Standing in his newly purchased condominium unit amid the renovation work, 32-year-old Shelton Chang couldn't shake off a surreal feeling.He was finally getting the space of his own that he had dreamed of since his 20s, and which for many years had seemed out of reach. As an unmarried Singaporean, he would have had to wait until he was 35 to purchase a flat from the Housing and Development Board (HDB), and, up until recently, he did not have the financial means to buy a home on the private market.The public relations professional has long desired his own space as he grew up having to share a bedroom with two siblings. When he was 28, the living situation became so uncomfortable that he moved out and rented a common room in an HDB flat. Then, his father died of cancer earlier this year, leaving him with a sizeable inheritance – enough for him to purchase a two-bedroom condominium unit in the north.
Mr Shelton Chang at his condominium that is being renovated on Sep 8, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
"It was not expected as he had an aggressive cancer that took him within two months of diagnosis – I was planning to wait till 35 to get a resale HDB near my parents so I could be involved in their retirement," said Mr Chang. "It is bittersweet – it made me feel like I had to lose a lot in order to get home ownership personally as without his inheritance I would have needed to wait till after 35. My new home is a remembrance of his legacy and his sacrifice for the family."Meanwhile, 71-year-old divorcee Mohamed Amin Mohamed Salleh has been navigating the realities of ageing as a single person with limited means.The retiree, who previously worked as a security guard, has lived in a one-room public rental flat for the past 10 years.He underwent heart bypass surgery in 2016 and now gets around with the help of a personal mobility device subsidised by the Agency for Integrated Care. Mr Amin also receives help from charities such as Yong-en Care Centre, which helps him pack his medication and provides monthly fresh food rations, under its food security programme.Such support has allowed him to remain largely independent. But living alone in old age means stretching his monthly Central Provident Fund payout across rent, utilities, food and transport. He also strives to maintain his health, knowing there may not always be someone around when something goes wrong.
