2023 has been an eventful year for the private condo market so far. In the past, condos in the Core Central Region (CCR) and Rest of Central Region (RCR) are traditionally popular. However, at present, Outside of Central Region (OCR) districts are starting to outperform those in the CCR and RCR.
One such condo is Lentor Hills Residences, which was launched on 8th July. With a strong potential for a decent profit and a fantastic location to boot, here’s what makes Lentor Hills Residences a good pick if you’re looking for a condo this year.
You can contact the Lentor Hills Residences developer team directly here to get the best prices possible.
Lentor Hills Residences at a glance
Image credit: Lentor Hills Residences
Lentor Hills Residences is a spanking new 99-year leasehold condo that’s set to TOP in 2028. There’s a total of 598 units up for sale across 5 apartment blocks and 37 stacks.
The units are decently sized and comparable to most private condos in the OCR. For instance, 1-bedroom units are between 452-538sqft, 3-bedrooms are between 958-980 sqft, and 4-bedroom units from 1,345sqft-1,399sqft.
Interestingly, Lentor Hills Residences offers dual-key units for its larger 3-bedder and 4-bedder variants. This isn’t common in newly launched condos recently. Dual-key units are 2 separate living spaces connected by a foyer. The larger space is the “main unit”, while the smaller space – which usually features a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchenette – is the “sub-unit”.
Image credit: Lentor Hills Residences
From what we know, there are 4 dual-key units each for the 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom apartments – 8 in total.
Image credit: Lentor Hills Residences
The condo has all the usual frills that you’d expect of a typical condo. This includes a gym, swimming pool, playground, tennis court, and function rooms for residents to use. On top of that, there were some unusual facilities that caught our eye:
- 2-storey ‘play zone’ clubhouse, with a gym and games room on the 2nd floor and function rooms on the 1st floor
- Separate ‘work zone’ clubhouse with co-working spaces and reading lounge
- Entry/Exit to an Early Childhood Development Centre (TBC)
- Community Garden
Image credit: Lentor Hills Residences
The 8th and 9th storeys of specific blocks will house a sky terrace with a star-gazing deck, a spa cove with jacuzzi, and even a 400m jogging track. On the 23rd floor of block 35, there will be a BBQ pavilion and spaces for alfresco dining.
Located in a tranquil neighbourhood
Up until recently, Lentor was a quiet and secluded neighbourhood filled with private condos and landed properties nestled amidst lush greenery and forest. However, the tide has started to turn because of redevelopment in the area. It’s started with a new MRT station right in the heart of the estate, as well as the clearing of trees and land for new roads and residential properties.
Image credit: Lentor Hills Residences
The Lentor estate is located next to Ang Mo Kio and in between two major roads – Lentor Avenue.
How did it fare on opening weekend?
Lentor Hills Residences performed fairly well on its opening weekend, with about 50% of its 598 units sold. According to reports, the most popular unit types were the smaller ones, such as 1-bedders (94%), 2-bedders (73%) and 2-bedders with study (66%). For the larger unit types, 3-bedders were about 40% sold, and 4-bedders only 14%.
Interestingly, it didn’t perform as well as Lentor Modern, which sold out 84% of its 605 units on its opening weekend back in Sep 2022. However, one would presume that this was because, unlike Lentor Hills Residences, Lentor Modern is a mixed-use development with commercial spaces on its ground floor, plus it is also directly connected to Lentor MRT station.
It seems that the added perks of having things like a supermarket, eateries and an MRT station at your doorstep is highly appreciated by homebuyers, which led to its higher popularity!
Prices for units at Lentor Hills Residences started at around $1,834 psf, and eventually averaged out to $2,080 psf. This translates to starting prices of around $945K for 1-bedders, $1.82M for 3-bedders, and $2.53M for 4-bedders. Dual-key units started at upwards of $2.64M. This is because they are larger in size than their ‘normal’ counterparts of the same number of bedrooms.
