TJ's interest in property was sparked after returning from the UK- where balconies are not counted in one's square footage!- and finding that the Singapore property had totally changed in the 7 years she was away. When not reading and watching articles & videos about property, she is busy cooking and baking for friends, family & her blog Greedygirlgourmet
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Around 2 years ago, we visited Opera Estate, known then for being 1 of Singapore’s most affordable landed enclaves. Just a few minutes walk from Opera Estate is Woo Mon Chew Road, where you can also find freehold properties (mainly terrace houses, but also the odd detached unit.) With a last transacted sales price of $6.2million for a terrace unit in December 2024, that puts it firmly not in the “cheapest landed enclave” category- since the 2 estates are pretty much side by side, let’s go take a look and see how it differs from Opera Estate.
Last transacted prices at Woo Mon Chew Road. (In case you were wondering, the last transacted sales price of Opera Estate was $4.225 million, also for a terrace unit, in Mar 2025- see below.)For those not familiar with the area, here’s a map of the location: as shown, Woo Mon Chew connects Upper East Coast Road and Figaro Street. It’s located in the middle of a large network of landed houses, so there are several ways one can drive in and out of the estate. In terms of public transport- it’s in between Bedok MRT and Siglap MRT stations which really means that it’s not that close to any MRT station (depending on which part of Woo Mon Chew you live on, the walk can be anywhere from 11-23 minutes walk.)We’ll start our tour where Woo Mon Chew meets Figaro.Looking down Figaro Street.And now down Woo Mon Chew- we’re going to walk down this way.As is characteristic of many landed estates in the East, many residents seem to enjoy gardening and parts of the street are beautifully landscaped.We start with some 2 storey terrace houses.The street is marked by a dotted white line, so you can find street parking at some spots.Next come the larger units. This fortress is particularly impressive.At this point, the road splits into 2 forks. We’re going to walk all the way to the end so we won’t turn here for now.Walking down.These black and white houses are particularly smart. One thing about the terrace houses here is that they’re not as continuous as the ones over at Opera estate- for example, there are only 3 houses connected above as compared to Opera Estate, where you can find more houses linked in a row. A rare vintage single storey unit. Houses located next such properties are very lucky as they have a more unblocked view as compared to the typical landed property.Across the road, the land appears to be somewhat sloping (based on the architecture of this house and the “fortress” we saw earlier.)We come to another junction- this time leading onto Jalan Tanah Puteh (which will also bring you down to Upper East Coast Road.)“Proof” of my sloping land theory.Continuing down Woo Mon Chew- more terrace houses here.Terrace houses on both sides of the street here- this part reminds me of Opera Estate.Street parking situation.The majority of the units are 2 storeys but every now and then we find one that has been redeveloped.This gives you a better idea of how much higher you can go.The road ends with a fence.Which makes it a convenient place to play ball games or park one’s cars. (Behind the fence is a plot of land zoned “Business 1” and Bedok South Road (but there is no through access.)Walking back now to explore the junction that we passed earlier. One thing you may have noticed is that Woo Mon Chew does not have its own playground- there is a park close by, at the end of Jalan Tanah Puteh which we passed earlier, as well as one at Aida Street (in Opera Estate. (You can view the first here.) Next to the Aida Street park is a reserve site which means that there is a possibility of new residences or facilities in the future. (Land Use undecided at the moment.))Unlike Opera estate, the road here isn’t straight but curves a bit- what a beautiful view we have coming round this bend.Turning down the other Woo Mon Chew fork.The houses down this stretch- which are closer to the main road (Upper East Coast road)- feel bigger.A quick look at the Masterplan confirmed that feeling.There is a better pavement here too (by which I mean easier to walk on- and look how it has greenery on both sides!)The houses here also have longer driveways, which make parking more cars possible. (One thing about this part of Woo Mon Chew road is that, since it is a through road that connects to Upper East Coast Road, it seeds much traffic. In comparison, the cul-de-sac, though more densely populated, is more private.)Another beautiful single storey house.See what I mean about the bigger units? FYI, at the time of writing, the asking prices for Woo Mon Chew ranged from $5m+ for a terrace unit to $15m+ for a detached house.As mentioned earlier, this part of Bedok is a dense warren of landed estates and along this stretch of Woo Mon Chew Road, we can find 3 side streets, such as Lorong Abu Talib and Palm Drive.I like how the dustbins are neatly placed on the pavement and not used to “chope” parking space. (Possible probably because the houses have such large car porches here.)Quick peek down the Lorong Abu Talib cul-de-sac.Not all the houses here are large units- we find some terrace ones too.
