Why did you chose you current HDB flat ?

[Ash2017]

HDB flats unlike the past, today are much better built, not only design but quality.

 

Unfortunately, their sizes have reduced which may be a disadvantage for larger families.

 

80 plus % of our population lives in HDB, so something must be right.

 

Current flat choice:

 

1. Limited by choice.

2. Limited by budget.

3. Limited by needs.

4. Limited by racial quota.

5. Stepping stone for eventual moving to private condo or landed

6. Proximity to amenities, MRT station, work, school including in-laws.

 

Ultimately, it is different for everyone.

[Kopites]

Resale from open market or unoccupied unit direct from HDB? Youâve mentioned unrenovated...

900k should be resales from open market.

 

Hdb sales of balance around 600k plus if I remember correctly.

[Watwheels]

No point lah. If you get to sell high you also buy high. You need a roof over your head. Many ppl is stay in hdb and buy/sell private instead.

[13177]

You mean mid 900k? Wow..

 

Yes kim tian is close to tiong bahru mrt.

 

Actually the one nearer to mrt should be havelock green (or central..forgotten the name). Is near to tiong bahru station and the up coming havelock station.

 

Convenient as it is also near cte,aye,ecp

 

Also another plus point Kim tian vicnity can easily access to AH, SGH, NUH. Dont mean any malice. Is good where one need to visit for medical attention.

Kim tian area flats are very expensive, even those flats TOP 2003. Actually boon keng area also near to many hospital if one need to visit for medical attention.

[Myxilplix]

Hurray... I am right! Kim tian!!!!

[13177]

Paid mid 9s+ also consider not cheap and mortgage also quite heavy le.

[13177]

Keppel and Tanjang Pagar are going to be shifted to Tuas in a few years. I'm guessing they will be building more high rise condos in that space.

If high rise building is build, it would block the sea view at kim tian area.

Edited February 27, 2019 by 13177

[Kxbc]

I think most of the blocks in the cluster are roughly N/S facing, so we have a view of keppel harbour+brani island but not tankjong pagar terminal. We are overlooking the starting section of the CTE/jln bukit merah flyover but traffic noise is very minimal at that height, plus there's a small park buffering the blocks from the highway. Interestingly enough from the kitchen we can see the SGH helipad, so i guess there is a restriction on tall buildings across the CTE which allows for the sound to disperse.

 

The only downside we forsee is the upcoming Silat Ave development that OUL won the land tender for. Not sure how high they'll go but our current 180-degree unobstructed view might eventually get partially blocked by that one. Our block is on elevated land so i'm guessing they'll need to go over 40 storeys to get in our way.

 

Yeah we frequent some of the places around yong siak street and tiong bahru in general and are quite familiar with the various cafes and restaurants. 

 

To answer some questions:

 

a. it's a resale unit from the open market. 

b. when i meant no reno done i meant it is very basic flat, all loose furniture and no built-in carpentry in the rooms. the kitchen is basic. great for us because we'll be ripping out everything and doing a full reno anyway. 

c. the boon tiong road cluster was the one that broke 1 mill for a 4-room flat.

d. why pay almost 1 mill for a hdb instead of getting a condo? location, size and unwillingness to commit to a heavy mortgage since we're both entering our early 40s

either Kim Tian or Telok Blangah are both near to CDB and town, esp convenient if either of you work there. No need car, buses are already convenient. I prefer Telok Blangah Dr for more serenity though not as convenient as Kim Tian.

 

At your Telok Blangah Dr place, the wanton noodle at the food centre there is good. Long Q though.

[Lala81]

What to do. That area, 2 mil for PC condo also can't buy u anything close to 113 sqm 

Tiong bahru is very convenient to go most places.

Edited February 27, 2019 by Lala81

[13177]

either Kim Tian or Telok Blangah are both near to CDB and town, esp convenient if either of you work there. No need car, buses are already convenient. I prefer Telok Blangah Dr for more serenity though not as convenient as Kim Tian.

