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10 less-known old freehold condos with spacious units

10 less-known old freehold condos with spacious units
PHOTO: Stackedhomes

Everyone knows the usual classification of properties in Singapore: condos, HDBs, shophouses, landed homes, etc.

But there are certain subsets within each category that perhaps need more explaining (and are harder to find). For example, large freehold condos with big units. Or, large freehold condos with big units that have few facilities so that you have low monthly maintenance.

This week, we look at one niche subset — small freehold condos that have limited facilities for more affordable monthly maintenance.

Not everyone feels that common facilities are the best part of private housing. For every one person who likes a big pool or a second tennis court, there's a buyer who just likes the location, and wishes those monthly costs would go down. This has been especially pronounced in recent years, with some buyers decrying extravagances like concierge services, rock-climbing walls, and free shuttle services (which as drivers they may never use).

For these buyers, we've picked out a list of freehold apartments (that are small for exclusivity), that will also spare them the maintenance fees of pricey facilities:

Why skip common facilities?

Apartments without common facilities have lower maintenance fees. A famous example of this is People's Park Complex, which has some of the lowest maintenance fees; some owners pay as little as $100 a month (but this even excludes free parking, so drivers may not like it!)

There's also a tendency for the units to be cheaper overall, but it's hard to isolate this; many "pure" apartment-type projects, such as walk-ups, are also cheaper due to the lack of landscaping or 24/7 security.

In any case, this makes such units appealing to two groups: those who don't care for pools, BBQ pits, etc., and also landlords. The lower quantum on these properties, plus lower maintenance, means a higher gross and net rental yield.

Here are some interesting options on the market right now:

Project Tenure Completion Year Units
The Hacienda Freehold 1985 109
Valley Mansion Freehold 1970 50
Thomson Grove Freehold 1984 116
Lloyd Mansion Freehold 1963 36
Kim Sia Court Freehold 1970 172
Oxley Mansion Freehold 1963 44
Eber Gardens Freehold 1991 14
Kum Hing Court Freehold 1990 112
Botanic Gardens Mansion/Botanic Gardens View Freehold 1970 112
Siglap Court Freehold 1984 12

1. The Hacienda

Location: Hacienda Grove (District 15)

Developer: Assobuild Realty Pte Ltd

Lease: Freehold

Completion: 1985

Number of units: 109

Project Name Transacted Price ($) Area (SQFT) Unit Price ($ PSF) Sale Date Address Type of Sale Type of Area Area (SQM) Unit Price ($ PSM) Nett Price($) Property Type Number of Units Tenure Completion Date Purchaser Address Indicator Postal Code Postal District Postal Sector Planning Region Planning Area
THE HACIENDA $2,800,000 1894 $1,478 15 Sept 2022 4 HACIENDA GROVE #03-03 Resale Strata 176 15909 Condominium 1 Freehold 1985 Private 457910 15 45 East Region Bedok
THE HACIENDA $3,050,000 1894 $1,610 7 Jul 2023 6 HACIENDA GROVE #02-02 Resale Strata 176 17330 Condominium 1 Freehold 1985 Private 457912 15 45 East Region Bedok
THE HACIENDA $2,400,000 1561 $1,538 20 Oct 2022 3 HACIENDA GROVE #04-04 Resale Strata 145 16552 Condominium 1 Freehold 1986 Private 457909 15 45 East Region Bedok
THE HACIENDA $5,400,000 3229 $1,672 13 Oct 2022 5 HACIENDA GROVE #01-02 Resale Strata 300 18000 Condominium 1 Freehold 1986 Private 457911 15 45 East Region Bedok
THE HACIENDA $2,680,000 1894 $1,415 27 May 2022 3 HACIENDA GROVE #03-02 Resale Strata 176 15227 Condominium 1 Freehold 1986 Private 457909 15 45 East Region Bedok

The Hacienda does actually have condo-like facilities such as a pool and gym; but these are rather bare-bones, and it more closely resembles the many walk-ups in the Siglap area.

