Is The Upcoming 1,268-Unit Thomson Reserve Worth Looking At? 5 Key Things To Consider Before You Commit

We can say with some certainty that Thomson Reserve is the most anticipated new launch project for the second half of this year, and it will be the largest new condominium (in terms of number of units) in 2026.

The 1,268-unit mega-project - named for having over 1,000 units - is a redevelopment of the former Thomson View. The former development was a landmark condo in the 80s and 90s, easily recognised for its circular high-rise residential towers.

Some of you may remember the old Thomson View as the condo closest to Thomson Plaza, which was one of the first-ever heartland malls in Singapore, and even older Singaporeans probably remember that mall as “Thomson Yaohan” a major amenity that was frequented by Singaporeans in the Ang Mo Kio and Bishan areas.

Thomson View was bought in an $810 million collective sale by UOL Group, Singapore Land, and CapitaLand Development. Since then, buyers and property agents have been waiting with bated breath to see what the new project will offer.

While it’s early days yet, we spoke to a couple of agents on the ground, as well as various market watchers, to identify the key selling points and likely prices. Here are some early insights into Thomson Reserve.

A Quick Rundown Of Thomson Reserve

The 99-year leasehold condo is located on Bright Hill Drive in District 20 (the Upper Thomson / Bright Hill area), and it is the closest new development to Thomson Plaza and the Upper Thomson MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL). Moreover, the condo is within walking distance of Ai Tong Primary school.

Based on early briefings conducted by the developer to marketing agencies, we’ve heard that the project is expected to comprise six residential blocks: two 30-storey towers and four 21-storey blocks.

The 1,268 units will range from two- to five-bedroom layouts, from 592 to 1,808 sq ft.

The unit mix is divided into the Classic and Luxury Collections: the Classic Collection comprises 740 units across the four 21-storey blocks, while the Luxury Collection comprises 528 units across the taller 30-storey towers. 

Unit Type	Number	Unit Size
Two-Bedroom	100	592 sq ft
Two-Bedroom Premium	416	678 sq ft
Two-Bedroom Premium + Study	120	732 sq ft
Two-Bedroom Premium + Study	80	775 sq ft
Three-Bedroom	120	947 sq ft
Three-Bedroom Premium	170	1,055 sq ft
Three-Bedroom Premium + Study	60	1,152 sq ft
Four-Bedroom	90	1,238 sq ft
Four-Bedroom Premium w/ Private Lift	56	1,367 sq ft
Four-Bedroom Premium + Study w/ Private Lift	28	1,485 sq ft
Five-Bedroom Suite + Private Lift	28	1,808 sq ft

The first thing that stood out to us is that over half of the units (56.5%) are two-bedders or some variation thereof. We reckon this is the developer’s strategy to keep the quantum within the acceptable range of most of the buyers they are targeting.

Only 13.7% of the units are four-bedders or variant configurations, and just 28 units are five-bedders. Anecdotally, several agents who we spoke to expressed surprise at the large number of two-bedroom units at Thomson Reserve.

Norman Koh, associate district director at PropNex Realty, and one of the agents with the Stacked Consultancy Team, shared that the location of the project will resonate with owner-occupiers as well as families. “Thus, the project could have more in the way of three-bedders. Possibly more compact three-bedder options,” he says.

Another agent, Rachel Xu, associate group director at PropNex, and also on the Stacked Consultancy Team, noted there were a significant number of units (416 units) with the same 678 sq ft, two-bedroom premium layout. She also agreed the project has a strong family-centric location, which could have justified more three-bedroom options.

But if we consider the investor perspective, a concern might be future competition: because there’s a large concentration of similar two-bedroom premium units, there is a chance that this could result in a lot of like-for-like units competing for tenants and buyers after the project is completed.

Nonetheless, The Fundamentals Are Hard To Argue With

Most of the agents that we spoke to generally agreed that the large scale of the upcoming condo is a strong, positive differentiator amid the crowded new launch market today.

At 51,567 sqm, the site is large enough that we expect it to accommodate a more extensive suite of facilities compared to most of the nearby condos. For starters, it enables a wider distance across six towers, which is already helpful for buyers.

Here’s why: for a project on a relatively small site, if it has one or two towers there are fewer replacement units if your desired unit is taken. The next available unit of the same type is more likely to be on a higher floor, and potentially so expensive that you feel priced out; or, it could be a lower floor unit with an undesirable view.

But turning back to what we know about Thomson Reserve. The agents tell us that the expected facilities include two 50 metre lap pools, multiple function rooms, a sizeable main gym, and dedicated spaces for children, wellness and recreation.

We’ll be able to confirm these details once the project is closer to its public preview. But in general, mega-projects are known for a better spread of facilities, and are increasingly popular.

To top it off, none of the immediate resale alternatives in the Upper Thomson / Bright Hill area can compare in terms of scale - for example, Thomson Impressions has 288 units, while Thomson Grand has 361 homes if you include its strata terrace houses. These likely don’t have the same range of facilities as Thomson Reserve, in addition to being older developments.

