Singaporeans have always had a long-drawn obsession with freehold properties. So much so that for some people, there can be no reasoning with them on the freehold vs leasehold debate – even if the argument is backed with reasonable numbers!
While we aren’t going to get into a debate this time, we definitely do also understand why freehold properties are always sought after. After all, even if the average human lifespan isn’t going to be beyond 99 years, there’s always that hard to shake off feeling that you don’t really own your home like a freehold one. And of course, who doesn’t want to be able to leave something as valuable as a freehold property to your children, or even grandchildren!
And so with home prices at an all-time high, if you are still hankering after a freehold property, here’s where you may still find resale freehold units that are at a good size in one of these projects:
Table Of Contents
1. Sun Court
Location: 21 Lorong Kilat (District 21)
Developer: Unknown
TOP: 1985
Number of units: 19
Recent prices:
| Date | Size | PSF | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 JUL 2020 | 1,798 | $846 | $1,520,000 |
Notable highlights:
Sun Court is a tiny apartment complex in terms of unit count (19), and at first glance, you may mistake it for a commercial building. But if you don’t mind the ageing façade, there are several strong points to this property.
First, it’s nestled in a low-density area, and the surroundings are landed homes or low-rise, boutique projects.
Second, the development of Beauty World MRT station (Downtown line) has made the area much more accessible; it’s only a five-minute walk to the train station. Beauty World Plaza is also in that area, and Bukit Timah Plaza is also just about eight minutes away.
The bottom floor of this project, along with its neighbours, is given over to commercial spaces. You have several cafes like Cowpresso Coffee Roasters, The Signature Patisserie, Carpenter & Cook, and Salted Caramel. You can also walk to the always bustling Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre, and there’s a whole host of eateries along Cheong Chin Nam (that are open late at night too). In short, you will not find a lack of food options in this area.
The trade-off is that this is an apartment only; there are no condo-style facilities like pools, BBQ pits, etc. It’s also a walk-up unit, which may be problematic for mobility-challenged residents.
This is a good choice for those who prize functionality over aesthetics. There are few other private homes in such a strong location, given the price tag.
2. Faber Garden Condominium
Location: 2 Angklong Lane (District 20)
Developer: UOL
TOP: 1984
Number of units: 233
Recent prices:
| Date | Size | PSF | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 MAR 2021 | 2,228 | $1,122 | $2,500,000 |
| 1 MAR 2021 | 1,679 | $1,505 | $2,528,000 |
Notable highlights:
Faber Garden Condominium is located in a landed-housing area, with all the usual pros and cons that follow. Its small size, coupled with its seclusion, means a high level of privacy for residents. There are just 233 homes in such a large plot of land (544,632 square feet), plus you will find units that range from 1,500 to 2,800+ sq. ft. As such, if you are looking for the best land ratio to units (plus freehold), the Faber Garden Condominium remains one of the few to look at in Singapore.
Unfortunately, this comes with the typical drawback of being distant from nearby amenities. There’s little in the area apart from other residential properties – and even the nearest shopping centre (Thomson Plaza) takes at least a five-minute drive.
The issue is slightly rectified by the opening of Bright Hill MRT (Thomson-East Coast Line), which is located right outside the estate; but this doesn’t fix the lack of across-the-road amenities. Still, if you’re the sort who hates the noise and bustle of being near big malls or hawker centres, you’ll like the peace and quiet.
This is still a great condo for families. There’s a big play area with swings and slides, a swimming pool (although admittedly dated looking), 2 tennis courts, and barbecue pits. And of course, it helps a lot that Ai Tong Primary School is within a 1 km radius here.
3. Pandan Valley
Location: 1 Pandan Valley (District 21)
Developer: DBS Realty Pte. Ltd.
TOP: 1978
Number of units: 605
Recent prices:
| Date | Size | PSF | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 MAR 2022 | 1,313 | $1,652 | $2,170,000 |
| 9 MAR 2022 | 2,669 | $1,236 | $3,300,000 |
| 3 FEB 2022 | 2,669 | $1,292 | $3,450,000 |
Notable highlights:
We have a full review of Pandan Valley on Stacked.
Like many developments from the ‘70s (the first-time condos were built), Pandan Valley is quite unique. Concepts like a condo-layout and facilities were not as standardised as they are today, and developers were much more experimental.
A distinct trait of Pandan Valley is that it’s laid out more like a mini-town than a condo, with a wide range of amenities; this includes childcare and groceries. The unit sizes are also massive by today’s standards; and we suspect this is one of the last remaining places in Clementi/Upper Bukit Timah where you can get find a freehold development with such big unit sizes at this psf.
Many people do like how unique Pandan Valley is, as it has a ton of character. It’s not for those who love organisation and a minimalist design, but rather, for those who are after something with a bit of charm and chaos. There are so many different layout types that it can make your head spin, not all units have lift access, and the multi-storey car park can be tight for bigger cars. But, the spacious unit sizes, valley-like landscape, and unique layouts are not something that you can find anywhere else.
That said, Pandan Valley is not the most accessible condo. It’s best for those who drive, as it is not currently near an MRT. Also, do note that the upcoming Pine Grove GLS will mean that there will be construction noise to deal with for certain blocks in the future.
4. Windy Heights
Location: 80 Jalan Daud (District 14)
Developer: Tong It Enterprise Pte. Ltd.
