Singles property research – Decoupling Expertise
You are a Single and looking to purchase your first condo ?
It is not an easy feat, there are some unique challenges that stand in the way of a Single.
You will first have to deal with affordability, working within your budget to find the optimal one bedroom condo that will not only elevate your lifestyle, but also serve as a smart investment asset that will jump start your financial gains.
The Singles property research series aims to provide Singles with an effective shortlist of one bedroom condo development that fits their unique search criteria.
As a side note, if you are a Single below the age of 35 and is wondering if purchasing a condo early is the best option for you, check out the article link inline.
Quick Intro – Decoupling Expertise
Before you commit the next 5 mins of your life towards reading this article, it helps to find out who’s behind the keyboard.
We are a team of specialist realtors specialising in helping our readers research and shortlist investment properties for both homestay and investment objectives.
Having noticed an information gap towards helping investment minded Single buy and select the right property.
We seek to answer every real estate related query that a Single could have, with well researched content and non obligatory consults.
Selection Criteria
Having helped many Singles purchase their first private condo. We observe that Singles that are looking to purchase a private condo tend to be pretty savvy in making financial decisions and are often looking for a property to elevate both their lifestyle and financial gains.
So for our selection criteria, we are looking to balance both affordability and investment upsides. The goal is to avoid shortlisting a bunch boutique condos that will get you stuck in a financial rut.
- Affordability – all condo development below $1.0 mil to $1.1 mil
- Lifestyle – in a neighbourhood that a Single will enjoy living in
- Proximity to MRT – for quick transition between work and play and future rentability
- Liveability – one bedroom with good functional layouts, no dark dingy hole in the wall
- Investment value – the ability to profit, opens up more option in the future
#1 – Waterbank at Dakota
What would you say about living a couple of mrt stops away from Suntec city, Bugis and the CBD ? This city fringe condo development gives you the optimal distance between your place of work and play.
Singles living in this condo, take their custom built road bike out for group rides around the city, settle down for brunch at indy cafes and end the day chilling at home at their little herbs garden in their one bedroom condo.
Waterbank at Dakota is a condo development that is worth considering for Singles looking for an affordable one bedroom condo that truly embraces city fringe living.
Basic Information
- Tenure – 99 years from 2009
- Location – D14, Kallang, Dakota
- No of units – 616 units
- Proximity to MRT – 3 mins to Dakota MRT
Affordability
At the time of writing, you can get a one bedroom condo starting from $888,000 to $990,000.
From a Singles affordability standpoint, you will be looking at the following financial resources to make the purchase.
| Property Price | 990,000 |
| Cash / CPF requirement (25%) | 247,500 |
| Loan (75%) | 742,500 |
| Minimum Monthly Salary to qualify for loan | 6,500 |
* If you need help working on affordability calculation specific to your personal financial circumstances, drop us a whatsapp text.
Lifestyle
Sports
This city fringe condo development is located at close proximity to Kallang stadium and Kallang riverside park. For singles that are into running, there is no short of running routes in Kallang stadium and the Kallang riverside park.
For those into road biking , you would enjoy the morning rides from the nicole highway into the CBD. For MMA and Hiit fanatics, you will have access to F45 and Neue Fit MMA gym
Food and Hangouts
The famous old airport hawker centre is located 5 mins walk away from the condo and if you were to venture a little further, a 10 mins grab ride will get you to Joo Chiat where you will get all your quaint little cafes and restaurants.
Liveability
Floor Plan
Ups
- You get good daylight exposure from balcony and master bedroom
- Space to dry your laundry in the balcony
- Space for some urban herbs farming in the balcony
Downs
- No door separating master bedroom from living room
- Some space wasted along corridor walkway in main entrances
Facilities
Investment Value
Due to the location of this city fringe condo development, its one bedroom condo enjoys an above average rental yield of 4.5%. Rental yield of residential property average between the range of 3 to 3.5%.
Together with its healthy rental volume, it testifies to the strong rental demand for one bedroom condo in this area.
| Project Name | Avg Price (S$ ) | Rental Vol | Rental Yield (%) | Annualised Capital Gain (%) |
| WATERBANK AT DAKOTA | 853,000 | 32 | 4.5 | 3.4 |
Near term price catalyst includes the future completion of new launch condo Grand Dunman, The Continuum and Tembusu Grand.
The new benchmark prices set by the sale of units within these new launch developments, upon its TOP, will serve as a price catalyst for capital appreciation for 1 bedroom units within Waterbank at Dakota.