The only resale competition on an equal scale - within a more general proximity -  is Jadescape, which we’ll take a closer look at later in this article.

The Location Highlight Is the Proximity to Ai Tong, As Well As Key Amenities

For families with school going children, the proximity to Ai Tong School will be a big pull factor, especially if parents plan to register their children there in the future. The school is within walking distance, so it goes beyond just being within one-kilometre away. This is a real time saving for students, who won’t lose time out of their day waiting for the bus or on the road.

The agents who we spoke to also pointed out that, even for families whose children don’t attend, the school proximity remains relevant. Ai Tong School is a consistently high-ranked school, and families are keen to live nearby. This advantage remains even after a buyer’s own children no longer attend that school.

Thomson Plaza is also a familiar and convenient amenity. For residents who grew up nearby, this mall - which dates back to 1979 - also has emotional weight. Prior to the rise of Bishan’s malls, Thomson Plaza was the main retail hub in the region. At present there’s a FairPrice Finest for groceries, a Daiso, and a Unity Pharmacy; in addition to a slew of F&B outlets and enrichment schools.

Another unexpected landmark in this area is Midview City, along Sin Ming Lane. This is a B1 light-industrial development, but it adds a surprisingly useful layer of dining and services to the area. At last glance, we spotted at least six preschool or early-childhood institutions here.

The other most notable feature in this area is Upper Thomson MRT station, on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL). Granted, it’s still a long-ish MRT ride to the city centre, but it’s still a direct line to Orchard Road shopping belt.

Jadescape Will Be A Likely Point Of Comparison For Many Buyers

Jadescape may not literally be the closest project, but it is the most likely reference point. The development is also a mega-project with 1,206 units with a 99-year leasehold tenure. Like Thomson Reserve, it also has MRT access, albeit in the form of Marymount MRT (CCL) station instead.

As for school access, Thomson Reserve has a clearer project-wide advantage. At Jadescape, proximity to Ai Tong is block-specific - agents on the ground told us blocks 10 and 12 may fall within the one-kilometre band, but some remaining blocks may have a postal code that’s just outside.

Koh says that Jadescape does have an initial edge over the competition: when it launched back in 2018, the TEL had not yet opened. This meant Jadescape had a stronger catalyst for its price performance, at least at the time. On the other hand, at Thomson Reserve, the train line is already up and running, so the advantage is likely to be already priced-in.

You can see the latest transaction prices at Jadescape here, and this will likely be a gauge against Thomson Reserve’s pricing. We’ll provide a detailed price comparison once more information is available, in the official Thomson Reserve pricing review. 

Land Pricing Considerations For Thomson Reserve

The land rate of $1,178 psf is one of the biggest talking points around Thomson Reserve. The former Thomson View site was acquired for $810 million, which includes the land betterment charges, and costs for topping up the lease.

For some observers this is considered rather a competitive price, given the strength of the location. Consider that the recently awarded Lorong Puntong / Sin Ming Avenue GLS site, near Bright Hill MRT (TEL), attracted a top bid of about $1,612 psf. This is just one train stop away from Thomson Reserve, but the price was about $1,612 psf - roughly 37% above Thomson Reserve.

To be clear, this does not mean Thomson Reserve is at a steep discount to future projects - there’s never a guarantee of that. But it does mean more potential room for price growth, if future launches nearby continue to set a higher benchmark. And the land price for Thomson Reserve was arguably low given its city fringe location.

“The developers have more room because of the land price, but that does not make any launch price automatically attractive. You still need to see where it sits against Jadescape and the next new-launch benchmark,” says Xu.

This includes the consideration that the lower land price - even if it doesn’t translate to lower prices for buyers - still creates a “buffer” for developers. For example, it can permit room for stronger finishes and landscaping.

Our Early Take

Thomson Reserve is one of the better-located family condos that we expect to see in 4Q2026. It’s also the only mega-project of the year, which is bound to attract loads of attention from buyers. The project has a fairly proven trifecta: close MRT access, proximity to a high-ranked Primary school, and being within the hub of the area’s amenities. 

The scale of the development is definitely an advantage to buyers, giving a wider choice of stack, facing, and floor level; especially compared to the smaller resale options nearby.

For investment buyers however, it may be less clear-cut despite the large number of two-bedders. The TEL has already opened, and there doesn’t appear to be a significant catalyst coming along. What can be said is that, due to the proximity of Ai Tong, there may be significant price resilience over time. One concern, however, is the abundance of similar two-bedder units at the point of resale or rental.

Jadescape is probably the most credible resale alternative, despite not being the closest resale option. We’ll detail the comparison more closely in the upcoming Stacked Pro pricing review. For now however, interested buyers can get a headstart by scouting out Jadescape options, so they have a ready point of comparison. 

On a related note: the lower land cost of Thomson Reserve is encouraging, but it’s not an automatic guarantee of an attractive or affordable price; we’ll have to wait and see at launch. The preponderance of two-bedders, however, suggests the developers may be doing their best to keep unit quantums at an affordable range. 

We know the developers secured the land at an advantageous rate. The interesting part now is whether they’ll leave enough upside for the buyers as well.