TOP: 1983
Number of units: 200
Recent prices:
| Date | Size | PSF | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 APR 2022 | 2,476 | $1,142 | $2,828,000 |
| 3 DEC 2021 | 2,476 | $1,099 | $2,720,000 |
Notable highlights:
Those who don’t live in the area may be surprised to learn that Windy Heights is actually a private development, given its HDB-like exterior. Still, look beyond the dated facade and there are good points to consider – namely its freehold status, sizeable land for 200 units, and facilities like a pool and tennis courts.
There’s no denying it is old though. Built in 1978, a look into the transactions has brought up some very interesting data. For one, a 4,973 sq ft. penthouse unit was sold in 2002 for a truly staggering price of just $201 psf (it seems incredible to see such a price today). This means the total quantum was just $1 million!
Windy Heights has benefitted from the development of the Paya Lebar area. The condo is around a 10 to 12-minute walk to Kembangan MRT station (East-West line), after which Paya Lebar is just two short stops away.
This could make up for the general lack of amenities in the immediate surroundings; there isn’t much beyond the usual shops in HDB estates (although there is an NTUC FairPrice about five minutes away on foot, if you head in the direction of Lengkong Tiga). You do have some shops in the estate, but there’s not much beyond the beauty salons.
Windy Heights has some of the biggest units we’ve seen for their price point; coupled with good access to the Paya Lebar hub, resale units here are good value. The main drawback is the densely-packed nature of the blocks and the surroundings; it can feel a bit “hemmed in” from most directions. You are also just next to the PIE, which will naturally result in traffic noise.
For those interested, Windy Heights was last up for a collective sale in 2018 for $806.2 million.
5. Rajah Tower
Location: 32 Jalan Rajah (District 12)
Developer: Holly Realty Company Pte. Ltd.
TOP: 1983
Number of units: 98
Recent prices:
| Date | Size | PSF | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 APR 2022 | 2,088 | $1,293 | $2,700,000 |
| 15 NOV 2021 | 2,207 | $1,173 | $2,588,000 |
| 18 OCT 2021 | 2,099 | $1,172 | $2,460,000 |
Notable highlights:
Rajah Tower is getting on in years, but the location is still great. Residents only need to walk about five minutes to Balestier Road, to find a whole stretch of eateries – some of which are open till late at night for supper. Boon Tong Kee chicken rice is here, as is the popular Balestier Market.
(As an aside, there’s a huge concentration of interior furnishing and design shops in this area).
Zhongshan Mall is just a four-minute walk away; and while it’s not a huge retail spot, there is an NTUC FairPrice and Guardian.
Unfortunately, Toa Payoh MRT station (North-South line) is not the nearest – at about 15-minutes walk away; but you can take a bus from the nearby stop to get there. This also means all the amenities near the MRT (HDB hub is there) are not too far away.
The main drawback is that you’ll be in a packed, heavily urban area; and families may feel it’s a bit stifling. If you’re a true urbanite, you’ll love the location – if you need greenery, we can tell you straight off, you won’t like it. For those who are more active though, you can walk along the Sungei Whampoa that gets you to the Kallang Riverside Park so it isn’t the end of the world.
6. The Summit
Location: Upper East Coast Road (District 16)
Developer: Tuan Huat Development Pte Ltd
TOP: 1991
Number of units: 242
Recent prices:
| Date | Size | PSF | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 AUG 2021 | 1,249 | $1,394 | $1,740,000 |
| 17 AUG 2021 | 1,249 | $1,402 | $1,750,000 |
Notable highlights:
The Summit‘s strongest suit is that it is one of the better-maintained older condominiums around. It shows from its exterior, despite the fact that it does sport a dated design, it does have a relatively new coat of paint and there have been major works done to the swimming pool. It still isn’t as sleek as the newer launch condos today, but we doubt anyone is going to complain much about its looks given the amount of land that you can enjoy here.
At 242 units for a freehold plot of 323,271 sq. ft, it isn’t as good a ratio as Faber Garden Condominium, but if you’ve been looking at newer developments recently, the space that you have here will surprise you.
In general, units here are big – ranging in size from 829 to 3,724 sq. ft.
In terms of schools, you are within a 1 km radius of Temasek Primary and Bedok Green Primary School, so for parents with children, this will be a draw. The upcoming Thomson East Coast line will benefit many of the condos in this area (the one here is Bayshore MRT station), which is nearby.
There is one thing to note though, that the residential plots surrounding the Bayshore MRT station that are at a plot ratio of 3.5. This will likely block any sort of views you have over the area in the future as the new blocks can potentially be higher.
For more property picks and in-depth reviews, visit Stacked. We provide the latest details on the Singapore private property market, so you can make a better-informed decision.
At Stacked, we like to look beyond the headlines and surface-level numbers, and focus on how things play out in the real world.
If you’d like to discuss how this applies to your own circumstances, you can reach out for a one-to-one consultation here.
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Frequently asked questions
What are some freehold apartments in Singapore under $1,400 PSF?
Why do Singaporeans prefer freehold properties?
What are the advantages of living near amenities like MRT stations and shopping centers?
Are older condominiums like Pandan Valley still good options for buyers?
What should buyers consider about Windy Heights?
What are the features of The Summit that make it attractive?
2 Comments
Hi Ryan , it may be a good idea to write an article on good price value of district 10 freehold or 999 years leasehold properties that have large land areas ratios to the number of units in estate.