br Singapore is a very small country, which means land space is at a premium. Taking that into account, the basics of Singapore real estate are a little different from larger countries that have more room to spread out. Instead of growing horizontally, much of Singapores newest real estate is found in tall skyscrapers and other vertical buildings. High rise apartment towers, multi-storied office buildings, and more stand tall in the major urban areas. br br One of the most interesting things about Singapore real estate is that, unlike in some countries, a very large number of permanent residents (almost 80 percent, in fact) do not own their own homes. Instead, they live in public housing that has been build and is maintained by the Housing Development Board. Typically, these homes are built on what are called housing estates. These estates are almost like small, independent areas in that they include schools, medical facilities, recreational and exercise facilities, and supermarkets. br br However, just because these homes are public housing and are usually flats does not mean they are tiny or will feel crowded. In some countries, there are very few flats with more than three bedrooms.