The sites for August 2022 BTO launch have been announced, and no surprises for guessing which neighbourhood is catching the eyes of Eastsiders: Tampines.
It’s one of the three mature estates up for bidding – the others are Ang Mo Kio and Bukit Merah, of which the latter falls under the Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model. As for non-mature estates, the contenders are Jurong East, Choa Chu Kang and Woodlands.
The question remains, though: as the hub of the East, is Tampines really worth your moolah and tossing in your bid this BTO round? We get up close with an in-depth review of this Eastie Central and the real pros and cons about staying there.
Location of Tampines August 2022 project
Location, location, location. That’s what property agents always tell you when it comes to picking a home. And as for the Tampines BTO site that’s tucked just behind Gongshang Primary School, it’s ticking all the checkboxes in terms of location, being close to a wide variety of amenities, transport links, and food choices.
Image credit: HDB
Transport links: close to both Tampines and Tampines East MRT station
Firstly, good news for folks who are regulars on public transport – future BTO homeowners here are close to not one, but two MRT stations. These are the Tampines East MRT station (7-min walk) on the Downtown line, and the bustling Tampines MRT station (12-min walk) on the East-West line, giving homeowners easy access to virtually anywhere on the island. Drivers can also easily hop on the TPE and PIE with just a short drive, as well.
Plus, any Eastie worth their salt would know the latter is surrounded by three mega-malls – Tampines 1, Tampines Mall and Century Square, and will surely satisfy all your mall-hoppin’ and shoppin’ needs.
Image credit: HDB
Image credit: Capitaland
Parks and libraries
It’s not just all frenzied city life if you stay here, though. For a little slice of peace in the hubbub, homeowners can retreat to the Tampines Regional Library or find solace in nature instead at green spots such as Tampines Eco-Green, Sun Plaza Park as well as the Tampines Park Connector that’s a fave among cyclists.
One of the beginner-friendly walking trails at Tampines Eco-Green.
Image credit: TheSmartLocal
Schools
Another thing when it comes to evaluating your BTO for the long-run: kids. For couples looking to grow their nucleus in the future or existing families with offspring, you’ll be glad to note that there are schools for every stage of education in close proximity of the site.
Early education
- MOE Kindergarten @Gongshang
- Nurture Infant House
- Genesis Childcare
- PCS Grow & Glow Childcare
Primary school
- Gongshang Primary School
- Tampines North Primary School
- Chongzheng Primary School
- Yumin Primary School
The site is literally behind Gongshang Primary School, a plus if you intend to send your kids there. Image credit: Google Maps
Secondary school
- Pasir Ris Secondary School
- Dunman Secondary School
- Ngee Ann Secondary School
- St Hilda’s Secondary School
Tertiary education
Temasek Polytechnic (20-min bus ride, 9-min drive)
And for parents who need a breather on the weekends with their young’uns, let them roam free at the many playgrounds sprinkled around the area. Consider Tampines Central Park or Tampines Green Forest Park – which is chock-full of fun rope webs, slides and even a full-fledged obstacle course.
If you don’t mind exploring further (20-min bus ride), check out these colourful fruit-themed playgrounds at Tampines Central Park.
You can also check out other family-friendly neighbourhoods in Singapore.
Food
Many Singaporeans stand firmly in the “live to eat” camp, and so when evaluating this Tampines site, foodie haunts cannot be left out of the equation.
Thankfully, it’s but a hop, skip and jump away to plenty of coffeeshops, with hidden gems such as Ho Yun Hong Kong Dimsum and Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee nestled within them.
Image credit: Google Maps
The latter is an offshoot of the highly-lauded, Michelin-star status Old Airport Lor Mee, and has won the hearts of locals with the thick gravy, and generous amount of ingredients.
Image credit: Loh Soon Shan
As for those who’d like a little spice in their life, Chok Dee Thai Food Mookata and Big Mouth Mala Hotpot nearby are great finds within walking distance.
If you’d like some diversity of choice for your hawker food, Tampines Round Market and Food Centre lies a little further at a 20-minute walk away, but it’s no biggie when Tampines MRT itself is surrounded by a treasure trove of eateries and restaurants in the malls themselves.
