10 reasons for not buying a residential property

Superstition, safety and peacefulness were listed as the top reasons for consumers not to buy a Singapore residential property, revealed PropertyGuru's latest quarterly sentiment survey conducted between October to December 2014.

Most of the respondents polled said they would definitely not purchase a property close to cemetery grounds, followed by properties within proximity to red light districts, pubs or KTV lounges.

The findings come just two months after several future residents of the Fernvale Lea BTO in Sengkang made noise over plans to build a commercial columbarium nearby. The columbarium project was subsequently scrapped after the government intervened.

Rounding up the top five list in descending order are: Never buying a home facing a highway or major road, living in a unit where somebody died, and a noisy neighbourhood.

Nearly 1,000 Singaporeans and permanent residents took part in the entire survey, but only 761 respondents answered this section.

Top 10 reasons not to buy...

1. Built on or near to cemetery grounds

2. Proximity to red light districts, pubs or KTVs

3. Facing a highway or major road

4. History of death in the vicinity

5. Noisy neighbourhood

6. Proximity to garbage collection points

7. Facing MRT tracks

8. Awkward unit layout

9. Dimly lit or secluded surroundings

10. Built next to a hospital

Image: General view of tombs in Bukit Brown Cemetery. (Source: Jacklee; Wikimedia Commons)

Romesh Navaratnarajah, Singapore Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg

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