Looking to purchase a property soon? How can you make sure to prevent buyer’s remorse in a few years’ time? The answer lies in an eight letter word: L-O-C-A-T-I-O-N.
Whether you are looking for an HDB or private home, you should keep the following critical factors in mind as you go house hunting:
1. Evaluate the level of accessibility to nearby transportation
Can you easily find buses and MRT stations? Besides homes located in city centres, those with convenient access to public transportation are usually in higher demand and fetch higher prices than similar properties without it.
Also, with Singapore government pushing for a zero vehicle growth rate and the occasional train disruptions, you will soon come to appreciate the convenience and benefits of living in a great location.
You should never purchase a property without clearly understanding about the current and future transportation plan for the area. Avoid areas far away from MRT stations, unless you live in a “ulu” area and own a car. This will only be an exception assuming there are future plans to open a new MRT station in the area.
2. Keep a lookout for urban transformation
Source: URA
For instance, the Greater Southern Waterfront is set to be one of Singapore’s biggest redevelopment projects in recent years. The area will stretch from Pasir Panjang to Marina East; covering approximately 30km of Singapore’s southern coastline. Comprising Keppel Club, Mount Faber, and the former Pasir Panjang Power District, redevelopment plans will be gradually rolled out over the next five to 10 years, transforming the Greater Southern Waterfront into a gateway and urban living space.
You can also find out what Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)’s future master plans for the area is, which presents a good picture of the amenities that you should expect to witness in the neighbourhood later. Analyzing the URA Master Plan is probably one of the best methods to gauge the projected price of the property you plan to buy.
Other progressive developments include the incorporation of business hubs and offices, recreational areas, as well as development of education institutions.
Who knows, you could even hit the jackpot once the underdeveloped area is transformed into the next hip, edgy, gentrifying urban centre, which will justify the ROI of your purchase in the long term. As the infrastructure developments take place, your property value will increase significantly and turn out to be a good investment.
You can also check out our blog article on 5 HDB neighbourhoods to look forward to.
3. Check how far away you are from amenities
Source: OneMap
You will benefit from moving to an area within walking distance to the main amenities you need, once you realize the amount of time it will take you to get there. You want to clearly understand how long it will take you to get to your workplace, the city centre and other frequently visited places including the childcare centre and your parents’ house.
In addition to MRT stations and bus stops, other essential amenities you might frequent can include schools, shopping malls, supermarkets, as well as libraries and sports facilities like swimming pools.
For instance, you can utilize the One Map services to determine what kind of amenities are near a particular property. In the above image, you can observe what amenities are available near the new launch condo such as Piccadily Grand.
But depending on various interpretations of what makes for a great location, subjective factors that determine a property’s value will also be considered. As a home is much more than just an investment, you should not expect a single property to meet all needs and preferences.
Looking for an HDB or private property?
Let Ohmyhome’s smart data-matching technology MATCH you with the right home, according to your specific needs. Submit your preferences to us and our algorithm will filter all our available listings based on those, and we’ll WhatsApp them to you once we find a match. We’ll also send you relevant content that you can use for your research and inform your home buying decision, so you no longer have to spend hours searching online for the information that you need. Because at Ohmyhome, we’re always by your side, always on your side.
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