In land-scarce Singapore, most young couples are content to just get their BTO and slowly repay the loan for the next 25 years. But one power couple decided to play the property game like a pro – and now, before hitting 35, they’re living it up in a 3-storey semi-detached house with their own garden and car porch. No, they didn’t strike Toto. They just played the system right.
From BTO to Big Time: How It All Started
Meet Jason and Cheryl (names changed for privacy), both public university grads who got their first BTO flat in Sengkang in 2016. Back then, the 4-room flat cost them around S$340,000, with grants shaving off nearly S$50,000. Monthly mortgage? About S$800 – totally manageable with combined incomes of S$7,500.
They didn’t rush to renovate like many do. Instead, they spent just S$25,000 on basic reno, kept things simple, and funnelled all their extra savings into CPF OA top-ups and low-risk investments like SSBs and blue-chip ETFs.
“People like to buy branded fridge, designer kitchen, but end up kena house poor. We just want to level up fast,” Jason said.
Selling at the Right Time, Upgrading Step by Step
By the time their Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) ended in 2021, resale prices for their estate had shot up. Their flat was now worth S$580,000. After agent fees and stamp duty for the next place, they walked away with about S$200,000 cash profit.
Instead of jumping straight into a condo, they bought a resale executive maisonette in Bishan, paying S$770,000. Bigger space, mature estate, and still HDB – but the plan was always to hold for 5 years and let it appreciate. Meanwhile, Jason started a freelance consulting gig that added another S$3,000/month to their income.
In 2024, condos and landed properties were soaring in price, but so was their EM’s value. They sold it for S$1.05 million, giving them a total of nearly S$300,000 in cash and CPF profit.
Living the Semi-D Life – Before 35!
With that capital, plus their growing incomes and CPF savings, they finally pulled the trigger: a semi-detached house in Upper Thomson, near nature parks and MRT. It cost S$2.4 million, but with smart financing and a healthy deposit, they kept monthly repayments reasonable.
They now rent out part of the house for S$4,200/month, covering almost half their mortgage. Jason calls it “house hacking” – living in luxury while others help pay for it.
The Secret Sauce? Discipline, Strategy & No Impulse Spending
Cheryl shares that the journey wasn’t smooth. “We got tempted many times – car, luxury bags, even wedding dinner. But we said no to all that. Registry can already. Instead of S$80K wedding, we used that to invest.”
They focused on:
- Choosing undervalued BTOs in growth areas
- Renovating smart, not lavish
- Timing the market using URA data and real estate trends
- Leveraging CPF Housing Grants and keeping loans below 60%
- Not upgrading too fast to private – resale HDB was key
Can You Also Do It?
This isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Singapore’s property system allows for capital growth, but only if you’re disciplined and strategic. Most people get stuck after one upgrade – but if you treat your home as an asset, not a showpiece, the sky’s the limit.
“You don’t need to earn $20K/month. You just need to not waste what you already have,” Jason said.
Today, the couple enjoys gardening on weekends, hosts friends in their backyard, and yes – still don’t own a car. “We rather grab or walk, let the house grow in value instead,” Cheryl joked.
Their next goal? Fully pay off their semi-D by 45, then semi-retire to start their own business.
So the next time you hear someone say, “Cannot make it lah, property so expensive now”, remember Jason and Cheryl. BTO to Semi-D before 35 – no inheritance, no cheats, just solid planning.