5 New Launch Condos With Unusual Selling Points (Floating Swimming Pool, Anybody?)
One person’s hype is another person’s “must-buy” condition. However, sometimes unusual selling points fail to be made known due to the overwhelming number of facilities; or even in listings (that’s partly why we make videos about cool condo units). It’s also why, every now and then, we put together this list to highlight interesting and overlooked details in new condo launches:
1. Got multiple children in NS? Need to wash a mountain of bedsheets? If your washing machine can’t handle it. Jervois Mansion has a gigantic one for residents on the roof.
Jervois Mansion will have a commercial washing machine on the roof. This is the kind of washing machine you find in a serious laundromat – the sort that can handle a massive load of laundry at one go.
This isn’t something we’ve seen in any other condo development, and it’s genius. Whether your washing machine can’t handle three bedrooms worth of sheets, or your two NS-serving sons are back from Tekong with their body weight in unwashed uniforms, it’s more practical than you may think.
It’s also a nice plus when your machine is broken.
Location: 6 Jervois Close (District 10)
Developer: Kinmen Realty Pte Ltd
Lease: Freehold
TOP: 2026
Price: $2,171 – $2,916 psf, with an average of $2,575 psf
Other notable plus points:
Jervois Mansion is actually one of the best-priced condos in the CCR (early launch prices, at least). There were 861 sq. ft. units transacting at around $2.1 million. Given its prime location (eight minutes’ drive to Tiong Bahru, five minutes drive to Great World City), this is far from unreasonable.
For its size too, the list of facilities is pretty amazing. It was really smart to put the bulk of the facilities on the rooftop to make up for the smaller land plot – and it must be said that everything is very well thought out and generally very useful (unlike what you might see sometimes, in what I like to term as brochure padding).
Also, the distance from Jervois Mansion to Valley Point is an underrated benefit. Valley Point isn’t exactly a retail hotspot – but it does have eateries, supermarkets (NTUC and Cold Storage), and a vet clinic (pet lovers take note); this is just a four-minute walk.
One notable drawback, however, is the lack of an MRT station.
On the point of unusual features, one more that we’d like to point out is the glass lift. While that on its own may not be too unusual, the developers have actually commissioned a special painting that would span the bottom to the top floor. This means you’d get an extended view of it each time should you move from the ground to the top!
Ultimately, the appeal of this development has proven to be too popular, as most of the units were sold over the launch weekend. At the time of writing, there’s just the last unit remaining for sale.
2. Especially relevant in this Covid-19 era, Meyerhouse has private lifts and lift lobbies for every unit.
That’s right – for every unit. You will never again have to share your lift lobby with anyone else. No more paying $5 extra for Grab because someone decided to hold the lift for three minutes to swap their life story with a neighbour – or squeezing in with movers and three bedrooms worth of furniture, because the neighbour is moving.
On a more serious level, residents who are mobility impaired (e.g., using wheelchairs) can find private lifts a huge help. You won’t end up having to wait for the next ride, whenever it’s too crowded.
Location: 128 Meyer Road (District 15)
Developer: Secure Venture Development No.1 Pte Ltd
Lease: Freehold
TOP: 2023
Price: $2,402 to $2,702 psf, with an average of $2,525 psf
Other notable plus points:
Meyerhouse has only 56 units, because it goes back to an old school trend of really huge units. The smallest units here are around 1,862+ sq. ft., with the largest going up to a whopping 5,662+ sq. ft. District 15 is a luxury area, and this project is well and truly built to match that.
In an unusual twist for a luxury enclave, there’s actually an MRT station nearby. Amber Park MRT, due in 2023, is only a five-minute walk away. Meyerhouse is also just a six-minute drive to the lifestyle/foodie stretch of East Coast Road and Katong, and about the same distance to Parkway Parade (the main heartland mall for the area).
For those who want a true luxury property in the east, Meyerhouse is the best money can buy among recent launches.
This comes with the predictable drawback of a pricy quantum. Even the smallest units see a quantum of around $4.9 million. This condo is a pure indulgence.
3. Want to jog with a bird’s eye view of the neighbourhood? Don’t want to risk being run over while you’re at it? Amber Park has a jogging track that’s 22 floors above the ground.
The jogging track is part of the Stratosphere area. It extends for 600 metres, and offers a panoramic view of the neighbourhood, as well as a sea view. This area also includes a gym and yoga deck, plus a gourmet dining area to immediately replace the calories you worked so hard to burn.
