Issue 272

Copyright 2011-2016 www.propwise.sg. All Rights Reserved.

CONTENTS
p2

FROM THE

EDITOR

How to Choose Your HDB BTO

Welcome to the 272th edition of the

Singapore Property Weekly.

Unit 4 Critical Factors to Consider

Hope you like it!

p9

Singapore Property News This Week

p11

Resale Property Transactions

Mr. Propwise

(July 25 July 29)

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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 272

How to Choose Your HDB BTO Unit 4 Critical

Factors to Consider
By Heartland Boy (guest contributor)

Youre in the market for an HDB BTO unit,

and now have your queue number and are
waiting with bated breath as the units
available for sale get whittled down each day.
Im going to use St Georges Tower, an HDB
BTO project in Boon Keng, as a case study
for this article because I have already
invested considerable amounts of time and
money researching it.

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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 272

Walk the ground first

Figure 1: Site Plan of St Georges Tower

(Credit: HDB BTO)
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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 272

If there is only one thing that you remember

from this article, it should be the importance

viewings by potential buyers are usually

of walking the ground before you choose your

conducted. It will also allow you to ascertain

HDB BTO unit. We walked the ground twice,

whether your choice unit will get direct

once on a weekday morning and once on a

afternoon sunlight. More on that later.

weekend afternoon. The rationale for the

chosen timings is:

Weekend Afternoon This is when house

When I gave this advice to my peers, some of

them dismissed this as troublesome or that I

Weekday Morning This allows you to

was simply paranoid. Well, I find it even more

monitor how heavy the traffic is during peak

amusing that these very same peers would

hours when residents will be rushing to

rather

school and work. For instance, you would

deliberating over which pair of jeans to

never

was

purchase! If you are going to make the

perennially clogged in the mornings (before

biggest investment of your life, the minimum

Downtown Line was built) until you have

you should do is this basic due diligence.

know

Bukit

Timah

Road

set

aside

an

entire

afternoon

walked the ground.

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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 272

consider this set of critical factors:
1. Sunlight and ventilation

Figure 2: Walkabout by Heartland Couple

around Boon Keng BTO
4 critical factors to consider
Having done your walkabout around the
neighbourhood, you are now ready to
Back to Contents

Singapore is a tropical country with high

humidity all year round. As such, most home
owners want to avoid direct sunlight shining
into their units as direct sunlight can heat up
their homes pretty quickly and turn them into
saunas. As a rule of thumb, choosing HDB
BTO units with a North-South orientation
ensures that that your unit does not get direct
sunlight. For St Georges Towers, all the units
are stacked in the North-West orientation, so
not much of a differentiation amongst the
units here. It is not ideal, but at least they are
not facing west directly.
Some home owners also value natural
ventilation and natural light coming into their
corridors. This ensures that you get fresh air
and brightly lit corridors the entire day.
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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 272

As an example, units in Stacks 19 and 21 in
Block 26A should have natural light and
ventilation all day since its corridors are not
blocked by any tall neighbouring structures.
2. Height and View
Some units command a premium because of
their fantastic views. During your walkabout,
you may climb to the top floors of neigbouring
blocks to ascertain the views. That is when a
physical inspection trumps desktop research.
High-floor units in Stack 29 and 27 in Block
26B of St Georges Towers will have
unblocked city views overlooking the Marina
Skyline. Those owners will get to enjoy live
fireworks during Chinese New Year, National
Day and New Years Eve!
The other advantage of staying on high floors
is that you generally avoid the dust, and the
creepy crawlies that usually emerge after the
monthly fogging of the rubbish chutes.
Back to Contents

3. Noise and Privacy

Some home owners are very concerned
about noise, so choosing an HDB BTO unit
that is as serene as possible is important. In
St Georges Towers, although the high floor
units in Stack 27 and 29 will command
unblocked views of the city skyline, the lower
floor units will have to contend with heavy
traffic associated with Serangoon Road, a
four lane carriageway utilized extensively by
vehicles.

Figure 3: Serangoon Road as shown on

Google Map in September 2014
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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 272

On the same note, Stack 47 will also bear the
brunt of traffic entering St Georges Towers
since it is closest to the only vehicular
entrance.
Other than noise from traffic, home-owners
may also have to consider noise generated
from activities. For instance, low-floor units in
Stacks 41, 43 and 45 of St Georges Towers
will often hear noise from communal events
such as RC gatherings, weddings and
funerals held at the Precinct Pavilion (Block
24). Low-floor units in Stack 21 and 23 may
also hear the laughter of kids playing at the
roof garden and the movement of the cars at
the multi-storey carpark.
Another point to note is that cars moving up
the ramps of multi-storey carpark at night
may shine their headlights into the windows
of those units that face the multi-storey

