The Business Times
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THE LEVEL GROUND

Should developers build more one-bedroom condo units?

Affordability, leasing demand and an ageing population support having more of such housing

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Leslie Yee

Leslie Yee

Published Mon, May 11, 2026 · 12:45 PM
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    • A one-bedder unit is cheaper than larger flats, and also has lower recurring costs as management fees and maintenance costs are generally higher for bigger units.
    • A one-bedder unit is cheaper than larger flats, and also has lower recurring costs as management fees and maintenance costs are generally higher for bigger units. PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN, BT

    [SINGAPORE] Amid rising private home prices, developers here are increasingly adept at fitting more bedrooms into compact spaces.

    While an old two-bedroom unit might be over 1,000 square feet (sq ft), the new condominium project Vela Bay, which has direct access to the Bayshore MRT station, has two-bedroom units sized at 592 sq ft each. 

    Understandably, developers keep condo unit sizes compact to manage the absolute prices and affordability of units.

    Singapore residential propertyResidentialCONDOSProperty developersDemographicsprivate home salesThe Level GroundHousing

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