Today’s tour brings us almost to the edge of Singapore: We’re visiting Kew landed estate, which is all the way over at Bedok. I must admit, it felt pretty far removed from urban life when I was driving over.
However, it has everything it needs within easy reach. It is North of Upper East Coast Road and East Coast Park and South of Tanah Merah MRT & Simpang Bedok. To the West is Bedok South HDB estate (i.e. shops such as Sheng Shiong), Temasek Primary School (within 1 km of some of the houses) and Siglap Community Centre.
Whilst to the East is Bedok Food Centre, which is famous for Ayam Penyet (and has a super old Chng Tng stall!) The best part of living in this part of the island is that it’s much less built up, so there are not many high-rise buildings in the vicinity.
As such, your views are all of blue skies and green trees, instead of a concrete jungle. Having said that, there is quite a lot of construction in the area as they’re building an Integrated Transport Hub (which will make it easier to commute to the rest of Singapore by public transport.)
Note 1: The $2 million sales were obviously for leasehold landed properties! And yes I know most of us will gripe at the price tag for a leasehold house. However, I must say that this is one of the best-kept leasehold enclaves that I’ve seen going at that price. It’s much less cluttered, more spacious and much easier to drive through than the other leasehold estates that I’ve visited (at which you can get $2 million properties.)
Note 2: the Kew enclave is also pretty close to Eastwood estate, which I visited last year, so you can click over to see what shops there are over there.
Another row of houses near the previous one – I think these properties look very stylish!
There are quite a few roads that we’re covering today, so let’s list them all out: Kew Drive, Kew Crescent, Kew Heights, Kew Walk, Kew Terrace, Kew Heights and Kew Avenue. Here’s the location to help you orientate yourself.
For those interested in the area’s potential, here’s the Masterplan. As you can see, most of the area has been developed, though there is a very small reserve site to the West. Another thing to note is that Bedok Food Centre actually sits on a plot of land that has been zoned residential so you MAY lose the hawker centre in future. (Who knows?)
Now that we have that covered, let’s get started with the tour! Now, I marketed this estate as being “sprawling”, so let’s start with some proof of that!
Look at how wide and beautifully paved as well as wonderfully landscaped the pavements are outside the houses! I don’t believe I’ve seen such pavements in any of the other landed estates that I’ve toured so far!And look how long the driveways in front of the houses are. In addition, the road in front is actually a double-lane road, and it’s a side road through the estate, not a main one!Photo for you to admire how wide the setback between the houses is. As you can see, I can’t even get the houses on the different sides of the road in the same frame!As shown, the roads are so wide that 3 cars can line up side by side!
The only fly in the ointment is that most of the roads in Kew Estate are single white lined so, technically, no one should be parking on the road.
You have to head to the neighbouring estate (Limau Garden) to find street side parking.Alternatively, some of the cul-de-sacs have very broad endings, so you can park there.This road isn’t just single white-lined, it’s double white-lined!However, as you can see, the houses here are quite large and many have enough space to park more than one car, so there shouldn’t be an issue. (The streets at Limau Garden had lots of empty space for one to park, so it seems most residents park at home.)
Note: Don’t the houses remind you a bit of the ones at Holland Grove?
Photo of the street parking situation over at Limau Gardens.As you can see, the houses here enjoy lots of space, instead of being built right up to the fence!Another photo to show why houses here don’t lack parking space.Also, lots of unfulfilled potential to build upward, as you can see here.All budgets are catered for, and it’s a good mix of terrace houses, semi-Ds and detached homes.Another row of terrace houses. You may have noticed that the houses here are quite cohesive in look. Although each row has its own style, the houses in the same row remain in the same style. (Some estates have been so re-developed that they can look a bit messy, with all types of different architecture in the same row.)It’s also one of the rare estates where the roadside trees are mostly of the same variety, giving it quite a resort feel.The previously mentioned Semi-Ds. I particularly like this style!And detached houses as mentioned.Interesting architecture.This must be one of the original condition houses.Walking down Kew Drive, that’s Upper East Coast Road at the bottom of the street.Some houses we pass along the way.More of the homes along Kew Drive.Peek down one of the side streets – remember how I mentioned that there are no tall buildings in sight?This is the junction with Upper East Coast Road.
The future Bedok South MRT (set to open in 2025) is across the road. It’ll be the second last stop on the brown line which will terminate at Sungei Bedok. From here it’s a direct line to Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay, Shenton Way and Orchard so although Kew estate feels far-flung at this point in time, connectivity will be pretty good come 2025.
