With its limited physical land and decreasing number of available parcels, Singapore is the home of many residential types. Amongst these selections, condominiums and landed properties are two of the most talked about. Especially for those who can afford both types of housing, choosing between a condo vs landed property Singapore is no easy task.

The luxurious magnificence and modernistic appeal of condominiums are hard to pass up. Together with complete amenities as well as first-class facilities, who wouldn’t want to live in a condo? However, landed properties are known for their utmost generosity when it comes to space. The no limitation ownership is likewise attractive most especially to conservative home seekers. So which is better, condo or landed property? Confused and caught up in the middle? Check this out.

Condominium and Landed Property – Basic Definition

Condominium – often referred to as a condo, it is a form of housing tenure in which specified parts of the real estate are individually owned. Common areas, including the land, are collectively owned by all unit owners. In Singapore, there are two types of condos – executive condo which is a public-private hybrid and private condominium. Private condos don’t come with a land title, but instead, strata-titled is given. People refer to this as owning an “airspace” rather than the land itself.

Landed Property – if the residential property is solely attached on a piece of land, and the owner has the title, then it is classified as landed property. There are several types of landed properties; conservation, terrace, townhouse, detached, semi-Ds and good class bungalow. Depending on the size and location, landed properties can fetch a significant amount of price. They are dubbed as the top tier of real estate.

Condo Vs Landed Property Singapore – A Comparison

Facilities and Amenities

Condo – known for having complete lifestyle amenities and modern-day facilities, nothing can beat the fancy things being offered by most condominiums. From swimming pools, gyms, function rooms, landscaped gardens, kid’s playgrounds, tennis courts, parking slots, and 24/7 security; name it and they have it.

Landed Property – landed properties comes short on this department. Depending on the type of property, some might have amenities and facilities but they are not as extensive as those seen on condominiums. Mostly clubhouse and swimming pool, these facilities are only available on landed properties constructed inside gated villages.

Location and Accessibility

Condo – condominiums, especially high-end ones are always located within prime key districts. They are minutes away from schools, parks, shopping malls, financial centers, tourist attractions, government agencies, restaurants, bars, and public transport. With its close proximity to these places, condos are indeed accessible because your needs are always within your reach.

Landed Property – there are only a few landed properties located near major key districts. Most of them are either situated in the suburbs or on the outskirts of the city featuring a fringe-type living. The next shopping mall, bank or grocery store could be miles away making them a bit of a hassle, especially for busy individuals.

Maintenance and Convenience

Condo – next on this landed property vs condo comparison is maintenance and convenience. Condominiums are famous for their worry-free living, meaning taking care of the property isn’t your problem. The developers are the ones responsible for painting the façade, cutting the grass, cleaning the pool, fixing electrical issues, maintaining water pipes, etc. With its zero-maintenance attribute, living in a condo equates to utmost convenience but this definitely comes with a cost.

Landed Property – with landed properties, you are the one responsible for maintaining not just your house but your backyard as well. You need to fix the roof when it’s leaking, you need to ensure that all electricals are working, you need to cut the grass, make sure that pipes are well sealed, maintain the flooring, fix home accessories and all others. The good thing with this is, you don’t need to pay extra maintenance fees and you can control the expenses thus more practical.

Noise and Privacy

Condo – since condominiums are high-density living, expect less privacy and sporadic noise from your neighbors. Foot stomping in the middle of the night, kids playing around very early in the morning, couples fighting at any given day – noise can be pretty much overwhelming since everybody’s home is just one wall away. And in the city that never sleeps, be prepared to hear lots of street noise especially those living on lower levels.

Landed Property – privacy on landed properties are without a doubt excellent, you can do whatever you want without worrying about your neighbors sneaking around. Additionally, noise is much more controlled since homes are positioned relatively far from each other. And if you have a huge backyard, your house is located far from the streets making the environmental noise little to none at all. If you want a quieter life where you can calmly relax at night, landed property is the way to go.

Freedom of Space

Condo – continuing on this brawl between condo vs landed property Singapore is the space consideration. In this country, space has been dubbed as valuable as gold. Although there are condominiums offering huge residential spaces such as 5BR units or a penthouse, they cost several million dollars. Typically, condos have a smaller footprint and they don’t feature an outdoor space except for the service area and balcony.

Landed Property – if space is your ultimate concern, landed properties will never disappoint you. Especially good class bungalows, there are tons of space to play around. What makes landed properties a sure winner on this category is that they offer both indoor and outdoor space that you can use as you please. You can transform that extra area into a kids’ playground, garden, mini pool, extra parking lot, dog house, etc. You can even expand your floor area vertically to accommodate more rooms.

Extra Fees and Security

Condo – As said earlier, the maintenance of condominiums doesn’t come free. You need to pay monthly association dues for maintaining not just your unit but for the common facilities as well. Most people, especially those who don’t use all the facilities see this extra fee as an additional cost of living. Included on this monthly payment is to ensure that your home is secured all the time. Condos do have top-notch security with their 24/7 personnel, roving guards and CCTV cameras.

Landed Property – with landed properties, you are not obliged to pay any monthly association dues, except for homes built inside exclusive subdivisions. If you don’t need the amenities, you don’t pay for them hence there are no extra fees to think about. Yet when it comes to security, you are the one responsible for making sure that your house is secured all the time. Again, the exception comes with landed properties nested on gated subdivisions.

Availability and Resale Value

Condo – condominiums are widely available, every year or so there are new developments sprouting like mushrooms in the wild. Selecting your home, based on what you want and need, is easy since there are tons of options to choose from. For the resale value, condos tend to appreciate faster than landed properties. But this depends on the market condition and age of the condominium.

Landed Property – approximately, there are only 70,000 landed properties in Singapore and finding the right one is always easier said than done. Landed properties are very rare, and it’s hard to find that perfect one considering your budget, location, size of the property and integrity of the unit. The good news is that, although landed properties appreciate pretty slow, their value is always steady and never decreases.

Cost of Ownership

Condo – finally on this landed property vs condo comparison is the cost of ownership. Condominiums are way more affordable than landed properties. If you don’t have a huge budget to spend on a home, there are subsidized condos in the form of executive condominiums. They are priced aggressively, located on prime districts and amenities are comparable to those of private condos. Though they are only available in 99-year leaseholds and there are several restrictions you need to be aware of.

Landed Property – you have to pay more to live in a landed property. Depending on the location and size of the property, landed properties can put a huge dent on your savings. Townhouses, as well as cluster homes, are the most affordable ones. In the middle are Semi-Ds and bungalows. Topping the list are Good Class Bungalows or landed properties measuring larger than 1,400 sqm, they are priced exuberantly at several million.

Condo vs Landed Property Singapore – Final Thoughts

To end this condo or landed property dilemma, always consider you and your family’s needs when choosing the right home. Assess your finances carefully in the next 30-40 years so to ensure that you don’t go financially challenge when the tough gets going. Lastly, pick a property that will suit your lifestyle. Modern doesn’t always mean better while customary doesn’t necessarily equate to a good choice.

Looking for a home? Check out: New condos for sale in Singapore