When buying a property, especially condos, it is always location, location, location! But in land scarce Singapore, buying a property in the CCR or even RCR may be out of reach for some of us. So we have to make do with buying in areas further away from the city center. In today’s article we look at some condos in areas that are not in the CCR or RCR but worth considering.
Bartley / Mount Vernon
This area which houses the Gurkha Camp is fast becoming a popular location for both property investors and home buyers. Located between Upper Paya Lebar Road and Upper Serangoon, this area may seem remote but it is a quiet and peaceful neighborhood with many amenities. Located nearby is the Bidadari Estate which used to be a cemetery that made way for public housing and a private condo project in 2013. Also in this area is Singapore’s first air-conditioned underground bus interchange which will be located under the HDB flats
This area is also serviced by 3 MRT stations (Serangoon, Woodleigh and Bartley) on both the Circle Line and North East Line giving easy access to all parts of the island. For car owners, nearby expressways include the CTE, KPE and PIE, making journeys to the CBD and Orchard area a breeze.
For retail therapy, you can visit NEX along upper Serangoon Road, Paya Lebar Quarters, Heartland Mall, BreadTalk IHQ Mall and Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre. Prestigious schools in the vicinity include Maris Stella High School, Paya Lebar MGS, Montfort Secondary School and CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity.
With such conveniences, it is little wonder that property developers are showing a keen interest here, with developments such as Bartley Residences, Bartley Vue, The Lilium, The Gazania and many more.
For home owners looking for a property within this area, Bartley Vue is a good choice. Located Jalan Bunga Rampai off Bartley Road, this condo is a 3 minute walk to Bartley MRT station along the Circle Line. Drivers can easily access the major expressways within a 5 minute drive. For nature lovers, the Bunga Rampai Park is right at your doorstep and Punggol Park, a 15 minute drive away. When the Bidadari New Town is fully developed, you will have access to even more amenities and modern conveniences..
Tanah Merah / New Upper Changi
Further eastward from the Mount Vernon location is the Tanah Merah / New Upper Changi area. This area is just outside Bedok New Town and is serviced by MRT stations such as Bedok and Tanah Marah and easily connected to the Expo and Paya Lebar stations. For those working in the aviation industry, Changi Airport is just 2 MRT stations away, making traveling to the airport extremely quick. Car drivers can easily get to the Orchard Area, Shenton Way and the MBFC in less than 20 minutes by using the major expressways such as PIE and ECP.
For shopping, you can visit Bedok Mall, Changi Point Mall, Simpang Bedok and Eastwood Shopping Centre where you can find everything you need without having to go downtown. For food lovers, there is the famous 85 Fengshan food market, well-known for its bak chor mee, satay bee hoon, sambal stingray and Orh Luak (fried oyster omelette).
There are many schools for all levels of education, from Primary to Secondary to University levels and they include Nearby St. Anthony's Canossian Primary, Red Swastika School, Yu Neng Primary, Temasek Primary and Secondary, Bedok Green Primary and Secondary, Fengshan Primary, Anglican High School, Bedok View Secondary, Bedok South Secondary, United World College, Temasek Junior College, and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).
For working adults, there are the Singapore Expo and Changi Business Park, also known as the CDB of the East, where many leading technology and financial corporations such as DBS Bank, Citibank, Standard Chartered, Dell, Huawei have offices there.
Amongst the developments in this area is the 99 year tenured Grandeur Park Residences, which is just next to Tanah Merah MRT station. Going to Changi Airport is just 2 MRT stops away and driving to the CBD takes less than 20 minutes. Completed in 2020, this 720 unit development is fifteen storeys high and has two commercial shops and a childcare center.
This “smart home” development comes equipped with a portable wireless Smart Home Gateway that allows you to control and automate your home according to your lifestyle. With motion detect function, night vision, cloud storage and 2-way audio, you can monitor your home remotely through the mobile app, ensuring security and peace of mind.
Clementi
In 2008, the government unveiled plans to transform the western region into the largest regional center outside the CBD. In addition to the One-North hub, the west will be Singapore's second CBD with a commercial hub at Jurong Gateway and several business districts.
Within the western region of Singapore is Clementi town, a popular residential area and the location of Singapore’s National University (NUS), Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Singapore Polytechnic and many other education institutions.
Sandwiched between Bukit Timah and Jurong, Clementi is more than just schools. Conveniently located, Clementi is just a 15 minute drive to downtown Orchard Road and 5 minutes away from the hip Holland Village. With easy access to the PIE and AYE, drivers can get to any part of SIngapore rather quickly. For non drivers, you have the Clemnti and Dover stations along the East-West MRT line with possible link-ups to the under construction Cross Island Line.
For shoppers, besides Holland V, there is the popular Clementi Mall, Bukit Timah Plaza, 321 Clementi and West Coast Plaza. Food lovers can get their fix from the well-known Ayer Rajah and Ghim Moh Food Centres.
Besides NUS and S’pore Poly, there are many prestigious primary and secondary schools such as Nan Hua Primary School and High School, Pei Tong Primary, NUS High School, New Town Secondary, ACS Independent, ACJC and Ngee Ann Poly.
Nature lovers will like that there is plenty of greenery such as the West Coast Park, West Coast Green and Firefly Park with cycling paths and park connectors for leisure and recreational purposes.
With so many plus points, it is little wonder there are many private condos in this area and Parc Clematis is one of them. With One-North, MediaPolis, Metropolis, Biopolis and Fusionopolis just 2 MRT stops away, this development is a favorite with homeowners for its easy access to work and also investors seeking good rental yield. Amenities in this condo include three 50m lap pools; a pets’ lawn; two jacuzzi alcoves, hydrotherapy pool, dining & relaxing pavilions, and many others.
So if you are looking for a conveniently located condo, look beyond the CCR and RCR and you may find a gem or two. Use www.mogul.sg with its smart search functions and 3D map technology that allows you see sunlight facing and floor views digitally before actual on ground viewing, saving you time and effort.
Comments