An important point to note is that, the lease of this development started in 2009. At the point of writing in 2024, the condo development is approaching 15 years of age. It is crucial to note that upon closing in on 25 years of age, the concern of lease decay will sit in.
Vis a vis the younger one bedroom units from the new launch development to be made available in the market. It is important to ensure that you purchase a unit within Waterbank at Dakota at a reasonable psf price disparity from the new launch units.
This allows you to position your one bedroom unit as an affordable option to future buyers.
| New Launch Development | One Bedroom Launch Price (psf) |
| The Continuum | $2600 – $2750 |
| Grand Dunman | $2450 – $2700 |
| Tembusu Grand | $2380 – $2590 |
Referencing the historical transaction for this Singapore city fringe condo development
Average one bedroom owners made between $35k to $118k profit. To be honest these numbers are not impressive. If you are looking for a profitable purchase in this development it is important to ensure you purchase at a fair entry price.
#2 – Sims Urban Oasis
Affordability and proximity to the city centre is the key sell to this city fringe condo. You will be looking to get a decent sized and functional one bedroom unit at below $930k .
Located in Aljunied, free from any association with the vice of Geylang red light district, this beats getting a one bedder unit in boutique developments in Geylang, Balestier area anytime.
Basic Information
- Tenure – 99 years from 2014
- Location – D14, Aljunied
- No of units – 1,024 units
- Proximity to MRT – 7 mins to Aljunied MRT
Affordability
At the time of writing, you can get a one bedroom condo starting from $818,000 to $928,000.
From a Singles affordability standpoint, assuming you will need the following financial resources to make the purchase.
| Property Price | 928,000 |
| Cash / CPF requirement (25%) | 232,000 |
| Loan (75%) | 696,000 |
| Minimum Monthly Salary to qualify for loan | 6,100 |
* If you need help working on affordability calculation specific to your personal financial circumstances, drop us a whatsapp text
Lifestyle
From a lifestyle perspective, this condo development does not necessarily place you in the heart of Singles’ leisure activities. But the location is as central as it can get, located 7 mins from Aljunied MRT, you are 4 MRT stops away from City Hall mrt and 5 stops away from Raffles place.
Sims Urban Oasis appeals to Singles that are optimising for affordability and proximity to the city centre, but yet want to be away from Geylang red light district.
Paya Lebar Quarters and SingPost Centre
Paya Lebar quarters and SingPost Centre would be your first port of call for food and grocery shopping. For fitness enthusiasts, you will still get your gym fix with both Fitness First and Virgin Fitness available at Paya Lebar Quarters.
Liveability
Floor plan
Ups
- Well partition master bedroom, separated from living room to facilitate hosting
- Regular shaped living room with no wasted space
- Option for unit with Loft to expand living space
Downs
- Aircon ledge is situated outside master bedroom window
Facilities
Investment Value
The key selling proposition for your future buyer for a one bedder unit in this condo is affordability and proximity to the city centre.
Assuming you were to purchase a one bedroom unit at $850k, 5 years down the room you will be looking at reselling it at $1.15 mil to your future buyer, factoring in a 300k profit.
Assuming all property prices increase in line with inflation, a $1.15 mil condo in a city fringe location like Aljunied would still be a fair purchase for your exit buyer.
| Project Name | Avg Price (S$ ) | Rental Vol | Rental Yield (%) | Annualised Capital Gain (%) |
| SIMS URBAN OASIS | 825,917 | 92 | 4.4 | 3 |
It is important to note that when it comes to entry price, it is key to achieve an entry price that provides an adequate price disparity with its neighbouring younger new launch development Penrose.
The competitive proposition for future resale consideration will be to position your unit as the more affordable option to your future buyer, who could potentially be a Single like yourself or an investor looking to purchase the unit for its rental yield.
| Development | One Bedroom Price (psf) |
| Penrose | $1938 – $2064 |
| Sims Urban Oasis | $1800 – $1930 |
The one bedroom owners that have sold their one bedroom unit recently, over a 3 to 4 year average holding period have made decent profits ranging from $141k to $200k.
#3 – One North Residence
Switching gear to feature a condo development in the western city fringe of Singapore. We have got One North Residence. This condo development is situated in the heart of Singapore’s tech and pharma hub, Biopolis and Fusionopolis.
If you are Single working in tech or media, you would vibe well with the neighbourhood this condo is located in.
