Friend, the above is not very nice....i hate to say this, but i hate staying in a pigeon hole no matter what you called it or how much it costs!
Let me as a owner shed some lights on cluster home:
1) I didn't know my house is build on air or water!!
My cluster is sure built on a land....and as for Mango tree...look carefully, just off serangoon...mango trees are generally planted outside the house. The neighbour around me are less ambitious, we only have papaya....but i have a 600sqft roof garden with passion fruits, bamboo,willow tree and etc.
2) High maintenance? When i first bought it, it was cheaper compared to 2 cars shelter parking + conservancy charges of my ex-5hdb add together. it is $400+ now for a >3400sqft unit. Facilties? I dun even want to go there, if 1 tennis court, 1/2 basketball court, badminton court, 2 large pools + 6 smaller ones, Gym with SOA equipment and 4 x 1000sqft function room ....what else do you want? A Stadium?
3) Too many steps, that's true indeed. But if i'm so protective over my kids in using the stairs(as a form of exercise), they will probably not able to use their knees by adulthood. Most families house the grannies in the basement or level 2. As the hokkien saying, "things are dead, human brains are live"...use it la
4) Living and dining bigger than any 4rm condo I've ever come across, and i even need to drop my false ceiling(after dropped, still at 4m) for the aircon sake. Anyway, me ain't no fat ass....I'm contented with my 7 pax sofa lounge + 55" TV 4.5m away.
5) That's very true again. But cluster living is akin to kampong style....that closeness also bring about social cohesion in the estate. E.g. When my maid cooking at the outdoor kitchen, can just shout over for a helping hand(missing ingredients just like that) Oh, about privacy....dun we have curtains?
The above is to de-myth your view on cluster.
My house has appreciated 1.2 times from what i paid 6yrs back, infact I'm buying another unit to rent out at 5-6K a month. There're more reasons i can share with you "...A house is very subjective, as long as you are happy staying there...it is the best house" and I'll never put someone down based on his choice of property and if you're offended by my pigeon hole analogy....that's is exactly what i'm trying to say here.
Cheers