 

At your Telok Blangah Dr place, the wanton noodle at the food centre there is good. Long Q though.

I find kim tian still not say very near MRT, tiong baru plaza that area is nearer. Near to cbd and town doesnt mean taking buses are convenient. Best is the area also near to MRT. As some places also near to town but not near to MRT, only depend on buses which is not very convenient.

 

Telok blangah indeed more serenity, esp if your area is near to the park. But buses at telok blangah quite limited and long. Unless you are staying near the CCL, if you stay near the safra side, going in and out of the estate also not very convenient.

Edited February 27, 2019 by 13177

[Angcheek]

What to do. That area, 2 mil for PC condo also can't buy u anything close to 113 sqm

Tiong bahru is very convenient to go most places.

When young i stayed near tbr there ... very nice .

Now its very messy near the mrt area .. unless u go further in .

 

Frankly i think its over priced .. whats the pt of staying near to orch nowadays.

[Kopites]

I think most of the blocks in the cluster are roughly N/S facing, so we have a view of keppel harbour+brani island but not tankjong pagar terminal. We are overlooking the starting section of the CTE/jln bukit merah flyover but traffic noise is very minimal at that height, plus there's a small park buffering the blocks from the highway. Interestingly enough from the kitchen we can see the SGH helipad, so i guess there is a restriction on tall buildings across the CTE which allows for the sound to disperse.

 

The only downside we forsee is the upcoming Silat Ave development that OUL won the land tender for. Not sure how high they'll go but our current 180-degree unobstructed view might eventually get partially blocked by that one. Our block is on elevated land so i'm guessing they'll need to go over 40 storeys to get in our way.

 

Yeah we frequent some of the places around yong siak street and tiong bahru in general and are quite familiar with the various cafes and restaurants.

 

To answer some questions:

 

a. it's a resale unit from the open market.

b. when i meant no reno done i meant it is very basic flat, all loose furniture and no built-in carpentry in the rooms. the kitchen is basic. great for us because we'll be ripping out everything and doing a full reno anyway.

c. the boon tiong road cluster was the one that broke 1 mill for a 4-room flat.

d. why pay almost 1 mill for a hdb instead of getting a condo? location, size and unwillingness to commit to a heavy mortgage since we're both entering our early 40s

As long as it is within you family budget than I would say a good buy. Is a cheap price to pay for a change in lifestyle compare to uproot and migrating whole family oversea. Every relocation (estate to estate) will amount to a certain degree of change in life style.

Keppel and Tanjang Pagar are going to be shifted to Tuas in a few years. I'm guessing they will be building more high rise condos in that space.

The shifting of PSA to Tuas will free up all those port coastline. From pandan through to the west coast, Santosa and down to MBS..they going to convert that stretch into something like marina regatta.

[Lala81]

When young i stayed near tbr there ... very nice .

Now its very messy near the mrt area .. unless u go further in .

 

Frankly i think its over priced .. whats the pt of staying near to orch nowadays.

 

Depends on your lifestyle and where your relatives and friends stay...

 

Everytime i meet my friends or go back to my parents place, i need to drive 25-30mins one way in light traffic just to get there cos i stay in the north near my work and in-laws.

I don't mind driving, but it does sorta reduce the chances to meet up. I only see my parents once a week.

[Kopites]

I find kim tian still not say very near MRT, tiong baru plaza that area is nearer. Near to cbd and town doesnt mean taking buses are convenient. Best is the area also near to MRT. As some places also near to town but not near to MRT, only depend on buses which is not very convenient.

 

Telok blangah indeed more serenity, esp if your area is near to the park. But buses at telok blangah quite limited and long. Unless you are staying near the CCL, if you stay near the safra side, going in and out of the estate also not very convenient.

Kim tian to TB plaza there are no sheltered walkway. It take around 10 mimutes walking distance to the mrt station.