Basic Information
- Tenure – 99 years from 2005
- Location – D5, Buona Vista
- No of units – 405 units
- Proximity to MRT – 5 mins to One North MRT
Affordability
At the time of writing, you can get a one bedroom condo starting from $968,000 to $1,000,000.
From a Singles affordability standpoint, assuming you will need the following financial resources to make the purchase
| Property Price | 1,000,000 |
| Cash / CPF requirement (25%) | 250,000 |
| Loan (75%) | 750,000 |
| Minimum Monthly Salary to qualify for loan | 6,800 |
* If you need help working on affordability calculation specific to your personal financial circumstances, drop us a whatsapp text
Lifestyle
Located right next to Biopolis and situated close to Holland Village, this development provides the chic upmarket bachelor / bachelorette’s pad vibe.
Hang out at Rochester Park
Train at Biopolis and Fusionopolis
Get your gym fix at UFIT, BFT and Fitness First at biopolis
Liveability
Floor plan
Ups
- Lots of daylight exposure with large full length window that stretches across living room
- But be wary to avoid EW facing unit to avoid heat
Downs
- No segregation of living spaces
- Almost like a studio layout concept
- If budget allows consider the larger 614 sqft unit that has a functional balcony instead of planter box
Investment Value
From an investment standpoint, this city fringe condo development does not compare well with the development featured earlier, Sims Urban Oasis.
| Project Name | Avg Price (S$ ) | Rental Vol | Rental Yield (%) | Annualised Capital Gain (%) |
| ONE-NORTH RESIDENCES | 952,500 | 19 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
The investment downside to note for this development is that for an older condo development that lease life starts in 2005, it does not come cheap.
Putting location aside, if you were to compare its lease life and price point with the other city fringe condos that are being featured. It is not the most affordable nor value for money option for potential Single buyer or Investor.
| Condo Development | Lease Life | Price Point |
| ONE-NORTH RESIDENCES | 99 years from 2005 | 1,000,000 |
| WATERBANK AT DAKOTA | 99 years from 2009 | 990,000 |
| SIMS URBAN OASIS | 99 years from 2014 | 928,000 |
Competing supply of one bedroom unit in the area
One interesting upside to note is that within the One North MRT area, there isn’t an oversupply of competing one bedroom condos.
The recent new launches Blossoms By The Park only features 25 one bedroom units and The Hill does not have any one bedroom unit.
So from a competitive standpoint for both rental demand and future sale this is deemed positive.
| Project Name | Tenure | Completion | No of units | No of 1 bedroom units |
| DOVER PARKVIEW | 99 yrs FROM 1993 | 1997 | 686 | 12 |
| THE ROCHESTER RESIDENCES | 99 yrs FROM 2005 | 2011 | 366 | 139 |
| ONE-NORTH RESIDENCES | 99 yrs FROM 2005 | 2009 | 405 | 168 |
| HERITAGE VIEW | 99 yrs FROM 1996 | 2000 | 618 | 0 – smallest unit starts with 2 bedroom units |
| Blossoms By The Park | 99 yrs FROM 2022 | 2027 | 275 | 25 |
| The Hill @One-North | 99 yrs FROM 2022 | 2026 | 142 | 0 – smallest unit starts with 2 bedroom units |
Not all One bedroom units made profit
Referencing the development’s historical transaction, it is worth noting that not all one bedroom owners make a decent profit from the sale of their units. Profitable transactions range from $2,000 to $200,000 and there are several unprofitable transactions with losses up to $90,000.
#4 – Queens Peak
The Queenstown area, comparable to Kallang / Dakota area, is another city fringe location that is highly sought after by Singles.
Within close proximity to the Queenstown MRT, there are several condo developments that property owners would normally consider. They are Alexis, Commonwealth Towers, Queens Peak and Stirling Residences.
After Stirling residences which lease started in 2017, Queens peak is the 2nd youngest development that is located right next to the Queenstown MRT.
Balancing both price and age of condo, Queens peak stands out as the best option to be considered for Singles looking for one bedroom units.
Basic Information
- Tenure – 99 years from 2015
- Location – D3, Queenstown
- No of units – 736 units
- Proximity to MRT – 3 mins to Queenstown MRT
Affordability
At the time of writing, you can get a one bedroom condo starting from $958,000 to $1,100,000.
