Every new month brings about new hope for runners in the BTO raffle. If you’ve yet to score a queue number to a BTO project of your choice yet, this November’s launch just might pique your interest. It might be the smallest launch of the year with only 4,480 units on offer across six locations, but with attractive mix of new and mature estates in the mix, here’s what you can look forward to:
– Non-mature estates –
1. Choa Chu Kang
Image credit: HDB
Total number of units: 60
Types of units: 2-room Flexi
Schools: De La Salle Primary School, Yew Tee Primary School, Kranji Primary School, Unity Primary School, Regent Secondary School, Kranji Secondary School, Unity Secondary School
This Choa Chu Kang BTO will most likely appeal more to singles and the elderly, as the units on offer are 2-room Flexi units. However, that doesn’t mean that smaller families should gloss over this particular BTO project, as there are plenty of amenities that cater to them as well.
Image credit: Inside Retail Asia
In terms of convenience, Yew Tee MRT is just a stone’s throw away, and with malls such as Yew Tee Point and Yew Tee Square in the vicinity, you’ll have a host of amenities at your door. Yew Tee Point is home to Raffles Medical Clinic and Clover Medical Clinic, three dental clinics including Q&M dental surgery, a TCM clinic and a pharmacy on top of retail stores.
Bakeries are aplenty as well with Four Leaves, Prima Deli and Chateraise in the mix. Other hidden food gems in the area include the Michelin-starred Feng Zhen Lor Mee and Yen Sen Seafood.
Image credit: Flickr
You can expect to find more amenities and food options integrated into the residential blocks for ease of access. Yew Tee park is also within 500M of the development. The park is a popular spot for runners and fitness enthusiasts thanks to its outdoor gym.
2. Hougang
Total number of units: 690
Types of units: 4-room and 5-room
Schools: Yuying Secondary School, Xinghua Primary School, Maris Stella High School, Holy Innocents’ (Primary/Secondary), Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Primary/Secondary)
There’ll be two project launches for Hougang this November, one along Hougang Avenue 1 and the other along Hougang Avenue 3. Despite being one of the more populous regions in Singapore, Hougang still is a rather quiet town – perfect for those who want to escape the bustle of city life without being too far from the epicentre.
Image credit: My Little Rascal
These Hougang projects are also a short bus ride away from Hougang MRT and Kovan MRT. In terms of shopping malls, you’ll have Hougang Mall and Heartland Mall which is next to Kovan MRT which is well equipped with a good number of amenities and bubble tea stores.
And the area is fairly accessible as well with the North East Line (NEL) easily connecting you to other parts of Singapore like Dhoby Ghaut and Harbourfront. In addition, it’s only a short 15-minute drive to the CBD via Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE).
The only foreseeable drawback is that despite being near to MRT stations and schools, the walking time to either of these is roughly 20 minutes.
3. Jurong West
Image credit: HDB
Total number of units: 220
Types of units: 3-room and 4-room
Schools: Xingnan Primary School, Juying Primary School, Juying Secondary School, Frontier Primary School, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
Staying in Jurong West means that you’re just three short stops away from four different shopping malls: Westgate, JEM, IMM, and JCube. You won’t even need to step foot out of Jurong, since there isn’t any shortage of popular shops and food chains.
If you want a mall closer to home, there’s also Jurong Point which is only one mrt stop away.
Foodies will relish that Jurong West 505 Food Centre, which is definitely worth the 30-minute bus ride from the project site for their famous Seafood White Bee Hoon. There’s also a SAFRA Jurong and Jurong West Sports Complex, all within walking distance.
The Hive @ NTU
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
If children are in your foreseeable future, Nanyang Technological University is in the vicinity and less than 30 minutes away by bus.
4. Tengah
Total number of units: 2,120
Types of units: 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room, and 5-room
Schools: Concord Primary School, Choa Chu Kang Primary School, Dazhong Primary, Jurong Primary, Bukit Batok Secondary, Dunearn Secondary, Hua Yi Secondary, Jurongville Secondary, Fuhua Secondary, Yuhua Secondary, Millennia Institute
Just like Hougang, Tengah will also be having two separate launches within the same plot of land with a total of 2,120 available units up for grabs. As Singapore’s first smart and sustainable town, Tengah is a perfect location for those looking to live closer to nature and away from traffic-laden roads.
Image credit: HDB
Some of Tengah’s many smart features as boasted by HDB include:
- Optimised wind flow to reduce humidity by planning the layout of buildings to promote wind channels
- Optimisation of energy use throughout the town via a centralised digital framework that helps to manage the town’s energy resources and systems
- Smart switch socket outlets that control energy usage according to the appliance plugged in and smart distribution boards at each Tengah HDB homes, for owners to better monitor household energy consumption
However, due to Tengah’s status as a newly developed town, the services available are still in development, and new owners may find themselves inconvenienced until construction is complete. For example, the nearest MRT in the area will be Tengah Plantation MRT, which is set to be completed in 2028 as part of the new Jurong Region Line.
While the town will eventually be built up a la Punggol, residents can expect basic amenities such as a neighbourhood centre that’s less than a 10-minute walk away for now. West Mall and Boon Lay Shopping Centre are the two next closest malls in the vicinity.
– Mature estates –
5. Kallang/Whampoa
Image credit: HDB
Total number of units: 430
Types of units: 2-room Flexi and 4-room
Schools: St Joseph’s Institution Junior, Hong Wen School, Farrer Park Primary School, Anglo-Chinese School, Bendemeer Primary School, St. Margaret’s Primary School, Northlight School
As one of the few central locations on the list, you can expect the bidding for Kallang/Whampoa project to be ultra competitive. What makes this location special is that it’s highly accessible, being just a few bus stops from Farrer Park MRT, Little India MRT, and Novena MRT. Not to mention its proximity to town via the Central Expressway (CTE).
Note: As this project is considered a mature estate, singles above 35 years old are not eligible to purchase a unit.
Image credit: HDB
Food-wise, the area around Kallang/Whampoa is chock-full of hawker centres such as Whampoa Food Centre and Pek Kio Market and Food Centre – both of which are just a short distance away. Mustafa Centre is also about a 12-minute walk away for all your shopping needs.
6. Rochor
Image credit: HDB
Total number of units: 960
Types of units: 3-room and 4-room
Schools: Farrer Park Primary School, Stamford Primary School, St Margaret Primary School, Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah, LaSalle College of the Arts, School of the Arts (SOTA), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore Management University (SMU)
When we think about the Rochor area, our minds immediately wander to the colourful flats of the old Rochor Centre. While they may have been demolished, this new Rochor BTO project will be erected near the location of the old Rochor flats and will be just as impressive in its own right.
Rochor is also the first BTO project that will be under the Prime Location Public Housing (PLH) model. In essence, the estates under the PLH model will have a minimum occupancy period of 10 years instead of five. There will also be higher subsidies for BTO flats under this model, in order to make it more affordable for the public.
Image credit: HDB
The Rochor BTO will be situated right beside Jalan Besar MRT, with Rochor MRT, Bugis MRT, and Little India MRT all within walking distance. Other notable features include Sim Lim Square being a stone’s throw away, where techies can get their hands on the latest gadgets.
Other nearby amenities include Jalan Besar Sports Centre, which has a swimming pool and a stadium. The location is also practically a food haven with Berseh Food Centre, Tekka Centre, Arab Street and Haji Lane in the vicinity.
New HDB BTO in November 2021
While this month’s BTO launch may not be the biggest, the launch locations are still worth camping for – especially with Rochor falling under the new PLH model. There are also a good number of non-mature estates for singles to consider.
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