As we start our new year with new goals and resolutions that we promise to definitely achieve this time, one dream remains with many of us year after year: the perennial pining for a larger HDB flat. But whilst million-dollar HDBs are a worryingly large part of the modern resale market, here are 10 affordable neighbourhoods where you can still get a 5-room flat as low as $565K.
Note: All transactions in this listicle are based on resale prices in 2023.
Bukit Batok
Skyline II @ Bukit Batok – 5-room flats from $760K
Image credit: @jj_wonggg
District: D23
Remaining years on lease: ~94 years
Closest MRT station: Bukit Batok
Skyline II @ Bukit Batok, like most developments featured in this list, has just completed its 5-year MOP period this year. With 744 units spread across its 3 blocks, Skyline II @ Bukit Batok has had 2 separate 5-room transactions earlier in the year, at $760K and $775K, respectively.
Image credit: HDB
One of the most obvious benefits to staying here would definitely have to be its proximity to the Bukit Batok Swimming Complex. Not only would it be easy getting your cardio in here, the swimming pool would be greatly appreciated during those hot and humid days.
You also get a relatively short 12-min bus ride to West Mall and Bukit Batok MRT station for your shopping and travel needs. Bukit Batok does enjoy some rather hilly parks in the form of Bukit Batok Central Park and Fuji Hill Park, which is a nice departure from the sometimes overly dull, flat parks seen in most heartland estates.
One issue you will have to live with though, is the fact Skylines II @ Bukit Batok is right beside the PIE, meaning you’ll have to put up with noise pollution from the highway.
Verdict: Overall it’s a decent location, if you’re willing to put up with the morning and evening traffic.
West Crest @ Bukit Batok – 5-room flats from $680K
Image credit: Google maps
District: D23
Remaining years on lease: ~94 years
Closest MRT station: Bukit Batok
West Crest @ Bukit Batok has just completed its 5-year MOP period this year. It is a more spread-out development compared to West Crest @ Bukit Batok, with 495 units across 6 blocks. The development has had 19 separate 5-room transactions, priced between $680K to $788K.
Image credit: HDB
The sales came from 445A and 446A, which makes sense, considering that they have arguably the best unblocked views and also houses most of the built-in amenities, such as coffee shops, a hair salon and a 7-Eleven.
One of the perks here would have to be the proximity to plenty of schools here, including Princess Elizabeth Primary, Bukit Batok Secondary and Millennia Institute. There is even Dulwich College for those that wish to have their kids go through an international curriculum.
You’d be a 17-minute bus ride from Bukit Batok MRT station. It is also an 8-minute bus ride from the Bukit Batok West Shopping Centre for your daily necessities. The 6-lane Bukit Batok Road also means that you don’t actually get as much peace and quiet as your remote location might suggest.
Verdict: West Crest @ Bukit Batok is a lot more remote of a location compared to Skylines II, but, you do still get easy availability to some of your necessities downstairs.
Choa Chu Kang
Sunshine Gardens – 5-room flats from $565K
Image credit: Google Maps
District: D23
Remaining years on lease: ~92 years
Closest MRT station: Choa Chu Kang
Sunshine Gardens is a large development that has hit its MOP in 2021, consisting of 1,528 units spread across its 15 blocks. The development has had 19 separate 5-room transactions, starting from $565K.
Image credit: HDB
The sales in Sunshine Gardens are not focused on any particular block, but do have a slight tendency to stay close to the centre of the development where built-in amenities like playgrounds are.
There is genuine serenity here at Sunshine Gardens, with little in the way of major roads, whilst still having Sunshine Place within walking distance for everything from hawker food to groceries, hair salons and clinics. Tembusu Park and Choa Chu Kang Primary School are also somewhat close by.
Besides those though, you’re mostly isolated, with a 14-minute bus ride to even get to the nearest MRT station and shopping mall.
Verdict: Despite its remote location, this development offers proximity to essential amenities, making it an ideal serene home for those seeking peace and quiet.
Punggol
Waterway View – 5-room flats from $680K
Image credit: @rhythm_of_time2
District: D19
Remaining years on lease: ~94 years
Closest MRT station: Punggol
Waterway View, having completed its MOP this year, comprises 1,057 units spread across 10 blocks. The development has had 29 separate 5-room transactions, transacting between $680K to $796K.
