From Joo Chiat shophouses to office suites across the CBD to Jurong industrial estates - I help business owners, investors, and occupiers find the right commercial space, on the right terms, in the right location.
I grew up watching businesses live and die on the right street.
My father's provision shop. My great-uncle's TCM clinic. The salon aunty on one side, the laundry uncle on the other, the furniture shop around the corner, the kopitiam downstairs. I watched all of them from a shophouse window in Joo Chiat - and I learned something that no textbook teaches: where you operate is not just logistics. It is identity. It is footfall. It is survival.
I have also watched businesses close — not because the owners were not skilled or passionate, but because the location did not serve them. Wrong street, wrong lease terms, wrong tenure length, wrong zoning. A commercial property decision is one of the most consequential a business owner will ever make, and one of the most consequential an investor will ever make. I take that seriously.
"The right commercial address does not just house your business. It works for your business. My job is to find you one — and to make sure the terms protect you for the long run."
From first-time business owners looking for a modest shopfront, to seasoned investors building a portfolio of strata commercial units, to established companies relocating or expanding their operations - I bring the same depth of local knowledge, honest counsel, and personal attention to every commercial instruction I accept.
Shophouses: Singapore's most storied commercial asset
Born in a Joo Chiat shophouse, I have a relationship with this asset class that goes beyond market data. I know these buildings the way you know a childhood home.
More than heritage. A serious investment and business asset.
"A shophouse is not just a building. It is a piece of Singapore's soul. But it is also a legal instrument, a zoning exercise, and a negotiation. Get all three right — and you have something exceptional."
- Purchase by owner-occupier
You want to run your business from a shophouse - for the address, the space, the identity it gives your brand. I help you assess conservation status, permitted use for your business type, structural condition, and whether the asking price reflects genuine market value. Many shophouse buyers overpay because they fall in love before they do the work. I make sure you go in clear-eyed.
-
Purchase by investor
Shophouses as an investment asset require careful analysis: gross and net yield, tenant quality and lease expiry, URA zoning implications on future tenants, freehold versus 999-year tenure, and liquidity risk. I give you an honest assessment of all of these - not a sales pitch dressed as due diligence.
-
Leasing - tenant representation
Looking to lease a shophouse for your business? I help you find the right unit for your operational needs, assess the lease terms critically, negotiate rent and tenure, and understand what the conservation rules mean for any fit-out work you plan. Many tenants sign shophouse leases without understanding what they cannot change. I make sure you know.
-
Leasing — landlord representation
Getting the right tenant for a shophouse matters enormously - the wrong tenant can cause URA compliance issues, damage the building, or underperform on rent. I help shophouse landlords identify, screen, and secure quality tenants and structure leases that protect the asset's long-term value.
KatongBoy's shophouse insight
The Joo Chiat and Katong shophouse corridor - particularly freehold units along Joo Chiat Road, Tembeling Road, and Koon Seng Road - continues to attract strong interest from both local and regional buyers. Supply is genuinely constrained, conservation status protects the stock from demolition, and the East's growing dining and lifestyle precinct has strengthened commercial rental demand. For investors with a 5–10-year horizon, well-located D15 shophouses remain a compelling hold. Happy to discuss specific pockets and recent transaction benchmarks with you directly.
Conservation shophouses
(URA-listed heritage)
- Early, transitional, late style
- Permitted use zoning
- Conservation guidelines
- Freehold and 999-year
- Structural assessment referral
Mixed-use shophouses
(Commercial and residential)
- Ground floor commercial
- Upper floor residential
- Dual income streams
- Owner-occupier hybrid use
- Stamp duty implications
Commercial shophouses
(Full commercial zoning)
- Full commercial use
- F&B and retail permitted
- No residential component
- Higher footfall locations
- Stronger rental yield potential
Key shophouse districts
Where to look
- D15 - Joo Chiat, Katong
- D2 - Tanjong Pagar
- D8 - Little India
- D3 - Chinatown
- D7 - Beach Road
Office space: where your team shows up every day
The office you choose shapes your company's culture, your ability to hire, and your cost base for years. It deserves more than a quick portal search.
The right office is not just about square footage
It is about the commute your team can sustain. The image your address projects to clients. The flexibility your lease gives you as you grow. The mechanical and electrical specifications that actually support your operations. The landlord's track record on maintenance and responsiveness. I look at all of these - not just the asking rent - when I evaluate an office for a client.
Whether you are a two-person startup looking for a first proper address, a mid-sized company needing a full floor, or a multinational relocating its Singapore operations, I bring the same rigour and honesty to every brief. I work across the full spectrum - from the CBD's Grade A towers to the suburban business parks that often offer far better value per square foot for companies that do not need a Raffles Place postcode.
