'I don't care whether I lose or make money': 27-year-old Singaporean buys $200k condo in JB

At the age of 27, Kylie Hung appears to have got her life all figured out.

She's the owner of UPawsion, an online business specialising in dog and cat accessories. 

And more recently, she has also become a homeowner — a pipe dream for many young and single Singaporeans.

But while she is Singaporean, her new house isn't here — it's actually in Johor Bahru (JB). 

Kylie just got the keys to the condominium unit around five months ago and moved in around the same time, she told 8world in an interview.

According to 8world, she'd wanted a place of her own so that she could focus on her work.

But Kylie hadn't always considered buying a home in Malaysia. 

As a singleton under the age of 35, she was ineligible to buy an HDB flat and she also did not have the financial ability to purchase a private property in Singapore. 

Kylie shared that she had happened to stumble upon a developer in JB that was offering discounts for the property. At the same time, she'd also heard from her elders who'd recommended property in the area, so she decided to take that leap of faith. 

She eventually purchased a home at Country Garden Danga Bay for around $200,000. 

When she bought the house, she placed a down payment of around $50,000 and currently foots about $1,000 in monthly payments and management fees.

While there are concerns that come with purchasing property overseas, Kylie said she did her homework. She also didn't worry too much about it being a financial risk. 

Prior to signing on the dotted line, she'd stayed with friends who rented a unit in the area. She also felt assured as the development was already completed when she bought it. 

"Actually, I don't care whether I lose money or if I make money," she told Chinese news site.

"Because when I bought the property, I told myself that if I couldn't buy a home in Singapore, I would retire in JB. So, it doesn't matter if I sell it or not."

Living alone  

Kylie pointed out that quite a number of Singaporeans purchase property in JB, but most of them are retirees in their 50s.

She also realised that that many Singaporeans visiting Malaysia would stay at units rented out as Airbnbs in her apartment building. 

It feels so much like home that Kylie even calls it a "mini Singapore". 

Kylie, who began her entrepreneurship journey when she was just 18, says living alone in another country hasn't scared her.

In fact, it has helped to inspire her when it comes to her business.

"The best thing about having my own place is I can have the space to organise my emotions and thoughts better," she told 8world.

But although Kylie now has a place that she calls her own, she still lives with her parents in Singapore and shuttles between both cities at least once a week. 

Her flexible work hours make this easier and she often chooses timings where there isn't much of a jam.

The experience of living alone has also made her realise that "less is more".

"Because I often travel back and forth between Singapore and Malaysia, my room in JB has very few things," she said.

"In addition, I also want to make my life simpler. With less things, I don't have to think too much."

And just because Kylie is living alone in JB doesn't mean she feels lonely, either. She will often go to cafes to work or visit other shops and chat with business owners as a form of market research. It also helps that she has made some like-minded friends in JB whom she meets in her spare time.  

Future plans 

As a solo-preneur, the grind never stops and Kylie hopes to gradually expand her business from Singapore to Malaysia. She expressed that she is still open to the idea of owning a home in Singapore and may sell her JB apartment in the future. 

To Kylie, the move from Singapore to JB and living alone is a "rite of passage", and it has helped her grow and dare to dream bigger. 

"Looking back at my life, I realised that I used to overthink a lot and I missed a lot of opportunities. 

"So to me, buying this house symbolises a change — to just do things and not think too much. Even if it turns out to be a mistake, just treat it as a lesson," she shared.

ALSO READ: Singaporean rents $1,000 JB condo, reveals whether it's worth commuting across Causeway every day

melissateo@asiaone.com