Image credit: HDB
The development offers a picturesque setting, albeit not as grand as Kallang or Marina Bay; and naturally, units with waterway views have seen the most sales activity.
Image Credit: Social Metre
Being on the northern side of the waterway does mean that your only exit is over the Wave Bridge if you’re travelling by foot. Even then, Oasis Terraces should still be well within walkable distance for everything from restaurants, pharmacies and an NTUC supermarket.
You do get a major shopping mall in the form of Waterway Point and its attached Punggol MRT station, but it is a 24-minute ride away via LRT.
A large part of the attractiveness of living at Waterway View really would be the sheer amount of scenic green spaces around you. Waterway Ridges is right beside the development, and the Punggol Water PCN easily connects you to most of the other parts in the estate.
Verdict: While not the most accessible area, Waterway View offers ample greenery. Ideal for active lifestyles or those who appreciate a natural environment near home.
Matilda Court – 5-room flats from $650K
Image credit: Wee Hur Holdings Ltd
District: D19
Remaining years on lease: ~94 years
Closest MRT station: Punggol
Located beside the Punggol River, Matilda Court is made up of 1,162 units spread across 17 blocks. The development saw an impressive 34 separate 5-room transactions, ranging from $650K to $745K.
Image credit: HDB
Image credit: freight.sg
Sheng Siong Supermarket is right downstairs, along with a couple GP clinics and nice greenery at Sengkang Riverside Park. Although admittedly longer than desired, the 18-minute bus ride from Compass One and Sengkang MRT station might not seem so bad, all things considered.
Verdict: Similar to the other Punggol property, it’s not the most accessible of areas, but it definitely is good for those who like greenery.
Sembawang
Eastlawn @ Canberra – 5-room flats from $635K
Image credit: Google maps
District: D27
Remaining years on lease: ~94 years
Closest MRT station: Canberra
Eastlawn @ Canberra has just completed its 5-year MOP period this year. It is a very small development, with 337 units spread across 3 blocks. The development has had 21 separate 5-room transactions between $635K to $748K.
Image credit: HDB
Despite the limited number of blocks, it appears that all three enjoy a similar level of demand and popularity among potential buyers.
Image credit: bobby_iskandar_saine
There is a neighbourhood park beside the development, though in practice it is really more a leisurely footpath with a street basketball court attached to it. In classic heartland fashion, there are a bunch of small shops, food courts and supermarkets in Block 105 across the road that provide for most of your daily needs.
And despite the relative quiet you’ll experience here, you’re actually only an 11-minute walk from Canberra Plaza and Canberra MRT Station.
Verdict: Serene, yet well-connected, it’s quite a good deal as far as the units in this list are concerned.
Sengkang
Anchorvale Cove – 5-room flats from $622K
Image credit: Kay Lim Holdings
District: D19
Remaining years on lease: ~92 years
Closest MRT station: Sengkang
Anchorvale Cove is a large development that completed its MOP in 2020, with 1,011 units spread across 10 blocks. The development has had 13 separate 5-room transactions, between $622K to $795K in price.
Image credit: HDB
There does not seem to be a pattern to the sales, with a good amount of the blocks represented in the sales.
Being close to Matilda Court, it shares a lot of similar amenities, but Anchorvale Cove is closer to highlights like Sengkang Riverside Park as well as Sengkang Sports complex. If anything, Anchorvale Cove might be the nicer development of the two, with a bunch of greenery as well as a rooftop garden above the MSCP.
What it does mean though is that just like Matilda Court, it also suffers the shortcomings of being in a relatively remote area, being 16 minutes from Sengkang MRT station by LRT.
Verdict: You more or less have everything you need for your day-to-day life here, with plenty of greenery to boot. Overall, it’s a pretty good choice if you’re willing to live with the relative remoteness of the location.
Fernvale Rivergrove – 5-room flats from $590K
Image credit: @seekinrays
District: D28
Remaining years on lease: ~92 years
Closest MRT station: Sengkang
Fernvale Rivergrove has hit its MOP in 2020, with 1,728 units spread across 10 blocks. The development has had 13 separate 5-room transactions, starting from a modest $590K to $735K.
Image credit: HDB
Sales across Fernvale Rivergrove seem evenly spread out among its 10 blocks. So, no matter which block you pick, it’s unlikely to make a big difference in the quality or availability of units.
