How we got 'lucky' with Dakota Crest BTO: Couple share why they chose 3-room flat over 4-room

The Dakota Crest BTO launch was one of the most desired sites to date. Who would want a place that’s around five minutes walk from an MRT station, and on the city fringe to boot? As you can imagine, it was drastically oversubscribed (by 6.3 times!); but we managed to talk with a lucky couple who obtained a unit:

Veteran HDB dwellers

S and his fiancé both previously lived in HDB flats, so they were experienced enough to shortlist options and know clearly what they wanted. However, each spouse came from very different HDB homes:

“Both of us stayed in very different kinds of HDB flats”, S says “One of us lived in a 90’s era 4-room flat, and the other in a much older 3-room from the late ‘70s.”

For S, he was used to the bigger sizes of the older flats, with bigger living and bedroom spaces for their 4-room unit. As for his fiancé, the older 3-room HDB flats thankfully came with 2 toilets, and much more space allocated to the kitchen. Ultimately, both experiences led them to a common understanding of what they wanted for their new home.

“Both of us agree an in-house rubbish chute is not a good feature, as the convenience does not warrant the occasional pest problem. Fumigation can get the kitchen messy very quickly.”

Another concern the couple had developed was the need for privacy:

“Privacy is also a key factor, so we prefer to have no window facing any neighbour,” S says. “It means we can open the window to improve ventilation, without worrying about prying eyes.

And just like most other Singaporeans, things like a higher floor, corner unit, and unblocked view are a welcome bonus.”

Those who lived in condos or landed homes previously (e.g., back with their parents) often miss these small details when choosing a flat. In these cases, we’d say trust the partner or spouse who has prior experience.

Getting lucky and landing a Dakota Crest unit

As they didn’t have a time constraint to get a home, they decided to apply for a BTO instead.

Their first attempt was for a November 2021 Hougang project, Tanjong Tree Residences. The location was ideal as it was exactly 4 kilometres from his mother’s place. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, as they didn’t even get a queue number.

They then tried to turn to look at resale HDB flats in Serangoon North, but even though they would have been eligible for the proximity grant, they found the prices too high (perhaps due to the announcement of the new CRL MRT station).

As such, they decided to look at the February 2022 BTO launch, of which the Dakota Crest site caught their attention.

“This is our second time applying for a BTO,” S says, “and we are fortunate to land a good queue number for the 3-room applications. Our previous attempt and consideration were the November 2021 Hougang BTO, where we failed to get a queue number, and the Serangoon North resale, which we held off for this Feb 2022 Geylang BTO.”

Thankfully, they managed to get a queue number this time (a very good one, in fact!)

Having experienced the process, S says it’s a “hot and sometimes politicised topic”, but “the current BTO selection process should be improved, especially for younger couples and singles trying to buy their first home. 

Even with the increased allocation for first-timers, certain priority schemes like GRO and MGPS still provide slightly unfair advantages public applicants do not have. But we understand nothing can please everyone.”

There were some changes made during Budget 2023 that may help here, such as an extra chance for some first-timers during a ballot – you can check it out here.

Looking forward to the Dakota Crest BTO

S and his fiance managed to score one of just 80 3-room flats, at Dakota Crest (a total of 443 units). S points out that some of the benefits are:

“The project is right opposite Old Airport Road Food Centre, plenty of food options around the area; and a few minutes’ walk to Dakota and Mountbatten MRT. Overall, the excellent location is as good as PLH living without the restrictions.”

Indeed, one factor that surprised some market watchers was the lack of Prime Location Housing (PLH) status for Dakota Crest. This means quite the windfall for those who get a unit, as they face no subsidy recovery, and can sell in five years as with normal HDB projects.

S tells us that a fragment of Dakota Crescent’s history remains, from the days before its redevelopment:

“As part of the redevelopment of Dakota Crescent, a handful of the old SIT flats are preserved in the middle of the estate, and the rest are redeveloped for residential purposes. But the original residents, mostly old folks, were unfortunately relocated to Cassia neighbourhood.”

While that’s nice, S says that one concern is whether the conservation site will be used for big events, and of what kind; the couple are hoping such events won’t affect the serenity of the neighbourhood. 

S also says: “We hope to see shelters built for the walkway to the two nearby MRT stations, and also convenience store below the block; a first world nit-pick I know!”

(The two MRT stations are Dakota and Mountbatten, on the Circle Line). 

Upcoming changes to boost property values

S is confident that, even though Dakota Crest is in an older and slightly worn neighbourhood for now, this will soon be renewed:

“By the end of this decade, the Old Airport Road neighbourhood will be filled with new flats”, S says, “turning the old neighbourhood into a modern-looking one like Punggol. With the conservation site in the middle of Dakota Crescent, this will be a unique neighbourhood for sure.”

For now, though, the couple says they’re more than happy with the state of the neighbourhood, with all its major amenities nearby. 

Ultimately, it was a homeowner’s comfort over profit

S says that “As Dakota Crest is located at a highly desired estate, we are confident the resale value of this flat will be good in the future, even for a 3-room. But as of right now, our priority is getting our very own home, where we can enjoy full privacy and freedom.”

To better tailor things to their own needs, the couple opted out of the Optional Component Scheme (OCS) offered by HDB. The couple have their own expectations of how their home would look, but that’s some time away and they’ll probably hire a professional:

“We are both working hard towards not taking a loan for the renovation,” S says, “We will most likely engage an interior designer for the work, but with the long waiting time, we have plenty of time to decide on design ideas.”

Future plans for the Dakota Crest flat

At the moment, S is unlikely to sell right after the MOP. He says: “The cost of a 3-room flat at Dakota Crest is similar or higher than a 5-room flat at outskirts of a non-mature estate. Even though the size is reduced, the location is excellent, which means we do not see this place as an investment or stepping stone to a bigger flat in the future. Only time will tell if we hold strong sentimental value to this flat.”

S also notes the unit has an unblocked view of Jalan Batu and Tanjong Rhu, being a corner unit on a high floor. These are not features that are easy to replace. In fact, for future plans, the couple is more inclined to try for a second property, rather than surrender their exceptional unit by selling and upgrading. 

Parting advice for others seeking a BTO flat

The couple says they’re aware they had a stroke of luck, with many of their peers still struggling to get a unit. In terms of advice though, they suggest that:

“If we applied for a 4-room flat here at Dakota Crest, there’s a good chance we won’t get a queue number at all, let alone one in front, due to the higher application rate of 28.8 (20.5 for first-timer) compared to 3-room 10.4. (4.8 for first-timer)

If you can compromise on size (you don’t plan to have kids etc), a 3-room is a worthy option, as the application rate will always be lower than the bigger counterparts. Losing a single room may sound awful, but the amount you save will make it up in the long run; especially for a mature estate where the price is much higher. 

The decision to go smaller worked for us and we’re sure it’ll benefit a lot more couples out there.”

This article was first published in Stackedhomes.