Cluster Housing - higher demand in future

[lajia]

I took a look into some of those cluster projects, mainly LH99, the trend is very clear...up up and away...I think the psf for OCR condo is making more ppl think it is more valuable and worthwhile to go for those less than 2mil projects offering 3000-4000sqft. Normal 4 bedder is almost 1.4-1.6mil. Crazy....
Another observation is that developers are also going for such option as they see more demand.

Take a close look and it might be time to invest in some...

[bargain hunter]

but the take up rate of new freehold cluster houses is worse than before.

so 99 year leaseholds are in demand becoz of the lower quantum while the freehold ones costing >3m or more and brand new are hard to move?

[sherlock]

Cluster houses are usually small, narrow with 3 - 4 levels including basement
and very very tedious to walk around the house. They are cheaper compared to normal units due to the lower PSF but still 2M in quantum

I owned one before and heck, never lived in it. Units often faced each other and are pretty close too

5-6 years ago it was cheap... and prices have easily more than doubled or even near to triple. Think it will still go up?

[star]

Quantum is the game now. Anything below $1m goes easier and faster.

[lajia]

not all designs are what you just mentioned...i have seen a number, u got to pick those good ones. compare to the condo nowadays, condo rooms are also much smaller.

i think quantum is a key consideration. you get 4 bedder at 1.5mil rather get a 4 storey for 1.7mil...

this is why i think it is still moving.

Cluster houses are usually small, narrow with 3 - 4 levels including basement
and very very tedious to walk around the house. They are cheaper compared to normal units due to the lower PSF but still 2M in quantum

I owned one before and heck, never lived in it. Units often faced each other and are pretty close too

5-6 years ago it was cheap... and prices have easily more than doubled or even near to triple. Think it will still go up?

[lajia]

the gap is too wide i think, so rather get LH99 since you also can't tear down and rebuild, whats the point of getting a FH one? After 10 yrs u sell, does it make a different? there is a lot of considerations and price gap is one of them.

but the take up rate of new freehold cluster houses is worse than before.

so 99 year leaseholds are in demand becoz of the lower quantum while the freehold ones costing >3m or more and brand new are hard to move?

[wirehtc]

It's the unending staircase that makes cluster a bit tiring to stay in. Living room is one level, dining is basement level, sleeping is another higher level. Not suitable for old people but good for those who like landed living with a few shared facilities.

[xebay11]

It's the unending staircase that makes cluster a bit tiring to stay in. Living room is one level, dining is basement level, sleeping is another higher level. Not suitable for old people but good for those who like landed living with a few shared facilities.

Horrible living if you ask me, plus noisy and no privacy when people can swim up to your house and opposite can see all your family does. I think they can even smell what you ate for dinner. All disagreements can also be heard...what's the point?

[pod]

Usually maintenance is $500 up for cluster housing.

Parking is also limited plus 'tight'

Climbing 3-4 storeys everyday is not everyone's cake. (trust me on this please)

If u dun have a helper, good luck to hauling the cleaning equipment up & down.

[Rysk]

Recently the further discounted NEWEST cluster sold out fast.. mainly due to its low quantum of about $2.2m after the discount

But the 2400sf cluster unit.. after less some unuseable space like staircase, pte lift, pte car park, etc.. Think left only 1400sf

Therefore every area became very small from the living, to dining, to kitchen.. even the size of the masterbdrm is almost the same size of my common bdrm

Heard maintenance fee not cheap.. $6xx per mth after added maintenance cost for the pte lift

[teddybear]

Soon, we will see 1200 sqft cluster housing spread over 4 floors or 300 sqft per floor? Minus off all the useless space and parking space and foyer and balcony and air-con ledge etc, live-in space only 700 sqft?
But what can we say? Affordable at $1.2m! There will still be buyers! They can say they live in landed or cluster landed!

Recently the further discounted NEWEST cluster sold out fast.. mainly due to its low quantum of about $2.2m after the discount

But the 2400sf cluster unit.. after less some unuseable space like staircase, pte lift, pte car park, etc.. Think left only 1400sf

Therefore every area became very small from the living, to dining, to kitchen.. even the size of the masterbdrm is almost the same size of my common bdrm

Heard maintenance fee not cheap.. $6xx per mth after added maintenance cost for the pte lift

[vip]

Beware of 99-year-leasehold cluster homes or townhouses that come with full facilities.

I went for house viewings for such projects when the market was slow from 2002 to 2006. Many owners had difficulties selling their place. I asked the property agents for the reasons. They said that the negative feedback from buyers were usually:

1. High maintenance due to small number of units (compared with $0 maintenance of terrace houses and maintenance fee shared by hundreds of units in a condo);

2. Small land area of each house;

3. Houses built too close to each other; and

4. Houses face the facilities inside (noisy and not airy).

[teddybear]

Actually regardless of tenure, all cluster homes have the same problems!

Beware of 99-year-leasehold cluster homes or townhouses that come with full facilities.

I went for house viewings for such projects when the market was slow from 2002 to 2006. Many owners had difficulties selling their place. I asked the property agents for the reasons. They said that the negative feedback from buyers were usually:

1. High maintenance due to small number of units (compared with $0 maintenance of terrace houses and maintenance fee shared by hundreds of units in a condo);

2. Small land area of each house;

3. Houses built too close to each other; and

4. Houses face the facilities inside (noisy and not airy).

[lajia]

now we are comparing against condo. you got to objective looking at the PSF of condo. as i said, 4 bedder about 1.5mil? then it make more sense to go for cluster. This is the situation for comparison. you think now condo very liveable?? actual liveable space getting smaller... same thing.
besides, for townhouse sited within condo development, these are too expensive in my opinion. Like hilsta, 3mil++ and yet so small...for the same size, easily u get it for less then 2mil. but of course, they are not condo status.
so not all cluster are bad, and not all condo are good...in that sense.

with so few cluster projects, i tend to believe there is a lot of upside in future. choose something you like. there are those without lift, reasonable maintenance and so on...be selective. there is a good market.