The question Sean finds hardest is whether someone should buy a particular home to live in, because he can't know their needs. So he devised a test buyers can run themselves before booking.
How can you tell whether a home and its location will suit your life before you commit?
“Imagine yourself living an entire weekday in the house.”
Run two tests. First, can you carry the instalment for 30 to 35 years? Only then picture an ordinary weekday and weekend from that address, from the commute to school runs and errands, and see whether it still works.
Why
The instalment shapes your whole life
A RM1 million home costs about RM4,500 to RM5,000 a month for 30 to 35 years. On a RM10,000 to RM12,000 salary that is half your income, or one partner working the whole month just for the house, and it can stop you joining a business opportunity later.
Weekdays are most of your life
Walk through a working day: where you work and how you get there, where you eat and buy groceries, and how far the daycare, school and tuition centres are. Newer, cheaper areas often come without schools and shops ready yet.
Don't buy for a once-a-month view
A golf course view you enjoy once a month may not be worth a traffic jam every weekday. Weigh weekend routines too, such as children's activities, a place of worship or your favourite brunch spot.
Bigger isn't always better
A 4,000 sq ft house means more to clean and maintain. Sean, who values time above all, would rather have a smaller home that serves him than become a slave to a big one.
What to do
- Work out the monthly instalment and what share of your income it takes.
- If you are buying with a partner, talk honestly about whether you can afford it and whether you need to buy now.
- Map a typical weekday from the new address: work, meals, groceries, and every drop-off and pick-up.
- Map a typical weekend: activities, worship, family and friends.
- Picture your life when you get the keys, possibly years away: marriage, children or a new job.
Editorial Note: Summarised from Sean Tan's full episode. The quoted answer is in his own words; the rest is our paraphrase. Figures reflect the recording date, so check current rates and rules before acting on them.
WEEKDAY-WEEKEND TEST | GUIDE TO OWN-STAY PROPERTY
Sources & Verification Data
Summarised from Sean's full English captions for this July 2020 episode. The quoted answer is verbatim; everything else is paraphrased. Figures are as stated in 2020.
