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HDB Maisonette: What Are They, And Should You Buy One?

Landed property feel, HDB prices.


HDB Maisonette

COVID-19 has changed the way we live. For starters, most of us need to work from home today, and this is a trend that is likely to stay in some form. The problem is that our HDB flats just weren’t built for a world where work-from-home is a mainstay.

Wouldn’t it be great if we had a larger space?

In the past, the HDB used to build Maisonettes – either called Executive maisonettes, or its predecessor, the 5-room maisonettes or Model A Maisonettes – that came with much more space and had two stories. If you think that would be ideal for work-from-home, we agree with you.

What Is A HDB Maisonette?

HDB Maisonettes or Executive Maisonettes (EMs) are two-story HDB homes that come with at least 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, with some having a third bathroom.

The lower floor is typically for all the common living spaces, including dining room, living room, kitchen, balcony, as well as a third bathroom and a utility. In some layouts, a study/small bedroom can also be found on the lower floor. The second floor usually houses the Master bedroom (with attached bathroom), 2 bedrooms and the common bathroom.

Does HDB Still Build Maisonettes?

Unfortunately, HDB stopped building Maisonettes in 1995, as Executive Condominiums (ECs) were introduced around the same time.

Read Also: 5 Types of HDB Flats That Are No Longer Being Built In Singapore

Should You Buy A HDB Maisonette?

HDB Maisonettes are in high demand. This is mainly because they are rare, usually located in mature estates and are much larger than most other HDB flats. Those who are living in HDB Maisonettes would also want to hold on to their units for the same reasons.

For larger families, they are ideal as they offer much more space and larger bedrooms. The third bathroom on the lower floor is also a big draw as it can double up as a maid’s bathroom. This means the family has a separate and private living quarters on the second floor.

Most Maisonettes come with a good sized utility or even a full study. This can be used as the helper’s room. If the room is larger, it can be converted into a study area for work-from-home needs. For families with older grandparents, this small bedroom on the lower floor is also necessary, so elderly persons do not have to go up and down the stairs multiple times each day to get to their bedroom.

Of course, there’s just something about a two-floor home that exudes the feel of private property living.

Since HDB Executive Maisonettes were stopped being built in 1995, Maisonettes today are about three decades old. This means they are relatively older homes in addition to being much larger homes. Buying one could entail major renovation works to bring the property up-to-date. This will likely cost much more than younger flats or smaller flats.

Buying an Executive Maisonette that is three decades old means that we would only have 60+ years left on its lease. If we are purchasing such an Executive Maisonette in our 20s, it may not last us our entire life. In addition, if we want to sell our Maisonettes, it may be harder to fetch a good price as they age even further.

We also need to consider how much CPF we can use for our home purchase. There is a Valuation Limit and a Withdrawal Limit we need to understand.

Read Also: How Much CPF Can You Use For Your Home? Valuation Limit And Withdrawal Limit Rules Explained

One plus point of being a relatively older type of property is that they are also usually situated in mature and in-demend estates.

Since Executive Maisonettes are bigger (and hence should be pricier), we can also expect to pay a higher property tax if we own one. Property taxes are calculated based on the Annual Value (AV) of our home, and the median AV of an Executive Flat is $10,680.

 

Type of Property  Median Annual Value
1 or 2 Room $5,100
3 Room $7,860
4 Room $9,600
5 Room $10,380
Executive & Other $10,680
Non-Landed $22,200
Landed $34,200

 

How Big Are HDB Maisonettes?

For families looking to live with multiple generations, 3Gen flats are HDB’s answer to our problems. However, as we can see, Executive Flats are even larger.

According to the HDB website, the approximate floor area of an Executive Flat is 1,399 sqft. However, this may not be entirely representative of Executive Maisonettes, as they are usually bigger than Executive Apartments – the other type of Executive Flat.

We looked at HDB resale figures and online property listing portals, and found that there were Executive Maisonettes listed as large as above 2,100 sqft and the smaller ones at just under 1,500 sqft.

HDB Flat Types 4-Room 5-Room 3Gen Executive Flat
Approx. Floor Area 90 sqm
(969 sqft)
110 sqm
(1,184 sqft)
115 sqm
(1,238 sqft)
130 sqm
(1,399 sqft)
Total No. of bedrooms 3 3 4 3
Total No. of bathrooms 2 2 3 2

Source: HDB

HDB also states that there are 2 bathrooms in Executive Flats. Again, Executive Apartments only have 2 bathrooms, while the 3rd bathrooms in Executive Maisonettes are usually quite small and do not come with a proper shower area.

Read Also: Complete Guide To Buying A 3Gen HDB Flat In Singapore

Where Are HDB Maisonettes Built In Singapore?

A quick search on online property listing portals show that we can find Maisonettes scattered across the island. There were listings in Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bishan, Bukit Panjang, Bukit Timah, Chua Chu Kang, Clementi, Geylang, Hougang, Jurong, Kallang/Whampoa, Pasir Ris, Queenstown, Sembawang, Serangoon, Tampines, Toa Payoh, Woodlands, and Yishun.

As mentioned, since Maisonettes were stopped being built in 1995, which makes them about three decades old, they are usually located in mature estates.

Read Also: Non-Mature VS Mature HDB Estates: What’s Really The Difference?

How Much Does It Cost To Buy A HDB Maisonette?

In terms of actual data from HDB in the past 12 months, we saw transactions go for as high as $1.21 million in Toh Yi Drive (remaining lease 66 years, 6 months), and at the bottom end of the range, we found one that went for $468,000 in Jurong West (remaining lease 67 years, 4 months).

We also scoured property listing portals. Similarly, at the top end of the price range, we found listings for above $1.2 million, while at the lower-end, there were listings for just over $620,000.

Read Also: Here’s The Salary You Need To Earn To Afford These Homes In Singapore [2021 Edition]

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