# What Is PrimeKey Analysis? The 8-Pillar Framework I Use For Every Condo Review
- Priscilla Low
- Jul 13
- 12 min read
Updated: Aug 26
/ Blog contents updated as at 25 Aug 2026 /
If you've ever shortlisted condos, you've probably heard comments like these:
"We are just next to the MRT"
"This is freehold. Very rare. Government no longer sells freehold land."
"The rental yield is fantastic and we have been having back-to-back tenants"
All of those things may be true. But...
One good feature doesn't automatically make a good property.
A condo can be five minutes from the MRT but have only 60 years of lease remaining.
Another may sit further from the station but enjoy strong long-term demand because of nearby transformation plans, a healthy upgrader pool and a much younger lease.
Over the years, I've found myself asking a slightly different question.
Not just “Is this one factor good?”
But “How do all the important factors come together?”
That is what NAVIS PrimeKey Analysis is all about.
It is an 8-pillar framework by NAVIS that I use when reviewing condos, so I can look at properties on a consistent set of fundamentals rather than simply going by how attractive the showflat is or what everyone is talking about that week.
It isn't meant to tell you what to buy. It is meant to help you ask better questions before you make one of life's biggest financial decisions.
Buying a Condo Feels a Bit Like Falling in Love
Why No Single Factor Tells the Whole Story
A Score Is a Starting Point, Not a Verdict PrimeKey Analysis: Frequently Asked Questions
The 30-Second Snapshot
What it is: An 8-pillar scoring framework by NAVIS that I use on every condo I review.
What it checks: MRT distance, HDB MOP upgrader pool, URA growth hotspots, rental yield, remaining lease tenure, upcoming GLS nearby, project size and nearby primary schools.
What it isn't: A verdict telling you which condo to buy.
What it is really for: Giving you a consistent yardstick so that we can compare properties more objectively.
And there is one thing I want to emphasise from the start.
A good PrimeKey score does not automatically make a property the right property for you.
Your finances, family needs, goals and timeline still have to fit.
Buying a Condo Feels a Bit Like Falling in Love
That first visit to a showflat? Butterflies.
The beautiful model. The perfectly styled living room. The agent painting a vision of you and your family having dinner, entertaining friends and enjoying the lifestyle you've always wanted.
Honestly, even as an agent, I still get swept up by a beautiful showflat.
And that's exactly what a showflat is designed to do. It shows you the best version of the property.
There is nothing wrong with that. The problem is when we fall in love with the showflat and let it cloud our judgement. We forget to consider if the property is right for us.
A beautiful showflat doesn't tell you whether the unit will be easy to rent five years from now. It doesn't tell you how deep the buyer pool will be when you're ready to sell. And it certainly doesn't tell you what is happening around the development that could affect future demand. These are the things that we need to consider.
So yes, I think you should enjoy the showflat. Just don't let the showflat make the entire decision for you.
That's where I find PrimeKey useful.
So, What Exactly Is PrimeKey Analysis?
Think of it as a report card for a property.
It looks at eight different factors that can influence how a condo performs over time, from MRT accessibility and lease tenure to future buyer demand, rental conditions and the surrounding development pipeline.
The idea is quite simple: instead of looking at a property through just one attractive feature, we look at the bigger picture. Because property is rarely about one thing.
You may have a fantastic location but an ageing lease.
You may have a new development with a beautiful design but a very large competing supply coming into the area.
Or you may have a resale property that isn't the newest or closest to MRT, but has strong schools, a deep buyer pool and an attractive entry price.
PrimeKey gives you a fuller picture:
It helps us see the good and the trade-offs.
It helps you move beyond gut feel, marketing hype, and PSF comparisons, and look at what actually matters for the long run.
It doesn't tell you which property to buy. But it does help you understand why one property may outperform another over time.
The 8 Factors That Make Up a PrimeKey Score
Pillar | What It Checks |
1. Distance to MRT | How close the condo is to an MRT station |
2. HDB MOP Upgrader Pool | Nearby HDB flats approaching MOP, which can create future buyer demand |
3. URA Growth Hotspots | Areas earmarked in URA's Master Plan for transformation |
4. Rental Yield of the Area | Rental income relative to property prices, as an indication of tenant demand |
5. Remaining Lease Tenure | How many years remain on the lease |
6. Upcoming GLS Nearby | New government land sales that can establish fresh price benchmarks |
7. Project Size | Number of units, which affects transaction volume, liquidity and bank valuation confidence |
8. Nearby Primary Schools | Primary schools within 1km, relevant for Phase 2C registration and family demand |
1 / Distance to MRT 🚇
This one's pretty straightforward. The closer a condo is to an MRT station, the broader its appeal to tenants, to future buyers, and frankly, for your own daily sanity too.
In Singapore's heat and humidity, a 10-minute walk to the MRT would feel very different from a 15-minute one, especially at 2pm in the afternoon in the sweltering sun.
