Origins And Lease History

Terrace houses built by the Singapore Improvement Trust in the 1950s are a distinctive strand of public housing. The Singapore Improvement Trust, formed by the British colonial government, was tasked with meeting early housing needs before the Housing and Development Board was created.

Across Whampoa and Queenstown, the Singapore Improvement Trust constructed two hundred and eighty five terrace houses, typically around nine hundred square feet over two storeys. In the late nineteen sixties and early nineteen seventies, the Housing and Development Board took over these homes and renewed their land leases for ninety nine years.

How Terrace Houses Differ From Private Landed Homes And Standard Public Housing Flats

• Lease Tenure: All terrace houses under the Housing and Development Board sit on ninety nine year state leases, unlike many private landed homes that can be freehold. At lease expiry the land may revert to the state.
• Addressing And Identity: Homes carry block numbers akin to earlier public housing flats, often visible on the side walls.
• Parking: There is no private car porch; residents use communal public housing carparks.
• Ownership Structure: Owners hold the house but not the underlying land. In contrast, owners of private leasehold landed homes hold both building and land for the lease duration, allowing broader redevelopment flexibility subject to approvals and legal advice.
• Space And Layout: While not the largest flat type, these homes deliver a landed feel with ground level areas such as a backyard that increase liveable space.

Appeal And Who They Suit

Landed Living, Lower Entry Cost: Terrace houses under the Housing and Development Board provide a taste of landed living—ground access, private gardens or backyards, and a calmer streetscape—at a price point below many private landed homes.

Buyer Profiles: They attract value conscious buyers who desire space, as well as right sizers, retirees, and former private homeowners who are comfortable with a shorter remaining lease.

Everyday Practicalities: The backyard enables intimate gatherings such as small barbecues that are harder to host in high rise flats.

Investment Realities

These homes are best approached as long term residences rather than short term investments. The declining lease means capital values can become more volatile as the tenure shortens, particularly in the last two to three decades of the lease.

• Financing Constraints: Lending may reduce to around fifty five per cent loan to value when remaining lease life is forty years or less, and bank financing becomes difficult below thirty years.
• Minimum Occupation Period: Standard public housing occupation rules apply before a resale can occur.
• Speculation About Renewal: There is occasional discussion about the Selective En-Bloc Redevelopment Scheme in Whampoa and Queenstown, but outcomes are uncertain and should not be assumed.
• Parking Trade off: Absence of private parking is a lifestyle and convenience consideration compared to private landed homes.
• Location Led Value: Proximity to rail stations, shops, services and parks often drives demand more than the housing type itself.

Bottom Line

Terrace houses under the Housing and Development Board deliver the charm of ground living in mature, well served neighbourhoods. They are most suitable for homeowners planning to stay for the long term without expectations of significant resale or legacy value.

For those who value space, a private outdoor area, and a neighbourhood feel—and who are comfortable with lease decay and communal parking—these homes can be a rewarding fit.