Buying your HDB for example in Bukit Panjang is by no mean an easy task. First, you nees to think about financing it. Then you have to understand all the procedures on how to apply for it. Then you get your queue number and it is time to choose your unit. Here are some of the factors to consider when choosing your HDB flat unit, as well as how to decide which level you want to stay on. 

1. Which floor should you stay on?
Staying on a low floor means that you will have to deal with more pets such as cockroaches, creepy-crawlies, ants and mosquitoes. This is especially right if your unit is close to the rubbish chute. Not only that, you will also be more exposed to noise from functions being held at your void deck as well as from any playgrounds or sports courts that are nearby. However, that does not mean that you are guaranteed with peace and quite if you choose a higher floor. Even as you get less 'immediate' noise generated from the void deck area, you might be privy to quite a bit of noise from traffic, especially if you are facing the main road or expressway. The higher up you live, The faster your place may get dusty. And of course, what puts many people off is the premium price that is attaches to units on higher floors. You can assume an approximate 0.5 percent increase in unit price per additional floor, which adds up to be quite a bit. 

As for staying on the highest floor? If you do not mind forking out the added cost for it, you are in for some pretty sweet advantages. For one, you have no neighbours above you, so you would not have to deal with almming doors, furniture being moved around or someone else's wet clothes dripping on your laundry. Staying on the highest floor also means taht in the case of ceiling leakages, it is a clear-cut situation wherein HDB will step in and bear the costs of repair. If you are sandwiched in the middle, however, it is much more of a hassle trying to sort out if the damage is due to either party's negligence, and whether your neighbour is willing to share part of the repair cost as well. Lastly, though some potential flat owners are worried about units on the top floor getting more exposure to the heat, HDB flats are now constructed with additional levels above the top floors with access corridors to water tanks. These additional floors act as a sunscreen of sorts, meaning that you would not have direct sunlight or rainwater coming down on your unit on the top level.

2. Orientation to the sun
Generally, you should avoid any flats that face the west as these are usually hit the worst by the midday sun, and temperatures can get pretty unbearable. Therefore, it is advisable that yoy should choose a flat that is facing north-south, so that you can get the best breeze. Want to get more in depth about this? You may pin your pontential flat's location on this Sun Calculator, and it will show you how the sun's movement and phases affects this particular location.

On the other hand, some home owners also value natural ventilation and natural light coming into their corridors. This allows you get fresh air and brightly lit corridors the entire day. If you wish to have natural light and ventilation all day, you would have to choose the units where corridors are not blocked by any tall neighbouring structures.

3. Future development
You might be viewing at a unit that look like your perfect home now, but it is always good to have a heads up about the government's plan for the surrounding areas in the next 10 to 15 years. You might view it as an asset that provide you with good rental income in the future.

4. Privacy from neighbours
It is no secret that Build-To Order (BTO) flats these days are smaller and it is not just the units that are shrinking, but the corridor space as well. You have to make sure that you check out your floor plan to see what the arrangement of the different units are like, and whether is is possible for your neighbours to look into your apartment or your utiliti yard when they are walking past.

As a conclusion, choosing a HDB flat is an exciting task, but make sure you spend enough time doing your research thoroughly and covering all your bases, s that you can get the best unit for your needs.