ALL it took was one look at the big balcony spanning the living room and the master bedroom, and the deal was sealed for Mrs Jean Hong.

The 47-year-old company director bought a three-bedroom unit for close to $1,500 per square foot in the Parc Centennial condominium in Kampong Java Road three months ago and is still gushing about the large balcony to her friends.

She is planning to rent it out and feels expatriates will appreciate the balcony space.

'There is enough space to put some chairs and a small table in the balcony, so that the tenant is able to have a drink or read there without cluttering the place unnecessarily,' she said.

Parc Centennial is among a number of new condos that are bucking the trend of developments from the 1990s, which had balconies that were tiny corners with just standing space or irregular-shaped ones that nobody used.

In contrast, some of the new private housing projects today have large balconies that even extend to the master bedroom or outside the lift.

Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times' Life!