Younger Singapore residents are more likely to have aspirations for better housing, according to the latest Housing Board (HDB) Sample Household Survey released yesterday.
More than seven in 10 of those aged below 35 said they want to have a bigger flat, live in private property or live in a purchased flat instead of a rental flat. In comparison, about 14 per cent of HDB residents aged 65 and above shared this view, and close to eight in 10 of these elderly residents said they were content with their flat type.
Singapore residents who live in smaller HDB flats are also more likely to have aspirations for better housing, compared with those who live in five-room or executive flats.
Aspirations for better housing saw the highest increase among those living in one-and two-room flats, with more than half saying in 2018 that they wished to have better housing, compared with 37 per cent of respondents in 2008. The figure increased by 10.8 percentage points from 2008 to 35.6 per cent for those living in four-room flats in 2018, and by six percentage points for those in three-room flats.
Meanwhile, this figure remained similar for those in five-room flats between 2008 and 2018, with 27.3 per cent who wanted to do so in 2018 compared with 27.8 per cent a decade ago. A smaller proportion in executive flats wished to have better housing. About one in four wanted to do so in 2018, compared with about 27 per cent in 2008.
In total, 35.2 per cent of households said they aspired for better housing in 2018, up from 28.6 per cent in 2008.
The survey also found that a majority of HDB residents said they had no intention of moving in the next five years. But there was a slight increase in those who said they wanted to do so, from 12.4 per cent in 2013 to 13.3 per cent in 2018.
Those who were more inclined to move include residents in one-and two-room flats, and families with young children.
The proportion of HDB households that had moved at least once since marriage increased from seven in 10 in 2013 to eight in 10 in 2018, the report also found. About eight in 10 families with children have moved at least once since marriage, while about half of families without children have done so.
Mr Nicholas Mak, ERA Realty's head of research and consultancy, was not surprised by the finding that those who are younger and who lived in smaller flats aspired to live in better housing.
"Some young couples may apply for and live in Build-To-Order flats even if they are not keen on the location or flat type, just so they can secure an HDB flat before they exceed the income ceiling," he said.
They will then sell it for capital gains after the five-year minimum occupation period is up, he added.
Young married couples may also hope to have more space after having children, while those who are older may be more inclined to age in place, said Mr Mak.
Yuen Sin
