Stack and Facing

A development is typically numbered or lettered by stack, running the full height of the block, with each stack generally keeping the same unit layout and size on every floor unless there are podium or setback variations at certain levels. Facing is set by how the block sits on the site and by what is directly outside the window, whether that is a pool, a garden, a road, or another block.

Facing matters because it affects the view, the amount of privacy, exposure to noise from a road or nearby facility, and how much afternoon sun a unit takes on, which in Singapore's climate is a real comfort consideration for west facing units. Stacks facing a pool or garden are commonly priced at a premium over otherwise identical stacks facing a road or a neighbouring block.

Buyers sometimes assume a higher floor always outweighs facing, but a high floor unit facing a busy road or a service area can be less desirable than a mid floor unit with a clearer facing. Marketing descriptions of an unblocked view are also a common source of confusion, since a currently unblocked outlook is not guaranteed to stay that way if a nearby plot is developed in the future.

Ask for the site plan showing what sits immediately outside each stack, check the URA Master Plan for the surrounding plots to see whether future development could affect a currently unblocked view, factor in the sun exposure for the specific facing, and compare pricing across otherwise identical stacks to understand how much of a premium you are paying purely for facing.

Winfred Quek is an Associate Marketing Consultant at Crestbrick Pte Ltd (CEA Licence No. L31010886H). CEA R073319H. This page is for general information only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Verify current figures with IRAS, HDB, CPF Board, or MAS before making any decision.