Bangkok apartments

[abbby]

Just when I thought Singapore 1 bedders are small with 300+ sq ft...Bangkok has even smaller units at 231 sq ft..almost the same of a typical hotel room?

https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3 ... 1624928930

[Lisafuller]

Wow, 2-300 sq ft hardly seems like a livable space. Even staying in nicely furnished hotel rooms can be quite claustrophobic, I can’t imagine calling such a small room “home” full time.

[midlet2013]

I once was about to rent a 650 sqft apartment next to mrt and realised how bad and small it is. Luckily I rented a 950 sqft for a lesser price. That made me think why we have so many such small undesirable flats.

The reason in my view is that most people view as apartment as a money making investment. Alas not everyone can buy a proper size flat. So developers started building what people can afford. If u can affor 800k , we will build something for that. Honestly all this 400-600 sqft flats r ridiculous unless someone is single. But the dream to cash on is what’s driving such developments.

I won’t be surprised if in the future we will see 200-300 sqft apartments here for 500k or so too.

[abbby]

Oh yes...build smaller, quantum lower..i believe one day apartments will become 200-300 sqft..

And I can't quite believe how suburb condo prices have reachde over $2,000/psf. Is it an asset bubble, moving unrealistically fast? This is worrying especially how developers are pushing up prices in such short time.

How are the future generations going to afford homes?

[malcontent]

Tiny homes are getting popular in the Western world, it’s even become a movement…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny-house_movement

When I first moved to Singapore, I really wanted a tiny apartment (sub-200 sq ft) but there was absolutely nothing… so I had to rent a room which I really didn’t like, but there was no other choice.

[Myasis Dragon]

I'm going out on a limb here and suggesting that the reason people buy all this tiny stuff is that they cannot afford anything more. The gap between rich and poor grows globally.

[Lisafuller]

I once was about to rent a 650 sqft apartment next to mrt and realised how bad and small it is. Luckily I rented a 950 sqft for a lesser price. That made me think why we have so many such small undesirable flats.

The reason in my view is that most people view as apartment as a money making investment. Alas not everyone can buy a proper size flat. So developers started building what people can afford. If u can affor 800k , we will build something for that. Honestly all this 400-600 sqft flats r ridiculous unless someone is single. But the dream to cash on is what’s driving such developments.

I won’t be surprised if in the future we will see 200-300 sqft apartments here for 500k or so too.

That’s a possibility, but I certainly hope not. 200 sq ft just seems like a waste; it would be better to just wait and upgrade as financial circumstances improve.

[Lisafuller]

Tiny homes are getting popular in the Western world, it’s even become a movement…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny-house_movement

When I first moved to Singapore, I really wanted a tiny apartment (sub-200 sq ft) but there was absolutely nothing… so I had to rent a room which I really didn’t like, but there was no other choice.

I’ve heard a lot about tiny homes. While “trailer homes” used to be reserved for those who couldn’t afford a home, now its more about minimalism and nomadic living. Those who choose to live in tiny homes often choose to make a home out of a van or a retired bus, to save money and conserve the environment. I’m sure price has something to do with making such a choice, but I believe its more about lifestyle.

[malcontent]

I find it very peculiar that other parts of the world are so far ahead of Singapore when it comes to innovations in smaller living spaces.

This page highlights some parts of the world where innovations are being made:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microapartment

I think at some point, Singapore has to shake off their orthodox mindset and start embracing innovations that are clearly relevant to space constrained environments.

[Lisafuller]

I find it very peculiar that other parts of the world are so far ahead of Singapore when it comes to innovations in smaller living spaces.

This page highlights some parts of the world where innovations are being made:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microapartment

I think at some point, Singapore has to shake off their orthodox mindset and start embracing innovations that are clearly relevant to space constrained environments.

Very good point. Not only would it be more cost efficient, but more sustainable as well.

[Max Headroom]

Yes, but it also lowers the barrier to a more individualistic lifestyle, which doesn't really fit in with the way the family nucleus is the preferred mode here.

So long as people here are acutely aware that their odds of owning a home are way longer as a single than after they've tied the knot, the path of least resistance is to marry first, pop a kid or two and live happily after after. Or at least have a go at it.

Imagine what this would do if you throw micro apartments in the mix. Then imagine what this would do to population growth. Clearly, the population would shrink even harder.

I think this is also why the gahmen put a stop to those dog box condos that were all the rage a while back. Down-sizing/right-sizing, fine, but we don't want single-households throwing a spanner in the population works.

[malcontent]

Do you think building smaller apartments can have such a profound influence on people?

Do you think people are just going to buy one apartment to live the rest of their lives?

Do you think all young people here can live with their parents until they get married?

This was my exact frustration when I first arrived in 1996, there are no options for young people to get a micro place on their own prior to marriage and kids. It may come as a surprise to some, but not everyone has parents who live here!

All that it does is make it inconvenient for people like myself who don’t have parents living here. We just end up renting a room or sharing a “family size” apartment with several other roommates who don’t have families… because there are no affordable options due to this fear that building such units will discourage having families.

I really doubt it has much, if any impact. In fact, it might have just the opposite effect, turning off would be immigrants who find it unaffordable to live here but could be future mothers and fathers that occupy those larger units with their family once they reach that stage in their lives. This is why it is said, good intentions often lead to undesirable consequences.