 

As for buses plenty to go chinatown/Orchard vicnity.

 

Quiet and serene..hmm pretty subjective here. Telok blangah near to many green. Cooling and quiet I reckon. As for Kim tian is more laid back when come to weekend. Seeing AMTL cycling...Cafe..graffiti on some of the wall..tourist taking picture...wedding photography shoot..even community centre also organise those walkaround tour.

[Khng8]

I think most of the blocks in the cluster are roughly N/S facing, so we have a view of keppel harbour+brani island but not tankjong pagar terminal. We are overlooking the starting section of the CTE/jln bukit merah flyover but traffic noise is very minimal at that height, plus there's a small park buffering the blocks from the highway. Interestingly enough from the kitchen we can see the SGH helipad, so i guess there is a restriction on tall buildings across the CTE which allows for the sound to disperse.

 

The only downside we forsee is the upcoming Silat Ave development that OUL won the land tender for. Not sure how high they'll go but our current 180-degree unobstructed view might eventually get partially blocked by that one. Our block is on elevated land so i'm guessing they'll need to go over 40 storeys to get in our way.

 

Yeah we frequent some of the places around yong siak street and tiong bahru in general and are quite familiar with the various cafes and restaurants.

 

To answer some questions:

 

a. it's a resale unit from the open market.

b. when i meant no reno done i meant it is very basic flat, all loose furniture and no built-in carpentry in the rooms. the kitchen is basic. great for us because we'll be ripping out everything and doing a full reno anyway.

c. the boon tiong road cluster was the one that broke 1 mill for a 4-room flat.

d. why pay almost 1 mill for a hdb instead of getting a condo? location, size and unwillingness to commit to a heavy mortgage since we're both entering our early 40s

The UOL Silat Avenue condo will be a twin tower 56 storey high project.

[Myxilplix]

Yeah likely the Silat Ave project will block abit of the view once completed. For the rest of the waterfront, really depends on what they build when they eventually clear out Brani terminal, too early to say and we don't really have any control over what happens there.

 

No need to think so much about lifestyle change as our old place and new place are only 10 minutes apart. Friends, family, workplace and most clients are within 15 minutes, only diff is that some are even closer now. The only change is that our neighbourhood mall will switch from vivo to tbp or gwc and we will lose the easy access to the circle line. This is the main reason our search was limited to the stretch from commonwealth/holland down to duxton, location was non-negotiable.

 

Have to admit, the new place has less public transport options within a short walk. I think only one bus route services kim tian road itself, for the rest will need to walk out to jln bukit merah or tiong bahru road. As mentioned, the mrt is about 10 minutes away and not covered. I think the upcoming havelock mrt will be about the same. Fortunately public transport accessibilty is not a priority for us.

 

I don't want to say too much about the financials, but we're not taking a full mortgage and the monthly is very manageable for us. Part of the reason is that we plan to take our feet off the gas pedal in the next few years where work is concerned and go into some sort of semi-retirement.

[13177]

Depends on your lifestyle and where your relatives and friends stay...

 

Everytime i meet my friends or go back to my parents place, i need to drive 25-30mins one way in light traffic just to get there cos i stay in the north near my work and in-laws.

I don't mind driving, but it does sorta reduce the chances to meet up. I only see my parents once a week.

Agreed, if need to drive 25 min or more to get to friends or parents place, quite tiring. Although some people might find not far since driving. For me i also dont like to drive 30 mins to get to one place, maybe age catching up liao. Lol. If the traffic is heavy along the way, it really makes me headache.

[Theoldjaffa]

Agreed, if need to drive 25 min or more to get to friends or parents place, quite tiring. Although some people might find not far since driving. For me i also dont like to drive 30 mins to get to one place, maybe age catching up liao. Lol. If the traffic is heavy along the way, it really makes me headache.

Age catching up? I thought you are a millennial from the way you post