Types of Private Properties in Singapore Part 2
In the second of our articles on the wide variety of private housing available in Singapore, we explore the different types of landed property on the market today, detailing what makes them unique and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Good Class Bungalows (GCB’s)
Regarded as the most prestigious properties on the island, like all landed property GCB’s are only available for sale to Singaporeans. Prices start at around $10 milion, but larger properties with additional facilities such as swimming pools, can and do go for more than treble that figure. The GCB market in Singapore is seen as a bell weather for the economy as a whole.
In order for a property to be labelled a GCB, it needs to fulfil certain criteria. First of all, it must be located within a designated GCB area. It also must have a land area of at least 1,400sqm and can be no more than two storeys high (not including an attic and basement). Currently there are approximately 2,700 GCB’s, located in 39 GCB areas in Singapore.
Bungalows
As you may guess, a standard bungalow is one that does not meet all the criteria that would turn it into a good class bungalow. This usually comes down to it not being in a GCB area, or simply it is not large enough. These are still very desirable properties however, and have a price tag to match. As you would expect in Singapore, there are still criteria a bungalow has to meet in order for it to be labelled as such. The site has to be at least 400sqm and can be no narrower than 10m wide.
Faber Park, Sunset Way and Serangoon Gardens – among others – are characterised by the number of bungalows located there.
Semi-Detached Houses
Semi D’s as they are often known as refer to a less specific type of residence than the previous examples and can cover a range of different abodes that fit into the criteria. In order for a house to be classed as semi-detached it simply needs to be attached to another home on one side only, with a gap on the other side. For example, a bungalow that has been converted into two homes, will be two semi-detached houses. Also the end terrace house (corner terrace), virtue of its being at the end is not a terrace house, but is actually a Semi-D. The major disadvantage of these type of properties is the noise from the neighbouring house can be an issue, particularly if the property has been converted into two (as in the bungalow example), and inadequate soundproofing materials have been used in the conversion.
Terrace Houses
These are a stretch of houses all joined together. Those in the middle of the terrace are referred to as inter-terrace houses, and are the cheapest landed property available. The houses on the end – corner terraces, are actually semi- detached, tend to have more land associated with them and are as a result more expensive.
Cluster Housing/Town Houses/Strata Landed
Now it gets slightly more complicated. A simplified way of looking at the differences between these types is as follows:
Take a row of terrace houses and fence them off. Add some shared amenities such as a gym, swimming pool, basement car park. These now are town houses. Instead of fencing off just the row of terrace houses, include in that area some semi-detached properties and a couple of bungalows. Again build the added facilities, and what you have now are cluster homes. These are the newest type of property on the Singapore housing landscape.
Both of these can be seen as a hybrid of a condominium and landed property, as they enjoy the shared facilities of the former, while still having the characteristics of the latter. Strata landed is simply a term denoted to a building, or group of buildings where there are multiple owners, as opposed to landed property which just has one owner.
Strata housing can be found in the beautiful developments below. Click on the link to find out more.
- Thomson Impressions
- Shunfu Road Condo / Marymount Condo (coming soon)
- Alana
- One Surin
Upcoming New Launch Condo