Back to Contents

carpark. This brings me to another related

point, privacy. Some home owners cherish
privacy, so do consider the distance from the
lifts to the units, as well as the distance
between each stack and block.
4. Accessibility
Have you ever been to a condominium where
certain stacks can directly exit via the side
gate and into the nearest bus stop or MRT?
The time taken to reach the bus stop or MRT
between the nearest stack and the furthest
stack can be a difference of 10 minutes. If
you multiply this twice a day for 365 days,
thats a total difference of 120 hours in a year!
For St Georges Towers, Block 25A is nearest
to the MRT while Block 26A is nearest to the
multi-storey carpark. So someone who drives
and someone who takes public transport will
obviously have different preferences!
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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 272

Choose your HDB BTO unit with an end in
mind
Some of factors listed above may not be
important to you. But one day you may need
to sell your HDB BTO unit. Therefore, choose
your unit keeping in mind that someone else
will purchase your property in the future.
Hence, it is important to assess all of the
factors above.
By Heartland Boy, a young working
heartlander who blogs about his chase for
financial independence.

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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 272

Singapore Property This Week

Residential
HDB resale prices up 0.7% in July;
volume down 13.7%

Resale prices of Housing & Development

Board (HDB) flats rose 0.7 per cent in July
compared to June, but in terms of
transactions, resale volume fell 13.7 percent.
R'ST Research director Ong Kah Seng
opines that HDB resale prices are still on a
solid, stable footing despite the dip in June.
(Source: Business Times)

8 West Coast
redevelopment

blocks

picked

for

THE government has identified eight blocks

along West Coast Road for its "selective en
bloc redevelopment scheme" (Sers). The
government will buy back these flats and offer
residents compensation and an alternative
address. Residents from Blocks 513 to 520
will be offered new flats at two different sites
at Clementi Avenue 1 and West Coast Link.
Construction of the new replacement flats will
take place in 2017 and 2018, and they are
estimated to be ready in Q3 2022.
(Source: Business Times)

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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 272

Commercial
Crowne Plaza opens new wing at Changi
Airport
Crowne Plaza Singapore Changi Airport has
opened a new extension in anticipation of the
increasing numbers of visitors to the airport.
The new extension is a 10-storey building
featuring 243 business rooms. This is in
addition to the existing 320 rooms in its main
building.

(Source: Business Times)

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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 27

Non-Landed Residential Resale Property Transactions for the Week of Jul 25 Jul 29

Postal
District
1
1
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
8
8
8
8
9
9
9
9

Project Name
MARINA BAY SUITES
PEOPLE'S PARK CENTRE
THE REGENCY AT TIONG BAHRU
ASCENTIA SKY
THE METROPOLITAN CONDOMINIUM
TANGLIN VIEW
SKYLINE RESIDENCES
SKYLINE RESIDENCES
THE INTERLACE
TERESA VILLE
THE PARC CONDOMINIUM
HERITAGE VIEW
HERITAGE VIEW
BLUE HORIZON
VILLA DE WEST
VARSITY PARK CONDOMINIUM
CITY SQUARE RESIDENCES
CITYSCAPE @FARRER PARK
KERRISDALE
CARLISLE COURT
RICHMOND PARK
THE TATE RESIDENCES
THE SUITES AT CENTRAL
THE LAURELS

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Area
(sqft)
2,680
2,336
1,270
1,012
1,733
872
484
484
2,056
3,972
1,216
1,195
969
1,163
1,356
2,293
840
1,163
990
1,119
1,259
3,218
1,572
4,833

Transacted
Price ($)
6,000,000
1,450,000
1,880,000
1,400,000
2,200,000
1,100,000
994,000
989,000
2,182,000
3,772,111
1,550,000
1,380,000
1,020,000
1,200,000
1,380,000
2,140,000
1,280,000
1,660,000
1,090,000
1,130,000
2,800,000
6,900,000
3,250,000
9,000,000

Price
Tenure
($ psf)
2,239
99
621
99
1,480
FH
1,384
99
1,269
99
1,262
99
2,052
FH
2,042
FH
1,061
99
950
FH
1,274
FH
1,155
99
1,053
99
1,032
99
1,018
FH
933
99
1,525
FH
1,428
FH
1,101
99
1,009
FH
2,223
FH
2,144
FH
2,068
FH
1,862
FH

Postal
District
9
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
11
11
11
11
11
12
12
12
14
14
14
14
14
15
15
15

Project Name
URBANA
THE NASSIM
ARDMORE PARK
RV RESIDENCES
THE EQUATORIAL
JERVOIS LODGE
VALLEY PARK
KING'S ARCADE
PARK INFINIA AT WEE NAM
NOVELIS
RESIDENCES @ EVELYN
TEN @ SUFFOLK
THE ANSLEY
TREVISTA
OLEANDER TOWERS
THE MORNINGTON
SMART SUITES
NESS
SIMSVILLE
WING FONG COURT
FAMILIE MANSIONS
GRAND DUCHESS AT ST PATRICK'S
ONE AMBER
ST PATRICK'S RESIDENCES

