Ang Mo Kio HDB Properties

THE Housing and Development Board has launched a third Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) site for sale. The latest site, which is at Ang Mo Kio Street 52, is the second to be launched for sale this year.

The site area is 16,789.1 sq m (180,716 sq ft), with an allowable gross floor area of 58,761.85 sq m (632,506 sq ft). It is close to the Ang Mo Kio town centre with its MRT station, bus interchange and the AMK Hub.

Noting the attractive location of the new site, Savills Singapore director of marketing and business development Ku Swee Yong said that he believes the site could fetch between $110 million and $125 million or about $170 to $200 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr).

The development is targeted at HDB upgraders or en bloc sale downgraders, and Mr Ku said that he expects a good take-up because the stock of vacant HDB flats has fallen of late.

Mr Ku highlighted that recent suburban condominiums like The Parc condominium in the West Coast and The Soleil at Novena had sold well, ‘even though this is traditionally a quiet month for property sales’.

The successful developer will be required to build a minimum of 30 per cent of the flats with a floor area of 95 sq m or less – equivalent to flats of four rooms or smaller.

CBRE Research estimated that the site can yield more than 500 units. CBRE added: ‘Given the established residential environment in Ang Mo Kio, together with the known popularity of DBSS units, we expect a good response from mid-sized developers and joint venture of contractors and developers.’

Upon building completion, the successful developer will hand over the entire development site to the HDB for lease administration, and to the Town Council for maintenance of the common areas and car parks.

The tender will close at noon on Tuesday, Nov 27.

The second DBSS site, at Boon Keng Road, was awarded in June. It sold for $233.74 psf ppr – double the $113.64 psf ppr price for the first DBSS site in Tampines sold in Jan 2006.

Source: Business Times 12 Sept 07

A CHOICE site close to amenities in Ang Mo Kio has been earmarked for the third public housing project to be designed, built and sold by private developers.

The site, which analysts estimate can fit about 550 flats, and blocks that rise up to about 36 storeys, will be launched for tender by the HDB today. The tender closes on Nov 27.

Already, property analysts expect strong demand from developers, and later, by home-hunters. This comes after red-hot demand when the first public-private project went on sale in Tampines last year.

The 1.7ha plot in Ang Mo Kio Street 52 is a stone’s throw from Ang Mo Kio town centre and the recentlyopened commercial and transport complex Ang Mo Kio Hub.

Some of the flats will appeal to homebuyers on lower budgets. The developer that snags the Ang Mo Kio site will have to reserve at least 30 per cent of the project for four-room or smaller units.

Property analysts say the site is set to be a winner. It is near the leafy Ang Mo Kio Town Garden East, as well as Ang Mo Kio MRT station and a host of shops in the mature town.

Property agency Propnex’s chief executive, Mr Mohamed Ismail said: ‘This is a sure-sell location.’

Dennis Wee Properties director Chris Koh expects the land to fetch $125 million, while Savills Singapore’s director of marketing and business development Ku Swee Yong predicted a range of $100 million to $125 million.

Mr Mohamed expects the flats there to go for between $350,000 and $400,000 each.

The land parcel has a 103-year lease, and the developer will have to complete the project within four years of buying the land. The apartments will come with elderly-friendly features, as seen in new HDB flats now.

Under the hybrid scheme launched two years ago, developers design, build, price and sell flats built according to the broad rules of public housing. This means that common spaces have to be easy to maintain, that buyers have to meet ethnic quotas, and that only family units can buy the flats, for example.

Interest in these flats has been keen so far because they are located in mature estates and come with fittings more commonly found in private housing, such as bay windows.

The first batch of 616 Tampines units, being developed by Sim Lian Land, received close to 6,000 applications last year. Most were five-room units in blocks up to 17 storeys high, priced at between $308,000 and $450,000.

The second batch of about 700 flats in Boon Keng Road will be launched for sale later this year by a consortium led by Hoi Hup Realty. It will comprise three 40-storey blocks.

12sept07_st_3rdsite4condolikepublicflatsinamk2.pdf 

Source: The Straits Times 12 Sept 07

Now, let’s talk about 4-Room flats in Ang Mo Kio.

Generally, there are 3 types of 4-Room in Ang Mo Kio.

1. 4NG (door-to-door or corner units)

Build-in: 92sqm (non-upgraded), 98sqm (upgraded)

Features:

• 2 types: Corner units (within a mixture of 3- and 4-Room flats), and Door-to-Door (where there are only 4-Room flats in the entire block).
• Almost similar to 3NG but it’s a bigger version.
• Generally, most buyers prefer the purely 4-Room flats especially the upgraded ones because of the privacy it offers and that the lift is only shared by 2 families.
• The age of the properties are usually 25 years and above.

2. 4A (corridor or corner units)

Build-in: 90sqm – 95sqm

Features:

• Generally new flats that are less than 10 years except for Blk 317 (< 15 years)
• Attached toilet in master bedroom
• Smaller kitchen as compared to 4NG except for Blk 317

3. 4NG Variable (Corner units)

Build-in: 82sqm

Features:

• usually a mixture between 3-room and 4NG Variable.
• Layout is exactly the same as a 3.5-room except that there is a room in the dining area.
• Property age is generally 25 years and above. 

There are many types of 3 rooms available in Singapore. However, to simplify the situation, I’ll just focus on Ang Mo Kio.

There are 3 types of 3-Room in Ang Mo Kio, namely:

1. 3-NG (normally corridor units)

Build-in: 68sqm (for non-upgraded), 73sqm (for upgraded)

Features:

• 2 bedrooms, 1 master bedroom, 1 common bedroom 
• 1 attached toilet in master bedroom
• Long and wide kitchen space
• 1 toilet with shower area in kitchen
• 1 storeroom

2. 3.5 rm (generally corner units or intermediate)

Build-in: 82sqm (for non-upgraded), 88sqm (for upgraded)

Features:

• Almost similar to 3NG but there’s a dining area.
• Much bigger storeroom

 3. 3I (generally corridor units)

Build-in: 59sqm – 63sqm

Features:

• 2 bedrooms, 1 bedroom is larger than the other.
• No attached toilet in master bedroom.
• 1 shower area in kitchen
• 1 WC area in kitchen

Note that for all the HDB 3-Room flats in Ang Mo Kio, the property age is at least 23 years old and above. There are no 3-Room flat that is less than 10 years in Ang Mo Kio.