Indicative prices
Of the 6,300 BTO units up for grabs with August’s launch, Tampines only has a very limited pool of 260 units out of that. Not to mention, these are only for the larger 4-room and 5-room flats.
Translation: be prepared for stiff competition when it comes to bidding, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the limited supply drives up the expected price range.
Of course, news has yet to be launched on the exact amount of cash you’d probably need to shell out, but we can make an educated guess based on past BTO launches nearby as well as the median resale price of the area.
Previous Tampines BTO prices in August 2021 and November 2020 saw the pricetag hovering around the $330-$340K mark for 4-rooms, and $460-$475K for 5-rooms. However, do take note that the median resale flat prices for Tampines has been steadily increasing, with it hitting $498K and $615K for 4-rooms and 5-rooms respectively in Q1 2022.
Image adapted from: HDB data
This brings an estimated price range for a BTO 4-room to cost $390K-$490K, and a 5-room unit to cost $530K-$650K*.
*Forecasted by SRX.
Development plans for Tampines
One shouldn’t think short-term when it comes to buying a BTO; after all, you might be staying there for at least 5 years and well beyond. As such, we recommend peeking into a crystal ball at possible development plans for the area, and URA’s Master Plan for Tampines sure looks promising.
For instance, the region is slated to get a new polyclinic in 2023, more eldercare facilities, new urban farms at Tampines Park, along with future plans to make the area more cyclist-friendly.
Artist impression of Tampines North MRT station (Cross Island Line).
Image credit: LTA
Another thing to note would be the construction of the Tampines North MRT station slated for 2023, that’s situated near Tampines Link and Tampines Ave 11. Though not exactly walkable from the site with a bus ride needed, it would still save future homeowners at least 30 minutes of commute when getting to central areas like Ang Mo Kio via MRT.
Who should consider Tampines for August BTO 2022?
The golden question: who should bid for Tampines in this August BTO launch round then?
Well, you’d probably need quite a decent amount of cash (and some in your CPF) if you want to get your hands on these flats. The only availability of 4-room and 5-room options (unlike the other estates with 2-room flexi or 3-rooms) will mean that you’d be shelling out quite a bit more, versus the other estates available in this launch.
It might be worth it, though, if you’ve a vested interest in staying in the East. While it might sound hefty compared to non-mature ‘East’ estates such as Punggol, when viewed in the light of inflation and burgeoning $1-million dollar flats in sister Pasir Ris, the Tampines site is still rather affordable compared to the central and city fringe sites.
Also, consider its mature status. If you’re comparing it to other mature towns like Ang Mo Kio (4-room units projected to go up to $660K, 5-rooms up to $830K**), this Tampines address will start looking pretty much like a steal.
Couple that with the wide variety of food, plenty of educational options and parks, and we’d say it’s the perfect spot for families and young couples who don’t mind being a distance from town, and who adore the relac, laidback lifestyle of the East.
And hey, if you don’t like it after the five years of MOP (minumum occupation period), or want to recoup some of that initial wallet dent, the area’s proximity to the Tampines Regional Centre will make it highly desirable to employees who’re looking to rent in the area, anyway.
**Forecasted by SRX
How do you apply for it during BTO applications?
If you’re sold on the Tampines BTO and want to toss your hat in the ring for the very limited amount of units, you’d best keep tabs on HDB’s flat portal, or even get extra kiasu and subscribe to alerts so you’re all ready to go when August rolls around. After all, the application window is only a week long!
Another pro tip would be to check the application rate before submitting your bid. After all, if there’s overwhelming response, you might want to prep yourself for lower chances of securing a flat number and make other plans (like, you know, maybe a resale flat). To refresh your memory on how to go about applying for BTO, here are some resources:
- How I applied for my BTO flat, a step-by-step guide
- HDB housing grants guide
- Applying for BTO as a student
You can also check our reviews of other BTO projects here:
- Why You Should Look At Choa Chu Kang For August 2022 HDB BTO, Especially If You Want A 5-Room
- Why You Should Look At Jurong East For August 2022 HDB BTOs, Even If You’re Not A Westsider
- Ang Mo Kio BTO 2022 Launch
Cover image adapted from: Capitaland, HDB
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