VIVA VISTA (Review)

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The wife and I happened to be lunching at the Pasir Panjang area last Sunday, so we decided to drop by at the sales gallery of VIVA VISTA for a look-see.

VIVA VISTA is a 5-storey (plus attic) freehold condo project and is being marketed as a high-end exclusive development. It is sited on a 39,000sqft plot where Village Centre used to be.

The entrance to VIVA VISTA is along South Bouna Vista Road (which is also the address for the development), while the exit from the development is via Pasir Panjang Hill – a road located behind the project.

VIVA VISTA is a mixed development consisting of 144 residential units (2nd – 5th floor) + 106 commercial shop lots (1st floor and basement). It is developed by Hume Homes Pte Ltd ( Oxley), who is also responsible for boutique projects like Parc Sophia, Loft @Nathan and Suites @Guillemard – which contains what is probably the smallest studio unit in Singapore at 258sqft.

VIVA VISTA is supposedly a 7-minute walk away from the future Hwa Par Villa MRT station, 5-minute drive to Biopolis/One North/NUS, 5-minute drive to Sentosa/Vivocity/Harbourfront and 8-minutes drive to CBD & Marina Bay Sands. It is also near to Kent Ridge Park and West Coast Park. So one cannot argue about the centrality of its location.

VIVA VISTA has started previewing in end-August and was launched only in mid-September. So the wife and I were shocked to learn that only 3 of the residential units – all penthouses – are left, while 94 out of the 106 shop lots have already been sold. The average transacted price for the residential units was about $1500psf, while the shop lots were sold at a whopping average price of $2700psf!

The unit types are typically 1- and 2-bedders. But for a project with only 144 units, VIVA VISTA has a stunning 30 units of penthouses. Each penthouse unit occupies 2-level, i.e. 5th floor + attic.

• 1-Bedroom (103 units): 323 – 484sqft
• 1+Study (3 units): 463sqft
• 2-Bedroom (8 units): 420 – 560sqft
• 1+Study Penthouse (24 units): 635 – 1076sqft
• 2-Bedroom Penthouse (4 units): 775 – 980sqft
• 2+Study Pethouse (2 units): 635 – 883sqft

2nd floor stack plan

3rd & 4th floor stack plan

Facilities wise, all you get is a swimming pool, pool deck and a gym. And if you own a car, you need to know that parking lot does not come free with the unit. Parking lots are available within the development and this is supposed to be one of those high-tech ‘mechanized’ parking system. However, the lots are ‘shared’ between the shop patrons, shop tenants and residents. And residents will have to pay for season parking.

The only showflat on display is a 35sqm (377sqft), 1-bedroom unit (Type A1).

Since we are paying $1500psf for a development in Pasir Panjang, the wife and I kinda expect a standard of quality similar (or at least close) to what we have seen in some of the recent Far East projects. However, we were dead wrong… and disappointingly so… and here are some reasons why.

• Homogenous tile in the living/dining area.
• The supposedly ‘tip top quality of fine household appliances and fittings from renowned brands such as OXO and Bosch’ looked distinctively… ordinary.
• The quality of wardrobe and kitchen cabinet provided cannot even match up to the standard of some of the mass-market projects (e.g. The Minton) we have seen recently.

The only saving grace about VIVA VISTA (other than its central location) that we can think of are:

• 3-metre high ceiling (but you will not see this in the showflat)
• The 3 penthouses that are still available (700sqft) do not come with balcony or rooftop terrace like some of the other units – you actually get alot more functional space with this unit type. So the wife and I are rather surprised that this is the least popular of the penthouse types. Do you really need rooftop terrace (or private jacuzzi for that matter) for a penthouse unit that is less than 1000sqft? Can you even call this a penthouse in the first place??

For those who are interested in the 3 remaining penthouses (Type PHL3), the quoted price for these (as of last Sunday) was $1.05 million, which translates to around $1500psf.

While researching about VIVA VISTA over the internet, the wife and I came across a rather interesting diagram that compares the price of  1-bedder unit in this project versus those of its neighbours. And in this regard, VIVA VISTA is touted as the best buy as it has the lowest quantum amount amongst the respective projects. However, there is no mention of the size of these 1-bedders that are being compared.

But given the unbelievable response that VIVA VISTA has managed, we reckon that buyers are still attracted by the lower quantum rather than the actual psf price that they are paying. Hopefully, this will not return to haunt them if/when they put the units out for resale.

For the wife and I, VIVA VISTA does absolutely nothing for us – we are no fan of ‘mickey mouse’ units to begin with, as they remind us of… cages (no offence to the developer).

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HORIZON RESIDENCES (Review)

District: 5
Location: Pasir Panjang Hill/ Pasir Panjang Road
Address: 41, 43 & 45 Pasir Panjang Hill
Tenure: Freehold
Developer: Far East Organization
Number of units: 72 units
Number of Blocks: 4 towers of 5-storey each
Parking Lots: 86 (basement parking)
TOP: December 2013

The wife and I were at the sales gallery of HORIZON RESIDENCES last Sunday morning. This is located off-site – at Tanjong Pagar next to International Building. And if the sales gallery looks familiar to some of you, it is where the showflats of Altez is located too.

The HORIZON RESIDENCES is one of the smaller project that Far East has launched in the past year or so. It resides on an elevated plot (8 meters above ground level) of about 64,000sqft along Pasir Panjang Road. The access in/out of the development is via Pasir Panjang Hill (which is also the address). For those that are similar with The Peak @Balmeg, this is right next door to HORIZON RESIDENCES.

