#BTOgether at 60: Couple Buys an HDB BTO Flat under MGPS
Mr and Mrs Loi were one of the first few families who moved to Punggol in 2003. After 18 years, having witnessed Punggol develop from a sleepy town into a bustling one, they moved to Bidadari to be close to family. The couple, both in their 60s, decided to purchase an HDB BTO Flat the same time as their son, Francisco, and daughter-in-law, Adora under the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme (MGPS).
Hello Mr and Mrs Loi, congratulations on your new home. How do you find it here?
Bidadari is very green and tranquil despite being close to many amenities, such as the shopping malls at Potong Pasir (Poiz) and Serangoon (NEX). There are also several eating places around the estate, so we will not run out of food choices! Like Punggol where we used to live, there are many covered linkways and ramps that make it easy for us to explore the estate—such as playgrounds— with our grandchildren.
How did you hear about MGPS?
We did not know about this scheme until our son asked us to apply for an HDB BTO flat together – as parents with their married child. He was considering Bidadari for its location and proximity to 2 MRT stations (Potong Pasir and Woodleigh), which makes getting around more convenient. We read up about the BTO project and were convinced when we saw that there will be a lot of greenery and a lake, as we wanted to live somewhere close to nature like Punggol!
Eventually, we applied for a 3-room flat and our son, a 4-room flat. It was a unique family bonding experience as we got to celebrate the different flat buying milestones together, such as being nervous about getting a ballot number, as well as the excitement during flat selection and key collection!
Can you describe your moving in process?
As our son helped us oversee the renovation, our ‘job’ was mainly to decide and buy the home appliances early so that he can make sure that that everything fits into the space and design. We also chose materials that are easy to clean and maintain. For example, we use KompacPlus for our kitchen as we are heavy cookers and the material prevents water marks and stains.
What do you love most about your new home?
We appreciate the layout of our current HDB BTO flat more, even though our current 3-room flat is smaller than our previous 4-room flat. There is more airflow, and we find it good for hosting guests as the living room feels bigger. When it is just the two of us, we enjoy how bright, cosy, and close to nature the home feels.
However, the best part for us is being able to spend more quality time with our son’s family even though we have our own private spaces. We also get to take turns to cook sumptuous dinners for everyone!
For more housing options for seniors, read here. Planning to purchase an HDB BTO flat? Find out everything you need to know in this step-by-step guide.