do. I rather stay put if possible and would not want to put unnecessary stress to my life.

[Guest Single53]

So if select the 40-years flexi-lease 2-room BTO in Sembawang is generally how much 

[keyboard]

26 minutes ago, Guest Single53 said:

So if select the 40-years flexi-lease 2-room BTO in Sembawang is generally how much 

For Illustration Purpose Only:

99-Year Lease	40-Year Lease	15-Year Lease
$110,000	$62,800	$36,700

Source: MND

[Guest HDB]

1 hour ago, Guest Single53 said:

Anyone knows for those single 55-years-old seniors 2room BTO flex-lease at Sembawang/Woodlands area if select the 40-years flexi-lease 2-room BTO, is generally costs how much in Sembawang/woodlands? 

Here's May 2023 Indicative Price Range for 2-Room Flexi Flats. Scroll down to the bottom of the webpage and look under "Non-Mature Town" as reference since there were no recent BTO launches @ Sembawang & Woodlands for some time.

[Sweetie Pie]

51 minutes ago, Guest HDB said:

Here's May 2023 Indicative Price Range for 2-Room Flexi Flats. Scroll down to the bottom of the webpage and look under "Non-Mature Town" as reference since there were no recent BTO launches @ Sembawang & Woodlands for some time.

Nightmare for people who still haven't got a flat yet.  The price both 2-room and short lease are becoming more rediculously high.   In future, the govt should built more rental flat, back to the old days in the 1960s, 1970s "Swiss standard of living?" 

Edited November 11, 2023 by Sweetie Pie

[Guest Guest]

For those who are in the range of 35-39 today, I can understand that they were badly affected by the Covid-induced price hike. But to those who already crossed mid 40s and still don't own any HDB, this leaves me wonder what have they been doing in the past decade. Too busy concentrating on their career? Or busy socialising?