Condo Stack Selection: How to Choose a Unit Stack at an Integrated Condo Like LinkTown Residences

A condo stack is the vertical line of identical units you choose from on booking day, and in a large integrated development it can matter as much as the unit type. At LinkTown Residences (Hougang Central Residences), the homes will sit above a mall, a new bus interchange and a direct link to Hougang MRT (NE14). Two units with the same floor plan could have very different mornings: one with a quiet view over the town, another above the buses pulling in at 6am. This guide sets out how to rank stacks, so you are ready when the plans are published.

Start with the drawings you will be given

Before visiting the showflat, collect three documents and keep them side by side:

• The site plan, with a north arrow, block positions, the podium and road access.
• The unit plans for each stack, which show which rooms face which way. Our guide on how to read a floor plan explains the strata area traps.
• The elevation chart, which maps every stack by floor, often with indicative pricing.

On launch day, the balance units chart shows what is still open. Shortlist three or four stacks in advance, because your first choice may be gone by the time your ballot number is called.

1. Sun and facing

Singapore is just north of the equator. The sun rises roughly in the east and sets in the west all year, drifting a little north of overhead around June and a little south around December. That is why north or south facing living rooms are traditionally preferred: they avoid the low, hot afternoon sun.

• West-facing rooms take the strongest heat from mid-afternoon. A west-facing bedroom can stay warm well into the night.
• East-facing rooms get gentler morning light, which some buyers actively want.
• Look at the rooms, not the unit. A west-facing kitchen or service yard matters less than a west-facing master bedroom.
• Shade changes the answer. A neighbouring block or a deep balcony can make an unfavoured facing comfortable.

2. Noise: bus interchange, mall and plaza

Integrated living puts transport and retail directly below you. The plans for the Hougang Central site include the bus interchange, a mall of about 300,000 sq ft and a town plaza with sheltered event space. Each has its own noise pattern.

Source	When it is loudest	What to find on the plan
Bus interchange	Early morning to late night, peaks at rush hour	Bus entry and exit points, turning areas, any open-sided decks
Mall servicing	Often early morning deliveries	Loading bays, refuse collection, service ramps
Town plaza	Weekends and evenings during events	Which blocks overlook the open space
Roof plant	Constant hum	Cooling towers or mechanical rooms on the podium roof
Main roads	Peak hours	Frontage to the busier roads around the town centre

Visit Hougang Central at 7.30am on a weekday and on a Saturday afternoon to hear the town centre as it is now. Our Hougang Central Bus Interchange guide covers which routes run from there today. The new interchange will be enclosed within the development, but where buses enter and leave is still worth knowing.

3. Floor level: more than a price ladder

Each unit is priced individually, with each floor usually costing a little more and bigger steps where the view clears surrounding buildings. Before paying for height, check:

• The podium line. Units just above the mall roof may look onto plant equipment or a landscaped deck used by residents.
• The HDB skyline. Hougang Central is ringed by HDB blocks. Floors above their rooflines may get open views; floors below may face windows across the road.
• Lift waiting time. Very high floors in a tall block can mean longer waits at peak hours, depending on how many lifts serve each lobby.
• Preference by number. Some buyers avoid floors or unit numbers with a 4, which can affect resale demand. See our feng shui guide for other cultural preferences some buyers hold.

4. Views that last

A view is only worth paying for if it is likely to stay. Check the Hougang Master Plan for what the land in front of your stack is zoned for. Green or sports land, such as the area around Hougang Sports Centre, is more likely to stay open than a site zoned for higher-density housing. Also note the distance to the facing block in the same development, since close-facing blocks cost privacy as well as views.

5. The walk to the MRT and mall

“Directly linked to Hougang MRT” describes the development, not every front door. In a project of about 830 homes, the walk from one lift lobby to the station gates can be noticeably longer than from another. Ask which block lands nearest the MRT link, whether the route is sheltered, and whether it passes through the mall, which is convenient but crowded at weekends. For a tenant or a later buyer, a short, sheltered walk is an easy selling point. Our look at rental demand at LinkTown Residences explains why transport access weighs so heavily with tenants.

A simple scoring sheet

Give each shortlisted stack a score from 1 to 5 on each line, weighted to what matters to you:

1. Sun on the main bedroom and living room
2. Distance from bus entry points, loading bays and roof plant
3. View quality at your target floor, and how likely it is to last
4. Walk from lift lobby to MRT gates
5. Layout efficiency and privacy (corner or mid unit, facing distance)
6. Price per square foot against similar stacks on the same floor

A mid-floor unit in a well-rated stack can be better value than a high floor in a poor one. Families might weight quiet bedrooms higher; investors might weight the MRT walk and resale appeal.

Analysts expect Hougang Central Residences to average about S$2,500–2,600 psf; that is an estimate, and stack premiums on top of it are not yet known. The launch is expected in early 2027, and UOL’s August 2026 results guide a 2H 2027 launch.

Register to get the LinkTown Residences site plan and elevation chart as soon as they’re released, so you can rank stacks before booking day.

Frequently asked questions

What is a stack in a condo?

A stack is a vertical column of units that share the same layout and facing on every floor, usually identified by the last digits of the unit number, such as #08-12 and #15-12 in stack 12.

Which stacks at LinkTown Residences are best?

Not known yet. The site plan, block layout and elevation chart have not been released. When they are, rank stacks by sun exposure, distance from the bus interchange and loading bays, views, and the walk to the MRT link.

Is north-south facing always better in Singapore?

It is traditionally preferred because the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so north or south facing rooms get less low-angle sun. Shading from other blocks, balcony depth and which rooms face which way can matter as much as the compass direction.

Are higher floors quieter?

Usually, but not always. Sound can carry upwards off hard surfaces such as plazas and bus decks, and some mid floors look straight onto podium roofs with plant equipment. Check the section drawings and visit at peak hours.