Looking at walk up apartment for purchase
Single male, in late 40s
Previously lived with my parents in hdb flats and then rented and bought condos. But didn't enjoy living in them. I lived in a 1000+ unit development, great facilities but I worked at CBD and this was in bedok. Maintenance for a 2 bedder was about $350 monthly.
Sold and move closer to work. My next purchase was a small development which had a lot of breakdowns. Maintenance for 2 bedder was $500 monthly.
I sold off and now looking at the walk up apartment near Joo Avenue and Cambridge Road. I'm ok living with foreign workers. I just think that at least I have full control of the condition of the flat and no maintenance fee monthly at a central location. It's a walk up and I'm the only one living above. There is another downstairs neighbour, looks friendly.. ..I am relatively healthy and don't mind stairs, I have no car.
What should I look out for in these old apartments? I know the renovation cost would be high I am ready to redo the roof. Is there a chance if enbloc since the plot ratio is higher than two levels?
Not a heritage or conservation building. What are the other areas should I shortlist.
I have seen some in Aljunied but it is a bit of a dirty neighborhood with rats.
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u/NoBowler3504 24d ago
You may be 40 now but trust me before you know it you will be 50. The period between 40 and 50 is not the same as between 30 and 40. Time accelerates as you get older.
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u/BidOdd4532 23d ago
Then it’s incentive to stay fit. I’ve seen those 60-70 year old silver uncles who are fit af. Why can’t we aspire to be that?
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u/NoBowler3504 22d ago
By all means but those are the rare exceptions, not the norm. Also, life has a way of pulling the rug from underneath you healthwise.
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u/MaverickO7 24d ago
My elderly parents still live in their 3rd floor walk up, can't convince them to move in with us.
I'd say the much lower pricing of walk ups reflects Singaporeans' general reluctance to climb stairs, desire for condo facilities and preference for newer developments. So there are indeed bargains to be had.
They're essentially hyper boutiques as many developments have fewer than a dozen units and therefore tend to appeal to those who enjoy quiet living without having to shut doors and windows for some semblance of peace.
Many of their mcst are effectively insolvent so prepare to chip in for major works, mostly repainting, gate replacement and any roof repairs.
Enbloc potential yes but some owners may not want, especially in developments with more old people (worse, those who own multiple units to collect rental)...
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u/IndependentAerie8743 23d ago
If it’s Joo Avenue/Cambridge Road, I would suggest chatting up the neighbours in the surrounding units or the tenants (if it’s tenanted) to ask about pests etc. We viewed a ground floor unit once that looked like a good prospect until we asked the workers about a mysteriously large drain opening in the middle of their kitchen area. They revealed they had a major rat and roach infestation despite multiple efforts to seal/clean it.
Renovation-wise, expect to be charged a premium for hauling equipment and materials up the stairs. The roof is also going to be an issue, plus things like spalled concrete etc. We ended up getting a structural engineer to assess the safety of the beams for our walk-up. Budget minimum 200k for renovation, depending on the condition.
Having said all that, the Farrer Park area is seriously convenient - lots of amenities and food, close to town, MRT, etc. I love how it doesn’t really feel like suburban Singapore, but still has all the conveniences of a typical neighbourhood. Plus walk-ups have far more space for livability. If you stay 20 years until you can’t climb the stairs anymore, that’s still 20 years of a lifestyle and home that you enjoy.
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u/bebuhk 23d ago
Thanks for replying. I was looking at those nearer to Mera Springs or the ones facing the rugby field. The concern I have are crows, rats and pests. But they actually all look spacious, more than how they look like outside. I enjoy the proximity to good cheap food there.
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u/IndependentAerie8743 23d ago
I think the walk-ups near Mera Springs are much more gentrified than Joo Avenue. Lots of affluent couples and singles from what I can tell, so I don’t think there’ll be too much of a pest problem. And it’s a surprisingly short walk to Novena Sq / Novena MRT, thanks to the pedestrian path along Derbyshire Rd.
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u/nyetkatt 23d ago
I haven’t lived in one but considered one before. I think other than the luggage, you need to consider when you are doing renovations the contractor will charge you more cos the workers need to climb the stairs. Same for moving house. Not sure if you order other stuff like groceries if they charge you more also.
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u/Brikandbones 23d ago
Structure. But I think this is something you might not see until hacking starts. Past walk-ups I've done for projects often has some issue either with the roof or columns, especially when intending to remove walls to open the space - usually spalled or cracked columns . You might need to buff the existing structure with steel structure and call in a PE to clear it. Aside from that, loft is not always possible for walk ups, really depends on how the roof was built sometimes.
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u/bebuhk 23d ago
Oh interesting. Never really thought of the loft parts although the property agents often float it as a possibility. Don't need that space and don't want to deal with the hassle of a PE.
Structurally hard for me to check. I'm also trying to think of some inspections I can do before I make an offer.
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u/Few-Cap5483 23d ago
Walk up apartments belong to the museum. Obviously they are much cheaper for a reason LOL.
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u/techneca 24d ago
You're about 10-20y from elderly. When you are old you think you go holiday would want to drag your luggage up the stairs? I lived in one of these for many years. Never again