CBD and Grade A office leasing
Raffles Place, Marina Bay, Shenton Way, Tanjong Pagar — Singapore's prime office core. I help tenants navigate the Grade A market, assess fit-out allowances and rent-free periods, benchmark rent against comparable transactions, and negotiate lease terms that give you genuine flexibility as your business evolves.
Suburban and business park office
One-north, Mapletree Business City, International Business Park, Alexandra, Paya Lebar, and the East's own growing office nodes - suburban offices often deliver 30–40% lower rents than CBD equivalents for comparable quality. I help companies make an honest cost-benefit assessment, accounting for talent implications and commute patterns.
Strata office purchase
Buying a strata office unit as an owner-occupier or investment - in buildings like Suntec City, Oxley Bizhub, or the many freehold strata office towers across Singapore. I assess yield, building management quality, sinking fund health, occupancy rates, and exit liquidity before we put in an offer.
Lease renewal and relocation advisory
Many companies renew their office leases on autopilot - accepting landlord terms without a proper market check. I represent tenants in lease renewals and relocation decisions, making sure you have the full picture before you commit to another term. Sometimes staying makes sense. Sometimes moving does. I help you know which.
Grade A - CBD
Premium city core
- Raffles Place, Marina Bay
- Shenton Way, Tanjong Pagar
- Full floor and part floor
- Flagship brand presence
Grade B and suburban
Value for money
- One-north, Queenstown
- Paya Lebar, Tampines
- Business parks
- Strong value per sqft
Strata office
Purchase or lease
- Freehold and 99-year
- Owner-occupier and investor
- Yield and exit analysis
- Building health checks
KatongBoy's office market read
Singapore's office market remains bifurcated - Grade A CBD vacancy has tightened meaningfully, while suburban and mid-tier office stock continues to offer genuine value. Companies that can demonstrate to their talent pool that a suburban address works - often through hybrid arrangements - are achieving significant savings without material impact on headcount. The East's own office nodes, including Paya Lebar Quarter and the growing Tampines Regional Centre, are increasingly compelling for companies with East-heavy workforces. Worth a conversation if you are considering a relocation or renewal decision in the next 12 months.
Retail and F&B: location is not everything - it is the only thing
I grew up watching Katong's retail landscape shift across four decades. I know what makes a commercial strip work, and what makes it die.
F&B and retail live or die by where they sit
I watched bars become brunch cafes, textile shops become co-working spaces, kopitiams become third-wave coffee outlets. I watched businesses that should have thrived close because the footfall shifted one street over. And I watched scrappy, undercapitalised operators succeed because they found the right pocket at the right time.
When I assess a retail or F&B space for a client, I do not just look at the rent and the square footage. I assess the pedestrian flow at different times of day. I look at the complementary tenancy mix — what else is on that strip, and does it bring the right crowd? I look at the landlord's profile and track record. I look at the fit-out allowance, the air-conditioning provisions, the grease trap access for F&B. I look at whether the lease tenure gives you long enough to build a following before you face a renewal negotiation.
"A 10% lower rent in the wrong location is worse than a 10% premium in the right one. I help you see past the headline figure to what the space will actually do for your business."
Street-front retail and F&B
Shopfront units on commercial streets - Joo Chiat Road, East Coast Road, Tanjong Pagar Road, Tiong Bahru, Orchard, and beyond. I assess footfall, neighbouring tenancy quality, lease tenure, and fit-out terms. For F&B specifically, I check ventilation provisions, grease trap access, gas supply, and URA food shop permitted use before you fall in love with a space that cannot legally or practically serve food.
Mall and shopping centre units
Mall leasing is a different discipline - gross turnover rent clauses, mall management relationships, anchor tenant influence on footfall, and the distinction between prime and secondary mall zones all matter enormously. I help retail and F&B operators navigate mall leasing with a clear understanding of what they are agreeing to and what the real cost of occupancy will be.
Hawker stalls and coffeeshop units
Hawker centre stalls and coffeeshop units are Singapore's grassroots commercial real estate - and the market for them is far more complex than many buyers and tenants realise. Goodwill premiums, NEA tender processes, coffeeshop operator relationships, and subletting rights all need to be navigated carefully. I help both buyers and lessees understand what they are getting into before they commit.
Retail portfolio and investment
Strata retail units as investment assets - shophouse ground floors, mall retail units, and neighbourhood retail clusters. I assess tenant covenant strength, lease expiry profile, rental reversion potential, and the competitive dynamics of the immediate retail catchment. For retail investors, getting the tenant selection right is as important as getting the purchase price right.
