
5-room HDB loft at Queenstown sells for S$1.658 million
SINGAPORE: A five-room loft in Queenstown fetched the eye-watering price of S$1,658,888, StackedHomes reported on Jun 5 (Thursday).
The buyer of the Premium Apartment loft unit, located on the 22nd to 24th storeys of Block 92 Dawson Road, may well have found it worth the high price. The report described the 122 sqm Premium Apartment Loft as 'a true unicorn' that's 'as rare as they come,' given its location, among public housing units. And of course, its high ceilings, yard area, and great views probably had something to do with it as well.
Moreover, it still has 89 years and 10 months on its lease.
It made the news last year when a five-room flat at Skyoasis @ Dawson on Margaret Drive changed hands for S$1.73 million .
However, StackedHomes noted that the transaction in Queenstown officially makes the unit the most expensive five-room flat across Singapore, pointing out that it appears on the database of the Housing & Development Board (HDB). See also Landed property sales decline in Q3 as buyers exhibit caution
Interestingly, what the piece highlights is that not all Home and Development Board (HDB) units are created equal, and rare ones, such as the Dawson Road unit, appear to be in a different league from others.
'At the end of the day, S$1.658 million is a lot of money for any HDB flat, but for someone who wanted a genuinely unique living space in a convenient central location and didn't particularly care about condo facilities or status, this loft unit offered something that simply isn't available anywhere else.
Whether that's worth $1.658 million is, of course, entirely up to the buyer. What's clear is that Singapore's property market has evolved to the point where certain HDB units are playing in a completely different league from traditional public housing,' the piece reads.
In April of last year, a four-room HDB flat in the area was sold for a record-breaking S$1,238,000. The 109 sqm flat is located between the 19th and 21st floors of 90 Dawson Road, where units carry an average price of S$800,000.
The property portal 99.co noted that the S$1.238 million price tag is the highest ever recorded for four-room flats in the area, largely due to its location, which is close to many amenities and offers good connectivity, with the Queenstown MRT station within walking distance. Several schools, grocery stores, clinics, and local parks are also conveniently located nearby.
'This sale not only establishes a new standard but also underscores the constant demand for prime residential locations in Singapore,' 99.co said at the time. /TISG
Read also: 5-room Sengkang HDB flat sells for $1.058 million
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
Lawrence Wong to make first visit to China as prime minister, meet with Li Qiang and Xi Jinping in Beijing
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will visit China from Jun 22 to Jun 26 and meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang and President Xi Jinping in Beijing. This will be Mr Wong's first visit to China as Singapore's prime minister, and both sides will commemorate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China. 'It is also an opportunity for leaders on both sides to exchange views on bilateral issues as well as regional and international developments,' said the Prime Minister's Office in a statement on Sunday (Jun 22). Mr Wong last met Mr Li and Mr Xi respectively in October and November 2024 on the sidelines of multilateral meetings. He last visited China in December 2023 as deputy prime minister for the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation. This time, he will meet Mr Xi, and be hosted to a welcome ceremony and a dinner banquet by Mr Li. He will also meet Mr Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress In Beijing, Mr Wong will also engage Singaporeans in the Chinese capital at a reception. In Tianjin, the Prime Minister will attend the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Annual Meeting of New Champions, often referred to as Summer Davos, and take part in a dialogue session with WEF president Borge Brende. Mr Wong will also attend an official dinner hosted by Mr Li for foreign leaders attending Summer Davos. On this trip, he will be accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu and Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow. Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and for Home Affairs Sim Ann, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Syed Harun Alhabsyi and other government officials will also be part of the contingent. Mr Wong will conclude his trip on Jun 26 and be on leave on Jun 27. In his absence, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong will be Acting Prime Minister from Jun 22 to Jun 25, while Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam will take on the role from Jun 26 to Jun 27.