The Hacienda is one of the more private developments, being tucked away at Hacienda Grove (a little-noticed turn off East Coast Road). This is a low-density area, and it's far enough from the lifestyle stretch (the Katong area) that it avoids traffic and noise.

From the project down to Siglap Centre, you'll find many eateries from Japanese Izakayas to steakhouses; and there's an NTUC FairPrice roughly six minutes down the road. A little further down is Siglap Centre, across from which you'll find a Cold Storage.

The Hacienda is also more conveniently located than it looks. If you hop on bus 14 right outside this project, for example, it will take you straight to the Joo Chiat/Katong area in a few stops; this area has i12 Katong (a mall just across from Parkway Parade), and a long stretch of family-friendly bars and diners.

The upcoming Marine Parade MRT station (TEL) is just across from i12 Katong and in front of Parkway Parade; so some might count this as a viable bus connection to the MRT.

2. Valley Mansion

Location: Oxley Road (District 9)

Developer: 

Lease: Freehold

Completion: 1970

Number of units: 50

Project Name Transacted Price ($) Area (SQFT) Unit Price ($ PSF) Sale Date Address Type of Sale Type of Area Area (SQM) Unit Price ($ PSM) Nett Price($) Property Type Number of Units Tenure Completion Date Purchaser Address Indicator Postal Code Postal District Postal Sector Planning Region Planning Area
VALLEY MANSION $1,880,000 1141 $1,648 30 Mar 2021 62C OXLEY ROAD Resale Strata 106 17736 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 238647 9 23 Central Region River Valley
VALLEY MANSION $1,800,000 1141 $1,578 14 Feb 2020 68D OXLEY ROAD Resale Strata 106 16981 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 238653 9 23 Central Region River Valley

If you absolutely must live near Orchard, but still want a freehold home, and your budget is tight, Valley Mansion is one of the few viable choices. This 50-unit project is a remnant from 1970, making it one of the oldest properties we've seen, even among freehold projects.

The aesthetics aren't great, and the façade is dated. At first glance, it looks more like public than private housing. Given its age, you have no facilities to speak of. There's no security, it's a completely open-air car park, and there are no lifts either so you have to walk up — which is why the maintenance costs here can be kept low.

Nonetheless, Valley Mansion has a reasonably convenient location along Oxley Road.

You can get to Orchard Central on foot in about seven minutes from this apartment, and this mall is connected to Somerset MRT station (NSL). This is within the heart of the Orchard shopping belt, so just about every retail and food amenity you need is nearby.

Alternatively, you can walk to UE Square in about nine minutes. Apart from being a mall, the Fort Canning MRT station (DTL) is just across from UE Square. This means residents have foot access to two different train lines.

For something nearer, you can also take a short walk to the Killiney Road area, where there is a 24-hour NTUC along with several eateries along the road (some of which are open till the wee hours).

There have been talks of en bloc at this freehold apartment given the location, but this has been hampered by the low plot ratio and LKY's former home at Oxley Road.

He mentioned in his book that he hoped that his home would be demolished, which could help with changing the planning rules and bringing the land value of the area up — but as of yet, there have been no concrete plans as to what might happen. The piece of land next to Valley Mansion is owned by Far East Organisation (where it's been used as a show flat, the last of which was Parksuites). So there could be further interest here, in the future.

There hasn't been a transaction here in a long time; the last was back in February 2020, when a 1,141 sq ft unit transacted at a mere $1.015 million. While it's almost certain to be higher today, it's still likely to be a rare affordable choice in Orchard.

