Thursday, March 16, 2006
52% of households changed residences between 1995 and 2005: statistics dept
SINGAPORE : Slightly over half the households in Singapore changed residences between 1995 and 2005.
According to the Department of Statistics, some 52 percent or approximately 350,000 households shifted house in the past 10 years.
62 percent of those who moved, upgraded to a bigger unit.
The Lows belong to the group of Singaporeans who have upgraded their housing in the past 10 years.
Their first HDB flat was a 4-room apartment in Bishan.
In 2004 they traded in that flat for a private apartment in Lakeview.
With 150 square metres compared to the previous 105, the family has plenty of room - even to have their children's friends over for the holidays.
Eicher Low, Home Upgrader, says: "We have four kids and they are all in the stage of growing up so they need more space to run around and of course with the larger flat they also have their own room, whereas when we were in Bishan with a 4-room they have to share."
Still, the move came with a price difference of some $100,000, and the Lows say they have arranged to service their housing loan over the next 25 years.
But they feel that being close to nature and the view of the MacRitchie Reservoir Park make it worth their while.
Six in 10 Singaporeans who shifted to bigger HDB flats also have an average outstanding loan exceeding $100,000.
While the Low family may be a more common statistical example in Singapore moving from a smaller to a larger apartment, a significant number of Singaporeans staying in bigger HDB flats and private housing moved to smaller housing in the last 10 years.
33 percent of those in 5-room HDB flats who moved downgraded to smaller flats, while 73 percent of those in landed properties also made the move to smaller housing.
This might have been because of lifestyle choices, or in the case of older Singaporeans, changes in circumstances like children moving out. - CNA/de
According to the Department of Statistics, some 52 percent or approximately 350,000 households shifted house in the past 10 years.
62 percent of those who moved, upgraded to a bigger unit.
The Lows belong to the group of Singaporeans who have upgraded their housing in the past 10 years.
Their first HDB flat was a 4-room apartment in Bishan.
In 2004 they traded in that flat for a private apartment in Lakeview.
With 150 square metres compared to the previous 105, the family has plenty of room - even to have their children's friends over for the holidays.
Eicher Low, Home Upgrader, says: "We have four kids and they are all in the stage of growing up so they need more space to run around and of course with the larger flat they also have their own room, whereas when we were in Bishan with a 4-room they have to share."
Still, the move came with a price difference of some $100,000, and the Lows say they have arranged to service their housing loan over the next 25 years.
But they feel that being close to nature and the view of the MacRitchie Reservoir Park make it worth their while.
Six in 10 Singaporeans who shifted to bigger HDB flats also have an average outstanding loan exceeding $100,000.
While the Low family may be a more common statistical example in Singapore moving from a smaller to a larger apartment, a significant number of Singaporeans staying in bigger HDB flats and private housing moved to smaller housing in the last 10 years.
33 percent of those in 5-room HDB flats who moved downgraded to smaller flats, while 73 percent of those in landed properties also made the move to smaller housing.
This might have been because of lifestyle choices, or in the case of older Singaporeans, changes in circumstances like children moving out. - CNA/de
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// posted by Shajahan @ 12:11 PM 