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Hi, I will be 55 years old this November, and my spouse will be 54. Currently, we live in a fully paid 5-room HDB flat in Sengkang, which has been our first and only home for the past 26 years.My question is: Is it worth purchasing a private condo (not an expensive or exclusive one) and selling this house, or should we downgrade to a 4-room flat, given that we still have two daughters (ages 22 and 24)?
Both our OA in excess of 186k in RA.
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8 Answers

Hi,

Based on info shared, I think you are in a healthy financial situation. I believe you would have built up a sizable savings of cash and cpf since the hdb has been fully paid for quite some time. If eligible, you can consider to go for new EC as the entry price is typically 20% to 30% lower than comparable private condo in a similar location. Upon 5 to 10 years of stay after MOP, the price gap typically will converge, and you can make another round of capital gains which can secure your retirement and also as a legacy gift for your children next time. Just my 2 cents opinion

If you are open to other areas, you may wish to consider the upcoming new EC aurelle at tampines as it is located near a future mall and mrt.

It is better to do any housing move before 55 as you still can apply to set aside any OA for housing purposes before they go to the RA.

Happy to chat more and discuss your options in detail. Hope the above clarifies. I am well-versed with HDB and private property transactions, having helped more than 100 homeowners transit smoothly with their housing plans. Please reach out to me at 97432395  for a more in-depth discussion :)

May I have more info on your requirements so as to make better recommendations? Thanks and looking forward to chat more

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I would like to express my appreciation to Ivan Ng for his excellent work. Ivan is a dedicated, client-focused, patient and sincere agent. Throughout the whole process of selling and looking for our next property, he has always acted very professionally that makes my wife and I feel at ease and assured. Ivan is not a pushy and hard sales agent. Ivan listens and understands our needs and carefully guided us through. We are fortunate to have Ivan as our agent. Thank you Ivan.

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We would like to thank you for ensuring a smooth and well-explained process throughout the whole selling and buying of our property. We got to know you thru Property Guru, where we are scouting for condo around West area. We remember that we are quite tight in our budget in purchasing the condo unit,but you are still very willingly explaining and calculating our financial liabilities. You are always having your smiles whenever we met for discussion.

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Hi, this depends greatly on what will your lifestyle look like in the future years coming ahead. Are you looking to engage in more activities such as travelling overseas and taking up some hobbies which will need some capital? Or are you looking to spend more time in a comfortable space ? If you would like to cash out a little and have some cash lying around to enjoy some casual activities, it would be a better idea to downgrade to a 4room flat.

If you are looking to purchase a private condo, you will get to enjoy the facilities and privileges of a condo, but it may also mean getting more loans for your unit and having a slightly tighter cash flow. If you are planning to leave the unit for your children in the future, it might hold its value better than a 4room flat for sure, but this will mean having to service another loan, which is totally up to you.

Hi, hopefully you managed to get your doubt or query answered. If so, then congrats! Hopefully you are doing well now.

If you are currently or planning to find a property agent, I can assist.

If you are interested in prices of houses in your neighbourhood, you may visit this website to find out more or contact me.

https://www.era.com.sg/R064892F

If you are currently planning to go on a property journey selling/buying/renting/investing, I can be of assistance. Do feel free to reach out to me for more queries and assistance.

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Hi , Do contact me at 97970200  to discuss more on your plans and options.

Regards
Mark Ng
 97970200 
Propnex Read More
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Key thing about this move now would likely be leaving a better legacy or portfolio for your daughters, which of course, in the long run, having a private property will be much better, since HDB is under the purview of the government as public housing, it is not something you are able to make too much money out from it.

It will really depend on your appetite since the move to a private property will likely mean that a home loan will be undertaken and how do you look into this arrangement when you still need to service a home loan at this stage of your life. There is no absolute right or wrong answer.

——

I have been in the real estate business since 2009, with more than 14 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.

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1. **Financial Stability**:
Given your fully paid HDB, it seems like you're in a strong financial position with both savings and CPF. If you're eligible, a new Executive Condominium (EC) could be a good option. It’s often priced 20% to 30% lower than similar private condos in the same area, and over time, the price difference typically narrows.

2. **Future Planning**:
After staying for 5 to 10 years, you could see a good capital gain. This could be beneficial for your retirement or even serve as a legacy for your children.

3. **Considerations for Change**:
If you're open to exploring different areas, the new EC in Tampines (Aurelle) might be worth considering, as it's close to a future mall and MRT. Additionally, making any property move before 55 can allow you to set aside more CPF for housing purposes.

4. **Lifestyle Reflection**:
Think about your future lifestyle—whether you want to travel, pursue hobbies, or enjoy a comfortable living space. If you’re interested in freeing up some cash, downsizing to a 4-room flat could be a smart choice to fund activities while maintaining a cozy home.

*"The best way to predict the future is to create it."* — Abraham Lincoln
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Good day to you,

After fulfilling parenthood responsibilities, it is time to start experiencing life. Depending on how much loan you can obtain, upgrading might be a great idea, if you are willing to continue paying for high monthly installments.
Rightsizing and cashing out, with a small loan quantum, can help one ease into the silver years.

Let’s come together and create a strong plan for a more secure and fulfilling retirement.

Navigate Property Decisions with Confidence

With over 15 years of experience in Singapore's residential property sales and purchase (S&P) cases, I understand the complexities involved in the process. I aim to guide you every step of the way with clear communication, ensuring that all parties are legally represented and protected.

I offer in-depth knowledge in:
Ø Estate Planning and Distribution: Planning for the future can feel daunting. Let’s work together to create a smooth, transparent process that brings peace of mind.
Ø Divorce: Navigating property settlements during a divorce can be challenging. I provide expert guidance to help you achieve a fair and efficient outcome.
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Regards
Mike Lim
 96929209 
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Hi Sir,

Whether to upgrade to a condo or downsize to a 4 room flat depends on your financial situation. Due to your age, you may not want to get both you and your wife into too much debt and struggle with the monthly mortgage in time to come.

It may be ideal to do up a financial plan and determine the financial positions for both scenarios and the do a cash flow analysis before you decide which is the better option moving forward.

Please feel free to contact me privately so that I can gather more information and assist you further!

Regards,
Nick Tan
(M) +65 96 44 48 54
B.Eng(Chemical)(Hons)(NUS) / Cert-in-REA
(E) nick96444854@gmail.com

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Selling our house was a pretty stressful ordeal, as we have already committed to buying our new home and hence have a timeline to meet. Losing a substantial deposit and worse still, not getting our dream home caused many sleepless nights as we are nearing our deadline. I am very glad we have decided to switch to Nick and seek his help after the dismal performance of our first agent. Not only is Nick very patient in explaining things to us, time and time again he gives us reassurance to allay our worries. And he walked his talk.
With his help, we finally managed to sell our unit at a price w Read More
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Tan Pei Cheng (Pei)
I would be glad to assist you.
Feel free to contact me at wa.me/6597100155 Hope to hear from you soon.
Pei Mobile: (65) 9 7 1 0 0 1 5 5.
Email: peicheng.tan@propnex.com
Associate Group Director
Propnex Realty Pte Ltd Read More
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