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Whether for rental reasons or wanting to live on your own, not everyone needs a lot of square footage. It’s a niche market, but we know there are buyers out there willing to settle for small spaces if it means living in the heart of Singapore, or owning their first real estate asset. And in case you’re wondering, yes, it can get very cheap; with some of the units here going for $500,000 to $600,000, or even lower. So if you’re interested in starting small, check out the following:

Smallest condo units in Singapore

1. Suites @ Guillemard

Suites @ Guillemard is a boutique (76-unit) freehold project, in the landed enclave along Lim Ah Woo Road. The units here are all small, and a 258 sq. ft. unit is the tiniest we’ve ever seen, and the biggest unit here is only at 1,195 sq. ft. Facilities are limited as you might expect from a boutique development, but a rooftop pool and gym should satisfy the needs of most people. Still, the performance so far has been quite respectable for a small boutique project, with 41 profitable and just 2 unprofitable transactions (although some of the profits have been quite small).

You can also walk to PLQ and Paya Lebar MRT station with two different lines (EW/CCL) in about 10 minutes. If not, some might argue Dakota MRT (CCL) is nearby. (We’d take the bus there from the CDAC building though, as it’s quite the walk.)

The proximity to Old Airport Road by bus, or if you don’t mind a long walk along the Geylang River, does put you close to several food amenities; the most notable being the legendary Old Airport Road Food Centre. 

Overall though, this is in a good landed location for a boutique family condo, but has small units that are better suited for rental. And whilst $528,000 is probably one of the cheapest private properties anywhere, the small size is just something you have to contend with for the location and facilities.

2. Mountbatten Lodge

Mountbatten Lodge is easily mistaken for a fancy landed bungalow at first glance; but it’s actually a 28-unit freehold apartment. The immediate surroundings are mostly low density, although some nearby areas (plots near Singapore Swimming Club) will be seeing more condos in future, so this area will be more packed over time. (You can see what a unit looks like here).

While units are small, this is one of the few lower-density areas with reasonably good public transport. Katong Park MRT (TEL) began operations recently, so residents now have an MRT station within walking distance. This will provide easier access to areas like East Coast Road, and major malls like Parkway Parade – amenities that are lacking in this mostly quiet residential zone.

In terms of quantum, this is also one of the cheapest ways to own a property in a landed area in Marine Parade. Recent transactions of 330+ sq. ft. units have been at $650,000 or below. While this is way too small for family units, it could make sense for singles who want a quiet area, within easy reach of the East Coast lifestyle stretch.

3. Kent Residences

The 312 sq. ft. unit on the list shouldn’t be seen as emblematic of Kent Residences as a whole – while there are only 13 units in this freehold apartment, the layouts vary widely. The most recent transaction, for example, was for a 1,399 sq. ft. unit (at a reasonable $1.865 million).

Kent Residences is for home buyers who need a no-frills city fringe location, other than a small pool and gym there’s nothing else here at all. It’s within walking distance of Farrer Park MRT Station(NEL), which is one stop away from Little India MRT Station. This provides relatively quick access to places like Serangoon or Chinatown via public transport. 

The downside, apart from the lack of common facilities, is that the area is heavily built up. There’s no view to speak of, and this project is right next to an HDB cluster. By that we mean you’re looking right at block 53 across the road; if you’re on the first floor you can conceivably shout out to someone there. This is as much a benefit as a drawback though, as the HDB enclave provides plenty of daily amenities; there’s an NTUC just at block 43, a few minutes away. 

Kent Residences is also close to malls like Mustafa Centre and City Square Mall, so this is a very convenient place to be. Many of the surrounding roads are not, however, a convenient place to drive (if you’ve ever tried to drive to Mustafa Centre, you’ll know what we mean). 

4. Cavan Suites

Cavan Suites is nestled along a stretch of commercial buildings, and also has its own commercial spaces downstairs. Along the Horne Road stretch, you’ll also find a wide and eclectic range of eateries; it’s a blend of local food and quirky cafes. Couple that with the very old commercial buildings, and this has all the makings of a future hipster stretch; we’d take bets that this is a future Tiong Bahru or Keong Saik about to happen.

(Also nearby is Lavender Street, which is already quite gentrified). 

This 36-unit freehold apartment sticks out quite a bit: it was built in 2012, so it’s visibly newer than its surroundings. It’s also one of the closest private residences to Bendemeer MRT (DTL), and a bit further away is Lavender MRT (EWL) – so it’s very central, and has access to two train lines. Given the small unit sizes and accessibility, Cavan Suites has significant potential as a rental property. 

Apart from going to town, residents can go to the nearby Kitchener Complex for daily necessities, as well as local eats. 

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