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City & Country: Real estate secrets - Alan Yun, Owen Yap & Jojo Struys

December 27, 2009 | Updated 9 years ago

Last Updated: April 08, 2015

Describe your dream home
Yun: Perhaps a landed property surrounded by trees, single-storey, high ceiling and lots of space. I prefer to have many windows and an open concept.

Yap: I would love a beach house. Doesn’t have to be big or lavish or expensively decorated; I believe the best decorations in a house are the people. Empty (no one) means emptiness (of the house).

Struys: Home is where the heart is. Depending on whom I settle down with in life, I would stay wherever my partner is. A place is not as important as a loving relationship with my partner, future children and beloved pugs. A castle sounds lovely but I don’t know how well I would be able to handle the cold. My dream home would definitely need a large garden for my dogs to run around, so it would have to be a landed property, wherever it is in the world. I love high ceilings because they create more space.

What makes a home?
Yun: It doesn’t have to be big but it must be comfortable; something simple and cosy will do.

Yap: Heart makes a home; home is where the heart is.

Struys: A home is where you look forward to return to at the end of the day; where you can totally relax and let your hair down. An empty house would be lonely, so it would be nice to have life in the house at all times — which is why I have three pugs. They are stress-busters and they’re like my children since I don’t have any. So, I look forward to seeing my four-legged family whenever I come home.

Your favourite part of the home and why
Yun: My living room, where I can relax by reading my books and listening to music.

Yap: The dining room. It is always a pleasure when all family members sit together and dine while sharing the ups and downs of the day.

Struys: Oh, this is a tough one because it depends on what I’m doing. For example, I would be in the study using my laptop. I like being in the study because it separates work from leisure. It has funky wallpaper and paintings too and some people say it reminds them of a cafe, so it’s a great place for me to chill out, be creative or brainstorm with my business partner about work. If I felt like having a hot bath, the bathroom would be my favourite spot for that moment in time. As for hanging out with my dogs or watching TV, the couch in the living room would be my pick.