In space-crunched Singapore, homes on private plots of land are the ultimate trophy. Take a look inside one of these 'good class bungalows,' recently listed for $64.2 million.
Katie Boon
- In Singapore, the term "good class bungalows" is used to refer to mansions on private plots of land.
- The city-state only has 2,800 good class bungalows, and they're in high demand.
In land-scarce Singapore, landed properties — homes that sit on private parcels of land — are hard to come by. Good class bungalows are the biggest landed properties of all, and they're considered a trophy among the ultra-wealthy.
With a land area of only 709 square kilometers (275 square miles), Singapore is the tiniest country in Southeast Asia. And within Singapore, good class bungalows — which require a minimum plot size of 15,070 square feet — are a rarity and a major status signifier.
Currently, there are an estimated 2,800 good class bungalows in Singapore. Prominent individuals who have been known to buy these massive houses include Sir James Dyson and TikTok's CEO, Chew Shou Zi.
"Good class bungalows are the crème de la crème of Singapore's landed houses," Singapore-based listing agent Steve Tay of Sotheby's International Realty told Insider. "For the ultra-high-net-worth, it is a milestone to achieve."
Tay currently holds the listing for an $88 million Singapore dollar ($64.2 million) good class bungalow. The multimillion-dollar mansion sits on 38,000 square feet of land.
Most good class bungalows feature a plot size of 15,000 to 28,000 square feet, Tay said: "Anything above 30,000 is hard to come by."
"The whole compound is so big, you don't see your neighbors. It's really like your own private sanctuary," he added.
On Singapore's real-estate platform Property Guru, the majority of the good class bungalows for sale have land areas smaller than 30,000 square feet.
The mansion is located in one of Singapore's wealthiest districts, and it's surrounded by other good class bungalows.
The Ewart Park home is in District 10, one of Singapore's wealthiest districts. The neighborhood is a 12-minute drive from Orchard Road, Singapore's famous shopping street.
Ewart Park is one of the 39 enclaves Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has reserved specifically for good class bungalows. The URA has banned any other forms of residential housing from being built in these areas, making the neighborhood very prestigious, Tay said.
The 20,000-square-foot bungalow has eight bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, and a two-level garage for 20 cars.
Source: Sotheby's International Realty
The indoor kitchen features a sleek open-concept design.
The owner would hire private chefs to cook up a meal when he had friends over, Tay said.
The mansion also comes with a home theater, wine cellar, and a Japanese outdoor kitchen.
"The house has a big al fresco living area with an outdoor kitchen," Tay said. "The owner hired a Japanese chef to design the kitchen to ensure it could cook teppanyaki and yakitori."
The mansion's swimming pool is bigger than most pools found in Singapore condos.
When the owner designed the house 15 years ago, he wanted it to have a modern Balinese vibe, Tay said.
Tay also added that the swimming pool is estimated to be around 8,600 square feet. That's slightly larger than two NBA basketball courts.
Overlooking the swimming pool is a gym with an adjoining sauna room.
Source: Sotheby's International Realty
For the right price, the house can be purchased fully furnished, Tay said.
"If the buyer likes the style of decor and interior furnishings, we can discuss leaving behind all the furniture minus the art," he said.
However, Tay said he is doubtful buyers of this net worth would want to retain the furniture.
"From my experience, it is quite often that buyers of this level will want to renovate and refurbish the interiors according to their tastes and preferences," he said.
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