This February, the HDB will be launching close to 4,410 new homes in four estates: Kallang/Whampoa, Queenstown, Jurong West and Tengah. While most of them are familiar names to many of us, Tengah in particular is still somewhat seen as an underdog or unpopular choice, primarily for being the ‘youngest’ estate amongst the four of them and so not being as developed as the others.
However, as we’ll explore, there are in fact quite a few merits of Tengah as a BTO choice for this upcoming launch exercise. Yes, it’s fairly ulu, but if you’re not too particular about spending a little more time travelling around, then here’s a breakdown why Tengah might just be the estate for you.
Offerings in Tengah at a glance
Here’s a quick low-down on what to expect for this upcoming February 2023 BTO launch exercise, and how Tengah features in all of this.
Image credit: HDB
Out of the 4,410 flats up for sale, 1,640 of them will come from Tengah. Unlike previous BTO launches (e.g. Nov 2022), all 1,640 units will be concentrated at just one project alone this time around.
Where will the new flats be located in Tengah?
Location-wise, the project will be located along Brickland Crescent and Tengah Boulevard, which are new roads that will be constructed.
However in the years to come, you can expect Tengah to be progressively developed into a vibrant and bustling town, similar to how Punggol has grown from a small district into a huge, youthful estate with plenty of amenities and recreational facilities for its residents.
Image credit: HDB
According to the site-map drawn up by HDB, there are already quite a few interesting plans lined up for Tengah. In particular, easily accessible or close by to the blocks being launched this February. For example, it seems that there will be a Health & Medical Care Facility right next to the block, along with other features like a Civic & Community Institution and a Forest Corridor just a short walk away.
Because Tengah is expected to be a town filled with mostly young couples and families like Punggol, you can expect a decent amount of child-friendly facilities and amenities designed to fit the needs of growing families.
Schools:
Because Tengah is a fairly new estate, there aren’t a lot of choices right now in terms of schools. The closest schools are:
- Concord Primary School
- Choa Chu Kang Primary School
- Dunearn Secondary School
Speaking of neighbouring estates, one thing that interested buyers may want to note is that this upcoming project is actually located further away from the centre of Tengah, and closer to the North-East edge where it borders with Keat Hong.
While this means that the MRT stations won’t be a walk away, it does mean less noise, and also less congestion on the roads.
And just for a little bit of side knowledge, the entire Tengah estate will be divided into five residential districts, named Plantation, Park, Garden, Brickland, and Forest Hill. Based on its location, the flats being launched this February would most likely be classed under Brickland.
Verdict for the Tengah BTO
Here’s one of the benefits of applying for a BTO at Tengah for this upcoming exercise: It is the only estate that will be offering 5-room flats. The other estates (Kallang/Whampoa, Queenstown and Jurong West) offer similar 2-room Flexi, 3-room and 4-room units, but only Tengah will have 5-room flats up for sale this exercise, alongside the other unit types.
As such, if you’re looking for a spacious home to accommodate your large family or just prefer the luxury of space, then Tengah is the BTO project to choose. There’s also the resale trend favouring larger units such judging by the high volume of jumbo flat and newly MOP-ed 5-room units. So going for a 5-room might potentially have good resale value potential should you choose to sell it eventually.
Being a very new estate, there is quite a lot of room for properties in Tengah to appreciate in price in the long run. This is because there are massive things planned for Tengah, to transform what is essentially a barren, empty area right now to a vibrant and bustling town.
According to the HDB, Tengah is slated to be the first HDB town with smart technologies town-wide with a focus on green, sustainable features and community-centric spaces.
In the future, more amenities and features will be progressively introduced, which will likely drive up resale prices in the vicinity.
Indicative prices of the Tengah Feb 2023 BTO launch
Make no mistake – it seems highly likely that the Tengah BTOs will be the most affordable compared to the other estates being launched this February.
Image credit: InDesignLiveAsia
To give a rough sense of how prices might shape up for this coming BTO exercise, here are the indicative launch prices from the previous Nov 2022 and Feb 2022 BTO exercises, where more BTOs in Tengah were launched:
As you can see, you can pretty much be certain that these will be the cheapest across the board, with perhaps only Jurong West being comparatively similar. For instance, SRX estimates that for the Kallang/Whampoa BTOs being launched, a 3-room flat would range between $300K-$470K, and a 4-room for $430K-$710K.
For the Queenstown BTOs launched in Nov 2022, a 3-room went for upwards of $362K, and a 4-room for $516K.
Granted, it isn’t exactly an apple to apple comparison; admittedly, places like Kallang/Whampoa and Queenstown are far more central and accessible than the likes of Tengah, and this is reflected in the indicative prices for its BTOs. However, if you are on a tight budget and wouldn’t mind living in a less central location, then Tengah makes a great choice.
Tengah February 2023 BTO review
In summary, here are the pros and cons of choosing Tengah for this upcoming BTO exercise:
Pros:
- Only estate to offer 5-room BTOs during this launch
- Most affordable amongst the other choices
- Highest potential for modest price appreciation
Cons:
- Undoubtedly, it is a bit ulu and far out from the rest of Singapore
- Over the next few years, will have to contend with large amounts of construction in the estate, which may generate noise and dust pollution
- Little amenities at the start, but will progressively get more over time
If you’re interested, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more details, which will be released closer to launch day. On the whole, Tengah is the newest kid on the block – kind of like what Punggol was over 10 years ago – and so holds massive promise for its residents over the long term. Despite being a little far out, if its plans are anything to go by, then Tengah is shaping up to be the next jewel of the West, and we can’t wait to see how it’ll look like in the future.
Check out the reviews of the other BTO projects launching this February:
- Kallang/Whampoa February 2023 BTO Review
- Jurong West February 2023 BTO Review
- Queenstown February 2023 BTO Review
Cover image adapted from: HDB
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