Why we upgrade ourselves

What many people don’t realise is this:

Upgrading was not our first thought.

In fact, it wasn’t even on the table.

At that point in time, all I wanted was distance — distance from the neighbour, from the corridor, from the daily stress of living door-to-door with people who had shown they could turn volatile.

I remember thinking:Should we just move to another five-room flat?Would downgrading make more sense?

With a baby so young, it felt irresponsible — even silly — to continue staying there just because it was familiar or financially comfortable. Safety came first. Peace came first.

So we slowed everything down.

We discussed timelines instead of rushing into decisions.We tested feasibility instead of making assumptions.We went out actively for viewings — not to buy immediately, but to feel what different options might mean for our lives.

Only after that process did clarity begin to form.

Eventually, we sold our HDB five-room flat at 176D Edgefield Plains #02 within six days. Not because we were chasing an upgrade — but because the decision was clear, grounded, and well thought through.

That was when we moved into a three-bedroom condominium on level #05 near Buangkok MRT.

Upon retrospect, I can see it clearly now.

We didn’t set out to upgrade.We set out to protect our family.

The upgrade happened along the way, as a result of honest conversations, careful planning, and a willingness to explore all possibilities — including staying smaller or moving sideways.

And that’s a truth I still hold close today:

Property progression often begins not with ambition, but with a quiet question — “Is this still right for us?”

What This Taught Me About Progression

Looking back, our decision had nothing to do with cashing out or chasing returns.

Life was comfortable before things spiralled.

The numbers worked.

The home did what it was supposed to do — until the living environment no longer felt safe.

Our progression was not driven by ambition. It was driven by necessity.

We needed distance from unpredictability.We needed a calmer, safer space for ourselves — and for a baby who was too young to choose her surroundings.

That experience taught me something I still carry today:

Progression isn’t always about moving up.Sometimes, it’s about moving away — from stress, from risk, from conditions that quietly erode peace of mind.

And when a home no longer protects the people inside it, choosing to move forward is not indulgence.

It’s responsibility.

If my personal story feels familiar to you, take a pause.

Sometimes clarity comes not from rushing forward,

but from sitting honestly with where you are.