This isn’t the first jogging track on the roof – but it’s the first to be located this high up and at this length too.
Location: 14 Amber Gardens (District 15)
Developer: Aquarius Properties Pte Ltd
Lease: Freehold
TOP: 2024
Price: $2,226 to $2,960 psf, with an average of $2,469 psf
Other notable plus points:
Amber Park is around one kilometre from Meyerhouse (see above), so we’re still in high-end, luxury condo territory.
Amber Park is much closer to the lifestyle hotspots than Meyerhouse – you can walk to the Katong / East Coast Road stretch in just around nine minutes. Incidentally, this also places the Canadian International School within walking distance. Coupled with being an expat enclave, this might indicate some rental potential.
For those willing to accept smaller units, the 678+ sq. ft. units at Amber Park have transacted at just over $1.83 million. Not bad, for a luxury area and a freehold condo; and it’s a price point that may draw investors as well as home buyers.
Mind you, some investors may not like the number of other small condos nearby (but these are much older).
4. Want to watch the marine life, and swim close to nature without leaving home? The Reef at King’s Dock has a floating deck, which integrates the pools – along with a Marine Hammock – with the actual dock itself.
When we say “floating dock”, we mean it quite literally – the dock will move up or down with the tide (see our review for exact details). The 50-metre lap pool, leisure pool, etc., are part of this dock, which helps to seamlessly blend the actual seafront with your swimming pools.
The Marine Hammock, at the end of the dock, allows you to spot various forms of marine life if you stare long enough (and get lucky; sometimes it depends on the time of day and tidal conditions).
Location: 2 Harbourfront Avenue (District 4)
Developer: Mapletree / Keppel Land
Lease: 99-years
TOP: 2025
Price: $1,995 – $2,728 psf, with an average of $2,400 psf
Other notable plus points:
The Harbourfront MRT station, which is just a 10-minutes walk away, provides access to two train lines: the Circle Line and North East Line. Harbourfront is also home to Vivocity, one of the main retail hubs of District 4.
In case it needs to be mentioned, the crossing to Sentosa Island is here. The Reef at King’s Dock provides an alternative (we think a superior one) to many of the non-landed homes on Sentosa, which haven’t fared as well. It’s at a more reasonable price point, the location is more convenient, and the waterfront view is just as amazing.
Still though, buyers are inevitably going to look at existing counterparts like Reflections at Keppel Bay – and the ready availability of these nearby resale units will be a draw in today’s pandemic construction delayed world. They are, after all, still neck-and-neck when it comes to facilities and amenities.
5. Is your condo too far from a natural “blue lagoon” setting? Well if nature won’t give it to you, a developer will just make one for you. Parc Clematis is a lagoon resort, even if there wasn’t any lagoon there initially.
The lagoon in the middle of Parc Clematis spans 100 metres by 38 metres, making it one of the largest common facilities ever built in a condo. It’s only possible because Parc Clematis is a mega-development, with around 400,000 sq. ft. of facilities.
The lagoon stretches to reach the base of several blocks; and because it’s naturally sloped, it even mimics the contours of a real lagoon. To be clear, this isn’t the only large lagoon we’ve seen; we’ve also seen versions in The Jovell and Treasure at Tampines. But few are this well done, or of this scope. It’s definitely at a big enough scale that it could have tipped the scales for many buyers.
Location: 8F Jalan Lempeng (District 5)
Developer: Sing Haiyi-Gold Pte. Ltd.
Lease: 99-years
TOP: 2023
Price: $1,389 – $1,919 psf, with an average of $1,697 psf
Other notable plus points:
Parc Clematis is only a four-minute drive to Clementi Mall. This is the major heartland mall for the neighbourhood, and also where the MRT station is located.
Prices are good for the extent of the facilities: A 969 sq. ft. unit, about on par with a 4-room flat, transacts at around $1.67 million. This is not bad for Clementi, a hotspot due to its proximity to educational institutes like NUS. It’s a five-minute drive from here to NUS or Singapore Polytechnic.
Parc Clematis is also a viable alternative for those who want proximity to One North, which has few residential options besides Normanton Park and One North Eden. It’s only around a six minute-drive to this tech and media hub.
Buyers who don’t like mega-developments will be turned off by the 1,450 units, and some investors will consider it too much competition. However, Parc Clematis is a strong offering for genuine home buyers, who want a private property in increasingly pricey Clementi.
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