HDB BTO Focus Series (September 2023): (Almost) Any Pick Is A Good Pick

According to a recent announcement by the Minister for National Development, Desmond Lee, HDB has started clearing out their backlogs for delayed BTO projects quickly. With this plan, HDB will be able to clear all the delayed BTOs from Covid-19 pandemic by 2025. That’s certainly news to celebrate for those who are eagerly awaiting their keys. And for new BTO applicants, this means that their housing projects are going to be built much faster.

There is a certain irony then, that this BTO launch was delayed. Originally expected in August, it was postponed to late September/early October. This is because the ballot results for the previous launch were delayed till August.

As the next BTO launch comes close, it is time to make your choice on which BTO to opt for. If you didn’t manage to secure a ballot number in the last round of BTO, the good news is that almost any choice you make in this BTO launch is going to be a good one.

No. 6: Kallang/Whampoa – Jalan Tenteram (Closer To Potong Pasir)

Source: HDB

What We Love About This BTO

If you are lucky enough to get this BTO, you will be living on the cusp of the Toa Payoh and Kallang/Whampoa area. You will be living within walking distance to the Kim Keat area and also within reach of the sports facilities around SAFRA Toa Payoh. There’s Toa Payoh Town Park, Toa Payoh Swimming Complex, Toa Payoh ActiveSG Gym, and SAFRA Toa Payoh along Lorong 6 Toa Payoh.

Jalan Tenteram is the street where the old school “landed” HDB Terraces were built. Living on the same street along these “landed” HDB Terraces will make it seem like you are living among the wealthy in a “landed” area.

What You Might Not Like About This BTO

Every choice in this BTO launch is seemingly a good choice, except for this BTO near Potong Pasir.

It is a convergence of multiple factors that are at the bottom of a buyer’s wish list: Noise coming from being right beside the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE), nowhere near an MRT station (yet?), and being at the end of the Jalan Tenteram road.

Luckily for interested applicants, this plot falls under the Kallang/Whampoa area, which means that your ballot number will allow you to pick from other Kallang/Whampoa plots as well.

Mortgage Master Rating

• Own Stay Potential: 6/10
• Resale Potential: 6/10
• Rental Potential: 5/10
• TOTAL SCORE: 17/30

No. 5: Kallang/Whampoa – Jalan Rajah (Closer To Toa Payoh)

Source: HDB

What We Love About This BTO

This BTO plot is located just a few streets away from Jalan Tenteram, which means that you can enjoy all the amenities available in the area. For those who dislike the constant white noise from the PIE, this plot offers a better choice as it is slightly further away.

Another advantage of this BTO plot over the one in Jalan Tenteram is its proximity to the Toa Payoh area. With only an overhead bridge across the PIE separating you, you can easily access a wide range of sporting and retail amenities in Toa Payoh.

What You Might Not Like About This BTO

While this BTO plot is near Toa Payoh (and Potong Pasir), it’s almost at the outskirts of the Kallang/Whampoa estate. When we talk about living in Kallang/Whampoa, you should be expecting much more amenities than what this BTO is currently able to offer.

Mortgage Master Rating

• Own Stay Potential: 6/10
• Resale Potential: 6/10
• Rental Potential: 6/10
• TOTAL SCORE: 18/30

No. 4: Tengah

Source: HDB

What We Love About This BTO

Being the latest edition to Singapore’s map of estates, Tengah will be an up-and-coming estate with good capital appreciation potential. Some might say that Tengah is a ghost town at this current moment, but so was Punggol when it was first announced. But if you put your perspective to 20 years down the horizon, you will be able to better appreciate this BTO more.

Despite Tengah being a new town, the transportation network has already been well thought through. There are three MRT stations around this BTO with one of them right at the foot of the plot.

What You Might Not Like About This BTO

As a new estate, there’s a lot of uncertainties around how development in Tengah will turn out. There’s also the whole hoo-ha about how ugly the new Centralised Cooling System (CCS) looks like for Tengah residents.

Furthermore, it's important to take into account that the amenities for this BTO (Built-To-Order) will not be ready at the time of key collection. The Jurong Region Line (JRL) is projected to commence operations in 2027, and the stations near this BTO will only be operational in 2028. During the initial years of residing in this BTO, you will have to cope with these inconveniences.