3. Kim Sia Court

Location: Jalan Jintan (District 9)

Developer: 

Lease: Freehold

Completion: 1970

Number of units: 172

Project Name Transacted Price ($) Area (SQFT) Unit Price ($ PSF) Sale Date Address Type of Sale Type of Area Area (SQM) Unit Price ($ PSM) Nett Price($) Property Type Number of Units Tenure Completion Date Purchaser Address Indicator Postal Code Postal District Postal Sector Planning Region Planning Area
KIM SIA COURT $2,100,000 1066 $1,971 27 Sept 2021 19 JALAN JINTAN #09-21 Resale Strata 99 21212 Apartment 1 Freehold HDB 229012 9 22 Central Region Newton
KIM SIA COURT $3,050,000 1421 $2,147 15 Jun 2023 9 JALAN JINTAN #04-11 Resale Strata 132 23106 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 229006 9 22 Central Region Newton
KIM SIA COURT $3,188,888 1421 $2,244 29 May 2023 9 JALAN JINTAN #09-09 Resale Strata 132 24158 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 229006 9 22 Central Region Newton
KIM SIA COURT $2,600,000 1066 $2,440 15 May 2023 19 JALAN JINTAN #03-19 Resale Strata 99 26263 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 229012 9 22 Central Region Newton
KIM SIA COURT $2,938,000 1421 $2,068 8 Nov 2021 27 JALAN JINTAN #06-31 Resale Strata 132 22258 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 229017 9 22 Central Region Newton

One of the best-located freehold properties in Orchard, Kim Sia Court has sometimes been forgotten that it's still around. This small apartment project, close to the junction of Jalan Jintan and Nutmeg Road, is just behind Scott's Square (where you can get easy access to from the back, there's an NTUC Finest right here).

This is toward the "older" end of Orchard Road, where you'll find venerable malls like Far East Plaza, Lido, and Tangs. But that doesn't change the fact that residents have the best amenities on their doorstep. The Orchard Road MRT station (NSL, TEL) can be reached in around five to six minutes on foot.

Kim Sia Court does see relatively frequent transactions, with 1,400+ sq ft units transacting at just over $3 million in 2023. While that's pricey by mass market standards, we should say again that this project is situated within the Orchard shopping belt. For units of that size, $3 million is likely going to be as cheap as it gets.

From word on the ground there, there is one potential downside: a former tenant in the area claims some of the other residents are… ahem workers at Orchard Towers, although they never come back there with clients. In any case, entertainment licenses at Orchard Towers are not being renewed, so this issue will likely resolve itself soon.

Nevertheless, we've heard of a number of people who have bought a unit here specifically to wait for an en-bloc opportunity. The issue is the current prices it's already transacting at in the resale market — it's going to take a big offer to tempt sellers to move.

4. Kum Hing Court

Location: Tomlinson Road (District 10)

Developer: 

Lease: Freehold

Completion: 1990

Number of units: 112

Project Name Transacted Price ($) Area (SQFT) Unit Price ($ PSF) Sale Date Address Type of Sale Type of Area Area (SQM) Unit Price ($ PSM) Nett Price($) Property Type Number of Units Tenure Completion Date Purchaser Address Indicator Postal Code Postal District Postal Sector Planning Region Planning Area
KUM HING COURT $4,250,000 1625 $2,615 10 Nov 2021 28 TOMLINSON ROAD #05-34 Resale Strata 151 28146 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 247854 10 24 Central Region River Valley
KUM HING COURT $4,250,000 1625 $2,615 4 Jun 2021 36 TOMLINSON ROAD #02-36 Resale Strata 151 28146 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 247856 10 24 Central Region River Valley
KUM HING COURT $3,950,000 1625 $2,430 13 Aug 2020 36 TOMLINSON ROAD #05-42 Resale Strata 151 26159 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 247856 10 24 Central Region River Valley
KUM HING COURT $3,800,000 1625 $2,338 23 Jul 2020 28 TOMLINSON ROAD #06-28 Resale Strata 151 25166 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 247854 10 24 Central Region River Valley
KUM HING COURT $3,500,000 1625 $2,153 24 Feb 2020 36 TOMLINSON ROAD #05-40 Resale Strata 151 23179 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 247856 10 24 Central Region River Valley

Kum Hing Court is close to the new Orchard Boulevard MRT station (TEL), which is just one stop away from Orchard MRT (NSL, TEL). It’s roughly a six-to-seven-minute walk from the development.

