We totally get the appeal of waking up to a gorgeous view of a lake or ocean right from the comfort of your HDB flat. Which is why HDB flats and condos with a sea view come highly coveted with a premium price tag slapped on them. One thing you don’t really hear of, on the flip side, is the problems that come with these waterfront homes.
Here we’ve compiled a list of unfortunate issues from Singaporeans who have owned, or currently own a waterfront property.
Rust from sea breeze & salty air
Image credit: Punggol Northshore District
If home for you is within walking distance of the sea or a large body of water, you’re probably at the mercy of lots of moisture in the salty sea breeze. This combination of salt and moisture accelerates the rate of oxidation, creating rust, meaning homeowners would face increased maintenance, or frequent replacements of anything metal in your home—even your aluminium windows.
Image credit: Reddit
Mould from high humidity
Mould forming on the facades of waterfront HDB developments in Punggol and Sengkang
Image credit: MustShareNews
Besides rusting, the high humidity in these waterfront HDBs takes a toll on your homes in another way; a decent amount of Redditors have reported the additional humidity making it easy for mould to form on the walls of their unit. Many of them recommend dehumidifiers or mould-resistant paint but the moulding issue also forms on the exteriors of the HDB blocks themselves.
These can quickly turn a pretty brand-new development into looking like unpleasant monuments of urban decay.
And it’s not just the exterior mould that you should be concerned about. It’s the rate that mould forms indoors if your home isn’t well ventilated on a daily basis. One Marine Parade homeowner returned from a one-month holiday to find her walls and furniture covered with grey mould—she subsequently had to fork out $1,000 to get the mould removed and the walls repainted and sealed.
Image credit: Reddit
Dust & noise pollution from the highway
Image credit: Ministry of National Development
Often, developments along the waterfront are often also beside a highway. So unless you’re the sort to appreciate traffic noises as free, organic ASMR; that’s something you’ll need to contend with. In fact, Redditors say that the higher you live on the block, the greater the impact of the noise pollution.
Even for those who do happen to tolerate traffic noises though, there is still the issue of dust being kicked up by the cars when living right by a highway, which means more home cleaning.
Image credit: Reddit
Strong winds & warm nights
Image credit: Desmond Lee
Usually seen as a perk for waterfront HDBs, strong winds can become a problem when it gets intense, forcing you to consider where you place delicate objects like vases or trinkets. And whilst the sea breeze is nice, the same cannot be said when it comes to the nights.
Redditors instead report having to endure warm humid air rising from the sea, leading to uncomfortably sweaty, sticky nights.
Image credit: Reddit
The view can perhaps be overrated
Image credit: Rahul Kumar
Arguably your mileage may vary on this, but sometimes the view from these units just might not live up to the promises in property ads, depending on which unit you bought. Redditors who live in waterfront HDBs along the south of Singapore also talk about the tankers that line the coast, with one being very unimpressed with them and another mentioning that the “allure would wear thin eventually”.
And even if the views are indeed as gorgeous as promised, you might want to think about whether it is worth all of the hassle of owning a waterfront HDB, as discussed in this article.
Image credit: Reddit
Waterfront HDB woes as told by homeowners
Past the allure of waterfront HDBs, there are a decent amount of concerns and issues about these seaside homes you might not know of until you actually start living in one. But for those who remain very much drawn to the idea of these HDBs, here’s where to find HDB flats with impressive sea views.
For more articles about HDB flats:
- 6 Tips to choose the right HDB BTO unit if you’re last in the queue
- 6 Best mixed-theme HDB home renovations
- 5 HDB estates with explosive resale price growth in 2025
Cover image adapted from: MustShareNews, Punggol Northshore District
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