For the first one-and-a-half years of her marriage, Ms Jasmine Lim’s answer to the question of "How’s married life?" was always this: "No difference". After tying the knot in December 2023, the human resource professional and her husband continued living with their respective families until May 2025, when their Build-to-Order (BTO) flat was ready. "We wanted to stagger our wedding and renovation expenses. Renting a flat together wasn’t an option due to the significant cost," the 29-year-old said of their decision to get married without having a marital home ready. Most newlyweds tend not to end up in their situation.The typical route that a married Singaporean couple take is usually this: Apply for a BTO flat from the Housing and Development Board, wait an average of three to four years for it to be ready, get hitched close to the completion date before moving into a new flat together. However, Ms Lim and her husband Leslie Lee, 31, a finance professional, are among a number of couples in Singapore who chose or are choosing to temporarily live in different homes after marriage and have found ways to manage this inconvenience.
Mr Kelvin Siew, 32, with his fiancee Denise Yeo, 30. (Photo: Kelvin Siew)