Area
(sqft)
1,044
1,927
2,885
420
2,067
1,238
1,658
1,259
1,130
807
2,250
1,087
1,302
1,701
1,141
1,249
452
452
1,238
1,055
1,281
1,916
1,453
1,206

Transacted
Price ($)
1,630,000
6,282,000
8,000,000
912,000
3,500,000
1,750,000
2,250,000
1,380,000
1,950,000
1,280,000
3,450,000
1,430,000
1,660,000
2,100,000
1,217,000
1,080,000
608,000
500,000
1,265,000
790,000
800,000
2,600,000
1,958,000
1,618,000

Price
Tenure
($ psf)
1,561
FH
3,260
FH
2,773
FH
2,172 999
1,694
FH
1,414
FH
1,357 999
1,096
FH
1,725
FH
1,586
FH
1,534
FH
1,315
FH
1,275
FH
1,235
99
1,067
99
865
FH
1,345
FH
1,106
FH
1,022
99
749
FH
625
FH
1,357
FH
1,347
FH
1,342
FH

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SINGAPORE PROPERTY WEEKLY Issue 272

Postal
District
15
15
15
15
15
16
16
16
16
16
16
17
18
18
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
21
21

Project Name
THE MAKENA
THE LUCENT
PARKSHORE
COSTA RHU
EASTSIDE LOFT
BEDOK RESIDENCES
BEDOK RESIDENCES
CASA MERAH
THE SUMMIT
THE BAYSHORE
BAYSHORE PARK
LOYANG VALLEY
LIVIA
MELVILLE PARK
TERRASSE
KOVAN MELODY
OASIS GARDEN
KOVAN MELODY
THE SUNNYDALE
THE QUARTZ
SUNSHINE GROVE
CHILTERN PARK
COMPASS HEIGHTS
THE GARDENS AT BISHAN
THE GARDENS AT BISHAN
THE NEXUS
THE NEXUS

Back to Contents

Area
(sqft)
1,152
958
1,324
1,345
2,120
936
2,616
1,227
1,238
1,023
936
1,981
1,270
936
506
1,410
1,227
1,292
1,184
1,141
1,539
1,302
1,550
1,206
1,324
1,345
1,206

Transacted
Price ($)
1,500,000
1,168,000
1,480,000
1,370,000
1,927,888
1,275,000
2,950,000
1,290,000
1,250,000
910,000
778,000
1,180,000
1,048,000
715,000
655,000
1,560,000
1,320,000
1,320,000
1,170,000
1,090,000
1,360,000
1,090,000
1,250,000
1,250,000
880,000
1,885,000
1,650,000

Price
Tenure
($ psf)
1,302
FH
1,219
FH
1,118
FH
1,018
99
909
FH
1,361
99
1,128
99
1,051
99
1,010
FH
890
99
831
99
596
99
825
99
764
99
1,295
99
1,106
99
1,076
FH
1,022
99
988
99
955
99
884
FH
837
99
806
99
1,037
99
665
99
1,401
FH
1,369
FH

Postal
District
21
21
21
21
21
21
21
22
22
23
23
23
23
23
27
27
27
28

Project Name
THE BLOSSOMVALE
SOUTHAVEN II
BUKIT REGENCY
HUME PARK II
THE RAINTREE
REGIS MANSIONS
PINE GROVE
THE LAKESHORE
THE LAKESHORE
THE TENNERY
GUILIN VIEW
NORTHVALE
PALM GARDENS
MAYSPRINGS
THE MILTONIA RESIDENCES
CANBERRA RESIDENCES
THE ESTUARY
SELETAR SPRINGS CONDOMINIUM

Area
(sqft)
1,711
1,485
947
1,475
1,335
1,023
1,744
1,184
926
614
1,496
1,033
1,432
1,550
840
700
1,442
2,088

Transacted
Price ($)
1,915,000
1,650,000
1,020,000
1,466,600
1,300,000
868,000
1,145,000
1,280,000
940,000
790,000
1,220,000
720,000
980,000
980,000
850,000
660,000
1,128,000
1,280,000

Price
Tenure
($ psf)
1,119 999
1,111 999
1,077
FH
995
FH
974
99
849
FH
657
99
1,081
99
1,015
99
1,288
99
815
99
697
99
685
99
632
99
1,012
99
943
99
782
99
613
99

NOTE: This data only covers non-landed residential resale property

transactions with caveats lodged with the Singapore Land Authority.
Typically, caveats are lodged at least 2-3 weeks after a purchaser
signs an OTP, hence the lagged nature of the data.

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