From a Singles affordability standpoint, assuming you will need the following financial resources to make the purchase.
| Property Price | 1,100,000 |
| Cash / CPF requirement (25%) | 275,000 |
| Loan (75%) | 825,000 |
| Minimum Monthly Salary to qualify for loan | 7,200 |
* If you need help working on affordability calculation specific to your personal financial circumstances, drop us a whatsapp text
Lifestyle
The Queenstown MRT is 3 stops away from Tiong Bahru and 4 stops away from Tanjong Pagar MRT.
Hang out for coffee and drinks at Tiong Bahru
Slow walk or run at Hort Park
Liveability
Floor plan
Ups
- Balcony for ventilation and sunlight
- well partitioned living area
- Regular shaped living room for efficient use of space
Down
- Large AC ledge
Investment Value
If you are a Single that is looking to achieve the hybrid objective of both elevating your lifestyle and making your first pot of gold from property, this is the type of development you should be looking at.
One bedroom units at Queens Peak feature both newness in terms of lease life and affordability in terms of price.
| Project Name | Avg Price (S$ ) | Max Price (S$ ) | Rental Vol | Rental Yield (%) | Annualised Capital Gain (%) |
| Queens Peak | 987,444 | 1,085,000 | 40 | 4.4 | 4 |
Profitability
The historical transaction speaks for itself, one bedroom owner makes an average of $210k to $285k with an average holding period of 5 to 6 years.
Limited Supply
Queenstown being a mature estate, there is no foreseeable new land sale open for bidding and development in the area.
Queens Peak being closest to the Queenstown MRT will continue to maintain its competitiveness in terms of proximity to MRT within a location where supply is limited.
#5 – Citylights
Citylights is a condo development situated right next to Lavender MRT. Singles willing to stretch their budget a little will be able to snag a decent one bedroom unit at under $1.1 million.
Basic Information
- Tenure – 99 years from 2004
- Location – D8, Kallang
- No of units – 600 units
- Proximity to MRT – 1 mins to Lavender MRT
Affordability
At the time of writing, you can get a one bedroom condo starting from $1,080,000 to $1,100,000.
From a Singles affordability standpoint, assuming you will need the following financial resources to make the purchase.
| Property Price | 1,100,000 |
| Cash / CPF requirement (25%) | 275,000 |
| Loan (75%) | 825,000 |
| Minimum Monthly Salary to qualify for loan | 7,200 |
* If you need help working on affordability calculation specific to your personal financial circumstances, drop us a whatsapp text.
Lifestyle
This development definitely fits well into the ideal of city fringe living, Lavender mrt is located 1 stop from Bugis, 3 stops from Raffles place.So it’s going to be 10 mins to work and 10 mins back.
Liveability
Floor plan
Ups
- Full glass window that stretches across living room and master bedroom for light
- well partitioned master bedroom
Down
- Narrow corridor walkway between entrance and kitchen
Investment Value
Citylights share similar characteristics with Waterbank at Dakota, they belong to the older batch of Singapore’s city fringe condo development that lease started from 2004.
So age is a downside if you were to get a one bedroom unit in this development. You need to be mindful of not overpaying for a unit.
| Project Name | Avg Price (S$ ) | Max Price (S$ ) | Rental Vol | Rental Yield (%) | Annualised Capital Gain (%) |
| CITYLIGHTS | 990,000 | 1,010,000 | 31 | 4.4 | 5.8 |
Profitability
Historical transactions show mixed performance, owners that held one bedroom unit for 3 years or less made sub optimal profit below $100k.
It is important to note that anything below $100k profit, would most probably result in a break even financial outcome at best, after factoring in agent fee, buyer stamp duty and interest expense incurred.
