Are condo-like HDB flats good value?
They might come with fancy trappings but can’t be bought and sold freely like private condos THE high-end HDB flats launched yesterday at Boon Keng are the talk of the town. Styled to look like private condominiums, the flats in City View @ Boon Keng will boast timber flooring and large bay windows, as well as built-in wardrobes and kitchen cabinets. These more luxurious HDB flats, built under the Design, Build and Sell Scheme, are being snapped up by homebuyers. Even before the project’s launch, more than 1,000 inquiries had been made. But these trappings come at a price: The 714 flats in the project will be offered for an average price of $520 per sq ft (psf). While this makes them significantly cheaper than actual condos in the area, the prices are a cut above those for regular HDB flats. City View’s three-room flats will go for between $349,000 and $394,000 – about double what similar flats in the vicinity cost. The five-room flats will range from $536,000 to $727,000, which also m
