It goes without saying that location is one of the most critical factors to take into consideration when it comes to purchasing a home. Based on a straw poll we conducted back in June, 44% of votes from a pool of over 2,500 respondents indicated their interest for a BTO in the mature estate of Kallang/Whampoa.
Given that Kallang/Whampoa effectively straddles both the North and the Northeast of Singapore with a speedy direct route to the CBD and Orchard Road, it’s no wonder this hood is so hotly contested. Let’s take a look at what we know about the upcoming HDB BTO launch and why you should make the estate your winning pick.
Location of Kallang/Whampoa November 2022 project
Image credit: Google Maps
The latest BTO launch project sits adjacent to Kallang MRT just off the intersection of Lorong 1 geylang and Sims Avenue, and right next to another fairly new project called Kallang Trivista that was completed in 2017. The project also sits right by the bank of the Kallang River, promising some of its future residents will have a good bird’s eye view of it from the comforts of home.
Image credit: HDB
Transport links: close to both Kallang and Bendemeer MRT station
Ask any East-sider for a location ref check and they’ll tell you Kallang is a pretty good place to set up base, especially if you’re right smack next to an MRT station and sitting on a bus interchange. Not only is the CBD a quick 4 stops away, Bendemeer MRT – which is a 15-minute walk away – links you up with the Downtown line to give you greater access to areas such as Bukit Panjang and Bedok Reservoir.
Spread of amenities: Supermarkets, malls and food
Image adapted from: Google Maps
In terms of amenities, you have a handful of convenience stores, coffee shops, an NTUC FairPrice and a preschool just opposite the project. Further down the road, you’re also privy to Sheng Shiong and the whole gamut of hawker options over at Upper Boon Keng and Geylang Bahru Market (a 1.5km-walk away).
Boulder+ at Aperia Mall.
Image credit: TheSmartLocal
As for malls, you have the smaller, but well-diversified Aperia mall that has everything from bubble tea and Korean specialty stores to a Cold Storage, a Challenger outlet and even a bouldering gym. You’re also a quick train ride away from Bugis’ trifecta of malls and PLQ in either direction.
Cafe Natsu’s interior and food.
Image credit: @cafenatsu, @moogoonchaya
Head 9 minutes East by car and you’ll hit Parkway Parade and i12 Katong as well. Once you’re there, deep-dive into the enclaves of Katong and Joo Chiat for your fill of hip foodie joints and boutique shops such as Cafe Natsu, Supernova and Crane. And for those who drive, it’s a convenient 15- to 20-minute drive to places such as Raffles Place and Changi Airport.
The Tanjong Rhu Lookout Tower is a 6-minute walk from Kallang Wave Mall.
Image credit: @jefferychanth
Those interested in sports can also enjoy the proximity of Kallang Sports Hub to dabble in a bit of roller–skating, skateboarding or simple jogging around the 888-metre jogging track. Alternatively, there’s also kayaking and canoeing at the Kallang Basin that starts from $14/resident for 2 hours. The cherry on top is East Coast Park being a mere 15-minute drive away.
Schools
Families and prospective families alike can take heart in knowing that there are a smattering of preschools in the Kallang vicinity such as Agape Little Uni Kallang Centre, Sunflower Preschool @ Kallang, Maple Bear Lavender, and UK-curriculum-based The Winstedt School.
You’ve also got Dunman High School, Bendemeer Primary and Secondary School, Invictus International School and Stamford Primary School further down the Kalland road stretch.
Indicative prices
Similar to the previous HDB BTO Kallang/Whampoa launch in Feb this year, the Nov launch is the smallest release of the lot with just 470 3- and 4- room flats available for balloting. It’s also important to note that the flats in this launch will be classified under the Prime Location Housing scheme and come with an extended MOP of 10 years – double that of ordinary HDB BTO flats.
As forecasted by SRX, the prices of these PLH flats will be between the range of $370K-$480K for a 3-room unit and between $530K-$720K for a 4-room unit. If we take a look at the Feb 2022 Kallang/Whampoa launch for reference, prices of the 3-room and 4-room flats for King George’s Heights started from $353K and $488K, respectively.
Both projects fall under the PLH classification so one can expect the actual pricing of the upcoming units to hover or slightly exceed the stated ranges for each flat type.
How popular will the units be?
The number of applicants for the Feb 2022 BTO launch, with 4-room units seeing a crazy surplus of applicants.
And at this point, if you’re already dead set on Kallang/Whampoa, then you’ll need to know that landing a successful ballot is a combination of luck and circumstance. Given the project’s prime location next to Kallang MRT in addition to being situated atop a bus interchange, we’re bound to see an oversubscription if we’re following past Kallang/Whampoa BTO launch trends.
Nov 2022 HDB BTO launch: Why you should choose Kallang/Whampoa
The mature estate of Kallang/Whampoa needs no introduction and judging from the sheer number of past applicants for its projects, prospective homeowners have certainly needed no convincing to spend their precious ballot on trying to secure a home in the area. Being under the PLH scheme also comes with the perks of a pretty stable property value that only stands to increase should future homeowners decide to sell once the MOP is up.
With the way resale prices for Kallang Trivista are headed, you might just get your hands on a potential million-dollar HDB flat in the future.
Read more on the Nov 2022 HDB BTO launch:
- Why you should choose Tengah over a Jurong resale flat
- November 2022 BTO exercise: 9,500 HDB flats up for grabs
Cover image adapted from : HDB
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