Image credit: @nghiatran91
Being on the west bank of the Sengkang river, Fernvale Rivergrove arguably gets easy access to the better half of the Sengkang Riverside Park. This is especially true for dog owners, who will enjoy the proximity to the dog-friendly section of the park.
Fern Green Primary School is basically right beside you, which can make it somewhat noisy on days where you’re working from home, but for those who have kids, it does make it mean that you are more or less guaranteed to win the primary school balloting for it.
Like most developments in this part of Singapore, you’re going to take a bit longer to get anywhere, meaning you’ll be a 16-minute LRT ride to the nearest shopping mall in the form of Seletar Mall as well as to Sengkang MRT station.
Verdict: Despite being distant from the rest of Sengkang, Fernvale Rivergrove remains relatively accessible, especially compared to other non-mature estates in the Northeast of Singapore.
Woodlands
Woodlands Pasture I & II – 5-room flats from $580K
Image credit: @neophoton
District: D25
Remaining years on lease: ~94 years
Closest MRT station: Admiralty
Featuring two sister developments instead of one this time, Woodlands Pasture I is the smaller development of the two, with just 420 units across 4 blocks, whilst Woodlands Pasture II has 1,018 units spread across 6 blocks. Both of them have hit their MOP just this year, with a combined total of 36 separate 5-room transactions, ranging from $580K to $675K.
Image credit: HDB
It does seem that Woodlands Pasture I is the more popular of the two developments, with 7 of the sales being from there. Interestingly, units in 785C and 785D in Woodlands Pasture II seem more popular than the other blocks in that development, likely due the higher level of privacy afforded by these blocks.
Woodlands Crescent Park is nearby, which is one of the prettier neighbourhood parks as far as heartland areas are concerned. It has a basketball court as well.
That said, you are truly isolated here; whilst there is a Sheng Siong Supermarket a few other stores for daily necessities, you’re a 15-minute walk to Admiralty MRT or the nearest shopping arcade in the form of Woodlands Mart, with the nearby bus stops being served only by the industrial park-oriented 858 bus route.
Verdict: This might not be the best of the list by a long shot, but it is a decently quiet place and overall quite livable so long as you’re willing to contend with the long walk to public transport commutes.
Yishun
Park Grove @ Yishun – 5-room flats from $660K
Image credit: @richard.media
District: D25
Remaining years on lease: ~94 years
Closest MRT station: Admiralty
Rounding off our list here is Park Grove @ Yishun, which is a somewhat small development with 588 units spread across 6, 13-storey blocks. The development completed its MOP just this year and has an impressive 29 separate 5-room transactions, starting from 660K, with the highest-priced transaction at $788K.
Image credit: HDB
Overall, it does seem that there’s a preference for blocks 676C and 677C, likely because of their proximity to the MSCP.
Image credit: @kasunpiyathunga
Being right beside the huge Yishun Park, along with its attached SAFRA Yishun Country Club, can make for a compelling reason to stay here, though the heavy vegetation and relatively low height of the development means that you’re not likely to be able to enjoy the view from your home.
There are a bunch of schools nearby, such as Northland Primary as well as Northbrooks Secondary across the street. Chung Cheng High is also not too far away. Amenities-wise, this place is quite well-served, with Yishun Park Hawker Centre and Wisteria Mall both about 9 minutes by foot.
You also have Yishun MRT station and Northpoint City 18 minutes away from you by bus.
Verdict: Barring the distance to the MRT station, Yishun manages to be quite a livable place. Maybe people make fun of Yishun because they are secretly jealous of how good they have it there.
Affordable HDB neighbourhoods with 5-room flats from $565K
As you can tell from the list, the developments listed here tend to be a lot more serene, if not outright remote, which could make or break your desire to live there. But with the end of 2023 and the start of people thinking about their resolutions for 2024, These neighbourhoods could perhaps help make owning a home a resolution that you can actually achieve.
Read more articles here:
- 11 HDB Developments With Million-Dollar Sales In 2023
- High Floor Vs Low Floor – Which Should You Choose?
- 11 HDBs That Can Pass Off As Condos
Cover image adapted from: Construction Database, Kay Lim Holdings, @jj_wonggg
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