# Record-smashing $1.701 mil HDB resale: How this Pinnacle@Duxton unit defied the odds

- **Source:** EdgeProp Singapore
- **Published:** 2026-09-23T00:39:19.000Z
- **Author:** Fiona Lam
- **Original:** https://www.edgeprop.sg/property-news/record-smashing-1701-mil-hdb-resale-how-pinnacleduxton-unit-defied-odds
- **Topics:** HDB & Public Housing, Transactions & Deals

## Featured rationale

The result signals strong demand for spacious, centrally located HDB flats and may encourage sellers to prioritise location and layout over costly pre-sale renovations.

## AI summary

A largely unrenovated five-room Pinnacle@Duxton flat on the 28th to 30th storeys sold for a record $1.701 million, $51,000 above asking.

## Original article

A few years ago, the Lims considered selling their five-room HDB flat at Pinnacle@Duxton. But their property agent, Ink Chua, advised them to hold on to it.

The flat was fetching more than $5,000 a month in rent then, and Chua felt there was no hurry to sell.

This year, she contacted the couple with a different recommendation: It could be a good time to put the flat on the market.

Read also: Four-room flat at Dawson sets $1.388 mil Queenstown record; Sengkang five-room flat hits $1.18 mil

The decision paid off, with the 1,152 sq ft flat recently sold for $1.701 million — setting a new record price at Pinnacle@Duxton.

It exceeded both the previous high of $1.63 million and their initial asking price, by $71,000 and $51,000 respectively.

Before the Lims' sale, the record was held by a five-room unit on the 43rd to 45th floors — sitting far above the couple’s flat on the 28th to 30th storeys — that changed hands in May.

Achieving this record-breaking outcome for their lower-floor, largely unrenovated unit came as a surprise to the Lims.

"We felt shocked, lucky and very grateful. Huat ah!" Mr Lim tells EdgeProp Singapore.

In fact, before putting the flat up for sale, the couple had considered spending a high five-figure sum renovating it to improve its prospects, but Chua advised them against that.

"Ink said not to waste the money and just leave it to her," he notes.

While other units they knew of had been renovated before being sold, the Lims’ flat went on to achieve a record price despite being largely in its original condition.

Read also: What's moving the market: Singapore's biggest property deals and hottest searches (Sept 18)

"We ended up saving quite a bit on renovation, so we're really thankful for Ink," he adds.

'Completely random' beginnings

The Lims' story at Pinnacle@Duxton began more than two decades ago — long before they could have imagined their flat would one day fetch more than $1.7 million.

Situated on Cantonment Road in Tanjong Pagar, the 50-storey Pinnacle@Duxton soars 163m high — currently Singapore's tallest HDB development — and comprises 1,848 units with flexible layouts.

It features an award-winning design by Singapore firm Arc Studio Architecture + Urbanism, with seven HDB blocks linked by sky bridges.

The public housing project was completed in 2009 and has since logged a slew of million-dollar resale deals, including several among the highest-priced HDB flats in Singapore.

The Lims applied for a home at the development in 2004, almost on a whim.

"As the first owners, we didn't exactly choose Pinnacle@Duxton with a grand master plan. We just happened to apply for fun and surprisingly got it," recalls Mr Lim.

“It was all completely random when HDB called us down to select our choice unit.”

They paid about $350,000 to $400,000 for it and collected the keys in 2009.

The couple kept renovations to a minimum and furnished most of the home with movable furniture.

It was their first home together, where they began married life as a young couple in their 20s.

Now aged 40 to 50, the Lims still look back fondly on their years there.

"This home represents our foundational chapters, from early marriage milestones to hosting close friends against the backdrop of the city lights," says Mr Lim.

Read also: What's moving the market: Singapore's biggest property deals and hottest searches (Sept 11)

"It feels very nostalgic, as our younger days were spent in this house."

They also appreciated the convenience of living in the CBD. Mrs Lim recalls being able to get around without driving.

"Having the entire CBD at our doorstep is a luxury, and our favourite feature has always been the sky gardens overlooking the city skyline," she says.

Likewise, her husband remembers the easy commute to work by public transport, as well as the abundance of amenities nearby and the many options for date nights in the city centre.

First home takes on a new role

As their lifestyle needs changed over the years, the Lims eventually left Pinnacle@Duxton.