For now, you’ll have to settle for buses. That’s the Upper East Coast Bus Terminal across the road. Along Upper East Coast Road, you can take buses 10, 10e. 13, 14, 25, 43, 46, 55 and 137.Looking to the right so you can see what the traffic is like.And to the left. You can walk this way to Bedok Food Centre but I must say the route doesn’t look very tempting to me. (No shade and quite a barren feeling.)
Now that we’ve seen it, let’s walk back in.
For an estate of this size, there were very few renovation projects.I think this is the one of only two that I saw when I visited.As a generously sized estate, how can it do without its fair share of playgrounds? There were no fewer than three playgrounds in Kew estate! (And another two more if you walk over to Limau Gardens.)
Let’s start with Kew Drive Playground since it’s the closest one to Upper East Coast Road. This felt like the smallest of the three playgrounds I saw.
As you can see, it’s pretty tiny, and the rides weren’t too interesting.Another view of the Kew Drive playground.A few machines for adults? It was really sunny though so the area would REALLY have benefited from a covered gazebo for adults to sit and watch the kids. (There was a bench, but it wasn’t shaded.)The pavement is still fancy though.Now let’s walk to find the other playgroundI know I’ve already shown a few photos of pavements but, honestly, where else can you find so much space in between houses in Singapore??And just look at how wide this cul-de-sac here is! I saw a few shaded pavilions like above when walking around. Curious that they’re just randomly placed along the roads and not next to the playground!Oh, I may have spoken too soon about the parking situation here. From the looks of the sign, it seems some people do park where they shouldn’tTurn off Kew Drive onto Kew Crescent and we’ve reached playground 2: Kew Crescent Playground. This playground is much more impressive being perched on top of a small slope.Playground on the left and condo on the right.There’s a ramp that gets you up to the playground.It actually splits into a few paths!View looking down to the road and the houses below.And view looking up to the houses above.
I must say, I would much rather live above the playground than below it! (If you were wondering, that’s Kew Walk, Kew Heights and Kew Terrace above the playground whilst Kew Crescent lies below.)
Again, not many rides here but the elevated location of the playground makes up for it.View you get working out. More playground rides.Seats for parents to watch the kids but also no shade alas.From here you can walk up to the other parts of Kew Estate (i.e. both the houses above and below the playground have direct access to it.)
I walked up to take a look and found lots of mango fruits lying on the ground, presumably having fallen down from the tree in one of the houses. I must say, that really made me feel the appeal of the estate (or, rather, living in a landed house. Isn’t it lovely to have fresh produce right at your doorstep?)
Anyway, this is a property tour, not a gardening one, so I shall not enthuse about the subject too much.
Taking a last look from my vantage spot.Before reluctantly making my way down.
Note: this playground was the shadiest part of the whole estate – I think it’s because of the shadows from the properties on higher ground here.
And now for our third playground, along Kew Drive, Kew Avenue and Limau Garden. (This is Kew Avenue playground.)
It is slightly different from the other two as it has a sandbox for kids to play in. Other than that it’s nothing special although, like the previous playgrounds, it has a lot of space. Still, parents seem quite pleased with it as it has an average 4.3 star rating on Google (albeit from only 7 reviews.)
Lots of bikes around the playground although I didn’t really run into anyone cycling around the estate.Since we’re on the note of kids, I should point out that there is a childcare centre within the estate. Or more than one really: GATE Junior Limau Garden (near the last playground), Planet Montessori etc
We’ve almost come to the end of today’s tour, but before we go, let me show you the other main road in the area (Bedok South Road, where the HDB estate and all the conveniences are.)
That’s the HDB at the end of the road.Walk to the end and you find yourself at the top of a steep staircase, so it appears as though Kew Crescent is somewhat elevated above the HDB.
On the note of Kew Crescent, there was actually a house that sold for $1m+ in 2023 here! (But strata.) There are also “pure” landed houses here that sold for $2m+ in 2022. (All the 2023 sales at Kew Crescent were strata units at the time of writing.)
Kew Crescent is not the only street where we can find $2m+ properties. There were a few such sales in Kew Drive too.No 2023 sales at Kew Terrace but there were a few SEMI-DETACHED units that sold for $2m+, albeit in 2019.
Well, since I’ve shown you the sales history of three streets, I might as well do it for all of them!
Sales history for Kew Walk.$3m for a semi-D at Kew Heights in 2023.Kew Avenue.And, to end, Kew Lane, where a house sold for ONE MILLION in 2020! (This is a very short street hence the fewer transactions.)
Now that you’ve seen the area, how did you find Kew estate? Personally, I think it’s a great place to live if your life is in the East! See you again next week!
TJ
11 min read