Compared with Lentor Modern ($1,856 psf – $2,538 psf at launch), Lentor Hills Residences is certainly cheaper. This is presumably also because of the added perks of Lentor Modern that sets it apart in the eyes of the market. As of time of writing, Lentor Modern is already about 90% sold, with its average selling price stabilised to around $2,102 psf.
What do we like about Lentor Hills Residences?
Proximity to MRT station
Image credit: Land Transport Guru
One of the biggest draws of this condo is that it’s within walking distance of an MRT station – 3 to 5 minutes away, to be exact.
Lentor MRT is part of the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), which gives you easy connectivity to places such as Woodlands, Orchard, and even Marina Bay. Come 2024 and 2025, the TEL will open up even more stations, unlocking the likes of Tanjong Katong, Siglap, and Bedok South.
The next closest MRT station is Yio Chu Kang, which is about a 10-minute bus ride away.
Next to popular nature spots
Image credit: The Smart Local
Living here means being in close proximity to popular nature spots such as Lower Peirce Reservoir and Thomson Nature Park, the former of which is idyllic especially in the early morning and evenings. If a jog or trek is not your thing, pop by for a leisurely stroll along the waterfront. Alternatively, you can even set up a small picnic to enjoy the serene environment.
In addition, there will be 2 small parks developed in the Lentor Estate – Hillock Park and Linear Park. This’ll link the estate with Lower Peirce Reservoir.
Image credit: The Smart Local
Thomson Nature Park may not be as well-known as Lower Pierce Reservoir, but it’s just as beautiful. Opened in 2019, the park used to be home to a small Hainanese settlement in the 1930s. You can still find the ruins of old houses there. Walking through the park is almost like taking a trip down memory lane.
Reputable brand-name schools in the vicinity
Lentor Hills Residences happens to be close to reputable brand-name schools, which is something many homebuyers with kids – or planning to have one – look out for. Schools within the 1-2km radius include CHIJ St Nicholas, Presbyterian High School, Anderson Primary, Anderson Serangoon Junior College, and Mayflower Primary School.
High investability through price appreciation & rental demand
From our assessment, Lentor Hills Residences is actually a prospective pick for investment returns. For starters, there is room for price appreciation in the future. The estate seems relatively sparse right now. However, once Lentor Modern is up and running, the estate will become a small vibrant estate, akin to what Woodleigh Mall has done for the Bidadari estate.
The government has set out additional land parcels to be sold in the future. As a result, while plans have yet to be firmed up, most speculations point to either commercial projects or more private housing developments.
Image credit: Singapore Real Estate
Lentor estate is largely a private housing enclave. This means there’s a certain level of prestige and privacy associated with the area. In turn, this will undoubtedly help in boosting the attractiveness of Lentor Hills Residences.
In terms of rental demand, there is room for a healthy rate of return. Lentor Hills Residences features dual-key units. Hence, those lucky enough to buy one can live in the main unit while renting out the studio for some passive income.
Being in close proximity to an MRT station and amidst a private housing enclave are solid selling points that will attract the likes of working professionals and expats looking for easy connectivity and commuting options to work.
Lentor Hills Residences condo review
Image credit: Lentor Hills Residences
To recap, Lentor Hills Residences is a decent choice for those looking to live in a fairly central location that’s within walking distance to an MRT station. As of time of writing, there are a few units left – mainly 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom units. There are also five 3-bedroom and four 4-bedroom dual-key units remaining.
However, we do expect demand to pick up again. Thus, we would caution against taking too long if you’re seriously considering purchasing a unit here.
If you’re interested in a unit, you’ll get the best price by reaching out to the Lentor Hills Residences developer team directly here.
For more on condo launches in 2023:
- Most affordable condos based on price PSF
- Condos with discounts of up to $1.16M
- Newton condo with up to $440K off
Cover image adapted from: Lentor Hills Residences, Land Transport Guru, The Smart Local
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