The couple also wanted to care for and spend more time with their elderly parents, which led them to live together in a landed property owned by the parents. It remains the Lims’ primary residence today.

Living there also gives the Lims, who now have several children, more space as a family.

"It’s in a quiet residential enclave that better suits our lifestyle now," says Mrs Lim.

Meanwhile, they rented out the five-room flat and kept it largely in its original condition.

“That way, whoever buys it next gets a blank canvas and can design it the way they like," says Mrs Lim.

After holding on to the flat for several more years, the Lims decided to take their property agent’s advice to sell this year.

"The market was good and it was the right time to cash out," Mr Lim notes.

They plan to use the proceeds to buy two properties — one for their own stay in the future and another as an investment.

For now, they intend to continue living with their parents.

"It gives us immense comfort… to spend time with our parents and take care of them daily, while they're surrounded by their familiar neighbours and friends," adds Mrs Lim.

Price pushback amid strong interest

Chua, a branch division director at ERA, listed the flat for sale at $1.65 million in June.

The marketing period came with some constraints, as the tenant was overseas for about three weeks and viewings could only take place on weekdays.

She estimates that the flat therefore had about 1.5 months of active viewings within the two to three months it took to secure a buyer.

During that period, the listing attracted close to 30 enquiries and more than 20 viewings, by Chua's estimates. Aside from the eventual buyer, there were roughly eight offers, with some negotiations falling through.

The asking price faced some resistance, as "there was definitely discussion and some strong pushback", Chua says.

Some buyers brought up renovation costs. Others argued for a lower price by pointing to the previous $1.63 million record, which was on a much higher floor at levels 43 to 45.

A few prospective buyers also noted that the view from the flat "was a small pocket of sea view rather than a full panorama", Chua recalls.

"My job was to help them see the bigger picture: five-room flats in the CBD are rare, and there aren’t many available for sale," she continues.

Still, almost everyone liked the spacious interior and central location.

And because the unrenovated interiors made it difficult for some viewers to picture what the home could look like, Chua prepared before-and-after design renderings of possible changes.

“I spoke to each buyer to qualify them and understand their profile and needs… Based on that, I prepared a few variations of the renderings in layout and style," she says.

During viewings, she would walk prospective buyers through the flat and explain how different areas could be reworked.

For example, they may remove a kitchen wall to create an open-concept living and dining area, convert a bedroom into a walk-in wardrobe, or turn a common room into a study with glass sliding doors.

“Because the flat wasn't renovated, I wanted to help potential buyers visualise what their future home could look like and imagine living there. I think it made a big difference," Chua says.

She would also remind viewers that while the interiors could always be tailored to their preferences, the flat's location and size were fixed.

One viewing was all it took

The eventual buyers are a Singaporean couple in their 30s to 40s who are currently living with their parents and purchasing their first property.

According to Chua, they were looking for a well-located home with ample liveable space and convenience.

"They instantly recognised that this unit checked every box," she says. “They viewed the flat just once and loved it immediately."

She adds that the buyers had looked at several alternatives in the market, but the layout efficiency of a five-room Pinnacle@Duxton unit ultimately won them over.

They agreed to fork out $1.701 million — well above the Lims' target price.

The Lims credit Chua’s use of market analytics and people skills with helping to keep the selling process on track.

They say she mapped out the sale strategy using market data while building rapport with prospective buyers.

"As sellers, we did not have to lift a finger to do anything, as we could leave it all to Ink to handle," says Mr Lim with a laugh.

"She made this entire sale a breeze; everything was so, so smooth."

Who is buying at these prices?

Although the buyers of the Lims' flat are first-time homeowners, the approximately 25 viewings drew people at different stages of their property journey.

Among them were other first-time buyers who had been house-hunting for six months to a year.

Some were prepared to pay more for a resale home so they could move in as soon as possible and skip the waiting times for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats.

On the other hand, the unit also attracted older buyers who were moving from private homes to public housing.

From Chua's recent transactions, she has similarly observed more private property owners seeking large, well-located HDB flats as their forever homes.

For them, a prime HDB flat can offer lifestyle advantages they value, such as generous space, central location, views and convenience, without having to pay monthly maintenance fees for condo facilities they do not use often.