But MRT distance is also one of those factors where context matters. If you drive everywhere, a longer MRT walk may not bother you at all. But if you have elderly parents or young children, it will matter considerably more.
So PrimeKey scores the location consistently, but the importance of that score still depends on the person buying.
2 / Nearby HDB MOP Upgrader Pool 🏠
This is one of my favourite pillars because it looks at something quite tangible: where your future buyers might come from.
When HDB owners reach their Minimum Occupation Period, some will start thinking about upgrading to a private condo.
And quite often, they don't want to move too far.
They know the schools. They know the coffee shop. Their parents may live nearby. Their children may already be settled in the neighbourhood.
So if a condo sits near a sizeable cluster of HDB flats approaching MOP, there may be a steady pool of potential buyers coming into the market.
That doesn't guarantee demand for every development, of course. But I like this pillar because it looks at organic demand rather than speculation.
3 / URA Growth Hotspots 📍
When URA's Master Plan identifies an area for transformation, I pay attention. It could be new transport infrastructure, a new business hub, a town centre rejuvenation or a larger redevelopment story.
The reason is quite simple: when an area changes for the better, the properties around it may benefit from the improved connectivity, amenities, jobs and overall desirability.
We've seen this play out in places such as Punggol, while newer growth areas like Lentor and Tengah are still developing.
But I would always be careful with this one. A masterplan is a direction, not a guarantee of property appreciation. There is a big difference between saying “this area has a credible growth story” and saying “this condo will definitely go up.”
4 / Rental Yield of the Area 💰
Rental yield looks at how much rental income a property generates relative to its price.
For an investor, this is obviously important. But even if you're buying for your own stay, I still think it is worth knowing because circumstances may change. Maybe you get a job posting overseas. Maybe you upgrade and decide to rent out the property. Maybe you move back to parent's house to take care of them and want to rent out out your place.
As a rough guide, the original PrimeKey framework uses around 3% for CCR, 3.5% for RCR and 4% for OCR. But again, I wouldn't look at yield in isolation.
A 4% yield doesn't automatically make one property better than a 3% yield property if the latter has stronger fundamentals, better tenant demand or a more attractive entry price.
5 / Remaining Lease Tenure ⏳
This is one of those things buyers sometimes don't think much about when the property is still relatively young. But it matters.
A leasehold condo with 85 years remaining is a very different proposition from one with 55 years remaining.
As the lease gets shorter, CPF usage restrictions can become more relevant, financing can become more difficult and the pool of future buyers may narrow.
In other words, the lease affects your flexibility — and your future buyer's flexibility too.
That's why I don't like looking only at today's price.
I also want to know what you're buying in terms of remaining runway.
6 / Upcoming Government Land Sales (GLS) Nearby 🏗️
This one can feel counterintuitive.
New condos are often treated as competition. But nearby GLS sites can also help establish a new price benchmark for the entire neighbourhood.
If a developer buys land at a high price and subsequently launches at a higher PSF, existing projects nearby can suddenly look comparatively more affordable. That can bring renewed attention to the older stock.
Of course, there is another side to it too. If the new development is large and directly competing with your project, it can also give future buyers another option.
So I don't simply count GLS sites and declare them good. I look at what kind of supply is coming, where it is coming, and how it interacts with the property you're buying.
7 / Project Size 🏢
Project size is another pillar that buyers don't always think about.
A larger project tends to have more transactions. More transactions create more comparable data, which can help with bank valuations and make it easier to establish what units are worth. That can matter when you eventually sell.
There can also be practical advantages to scale. Larger developments may have more facilities and can sometimes spread maintenance costs across a larger number of units.
But again, bigger isn't automatically better. A 1,000-unit development may have excellent liquidity, but if there are hundreds of similar units competing for buyers at the same time, that is something I would want to understand too.
8 / Nearby Primary Schools 🎒
For families, this one needs very little explanation.
Being within 1km of a primary school can matter significantly during Phase 2C registration.
But even if you don't currently have school-going children, I think this pillar is still useful because it tells us something about the potential owner-occupier pool.
Families tend to stay for longer periods when their children are settled in school. That can create a relatively stable source of resale demand over time.
Again, one school doesn't make a condo a winner. But when strong schools sit alongside good transport, a healthy lease and a decent buyer pool, that's when the picture starts becoming interesting.
Why No Single Factor Tells the Whole Story
This is really the heart of PrimeKey.
I don't want to find the “perfect” condo because, honestly, I'm not sure that property exists.
What I want to understand is where the condo's strengths are, where the compromises are, and whether those compromises actually matter to you.
A condo can score very well on MRT connectivity but poorly on lease tenure.
Another may have an older lease but a fantastic school location and a strong upgrader pool.
A third may have a lower overall score but be priced so attractively that the numbers make sense for a particular buyer.
That's why I prefer looking at all eight factors together rather than picking the two most flattering ones and building a story around them. It's the combination that gives us the more useful picture.
