Are Condo Facilities Worth it or Overrated?

Everybody loves condominiums not only for the level of exclusivity you gain when you own an apartment, but also because of the premium access to facilities you don’t normally get in most public amenities. 

But here’s the thing: Condo facilities come with a cost. And you have to pay that cost even if you don’t use the condo facilities. 

This refers to what is commonly known here as “condo maintenance fees”, which is split into the sinking fund and management fund. The sinking fund is to maintain the general upkeep of the condo, such as upgrading the paint or security system, while the management fund is to cover the maintenance or repair of condo facilities such as the pool or the gym. 

Condo maintenance fees are about $400 (and it can go higher), depending on the unit’s shared value of the unit, which is based on the size of the unit. Basically, the bigger your condo, the higher your maintenance fees. So while you can definitely save on maintenance fees by choosing a smaller unit, you can also consider whether the condo facilities you’re putting monthly fees on are worth it or if a public amenity may suit you better. 

Let’s look at the pool

Not all condo swimming pools are made equal, but most condos have one large main pool to cater to residents who need to do their regular laps. Some have more than one pool too. And with pools being one of the most eye-catching features of a condo, newer launches see increasingly attractive and insta-worthy pools being churned out by developers. However, aesthetics aside, for the actual swimmers, is paying for a condo pool worth it? We think not.

While larger condos usually provide a 50m Olympic-sized lap pool that’s perfect for practice, not every development has one. So if you’re serious about the sport and want to get your daily laps in, you have to really find the right development to invest in. But then again, if swimming is an actual sport for you, may already have a swimming centre you go to so paying for a monthly maintenance fee for a facility you may not get to use a lot is not worth it.

Families with kids will also find that while most condos have dedicated kiddy pools, nothing beats a public swimming centre for its wet parks, slides, and other water sports or activities made available at a lower price. The public swimming complexes in Singapore are usually bigger, and located in a central area in each town, and offers dirt cheap prices. Entry fees as low as $1 per adult and $0.50 per child; these public swimming pools are also often located in Sports Hubs or Recreation Centres, placing them in an epicentre of amenities and other sports facilities. Just check out the swimming complexes in Tampines, Sengkang, or Yishun. Each comes with water parks and playgrounds, lap pools for training, while some even have jacuzzis or aqua gym facilities!

What about the gym?

New condos usually come with fitness corners, complete with some free weights such as dumbbells, and gyms. But these fitness corners or gyms are pretty much like your nomal, run-of-the-mill Anytime Fitness centre — but smaller and with less equipment. 

If you’re a true blue gym rat, paying for a condo gym will be giving you… not that much, actually. In terms of prices and equipment, it just isn’t worth it. Look at the prices of this public gym — it is unlikely your condo maintenance fees can fight these low fares. 

Let’s say you hit the gym 5 days a week. At $2.50 per session, that makes $12.50 a week, which comes up to about $50 a month. No private condo is going to be able to offer you a gym — well equipped or not — at this price. 

But here’s what public amenities cannot beat

The easy access to condo facilities and the privacy that homeowners get to enjoy within their own, little gated community. 

With private condo facilities, you don’t have to queue, travel, or worry too much about the logistics of getting everyone in the family ready for a day out. Seniors can take a walk in the safety of private gardens, children can expend their boundless energy at the playgrounds, pools, recreational rooms, all within the sanctuary of their own private estate. 

Summarily, if you have a large family or you regularly need to work out, swim, have large gatherings, or pursue a hobby with a condo amenity that caters to it, will find that paying a premium for these facilities is well worth the convenience and ease of access. 

Looking for a condo with facilities you love but lower maintenance fees?

Let us help you find the right development with all the facilities you want to live close by, but a unit at the size so you don’t pay more than you’re willing. Secure an appointment with any of our Super Agents by dropping us a message on WhatsApp or via our Live Chat at the bottom, right-hand corner of the screen.

Or let our smart data-matching technology MATCH you with the right home, according to your specific needs. Submit your preferences to us and our algorithm will filter all our available listings based on those, and we’ll WhatsApp them to you once we find a match. We’ll also send you relevant content that you can use for your research and inform your home buying decision, so you no longer have to spend hours searching online for the information that you need.