Old is gold for these buyers of ageing HDB flats

Location, cost and unit size among factors that influence buyers when it's decision time

Left: Mr Illyas Lim-Effandi and his wife, Ms Michelle Ng, near their walk-up SIT flat in Tiong Bahru estate. Above: Mr Eric Ho and his wife, Ms See Kwee Hua, with their baby, Hana, in their Holland Drive flat, which has less than 55 years' lease left
Mr Illyas Lim-Effandi and his wife, Ms Michelle Ng, near their walk-up SIT flat in Tiong Bahru estate. ST PHOTOS: SYAMIL SAPARI
Left: Mr Illyas Lim-Effandi and his wife, Ms Michelle Ng, near their walk-up SIT flat in Tiong Bahru estate. Above: Mr Eric Ho and his wife, Ms See Kwee Hua, with their baby, Hana, in their Holland Drive flat, which has less than 55 years' lease left
Mr Eric Ho and his wife, Ms See Kwee Hua, with their baby, Hana, in their Holland Drive flat, which has less than 55 years' lease left. ST PHOTOS: SYAMIL SAPARI
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When energy consultant Eric Ho was looking for his first marital home, the 49-year-old toyed with the idea of buying a small, new condominium unit in Bukit Batok or Pasir Panjang.

"But it dawned on me I'm not the type of guy to go to the gym often enough to justify my $300 in maintenance fees," he said.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on September 23, 2018, with the headline Old is gold for these buyers of ageing HDB flats. Subscribe