New year, new home?
Local radio DJ Liu Weilong recently moved into his fancy 711 sq feet condominium in Bishan (just in time for New Year) and his new digs cost $1.13 million.
The 33-year-old previously owned a condo unit in the northeast and lived there for three years before selling it a month ago and making a profit of around $80,000.
Not only was that condo his first property, but buying it back in 2018 was an achievement as he had aspired to be a homeowner before he turned 30.
He explained to AsiaOne that it was "just a milestone I set for myself" and also "a goal to work towards back then".
His current home is a relatively new project built in 2016.
"I looked at more than 10 units. Apart from being well-maintained, this one is also a bit larger than the one I lived in before, and it is also on a high floor. In terms of location, I used to live far away from the train station, but now it is very convenient for relatives and friends to visit," he shared with Lianhe Zaobao.
Weilong admitted to the Chinese daily that he was comfortable living in his previous condo and didn't expect to move. He had only planned to buy a HDB flat at 35 if he wasn't married by then.
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However, a friend in real estate told him that if he sold his previous condo and bought a new one, he could probably make a profit by selling it about three to four years later when it was time to get a HDB flat.
Additionally, Weilong learnt that he didn't have to pay the Seller's Stamp Duty since he had stayed there for three years.
The former CLEO's Most Eligible Bachelor finalist started house-hunting a few months ago before property prices spiked. He found the new place in a month, bought it in July and started renovations in October.
When asked how much renovations cost, Weilong replied: "Less than $15,000. The original condition was quite good, so I didn't do too much to it."
According to Lianhe Zaobao, the renovations for his first condo were done by a loyal listener of his and Weilong engaged the same person for his new place. He kept a lot of the original furnishings and patterns, and reused his TV cabinet, TV, washing machine, refrigerator, and bed.
He did make some additions to the new place and it was mainly the island table between the kitchen and living room, a stone brick wall at the entrance and a large mirror in the living room.
It was a challenge to move during the pandemic but the contractors were able to complete the renovations in time. He said: "Maybe it's because I didn't do much for the renovations. For the previous house, I didn't live there long but I spent more than $20,000 on renovations.
"This time, I don't know how long I'll live here. Maybe I'll 'go crazy' again after three years and move, so I didn't feel a need to do too much."
When asked about his favourite spot in his apartment, he told AsiaOne: "It's a tough choice! But probably the balcony and dining area. The view from my balcony is one big reason why I bought the unit. The dining area is where I hang out with friends the most (so far), so yeah, [many] happy memories!"
Though the current condo is slightly bigger than the first, it still feels like a bachelor's pad so we couldn't help but wonder if he would consider moving should he find someone.
Weilong said: "Well, of course I would move somewhere bigger, but properties in Singapore are so expensive. With a partner, yeah, probably, but you know things are so volatile in this Covid era so you never know."
bryanlim@asiaone.com