November 2022 HDB BTO review: Yishun

November 2022 HDB BTO review: Yishun
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November's 2022 HDB BTO launch in Yishun will see not one, not two, but three projects. 2,960 units are expected to be launched along Yishun Avenue 1, making up around 31 per cent of the overall number of units. 

This comes second to Queenstown's 3,250 units, followed by Tengah's 2,070 units.

The last launch in Yishun was back in May, with only 646 units available, so if you're eyeing Yishun as your potential place of residence, keep a close eye on this round's launch.  

Those balloting can expect two-room Flexi, three-room, four-room and five-room units. 

November 2022 Yishun HDB BTO: At a glance

Location Yishun Avenue 1
Classification Non-mature estate
Flat types and number of units 2,960 (680 + 950 + 1,330) units of two-room Flexi, three-room, four-room and five-room
Number of blocks TBA
Estimated waiting time TBA
Estimated completion date TBA
Nearest MRT Khatib MRT
Notable amenities Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Yishun Community Hospital, Safra Yishun Country Club, Yishun Park, Yishun Hawker Centre, Northpoint City, Orchid Country Club, Yishun Dam, Lower Seletar Reservoir Park

November 2022 Yishun HDB BTO: Price range

Here are the price ranges excluding grants:

Flat type Price range
Three-room $190,000 – $250,000
Four-room $280,000 – $380,000
Five-room $420,000 – $520,000

Estimated downpayment, monthly instalment and income

Based on these price ranges, we can estimate the downpayment, monthly instalments and household income needed to pay for the November 2022 Yishun BTO flat. These estimates are based on the following assumptions:

  • An HDB loan is taken, maximising the 85 per cent loan-to-value (LTV).
  • The loan tenure is 25 years, with the current interest rate of 2.6 per cent
  • There is no other housing loan to service

Let's put this into better focus by taking the median of the price ranges, without accounting for CPF grants or savings. A mortgage calculator will also be used to work out the math.

Do note that for public housing, only up to 30 per cent of your monthly household income can be used to service your home loan. 

This is called the Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR). By taking this into account, we can then find the estimated household monthly income needed for the flat.

Flat type Median price Loan amount (85 per cent) Min. downpayment (15 per cent) Estimated monthly instalment Estimated monthly household income
Three-room $220,000 $187,000 $33,000 $848.36 $2,827.86
Four-room $330,000 $280,500 $49,500 $1,272.54 $4,241.80
Five-room $470,000 $399,500 $70,500 $1,812.41 $6,041.36

November 2022 Yishun HDB BTO: The pros

Schools

There are around six primary and secondary schools within one to 2km of the projects, which will be between a nine to 20-minute walk, depending on the BTO plot selected. Parents with toddlers can also pick from the many preschools in the area. 

The preschools serving the residents in the vicinity are My First Skool, Greenland Childcare, Skool4kids Preschool, E-Bridge Infant Care & Preschool, Twinkle Tots and Little Seeds Preschool.

An interim child care centre is located one street away, at the junction of Yishun Ring Road and Yishun Avenue 11. 

Primary and secondary schools include Northview Primary School, Huamin Primary School, Northland Primary School, Naval Base Primary School, Northbrooks Secondary School, North Ville Secondary School, Orchid Park Secondary School, and Chung Cheng High School.

The nearest junior college is Yishun Innova at 3 Yishun Ring Road, which is quite a distance away. 

*The distance of schools is an approximation.

A future school will be built between the BTO plots, but no word if it'll be a preschool, primary or secondary school just yet. 

Healthcare

A health and medical centre (most likely a polyclinic) will be between the BTO plots for the resident's convenience.  

For more serious ailments and emergency healthcare, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Yishun Community Hospital are a quick five-minute drive away. Both facilities are part of the Yishun Health Campus to cater to the patient's integrated healthcare welfare. 

Green spaces

A huge plus point for future residents will be the serene water views of Lower Seletar Reservoir and the green expanse of Orchid Country Club's golf course. 

However, the country club's lease will expire in 2030 and has been marked out under URA's Master Plan as a Reserve Site for future residential developments, which might mar the water views if the new buildings are higher than the BTO blocks.

You can also look forward to a future park tucked between two of the BTO plots. 

Yishun Park is ten minutes away on foot, where you can take a respite from the stressors of daily life and bask in its lush greenery.