Mortgage Master Rating

• Own Stay Potential: 6/10
• Resale Potential: 8/10
• Rental Potential: 5/10
• TOTAL SCORE: 19/30

No. 3: Choa Chu Kang (Bukit Panjang)

Source: HDB

What We Love About This BTO

At first glance, you might think that you are living in the Choa Chu Kang estates. But the reality is that this BTO is much closer to Bukit Panjang than it is to Choa Chu Kang. It’s a big plus point for this BTO, given that there are three shopping malls right next to it. The MRT station is also well-connected to this BTO, making travel a fairly easy thing for residents. What You Might Not Like About This BTO

The Bukit Panjang area has been a hotspot for new condo developments in recent years. Phoenix Residences, The Myst, The Botany at Dairy Farm, The Arden, Dairy Farm Residences, and Midwood are a handful of projects that have launched in the region. It is fair to say that Bukit Panjang is going to get more crowded in years to come. And that may not be such a bad thing if the condo developments help to lift home prices in the area.

Mortgage Master Rating

• Own Stay Potential: 7/10
• Resale Potential: 7/10
• Rental Potential: 6/10
• TOTAL SCORE: 20/30

No. 2: Queenstown

Source: HDB

What We Love About This BTO

When you have a BTO launch in Queenstown, it will be bound to generate interest among BTO aspirants. While there have been a couple of launches in Queenstown in recent BTOs, it is still a relatively rare sight in the area. This is especially true since it’s within walking distance from the Commonwealth MRT station.

If you are lucky enough to get a nice ballot number, you will get a chance to live beside the One-North area, which is touted as Singapore’s own Silicon Valley. That’s going to have an uplift effect on the resale and rental potential for this BTO.

Plus, its location near the Rail Corridor and one-North park also makes it a great location for those who love to experience nature on the weekends.

What You Might Not Like About This BTO

Price is definitely going to be a factor for this BTO. Queenstown is a mature estate and we all know how prices in the mature estate has been trending. There might even be a possibility that this BTO will fall under the Prime Location Housing (PLH) scheme, which means that you have an added five years of MOP.

Mortgage Master Rating

• Own Stay Potential: 8/10
• Resale Potential: 7/10
• Rental Potential: 7/10
• TOTAL SCORE: 22/30

No. 1: Kallang

Source: HDB

What We Love About This BTO

This upcoming BTO is set to be the crème de la crème among the September BTO launches, and it's not difficult to understand why.

Location-wise, it boasts a city fringe position, merely an eight-minute drive from the Central Business District (CBD) along Nicoll Highway and Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE). Even when using public transport, the commute takes just under 20 minutes.

Additionally, you'll be conveniently close to Aljunied, which offers a plethora of delicious food options for supper. In case you'd rather stay in, you have the option to order from famous eateries in the Aljunied area through food delivery services.

What You Might Not Like About This BTO

It is almost certain that this BTO will fall under the PLH scheme. Otherwise, prices are going to be so high for this BTO that it will price out certain groups of applicants.

Another concern is the demand for this BTO. Even with the PLH scheme, there’s bound to be strong demand for a ballot number.

Lastly, you will need a bit of luck with this BTO. As it falls under the Kallang/Whampoa estate, you it will be mixed with the other two BTO plots (5 and 6 on this list). Without a good ballot number, you might just miss out on the units at this plot.

Mortgage Master Rating

• Own Stay Potential: 9/10
• Resale Potential: 7/10
• Rental Potential: 8/10
• TOTAL SCORE: 24/30

Planning The Right Financing For Your First Home

As the prospect of becoming a homeowner dawn upon you, it’s time to start planning your finances so that you can be confident about your affordability. Engaging a mortgage broker can help you determine your affordability to avoid overleveraging on your future income. At the same time, a mortgage broker can help you to source for the best deal in the market to keep the cost of home ownership as low as possible.

At Mortgage Master, we know the latest home loan packages in the market and can sometimes even offer exclusive interest rate packages that you cannot get directly from the bank. Fill up our enquiry form and our mortgage consultants will follow up with a call.