"In that sense, they might be downgrading in the property category, but certainly not in their day-to-day living experience," she notes.

"With a flat like this [at Pinnacle@Duxton], they can just head downstairs for food and groceries, and everything is nearby."

Chua reckons that more of such buyers will be considering flats like the Lims', given that the government has recently scrapped the 15-month wait-out period for private homeowners purchasing a non-subsidised HDB resale flat without an HDB housing loan.

What buyers prioritise at the million-dollar mark

At the same time, buyers considering million-dollar HDB flats tend to compare them with private condos as well.

The alternatives they evaluate include smaller condo units in the Rest of Central Region and Core Central Region.

“But the mismatch between the price point and actual living space [in some condos] can make it difficult for those planning to start a family. Consequently, many still prefer to purchase a bigger flat that’s ready for immediate occupation," Chua says.

In her experience, buyers of million-dollar HDB flats typically prioritise factors such as the floor level, views, remaining lease and proximity to an MRT station.

Moreover, buyers have become more practical in recent years, placing more weight on the location, unit layout and size.

“They care less about existing renovation because they know they can redo the interiors," Chua says.

"This $1.701 million sale is a good example. Our unit wasn't on the highest floor and didn’t have a full view, but the space and location were strong enough to set a record."

For the Lims, the deal brings to a close more than two decades of ownership that started in 2004.

At the time, they could hardly have known how much that decision would come to shape the years ahead.

Pinnacle@Duxton became their first marital home, followed them through different stages of their lives and later provided a steady stream of rental income.

Now, the home they once acquired largely by chance has given the Lims an unexpected parting gift: a record sale and the means to start planning their next chapter.

Property Diaries is a new series that goes behind the scenes of real estate transactions, featuring homebuyers, investors, renters and sellers sharing their journeys, decisions and lessons learnt.

Have a story to share? Write to us at propertyeditor@edgeprop.sg.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: openai_codex_cli

### 破纪录的新币170.1万组屋转售：这间 Pinnacle@Duxton 单位如何逆势成交

这间组屋单位在20年前以超过新币35万购作首个家，如今成交价比纪录高新币7.1万，并比要价高新币5.1万。

几年前，Lim 夫妇曾考虑出售他们位于 Pinnacle@Duxton 的五房式组屋单位。但他们的房地产经纪 Ink Chua 建议他们继续持有。

当时该单位每月租金超过新币5,000，Chua 认为没有急着出售的必要。

今年，她联系这对夫妇，并给出不同建议：现在可能是把该单位推出市场的好时机。

延伸阅读：Dawson 四房式单位创下 Queenstown 新币138.8万纪录；Sengkang 五房式单位达新币118万

这一决定获得回报，这间1,152平方英尺的组屋单位近日以新币170.1万售出，在 Pinnacle@Duxton 创下新的价格纪录。

该价格分别比此前新币163万的高点和他们最初的要价高出新币71,000和新币51,000。

在 Lim 夫妇此次出售前，纪录由一间位于43至45层的五房式单位保持——其楼层远高于这对夫妇位于28至30层的单位——该单位于5月易手。

对于他们这间楼层较低、基本未经翻新的单位能取得破纪录的结果，Lim 夫妇感到惊讶。

“我们感到震惊、幸运，也非常感恩。Huat ah!”Lim 先生告诉 EdgeProp Singapore。

事实上，在将单位挂牌出售前，这对夫妇曾考虑花一笔高五位数金额进行翻新，以改善出售前景，但 Chua 建议他们不要这么做。

“ Ink 说不要浪费这笔钱，把事情交给她就好，”他指出。

虽然他们知道其他一些单位在出售前曾进行翻新，但 Lim 夫妇的单位即使基本保持原始状态，仍取得了创纪录价格。

延伸阅读：市场动向：新加坡最大宗房地产交易与最热门搜索（9月18日）

“我们最终在翻新上省下不少钱，所以我们真的很感谢 Ink，”他补充说。

“完全随机”的开始

Lim 夫妇在 Pinnacle@Duxton 的故事始于20多年前——远早于他们能想象自己的单位有一天会卖到超过新币170万。

位于 Tanjong Pagar 的 Cantonment Road，50层高的 Pinnacle@Duxton 高达163米——目前是新加坡最高的组屋发展项目——共有1,848个单位，户型布局灵活。

