moving closer

Seeking proximity to the kids’ grandparents and future primary school, Alfisyah and Fairuz took the leap and moved into a larger apartment in Hougang—and they are certainly loving the extra square footage.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: living close to your parents can be really convenient when they help out with the kids. Alfisyah and Fairuz thought so too when they decided to leave their old home in Yishun for a larger executive HDB flat in Hougang, located close to Alfisyah’s parents, who occasionally take care of her young kids.

Another reason for the big move was the daughter’s transition to primary school; as Alfisyah wanted her to join the school she’d attended herself in Hougang many years before, it made sense to move somewhere that would shorten that daily commute.

Of course, the size of the new apartment had its pull too, the parents anticipating the day when the two kids would eventually need separate bedrooms. Fairuz also wanted to incorporate a home gym into the house, making the extra square footage in the executive flat very attractive. 

The unit they ultimately chose already came with an openconcept kitchen despite being 27 years old, sparing them the extra cost of hacking and changing the layout of the kitchen. In a similar vein, they chose to save most of the flooring in the house as it was still in great condition.

Looking back now, Alfisyah is happy with the move. “It’s definitely nice to be near my parents. We live only a few bus stops away,” she shares. “When I need help to fetch my kids from school because I need to run errands or attend appointments, my mum is available to help. It gives her a chance to see her grandkids and my kids love it when they can spend time at their grandparents’ home— also because that’s when all rules set by mum and dad can be broken!”