Business Times
2 hours ago
- Business Times
Despite softer retail outlook, most S-Reits with Singapore retail assets record double-digit positive rent reversions
[SINGAPORE] Seven Singapore-listed real estate investment trusts (S-Reits) with local retail assets have recorded improvements in revenue and net property income (NPI), supported by improved operating metrics, positive rental reversions and robust occupancy rates. They are: CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT), Frasers Centrepoint Trust (FCT), Lendlease Global Commercial Reit (L-Reit), Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust (MPACT), OUE Reit , Starhill Global Reit and Suntec Reit . Here is a look at their recent business updates and financials. CICT reported a slight 0.8 per cent year-on-year (yoy) decline in both revenue and NPI for the first quarter of 2025, due to the absence of income from 21 Collyer Quay, which was divested in November 2024. Excluding the divested asset, revenue and NPI were up by 1.1 per cent and 1.4 per cent, respectively. CICT's retail portfolio recorded a 17.5 per cent yoy growth in tenant sales, with shopper traffic rising by 23 per cent. The portfolio's rent reversion was 10.4 per cent, with higher rates in downtown malls compared with suburban ones. The trust expects positive rent reversions signed in FY2023 and FY2024 leases to contribute to FY2025 revenue, along with the full-year distribution income from Ion Orchard, acquired in September 2024. FCT reported increases in revenue and NPI of 7.1 per cent and 7.3 per cent, respectively, for the first half of 2025, driven by higher rental income from renewed and new leases. Its portfolio maintained a committed occupancy of 99.5 per cent. Shopper traffic and tenant sales were up by 1 per cent and 3.3 per cent, respectively, yoy. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up Overall rent reversion for the period was positive at 9 per cent. FCT's Hougang Mall property commenced asset-enhancement initiative (AEI) works in April 2025, which are expected to be completed by Q3 2026. The expected return on investment is around 7 per cent, on S$51 million in capital expenditure. At present, 64 per cent of the AEI spaces have been pre-committed. L-Reit reported that its Singapore portfolio, comprising around 90 per cent of its total portfolio by valuation, achieved positive retail rent reversion of 10.4 per cent despite a softer retail landscape. Committed occupancy for Jem and 313@somerset remained high at 99.9 per cent and 98.9 per cent, respectively. MPACT recorded lower revenue and NPI for FY2024/2025, down by 5.1 per cent and 6.1 per cent, respectively, yoy. However, revenue and NPI from MPACT's Singapore portfolio rose by 1 per cent and 1.1 per cent, respectively, driven by VivoCity. Despite disruptions from ongoing AEI works, the mall recorded full-year tenant sales that crossed the S$1 billion mark for a third consecutive year. MPACT achieved 89.6 per cent committed occupancy as at Mar 31, and it recorded a 3.6 per cent rental uplift overall, with VivoCity alone seeing a robust 16.8 per cent rent reversion. OUE Reit's retail segment contributes 16.8 per cent of its overall revenue. Its Mandarin Gallery asset maintained a 99.5 per cent committed occupancy as at Mar 31, and recorded 4.9 per cent positive rent reversion in Q1. Starhill Global Reit reported full occupancy as at Mar 31 for its Singapore retail portfolio. Its overall portfolio has a weighted average lease term expiry of 7.2 years by net lettable area, with more than 64 per cent of leases expiring beyond FY2027/2028. The Reit's Singapore retail properties include a 71.49 per cent stake in Wisma Atria and a 27.23 per cent stake in Ngee Ann City. The Reit renewed its master lease with Takashimaya manager Toshin Development Singapore – which commenced on Jun 8 – for an initial term of 12 years, with further renewal options. The new master lease includes built-in rent escalations and an annual profit-sharing arrangement, providing upside for the Reit. Suntec Reit's Singapore retail portfolio recorded improved committed occupancy of 98.2 per cent as at Mar 31, compared to 95.8 per cent in the year-ago period. Rent reversion for its Singapore retail properties was 10.3 per cent, with a 91 per cent retention rate. The writer is a research analyst at SGX. For more research and information on Singapore's Reit sector, visit for the S-Reits & Property Trusts Chartbook.

Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Home-based food gigs are great, but unchecked growth risks tipping the balance
A bar in a HDB flat in the north of Singapore. Ensuring all home-based business operators obtain food hygiene certification is a start, says the writer. PHOTO: LEON SINGAPORE – In a stylishly renovated Housing Board flat in the north of Singapore, patrons are served $24 cocktails containing premium liquors such as Chinese moutai. The 'mixologist' has a full-time job in the healthcare sector – the bar is his after-hours gig. There are no signs, no menu boards, and he technically also has no licence. Such home-based businesse s have had restaurateurs up in arms recently, especially over private dining outfits operating on the scale of restaurants. Food and beverage bosses say they are not begrudging home-based businesses' success. What they are questioning is the fairness of allowing large set-ups to operate without licences or regulatory oversight, while actual restaurants and eateries contend with high overheads, manpower shortages and strict hygiene audits. But it's clear that some loopholes in the current landscape need to be closed so that there are better all-round protections and basic fairness for everyone with skin in the game. Home-based businesses took off during the Covid-19 pandemic as a way for workers to make extra cash, and today account for a fairly sizeable segment of Singapore's food industry. An online search by The Straits Times found more than 150 listings of F&B businesses operating out of residential properties, from HDB flats to landed homes. The actual numbers are likely higher. For homemakers, students and aspiring chefs, operating out of their homes offers a low-barrier way to test ideas, build confidence and earn income, particularly for those juggling caregiving duties. For consumers, home-based F&B concepts offer more than novelty. These businesses bring a level of diversity and intimacy that restaurants may not match – from heritage recipes and niche menus to one-on-one interactions with the chefs. With lower overhead costs, their prices can also be more accessible than restaurants'. Yet, with some home-based operations generating substantial revenue approaching $1 million annually, their unchecked growth challenges the system's fairness and food safety assumptions. The Home-Based Business scheme overseen by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and HDB allows owners, registered occupants or tenants of the property to operate small-scale home-based business activities without requiring approval from the agencies. The scheme stipulates guidelines that home-based business activities must adhere to. No non-resident employee is allowed to work in the flat or residential premises, for instance, and heavy equipment and commercial-grade appliances are not allow ed. Home-based F&B business activities must also comply with the Singapore Food Agency's (SFA) guidelines on good food hygiene practices to ensure food safety. But SFA does not require such businesses to be licensed, as it deems the food safety risk of these small-scale outfits to be limited, it told ST. Both URA and HDB do not keep track of the number of such businesses. Observers say this means the authorities likely also do not have visibility of the scale, volume or potential risks from such businesses, if they flout the rules. At the moment, any sort of enforcement on these businesses is mostly driven by complaints from the public. The lack of regulatory oversight on these businesses can also leave consumers without protection. Also, the 'small-scale' premise of the home-based-business scheme no longer reflects the reality on the ground. Some home-based businesses are no longer just dishing out weekend bakes or passion projects in the kitchen – a number are operating on pretty much the same scale as small restaurants. Little Social, for instance, operates from a residential shophouse in Tanjong Pagar, charging $140 per head for a Peranakan meal of seven dishes. It can serve up to 60 guests at a time. While URA and HDB say there is no cap on the number of guests allowed in a private dining setting, they have reminded home-based business operators to be 'responsible and considerate' to avoid disturbing neighbours. By contrast, licensed restaurants are subject to spot checks by regulators and must meet specific design and hygiene requirements to obtain a food shop licence. Is it time for larger home-based operations to be held to similar standards? After all, food safety lapses can happen in any setting. Case in point:In 2021, a home-based baker's products caused food poisoning that left 15 people ill – sending nine, including a four-year-old boy, to hospital. A good starting point could be to make basic food hygiene training mandatory for home-based food operators. If a coffee shop assistant handling food is required to complete such training, what more someone who sells 50 cakes a day or serves food to dozens of guests at a private dinner? Such a requirement should result in raising hygiene awareness and improving overall standards, and have the added benefit of giving the authorities a clearer picture of the landscape. Requiring attendees to declare if they run a home-based food business – even on a casual or part-time basis – would also be a good starting point for the authorities to gauge the size of this sector. The regulatory framework must evolve to reflect the reality on the ground. But any policy shift should be carefully calibrated and should not stifle entrepreneurship. Requiring basic hygiene certification for all food handlers is a logical and necessary first step. Larger home-based businesses operating at restaurant-like scales should be required to meet the same licensing, food hygiene and safety standards as bricks-and-mortar restaurants. It is time for the rules to catch up. Again, this is not to stifle entrepreneurship, but to ensure public trust and a level playing field. Check out ST's Food Guide for the latest foodie recommendations in Singapore.