KatongBoy's retail and F&B read
The East Coast Road and Joo Chiat commercial strips continue to benefit from strong residential catchment, active weekend foot traffic, and a dining and lifestyle identity that attracts visitors from across Singapore. Rental rates for shopfront F&B units in this corridor have stabilised after the post-pandemic surge - making now a more balanced entry point for operators than 2022–2023. Key pockets with genuine growth runway: the stretch between Koon Seng Road and Joo Chiat Place, and the emerging cluster around the Tembeling Road corner. Happy to walk you through current availability and recent transaction data.
Industrial: where Singapore's real economy does its work
B1, B2, warehouse, ramp-up, terrace factory - industrial property is a specialist segment that rewards detailed knowledge and punishes guesswork.
Industrial property is not glamorous. Done right, it is very profitable.
Singapore's industrial real estate market is driven by operational specificity — the right floor loading, the right ceiling height, the right loading bay configuration, the right zoning for your trade type. A company that takes a B1 unit for an activity that requires B2 zoning faces enforcement action. A logistics operator that overlooks the ramp configuration discovers the problem when the first truck arrives. These are not details. They are the whole point.
I help SMEs, manufacturers, logistics operators, and industrial property investors navigate this market with clarity and precision. I assess JTC and private industrial stock across Singapore's major industrial estates — Ubi, Tai Seng, Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio, Jurong, Tuas, Woodlands, Senoko, and the East's own industrial clusters — and I give clients an honest, operational view of what each option actually delivers.
"The SME owner who takes the wrong industrial unit does not just waste money on rent. He wastes the fit-out cost, the business disruption, and the months it takes to find something else. I make sure that does not happen."
B1 light industrial - leasing and purchase
B1 zoning permits light industrial activities - clean manufacturing, assembly, R&D, and ancillary office use. These units are typically found in flatted factory complexes and business parks, and often attract technology, precision engineering, and food manufacturing companies. I help occupiers identify B1 units with the right specifications, assess leasehold tenure implications, and negotiate JTC and private landlord terms.
B2 general industrial - leasing and purchase
B2 zoning covers heavier industrial activities - general manufacturing, metalworking, chemical processing (where permitted), and larger-scale logistics. B2 units typically offer higher floor loading, larger footprints, and better loading bay provisions than B1. I help companies assess whether their operational profile genuinely requires B2, or whether B1 at a lower cost base can work, and then find the best available stock in their target estate.
Warehouse and logistics space
Ramp-up warehouses, conventional multi-storey warehouses, and single-storey logistics facilities - the specifications that matter are clear height, floor loading, column spacing, dock levellers, and proximity to major arterial roads and the port. I help logistics operators and third-party logistics providers find facilities that genuinely fit their operational model, not just their budget.
Terrace factory and light industrial units
Single-storey and two-storey terrace factories across Singapore's established industrial estates are often the most practical and cost-effective solution for SMEs that need a dedicated operational footprint without a large floor area. I help buyers and tenants assess structural condition, power supply adequacy, and the suitability of the estate for their specific trade type.
Industrial investment and portfolio
Strata industrial units - particularly in well-located, freehold or long-leasehold flatted factories - have historically delivered strong yields relative to commercial and residential alternatives. I help investors assess net yield, JTC land lease expiry risk, tenant quality, and the supply pipeline in specific estates before committing capital.
JTC and industrial lease advisory
JTC Corporation is the dominant industrial landlord in Singapore, and understanding JTC's assignment, subletting, and change-of-use rules is essential for any industrial occupier or investor. I help clients navigate JTC's framework, plan for lease renewal or assignment, and structure sub-leasing arrangements that comply with JTC's requirements.
B1 light industrial
Clean and tech-friendly
- Flatted factory units
- Light manufacturing
- R&D and assembly
- Ancillary office permitted
- Technology and food
B2 general industrial
Heavier operations
- Heavy manufacturing
- Metal fabrication
- Chemical (where approved)
- High floor loading
- Multiple loading bays
Warehouse and logistics
Storage and distribution
- Ramp-up warehouses
- Multi-storey logistics
- Cold chain facilities
- Port and airport proximity
- Dock leveller provisions
Terrace factories
SME-friendly units
- Single and two-storey
- Ubi, Tai Seng, Jurong
- Dedicated operational space
- Freehold options available
- Investment-grade stock
KatongBoy's industrial market read
Singapore's industrial market has seen rental growth moderate after a strong 2022–2023 run, but well-located B1 stock in established estates - particularly Ubi, Tai Seng, and Ang Mo Kio - continues to hold value on constrained supply. For investors, freehold strata industrial units in Ubi and MacPherson remain competitively yielding compared to commercial alternatives, particularly given the supply pipeline is thin. For occupiers, the window to lock in reasonable rents before another cycle of tightening is a conversation worth having now. JTC renewed-lease terms and the industrial master plan changes are also worth factoring into any long-term leasing decision - happy to walk through the implications for your specific situation.