HDB executive maisonettes or, as we’re fond of calling them, the “penthouse of public housing”, are full of mystery. You probably know that among all the different segments of HDB housing, it’s executive maisonettes that tend to become million-dollar flats. But if you’re like many Singaporeans, you’ve never even seen one; let alone know where you might buy one. This week, we’ll shed some light on where these units tend to come from; and whether they’re worth the hefty price tag: Where are HDB executive maisonettes found, and how much do they cost? HDB executive maisonettes are double-storey HDB flats. They’re often seen as the predecessors of later “sandwich housing” schemes, such as Design, Build & Sell Scheme (DBSS) flats, or the Executive Condominiums (ECs) of today. The first maisonettes were the 5-room Model A maisonettes, built for only a year between 1983 and 1984. While the rarest, there’s little actual difference from later maisonettes besides the name....