它采用新加坡公司 Arc Studio Architecture + Urbanism 的获奖设计，由七栋组屋楼组成，并以空中连廊相连。

这个公共住房项目于2009年完工，此后录得一连串百万级转售交易，其中包括数宗新加坡价格最高的组屋交易。

Lim 夫妇在2004年申请该发展项目的住房，几乎是一时兴起。

“作为第一批屋主，我们并不是带着宏大的总体规划去选择 Pinnacle@Duxton。我们只是碰巧抱着好玩的心态申请，没想到竟然中了，”Lim 先生回忆道。

“当 HDB 叫我们下去选择心仪单位时，一切都完全是随机的。”

他们为该单位支付约新币350,000至新币400,000，并于2009年领取钥匙。

这对夫妇将翻新控制在最低限度，家中大部分家具都是可移动家具。

这是他们共同拥有的第一个家，也是他们作为20多岁的年轻夫妻开始婚姻生活的地方。

如今40至50岁的 Lim 夫妇，仍深情回望在那里度过的岁月。

“这个家代表了我们的奠基篇章，从早期婚姻里程碑，到在城市灯光的背景下招待亲密朋友，”Lim 先生说。

延伸阅读：市场动向：新加坡最大宗房地产交易与最热门搜索（9月11日）

“感觉非常怀旧，因为我们的年轻岁月是在这间屋子里度过的。”

