Firstly, we needed more space - more than our current three-bedroom condominium.

Growing family

With an infant son and plans to have another child soon, we imagined a flat with a bedroom for each of them, as well as an additional room for our elderly parents one day.

So we hit the market with only five-room flats or executive flats in mind.

Secondly, we needed a place near my parents' home as we both work full-time and my parents would be baby-sitting our children most of the day.

Finally, we needed a place near an MRT station and close to amenities such as a supermarket, food courts and schools.

So with these pre-requisites, our choices were certainly narrow.

It was during a month's worth of searching that we chanced upon what would be our new home - an executive maisonette in the north-west of Singapore.

It is large (almost twice the size of our current place) with four decent-sized bedrooms and is less than two minutes' walk to the MRT station.

My friends asked: You sure you want to pay so much?

"It's just a HDB flat. Not private some more, you know," said one with a tone of scepticism.

True. And we also have to factor in an estimated $30,000 for renovations.

Plus, we'll be paying $1,600 to the bank every month for the next 35 years.

But the minute I laid eyes on this place, I saw value in my purchase.

This is an HDB penthouse - one of only 12 units in the area.

Only five areas in Singapore - Bishan, Strathmore Avenue in Queenstown, Pasir Ris, Hougang and Choa Chu Kang - have such units.

In Strathmore Avenue, there are only four rooftop penthouses and in Bishan, there are 50 such units.

Earlier this year, a penthouse at Bishan Street 24 was sold for $900,000, making it the most expensive HDB flat to change hands in Singapore at the time.