The echo chamber effect happens when algorithms match you up to people with similar views and concerns, so you end…
Ryan J. Ong ·
17 Nov 2024 ·
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Now, since the East is famous for its lifestyle and good eateries, you may be wondering what amenities are nearby. There’s a petrol station near the Upper East Coast Road- Woo Mon Chew junction, where you can pick up emergency groceries (limited selection, of course, but better than nothing.) Right across Upper East Coast Road are 2 Italian restaurants and 5-11 minutes walk down Upper East Coast Road (depending on which part of Woo Mon Chew you live on) is Tiong Bahru Bakery. (You’ll also find a Thai restaurant, coffee bar, steakhouse and more next to Tiong Bahru Bakery.) Continue walking down Upper East Road, you’ll find more eateries- I’m not going to list them all as there are too many- before eventually reaching Siglap Centre and Siglap V where you’ll find a Cold Storage (abut 15 minutes away on foot.)
As you can see, it’s really like living in a self-contained village where you can find everything you need. The only fly in the ointment is the lack of primary schools: some houses along Woo Mon Chew are within 1 km of Opera Primary School but that’s about it (if you’re looking at the 1km-primary-school factor. If not, there are other schools nearby, such as the Global Indian International.)
Now that we’ve come to the end of today’s walkabout, how did you find the Woo Mon Chew estate? Let me know in the comments!
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TJ's interest in property was sparked after returning from the UK- where balconies are not counted in one's square footage!- and finding that the Singapore property had totally changed in the 7 years she was away. When not reading and watching articles & videos about property, she is busy cooking and baking for friends, family & her blog Greedygirlgourmet
Hi Dan, I feel vindicated reading your series. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I could almost have mistaken you for my twin. Like you, I’m single and extremely introverted. Although I did engage an agent, I chose to look for listings and arrange viewings myself. The thought of having to liaise with someone for things I could do myself, and feeling pressured to provide my availability, to view units was overwhelming.
After 6 months, I have placed an option for an HDB flat instead of a one-bedder condo. The flat is not surrounded by greenery, sadly. But it is near enough my family and it is in an estate that I’m fairly familiar with. That said, I still rue the lack of green spaces. It is also a corridor unit which runs counter to my need for a corner unit and absolute privacy.
What resonated most with me in this article is your reflection that property purchase for a singleton and an introvert is mentally, physically and psychologically demanding. My bandwidth to engage in leisurely chit-chat with acquaintances and friends went completely flat!
You might be completing your MOP soon. I wish you all the best in your next property search.
H H
9 months ago
H H
Chew Mon Woo
9 months ago
Hi Joey, thanks for your question! Central Trio is almost perfectly north-south facing, so there’s very little direct sunlight since the windows face either north or south.
While we often hear that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, it doesn’t do so in a straight line throughout the year. The sun actually sets from the southwest (around January) to the northwest (around July), before shifting back again.
So the amount of sun your unit gets really depends on which side your 2-room flat faces. For Central Trio, the north-facing 2-room flats are angled slightly towards the west, so they’ll get a bit more sun compared to the south-facing ones (which are angled slightly east).
That said, because of the almost perfect north-south orientation, you won’t be getting harsh direct sunlight regardless of which side you’re on — just varying degrees of indirect light depending on the time of day and year.
Hi Dan, I feel vindicated reading your series. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I could almost have mistaken you for my twin. Like you, I’m single and extremely introverted. Although I did engage an agent, I chose to look for listings and arrange viewings myself. The thought of having to liaise with someone for things I could do myself, and feeling pressured to provide my availability, to view units was overwhelming.
After 6 months, I have placed an option for an HDB flat instead of a one-bedder condo. The flat is not surrounded by greenery, sadly. But it is near enough my family and it is in an estate that I’m fairly familiar with. That said, I still rue the lack of green spaces. It is also a corridor unit which runs counter to my need for a corner unit and absolute privacy.
What resonated most with me in this article is your reflection that property purchase for a singleton and an introvert is mentally, physically and psychologically demanding. My bandwidth to engage in leisurely chit-chat with acquaintances and friends went completely flat!
You might be completing your MOP soon. I wish you all the best in your next property search.
H H
Hi Joey, thanks for your question! Central Trio is almost perfectly north-south facing, so there’s very little direct sunlight since the windows face either north or south.
While we often hear that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, it doesn’t do so in a straight line throughout the year. The sun actually sets from the southwest (around January) to the northwest (around July), before shifting back again.
So the amount of sun your unit gets really depends on which side your 2-room flat faces. For Central Trio, the north-facing 2-room flats are angled slightly towards the west, so they’ll get a bit more sun compared to the south-facing ones (which are angled slightly east).
That said, because of the almost perfect north-south orientation, you won’t be getting harsh direct sunlight regardless of which side you’re on — just varying degrees of indirect light depending on the time of day and year.