Bonus List – Noteworthy City fringe one bedroom condo development for Singles
26 more condo development below 1.2mil in the city fringe
| Project Name | Tenure | Completion | No of units | Avg Price (S$ ) | Rental Vol | Rental Yield (%) | Annualised Capital Gain (%) |
| THE HILLFORD | 60 yrs FROM 2013 | 2016 | 281 | 654,000 | 41 | 6.4 | 2.6 |
| ALEXIS | Freehold | 2012 | 293 | 792,500 | 40 | 4.6 | 4.2 |
| BARTLEY RIDGE | 99 yrs FROM 2012 | 2016 | 868 | 840,296 | 38 | 4.4 | 3.4 |
| THOMSON IMPRESSIONS | 99 yrs FROM 2015 | 2018 | 283 | 853,333 | 14 | 4.5 | 3.2 |
| THOMSON THREE | 99 yrs FROM 2012 | 2016 | 435 | 902,500 | 11 | 4.6 | 4 |
| THE TRE VER | 99 yrs FROM 2018 | 2022 | 729 | 911,375 | 34 | 4.5 | 2.8 |
| VERDALE | 99 yrs FROM 2018 | 2023 | 258 | 928,000 | 5 | 3.4 | 4.5 |
| THE POIZ RESIDENCES | 99 yrs FROM 2014 | 2018 | 731 | 931,717 | 73 | 4.1 | 4 |
| PENROSE | 99 yrs FROM 2019 | 2023 | 566 | 942,667 | – | – | 6.7 |
| KENT RIDGE HILL RESIDENCES | 99 yrs FROM 2018 | 2023 | 498 | 947,944 | 12 | 4.1 | 2.7 |
| PRINCIPAL GARDEN | 99 yrs FROM 2014 | 2018 | 663 | 967,625 | 24 | 4.9 | 3.8 |
| SKY VUE | 99 yrs FROM 2013 | 2016 | 694 | 976,750 | 47 | 4.1 | 4.5 |
| STURDEE RESIDENCES | 99 yrs FROM 2015 | 2019 | 305 | 983,333 | 26 | 4.2 | 3.3 |
| COMMONWEALTH TOWERS | 99 yrs FROM 2013 | 2017 | 845 | 984,231 | 89 | 4.5 | 3.1 |
| PARC ESTA | 99 yrs FROM 2018 | 2022 | 1,399 | 985,333 | 86 | 4.2 | 5 |
| PARK COLONIAL | 99 yrs FROM 2017 | 2021 | 805 | 986,500 | 51 | 4 | 4.8 |
| GEM RESIDENCES | 99 yrs FROM 2015 | 2019 | 578 | 1,049,000 | 44 | 4.3 | 3.6 |
| PARK PLACE RESIDENCES AT PLQ | 99 yrs FROM 2015 | 2019 | 429 | 1,075,000 | 59 | 4.4 | 3.1 |
| JADESCAPE | 99 yrs FROM 2018 | 2022 | 1,206 | 1,085,486 | 45 | 3.7 | 5 |
| SOUTHBANK | 99 yrs FROM 2006 | 2010 | 197 | 1,090,000 | 9 | 4.1 | 6.3 |
| NORMANTON PARK | 99 yrs FROM 2019 | 2023 | 1,840 | 1,105,000 | 421 | 3.3 | 5.7 |
| CITY SQUARE RESIDENCES | Freehold | 2009 | 910 | 1,130,000 | 34 | 3.9 | 6.4 |
| MAYFAIR MODERN | 99 yrs FROM 2018 | 2022 | 171 | 1,133,333 | 9 | 3.5 | 2.5 |
| VIEW AT KISMIS | 99 yrs FROM 2019 | 2023 | 186 | 1,180,000 | – | – | 3.9 |
| Avenue South Residence | 99 yrs FROM 2018 | 2023 | 1,074 | 1,192,500 | 126 | 3.5 | 3.2 |
| STIRLING RESIDENCES | 99 yrs FROM 2017 | 2022 | 1,259 | 1,198,000 | 60 | 3.7 | 5 |
Turnkey solution to put thoughts into action – Decoupling Expertise
This article is 10 pages long, I was panting psychologically as I put the last word to this article. But your effort to put thoughts into action could be way easier.
That’s why we created Decoupling Expertise.
Our goal is to provide a fuzz free turnkey solution to help Singles purchase their first condo.
Stating upfront, there are no fees involved in our consulting services. We earn our keeps by taking a “co-broke” commission from the seller of the property that you purchase. So there is really no cost on your side.
Insert internal link – homepage Decoupling Expertise
Our suite of consulting service include
Singles home finances
- Singles budget and affordability calculation
- Helping Singles in IPA application
- Helping Singles overcome loan eligibility challenges
- Loan package comparison and advisory for Singles
Singles real estate strategy
- Property research and shortlisting
- Location selection
- Unit type selection
- Layout review for unit selected
- Negotiation and purchase of unit
Singles real estate planning
- HDB or private condo consideration
- Boutique condo or mainstream development consideration
- Solo purchase or joint purchase with other Singles
- First property flip strategy
- Second property flip strategy
Feel free to drop us a text for whatsapp chat. No sales obligation, promised 🤞
