View Full Version : Problems of old condo - about 25yrs
Hi all, was considering purchasing an old leasehold condo unit for own stay because of the huge grounds and location. Please advise on what problems to expect in such an old estate.
Sleepyhead
19-05-12, 00:31
Is it a 99LH? I would worry about the remaining lease term if that's the case!
Important to look around that estate to see if the facade still looks good & been maintained or renewed with fresh cost of paint every few years. That will tell if the residents care for the vicinity through the management comm. Most HDB estate still looks good after 30-40 years because of this.
Interior wise, the ID is personal preference but do look out for water marks esp ceiling. Unless the interior has been done up recently, the minimal change will be bathroom faucets/water piping, Aircon, electrical rewiring & lighting. You will incur more cost hacking And troubleshooting if the problem persist later.
Good luck.
Hi all, was considering purchasing an old leasehold condo unit for own stay because of the huge grounds and location. Please advise on what problems to expect in such an old estate.
Unlike an old motorcar, somehow I feel old houses are not as scary in terms of maintenance. Just need to spend some money to renovate and replace the old pipings (aircon, sewage) if prev owners have not changed them yet.
As for the compound, it depends on effort of the management committee. Some older projects are really well maintained like the Bayshore Park and Mandarin Gardens, whereas I hv seen newer projects that have become very lok cok in less than 10yrs.
yea.. 99LH to worry, for the first thing.
old estate have old pipe & other stuffs..
;)
check carefully..
my HDB is 30yr old , i think...still very solid:D
Friend,old or new development in old estate will hve old pipes roo.
yea.. 99LH to worry, for the first thing.
old estate have old pipe & other stuffs..
;)
check carefully..
my HDB is 30yr old , i think...still very solid:D
Friend,old or new development in old estate will hve old pipes roo.
as Teddybear will say, branded luxury pipes can last much longer than mass market pipes.
Old luxury condos sure have less problems than old mass market condos.
I meant ageing pipes of PUB embedded in the ground of those really old estate.
as Teddybear will say, branded luxury pipes can last much longer than mass market pipes.
Old luxury condos sure have less problems than old mass market condos.
I really dont understand this fear of older condos...
People always mentioned about maintenance fees...
A new condo easily 20% more... so lets say 1k psf, 1000sqft place...
Thats 200k more...
How much can maintenance be??? If a condo with 500 units... each unit fork out 5k for upgrading... thats 2.5m... can do a lot of things liao
I meant ageing pipes of PUB embedded in the ground of those really old estate.
those can't be avoid..
must put in a water filter at your tap which i did..
i do see those tiny dirt fill up the water filter within 2 weeks. :scared-5::scared-5:
I really dont understand this fear of older condos...
People always mentioned about maintenance fees...
A new condo easily 20% more... so lets say 1k psf, 1000sqft place...
Thats 200k more...
How much can maintenance be??? If a condo with 500 units... each unit fork out 5k for upgrading... thats 2.5m... can do a lot of things liao
Agreed. I stayed overseas before in houses 50-100 years old.
Still Ok. Just depends on how much you can be bothered to maintain & not necessarily requires big amount.
Sleepyhead
21-05-12, 20:06
Ya.. In older cities like London, anything less than 50 year old is considered 'new build'.
In Singapore, anything over 10 years is old. Anything over 30 years has to be bulldozed and rebuilt.
Personally I prefer older properties.
Many reasons....
1. Grandmothers' stories to scare people off from buying old and persuade buyers to buy new at obscene premiums (e.g. from developers, new launch property agents,...)....
2. Those buyers little to no spare cash to renovate and repairs (repairs costs got no loan to take, renovation loan very expensive!), so must buy new. Buy new must have buyers to take over, so spin grandmothers' story (1). :doh:
Is it any wonder that such fear-mongering is so common? :tsk-tsk:
Is >20 years old buildings are so scary, then in overseas so many buildings 50-200 years old how to live in hah? I ever lived in >50 years old building, where got problem? just need to spend money to maintain only mah, still cheaper than buying new launch! New launch worth buying only if <=10% premium to resale! :p
I really dont understand this fear of older condos...
People always mentioned about maintenance fees...
A new condo easily 20% more... so lets say 1k psf, 1000sqft place...
Thats 200k more...
How much can maintenance be??? If a condo with 500 units... each unit fork out 5k for upgrading... thats 2.5m... can do a lot of things liao
I like to use the term Pre-Loved for old apts....
I've bought two 20-year-old and another two under 5-year-old condo units in Singapore before.
My two-cent contribution from the experiences of maintaining these properties:
1) Regardless of age, high-end condos at good locations that are popular with tenants come with quality finishing and are usually well maintained, both internally and externally.
2) Buy units from big projects. They come with full facilities but lower maintenance fee (for the no. of units).
3) Try to avoid built-in appliances, customized or hi-tech designs. They can be very costly to replace when they broke down in the future.
4) Once a place is near 10 years, it's time to change water heaters, aircons, etc.
5) Water seepage/leakage can happen regardless of the property's age. For old ones, it's from the piping/water proofing. For new ones, it's developer's fault or faulty appliances.
Personally, I prefer well-located older development for their spacious design and more livable layout. The repair costs are quite manageable.
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