It's a bit like baking. One excellent ingredient doesn't guarantee a great cake. But when the right ingredients come together in the right proportions, the results speak for themselves.
A Strong PrimeKey Score Is Not an Automatic "Buy"
I want to be particularly clear about this. A high PrimeKey score is a good starting point.
But before I tell a client to buy, I still want to understand their situation.
Can they comfortably afford the property?
Does it work for their family?
Are they buying for own stay, investment or upgrading?
How long do they intend to hold it?
And perhaps most importantly, who is likely to buy the property from them when they eventually decide to sell?
I always tell my clients:
PrimeKey helps us score the property. But the final decision still has to factor in the person buying and living in it.
A Score Is a Starting Point, Not a Verdict
I think this is the part worth remembering. Don't think of the score as a verdict. It is more like a conversation starter.
🟢 Strong Score
A strong score suggests healthier fundamentals across the board. That doesn't mean you should automatically sign on the dotted line.
Ask yourself:
Can I comfortably afford this?
Does it suit my family's lifestyle?
Am I comfortable holding it for the long term?
Even an excellent property can become stressful if the buyer stretches too far financially.
🟡 Moderate Score
A moderate score doesn't necessarily mean the property is poor. Sometimes it simply means there are trade-offs.
If you're buying for your own stay, perhaps rental yield isn't particularly important.
If you drive every day, perhaps being 12 minutes from the MRT doesn't bother you.
If the entry price is attractive enough, some compromises may actually be perfectly acceptable.
🔴 Lower Score
A lower score doesn't automatically mean “don't buy”.
It means I would slow down and understand why the score is lower.
There may still be a very good reason to buy — perhaps the unit has a unique layout, the entry price is attractive, or it fits a long-term family plan. The important thing is that you know what you're taking on and you're making that decision with your eyes open.
PrimeKey was never created to tell people what to buy. It was created to help people make better decisions. Because there is rarely a perfect property. Only the property that's right for the person buying it. --- Pris Low
PrimeKey Analysis: Frequently Asked Questions
What is NAVIS PrimeKey Analysis?
It is a proprietary 8-pillar scoring framework by NAVIS that I use to evaluate the Singapore condos I review. It looks at MRT distance, HDB MOP upgrader pool, URA growth hotspots, rental yield, remaining lease tenure, upcoming GLS nearby, project size and nearby primary schools.
What are the 8 factors in PrimeKey Analysis?
Distance to MRT, nearby HDB MOP upgrader pool, URA growth hotspots, rental yield of the area, remaining lease tenure, upcoming Government Land Sales nearby, project size and nearby primary schools.
Does a high PrimeKey score mean I should buy the condo?
No. A high score means the property's fundamentals are healthy across the framework. It still needs to fit your finances, family needs, goals and timeline. The score is a starting point, not a verdict.
Does a low PrimeKey score mean I shouldn't buy?
Not necessarily. A lower score simply means we should slow down and understand the trade-offs before deciding. There can still be perfectly valid reasons to buy a lower-scoring property, particularly if the entry price or the unit itself makes sense for your circumstances.
Can I get a PrimeKey Analysis report for a specific condo?
Yes. If there is a condo you're considering — whether you're buying for own stay, investment or simply doing your homework — you can reach out and let me know which project you're looking at.
Where can I see PrimeKey Analysis in action?
Every condo review I publish under #BishanAndBeyondWithPris includes a PrimeKey Analysis snapshot, allowing you to compare different projects using the same set of criteria.
Want Your Own PrimeKey Analysis Report?
If you've come across any of my condo reviews under #BishanAndBeyondWithPris, you'd have noticed I include a PrimeKey Analysis snapshot for every project I write about.
I use it because I find it useful to have a consistent framework when comparing properties. It helps us move beyond the showflat, the marketing brochure and even the very attractive PSF number that someone has just quoted you.
If you have a particular condo in mind, I'm happy to run it through the framework and talk you through what the numbers actually mean.
Sometimes the result reinforces what you already thought.
Sometimes it throws up something you hadn't considered.
And occasionally, it tells us that the property we were excited about isn't actually the best fit.
All three are useful outcomes.
📩 Drop me a message and let me know which project you're looking at.
ABOUT PRIS LOW
For almost 20 years, Pris Low worked in the non-profit sector, helping consumers navigate difficult situations and advocating for those who needed a voice.
When she moved into real estate in 2021, her profession changed — but her heart didn't.
Today, she enjoys helping buyers and sellers look beyond the first impressions and understand what truly matters. By breaking down complex property data into clear, practical insights, explaining the trade-offs, and asking the right questions, she helps clients make property decisions they can feel confident about for years to come.
She believes there is rarely a perfect property. Only the property that's right for the person buying it.
That's why she doesn't measure success by the deals she closes, but by the trust she earns.
Her Clients' Interests Over Hers. Always.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Please do your own due diligence or consult a qualified professional before making a purchase decision.
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