This area, which is between the main shopping belt and Tanglin, is ideal for those who want privacy. You’re close to Orchard, but far away from the traffic and crowds. These apartments are also appealing to those who would trade facilities for space. Unit sizes can get to upward of 1,600 sq ft, making them very spacious for larger families.

Being closer to Tanglin, the nearest retail is Tanglin Mall, which is around a seven-minute walk. This mall has day-to-day stores like Cold Storage; so if you need to live near Orchard, but hate having to walk in Orchard Road traffic, this apartment may fit the bill.

From word on the ground, one realtor tells us the management has set up a small gym (although other facilities are still absent).

This is opposite the former Park House, which has since gone en-bloc and redeveloped into the ultra-luxurious Park Nova. Those hoping for a collective sale soon should note that Orchard Bel-Air has struggled to find a buyer for its collective sale ambitions. Along with the yet-to-sell-out Cuscaden Reserve, and 3 Orchard-by-the-Park (plus the upcoming Orchard Boulevard GLS site), means that buyers have a lot of options here.

5. Botanic Gardens View

Location: Taman Serasi (District 10)

Developer: 

Lease: Freehold

Completion: 1970

Number of units: 144

Project Name Transacted Price ($) Area (SQFT) Unit Price ($ PSF) Sale Date Address Type of Sale Type of Area Area (SQM) Unit Price ($ PSM) Nett Price($) Property Type Number of Units Tenure Completion Date Purchaser Address Indicator Postal Code Postal District Postal Sector Planning Region Planning Area
BOTANIC GARDENS VIEW $3,000,000 1410 $2,128 28 Sept 2020 19 TAMAN SERASI #06-19 Resale Strata 131 22901 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 257723 10 25 Central Region Tanglin
BOTANIC GARDENS VIEW $3,680,000 1259 $2,922 20 Apr 2023 1 TAMAN SERASI #06-01 Resale Strata 117 31453 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 257717 10 25 Central Region Tanglin
BOTANIC GARDENS VIEW $3,150,000 1410 $2,234 21 Oct 2022 19 TAMAN SERASI #01-23 Resale Strata 131 24046 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 257723 10 25 Central Region Tanglin
BOTANIC GARDENS VIEW $3,750,000 1755 $2,137 7 Apr 2022 9 TAMAN SERASI #09-15 Resale Strata 163 23006 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 257720 10 25 Central Region Tanglin
BOTANIC GARDENS VIEW $3,280,000 1410 $2,326 3 Nov 2021 27 TAMAN SERASI #06-33 Resale Strata 131 25038 Apartment 1 Freehold Private 257724 10 25 Central Region Tanglin

Botanic Gardens View has got very basic facilities, but makes up for it with the location. This small project (144 units spread out over four blocks) is situated along Cluny Road. Right across the road, as the name implies, is the Singapore Botanical Gardens. The closest entry point is the Tanglin gate.

Despite being in a landed enclave, public transport is available. Napier MRT (TEL) is just four minutes away; and this station is just one stop from Orchard Boulevard MRT. This is a best-of-both-worlds scenario, where residents have both the greenery of the botanical gardens, as well as easy access to the Orchard belt.

One potential rough spot, however, is the presence of Gleneagles Hospital nearby (around five to six minutes on foot). While we feel it’s far enough to avoid siren noises, buyers who have taboos may prefer to be situated further away.

This is a nearly identical project to the Botanic Gardens Mansion (just across the road). Neither have facilities to speak of, with a smattering of sheltered car park lots and security being the only frills that are available. This is one of those developments that the location is by far the biggest draw.

ALSO READ: 32 cheapest resale condos you can buy for $800 psf or less in 2022/23

This article was first published in Stackedhomes.

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