Opened in 1995 and developed on an old rubber plantation, the park still retains some of its past in the form of original rubber trees that were part of the kampung back then.

Let your dogs off leash at the dog run near the pond before heading to the McDonald's at the nearby Safra Yishun to indulge in burgers and fries. 

The park is also a short walk from Yishun Pond Park if you prefer to exercise by the tranquil body of water. Otter and Komodo dragon sightings have been regularly reported, so keep an eye out, and you might be able to spot them.  

There's also Lower Seletar Reservoir that's a 14-minute walk away, where you can rent a kayak and spend a few hours paddling around the reservoir and enjoying the idyllic water views.

November 2022 Yishun HDB BTO: The cons

Limited accessibility 

*Disclaimer: Walking, public transport ride, driving durations are based on Google Maps estimates. Actual times may vary.

Khatib MRT is the nearest MRT station, which will be a 22-minute walk (gasp) or a 13-minute bus ride away. Yishun MRT is slightly further away, at a 17-minute bus ride. 

Both MRT stations aren't exactly accessible, so the Yishun BTO might be more ideal for those who drive. Even so, getting to the Seletar Expressway (SLE) is a 10-minute drive via Yishun Avenue 1 and Sembawang Road.

Lack of nearby amenities

Yishun is classified as a non-mature estate, and it's pretty apparent in the lack of amenities within walking distance. The nearest supermarket is NTUC Fairprice at Yishun Ring Block 414, an eight-minute walk away. 

Alternatively, you can head to Yishun Mall (a four-minute drive), which isn't really a mall at all, but more of an open-concept cluster of heartland shops exuding an old-world charm.

You get your daily amenities and groceries there at Giant, NTUC Fairprice (both are open 24/7) and the many minimarts, bakeries and hardware shops.

There are also three coffee shops serving up a wide range of affordable local fare, so you'll never go hungry. 

Wisteria Mall (an actual mall) is a three-minute drive away, where you can find NTUC Finest, SingPost, a handful of restaurants, a kopitiam, and a KFC to fulfil your fast-food cravings.

It's a small shopping centre with only two floors, so don't expect too much. 

If you want to unlock more options, head to the largest shopping mall in Singapore – Northpoint City. Located opposite Yishun MRT (a seven-minute drive), around 400 stores and services will cater to your every whim and fancy.

Its latest expansion in 2017 added at least 100 shops and restaurants to the area, as well as an Integrated Transport Hub linking commuters to the Yishun MRT station. 

Don't hold your breath for a nearby mall, though – there aren't any spaces mapped out on URA's Master Plan for new commercial developments, so you'll have to make do with what's currently available.

November 2022 Yishun HDB BTO: Price appreciation

On the whole, Yishun has seen a price appreciation of 37.82 per cent, which is 8.15 per cent more than that of non-mature estates as a whole (29.67 per cent appreciation). 

Narrowing it down to just three-, four- and five-room flats, we can see that five-room flats have the most significant price appreciation at 35.32 per cent.

Three-room flats are a close second, at 35.30 per cent, with four-room flats following closely, at a respectable 33.02 per cent.

As of September 2022, here are the average price psf and the average price for three-room, four-room and five-room flats in Yishun.

Flat type Average price psf Average price
Three-room $500 $369,839
Four-room $463 $466,423
Five-room $481 $604,859

It’s a hair cheaper when you look at the average price psf and average prices of non-mature estates throughout Singapore.

Flat type Average price psf Average price
Three-room $507 $375,143
Four-room $491 $499,519
Five-room $478 $594,889

November 2022 Yishun HDB BTO: Conclusion

Families with young children will find the BTO projects in Yishun ideal due to the sheer number of schools in the area. 

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Residents on the higher floors can also look forward to stunning views of the Lower Seletar Reservoir, which hopefully will not be blocked by future developments on the Orchid Country Club area.

However, amenities and connectivity are sorely lacking, so it would be more convenient for those who drive. Alternatively, you can look at Kallang/Whampoa and Queenstown launches, if you prefer a more developed estate.

Or, if you are under a time crunch and want to secure a flat fast, you can pick from newly MOP-ed resale units.

Some choices include projects such as Yishun Riverwalk, Yishun Greenwalk, Acacia Breeze, Yishun Natura and Oleander Breeze.

If you found this article helpful, check out our overview of the November 2022 BTO projects.

This article was first published in 99.co.

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