他们也很欣赏住在 CBD 的便利。Lim 太太回忆说，不开车也能四处通行。

“整个 CBD 就在家门口是一种奢侈，而我们一直最喜欢的特色，是俯瞰城市天际线的空中花园，”她说。

同样，她的丈夫也记得乘公共交通上班很方便，附近设施丰富，市中心也有许多约会之夜的选择。

第一个家承担新角色

随着多年来生活方式需求的变化，Lim 夫妇最终离开了 Pinnacle@Duxton。

这对夫妇也希望照顾年迈父母并与他们共度更多时间，因此搬到父母拥有的一处有地住宅同住。那里至今仍是 Lim 夫妇的主要住所。

住在那里也让如今已有几个孩子的 Lim 夫妇，作为家庭拥有更多空间。

“那里是一个安静的住宅区，更适合我们现在的生活方式，”Lim 太太说。

与此同时，他们将这间五房式单位出租，并基本保持其原始状态。

“这样，下一个买家就能得到一张空白画布，可以按自己喜欢的方式设计它，”Lim 太太说。

在又持有该单位数年后，Lim 夫妇决定采纳其房地产经纪的建议，在今年出售。

“市场很好，现在是套现的合适时机，”Lim 先生指出。

他们计划用售房所得购买两处物业——一处供未来自住，另一处作为投资。

目前，他们打算继续与父母同住。

“这让我们感到极大的安慰……能和父母共度时光并每天照顾他们，同时他们也被熟悉的邻居和朋友围绕着，”Lim 太太补充说。

兴趣强劲下的价格阻力

ERA 分区董事 Chua 于6月以新币165万将该单位挂牌出售。

营销期间存在一些限制，因为租客在海外约三周，看房只能安排在工作日。

她估计，在寻找买家的两至三个月期间，该单位实际活跃看房时间约为1.5个月。

Chua 估计，在此期间，挂牌吸引了近30次询问和超过20次看房。除最终买家外，大约还有八个报价，其中一些谈判未能达成。

Chua 表示，要价遭遇了一些阻力，因为“确实有讨论，也有一些强烈反对”。

一些买家提到翻新成本。另一些则指出此前新币163万的纪录来自楼层高得多、位于43至45层的单位，以此主张较低价格。

Chua 回忆，还有几位潜在买家也指出，该单位的景观“只是小范围海景，而不是完整全景”。

“我的工作是帮助他们看到更大的图景：CBD 的五房式组屋很稀缺，而且可售单位并不多，”她继续说。

尽管如此，几乎每个人都喜欢其宽敞的室内空间和中心地段。

由于未经翻新的室内状态让一些看房者难以想象这个家可以呈现的样子，Chua 准备了可能改动的前后对比设计效果图。

“我和每一位买家交谈，以筛选他们并了解他们的背景和需求……基于此，我准备了几种不同布局和风格的效果图，”她说。

看房时，她会带潜在买家走遍整个单位，并解释不同区域可以如何重新改造。

例如，他们可以拆除一面厨房墙，打造开放式客餐厅，将一间卧室改成步入式衣帽间，或把一间普通房改成带玻璃推拉门的书房。

“因为这个单位没有翻新，我希望帮助潜在买家想象他们未来的家会是什么样，并想象住在那里。我认为这带来了很大不同，”Chua 说。

她也会提醒看房者，虽然室内可以随时按他们的偏好定制，但单位的位置和面积是固定的。

一次看房就足够

最终买家是一对30至40岁的新加坡夫妇，他们目前与父母同住，并正在购买第一处房产。

据 Chua 称，他们在寻找一处位置优越、可居住空间充足且便利的住宅。

“他们立刻意识到，这个单位满足了所有条件，”她说。“他们只看了一次房，就马上喜欢上了。”

她补充说，买家曾看过市场上的几个替代选择，但 Pinnacle@Duxton 五房式单位的布局效率最终打动了他们。

他们同意支付新币170.1万——远高于 Lim 夫妇的目标价格。

Lim 夫妇认为，Chua 运用市场分析和人际技巧，帮助销售过程保持在正轨上。

他们表示，她利用市场数据制定销售策略，同时与潜在买家建立良好关系。

“作为卖家，我们什么都不用操心，因为可以把一切交给 Ink 处理，”Lim 先生笑着说。

“她让整个销售过程轻松极了；一切都非常、非常顺利。”

谁在以这些价格买入？

虽然 Lim 夫妇单位的买家是首次置业者，但约25次看房吸引了处于不同置业阶段的人士。

其中包括其他已看房六个月至一年的首次置业买家。

一些人愿意为转售住宅支付更高价格，以便尽快入住，并避开预购组屋（BTO）的等待时间。

另一方面，该单位也吸引了从私人住宅搬到公共住房的年长买家。

从 Chua 近期的交易来看，她同样观察到，越来越多私人住宅业主正在寻找面积大、位置好的组屋作为长期居所。

对他们而言，优质组屋可以提供他们看重的生活方式优势，例如宽敞空间、中心地段、景观和便利性，同时无需为他们并不常用的公寓设施支付每月管理费。

“从这个意义上说，他们可能是在物业类别上降级，但日常居住体验肯定没有降级，”她指出。

“有了像这样（在 Pinnacle@Duxton）的单位，他们下楼就能买食物和日用品，一切都在附近。”

Chua 认为，鉴于政府近期取消了私人住宅业主在不使用 HDB 房屋贷款购买非津贴 HDB 转售组屋时须等候15个月的规定，会有更多这类买家考虑像 Lim 夫妇这样的单位。

百万级价位买家优先考虑什么

与此同时，考虑百万级组屋的买家往往也会将它们与私人公寓作比较。

他们评估的替代选择包括中央区其他地带和核心中央区面积较小的公寓单位。

“但（一些公寓）价格点与实际居住空间之间的不匹配，可能让计划组建家庭的人难以接受。因此，许多人仍更愿意购买面积更大、可立即入住的组屋，”Chua 说。

根据她的经验，百万级组屋买家通常优先考虑楼层、景观、剩余屋契和靠近地铁站等因素。

此外，近年来买家变得更加务实，更重视位置、单位布局和面积。

“他们不太在意现有翻新，因为他们知道可以重做室内，”Chua 说。

“这宗新币170.1万的交易就是一个很好的例子。我们的单位不在最高楼层，也没有完整景观，但空间和位置足够强，足以创下纪录。”

对 Lim 夫妇而言，这笔交易为他们自2004年开始、超过20年的持有期画上句号。

当时，他们几乎不可能知道那个决定会在多大程度上塑造此后的岁月。

Pinnacle@Duxton 成为他们婚后的第一个家，陪伴他们走过人生不同阶段，后来又提供了稳定的租金收入。

如今，这个他们当年很大程度上偶然获得的家，给了 Lim 夫妇一份意外的告别礼物：一宗创纪录销售，以及开始规划下一篇章的资金。

Property Diaries 是一个新系列，走进房地产交易幕后，介绍购房者、投资者、租客和卖家分享他们的历程、决定和经验教训。

有故事想分享？请写信给我们：propertyeditor@edgeprop.sg。