In 2023, a Singaporean couple made headlines for purchasing a $1.2M condo at 26 years old. They each had to save $2K every month for three years before buying the property. And just recently, someone else's story became a social media sensation.

Chris Chross always wanted to own a property before she turned 27. Late last year, she made her dream come true when she bought a condo for nearly $1M at just 26 years old, with no partner and no help from her parents. She worked 12 to 18 hours per day, seven days a week, freelancing in the photo and video space in addition to her full-time job. She even worked in the middle of gym sessions. When she finally reached her goal, she paid the down payment in cash, which amounted to $240K.

So it's no surprise that her story is all the buzz right now. After all, how many other Gen Z can honestly say they already own a home? Single-handedly at that. Not many.

So that raises a bigger question: Does buying young actually mean you're ahead? And if you don't have your own home yet, does it mean you're not working hard enough, or falling behind?

The age of owning a first home can vary widely, and many young people live with their parents until they have the financial foundation to buy on their own, or, until they get married.

But interestingly enough, the median age of new private home buyers in Singapore has been trending younger, declining from about 45 in 2015 to 39 in 2022 and 2023. To be clear, this does not mean that all the young generation are rushing to buy homes. Rather, it signifies a growth in that segment. As a matter of fact, there has been a surge of younger buyers aged 26-35 entering the new private home market in the past decade. And while this group includes both first-time buyers and upgraders, it suggests that younger Singaporeans are increasingly participating in the private property market earlier than before.

Now, some might think rising incomes are the reason. But let's be real. Income growth hasn't exactly been keeping pace with property prices. If anything, buying a home has become harder, not easier, for most young people. So it's more likely that these younger buyers have different aspirations, and perhaps stronger motivation, than their peers.

One factor is how homeownership is still tied to our idea of success in Singapore. For many of us, owning a property feels like a rite of passage. A sign that you've made it in life, or at least that you're on the right track.

This mindset hasn't really faded with younger generations. In fact, surveys continue to show that a large share of gen Zs and millennials see owning property as an important milestone, even if they recognise that it's getting harder to achieve.

But more importantly, young people are becoming financially literate about how property works as a long-term wealth-building tool. Buying early is less about the home itself and more about positioning. The idea is that entering the market sooner allows them to start building equity earlier, which can later be used to upgrade, restructure, or pivot their housing choices over time. In that sense, the first purchase isn't always seen as a forever home, but as a starting point within a longer-term property strategy.

In addition to that, there's also a growing sense of urgency. With property prices rising faster than wages, many young buyers feel that waiting too long could mean being priced out altogether.

It's easy to tell young people to "just buy a home ASAP". But in reality it's not that simple.

Even with CPF savings and, in the case of public housing, grants, the cost of entry remains substantial. Down payments, stamp duties, and monthly loan repayments can quickly eat into your disposable income, especially if you are still starting your career. What looks manageable on paper can feel very different once day-to-day expenses and other costs add up.

For single buyers, it's even more challenging since there's limited HDB support for singles under 35. This means most younger singles are effectively priced out of the public housing market unless they buy with family or wait until they meet the age requirement. As a result, those who want to own a place earlier often have little choice and end up looking at private property, where prices, entry costs, and financial risks are naturally higher.

But before even thinking about buying a home on your own, especially a private property, there are some uncomfortable yet necessary questions to ask. Can you afford the down payment without wiping out your emergency savings? Will you still be able to live comfortably while servicing a mortgage every month? And perhaps most importantly, do you have enough job stability, or income growth potential, to sustain this commitment over the long term?

Even in Chris Chross' case, buying a property at such a young age required a lot of sacrifice, incredible discipline, and a lifestyle that many may not realistically want. She started working as early as 14, balanced multiple jobs alongside her studies, and tracked every dollar she spent. She lived on a tight budget, planning her meals around $3 options and redeeming EZ-Link credits from the Healthy 365 app.

For younger buyers inspired by stories like Chris Chross', the takeaway isn't that everyone should rush to buy a home in their 20s. Instead, it's about understanding what made that path possible in the first place, and what steps you can take to move in that direction.

A good starting point is developing disciplined saving habits and learning to live within a clear budget. This will help you manage money reliably over time. Having a healthy emergency fund is also important at this stage, as it provides a buffer against job changes or unexpected expenses that are more common earlier in one's career.

On top of that, early exposure to financial knowledge is also important. Find out how mortgages work, understand CPF usage, and learn about investing. Chross herself began investing when she was 19, which indicates that she probably received guidance and encouragement from family or mentors early on.

Another key consideration is long-term planning. Property investments tends to work best when viewed over years, not months. Holding for the medium to long term allows you to ride out market downturns and gain capital appreciation over time. So holding power is equally as important as being able to enter the market.

Too young is when you rush into homeownership without solid financial footing or long-term plans.

Instead of fixating on your age and trying too hard to copy someone else's timeline, it's usually more helpful to focus on getting the basics right. Build good savings habits. Learn to budget realistically. Understand how debt, CPF, and cash flow actually affect your daily life.

Starting earlier does help, but only if you're prepared. Otherwise, that head start can quickly turn into unnecessary stress.

So before you start planning, it might be worthwhile to take a step back and figure out where the property market is heading next. With 2026 shaping up to be a transitional year for housing, getting a sense of market sentiment, and learning how different paths play out in reality can be eye-opening.

If you're interested in hearing directly from experienced professionals, do join us at the upcoming mega CES on 28 Feb. It's open to public, and more importantly, free. Who knows, it could be the clarity you need before planning a property journey that truly fits your life, not someone else's.

You can watch Chris Chross' story here

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