HORIZON RESIDENCES consist of typically 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom units. The sizes for each unit types are:
• 2-Bedrrom: 936 – 1044sqft
• 3-Bedroom: 1324 – 1421sqft
• 4-Bedroom: 1475sqft
In addition, there are 4 units that come with an attic (4-bedders) that are over 2500sqft each.

The higher-floor (probably 4th and 5th), outward-facing units will get some sea view.

HORIZON RESIDENCES is being marketed as a full facilities condominium. In reality, the facility offering in this project is very limited. This is understandable, given the small plot of land it sits on and the height restriction imposed. So you can forget about themed gardens and … tennis court.

There are 2 showflat types at the sales gallery:
 1356sqft, 3-Bedroom (Type C1-b)
 1001sqft, 2-Bedroom (Type B-2b)

We will concentrate on the 3-bedder layout here.

A short walkway leads you from the main door into the living/dining area. Actually, it is more like just a living room as the area is so small you probably HAVE to push your dining table out to the balcony. Alternatively, you can utilize the worktop of the dry kitchen as a dining table. The living area is rectangular shaped, and you get a selection of either 90cm x 30cm beige-colored or 90cm x 90cm white marble floors (we preferred the former). You also get a ceiling height of 3.05m.

The dry kitchen comes with its own sink and is long enough to sit 4 along the length of its worktop (requires high chairs though).

The wet kitchen is L-shaped and fully equipped appliances-wise – you get “Kuppersbusch” hood/hob/oven/steamer/microwave, “Bosch” 2-door fridge and even a “Vintec” wine-fridge. You also get a set of decent-looking dish drying rack on top of the wet kitchen sink.

Then it sudden dawn on the wife and I – the layout and furnishings you get here is almost an exact replica of what we saw in the 3-bedder showflat at… The Shore (another Far East project)!

There is really not much of a yard to speak of – this is just a small extension out from the wet kitchen. It houses a small (ok, VERY small) utility/maid’s room and bathroom. There is a dedicated enclosed area for your washer/dryer but you will have to make do with those “2 in 1” type.

The common bathroom looks rather elegant with its marble floors and walls and comes with “Hangrohe” bathroom fittings.

The two common bedroom are decent sized and come with wood-strip floors and one of those modular type wardrobe that has “UV lights” installed on each shelves, which seems to come standard with Far East projects these days – we first saw this at Silversea, if our memories serve us right. You have to make do with bay windows here, unfortunately.

The master bedroom is very good size and comes with a huge L-shaped modular wardrobe. The partition walls between the bedroom and the master bathroom are made of glass (again quite standard these days with Far East projects). The bathroom comes with a long tub and an adjacent standing shower stall. We are pleasantly surprised to find a “rain shower” with large round shower-head installed above the shower stall – something that is missing in most of the showflats we have visited over the past month. We also like the good quality furnishing and the overall look of the bathroom, which gives it a “hotel-like” feel.

What we like:
 The good quality furnishing and fittings, as seen in the showflats.

 All the rooms are regular shaped with no odd-corners, although you have to contend with the bay windows.

 The 4-bedroom + attic unit looks rather interesting, if one can afford it.

 86 parking lots versus 72 units – this provides glimmer of hope for some second car owners.

 The upcoming Haw Par Villa MRT station is just 300m away, and can be accessible from Tower C – a lift will bring you to the ground level that give you access to Pasir Panjang Road via a side-gate.

What we dislike:
 The small living/dining area – this is a feature for both the 2- and 3-bedder showflats and we reckon it be the same for the 4-bedder (1475sqft versus 1356sqft).

 If you look at the layout of the standard 4-bedder unit, one of the common bedroom (Bedroom 4) looked very much like an after-thought. Maybe “3+Study” is a more suitable term for this unit type.

 Given the small plot area (64,000sqft) that HORIZON RESIDENCES reside on, the wife and I reckon that it will be a rather tight squeeze fitting the 4 towers and facilities inside.

 The access road to HORIZON RESIDENCES (Pasir Panjang Hill) is a rather narrow road lined with town houses on one side and a couple of other small condominium projects along the opposite side. In addition, there is a sizeable church located at the intersection just before Pasir Panjang Hill joins onto Pasir Panjang Road. So owners should probably expect quite a bit of traffic congestion during rush hours and a bit of frustration getting in and out of their condos on weekends during church service hours.

 Primary school within 1-km from HORIZON RESIDENCES? WHAT primary school..?!

Price-wise, we have enclosed a price list (from Far East) for all the units that are launched – this may require updating – but it will give you an idea of the going price for the different unit types.
Unit Prices http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=33744319&access_key=key-kxfqr3mkpwk89xyouz1&page=1&viewMode=list

Only units from 1st to 4th floors in the 4 towers are currently for sale. The official launch of HORIZON RESIDENCES started over a weeks ago and about 30 of the 72 units have already been sold.

In summary, the wife and I are rather impressed with the quality of furnishing for HORIZON RESIDENCES. However, we find the units a tad small, especially the 1475sqft 4-bedders (which probably accounts for the “smaller than usual” bedroom). And at an average price of $1680psf for a 4-bedroom unit and $1500psf for the 2-bedders, we feel that HORIZON RESIDENCES is being priced at the very high end of the market for a condo in the Pasir Panjang area. This is despite its freehold status. Then again, it is a Far East project afterall…

THE VISION (Review)

District: 5
Location: West Coast Road
Address: 79 & 81 West Coast Crescent
Tenure: 99-years wef 25 June 2006
Developer: Grand Waterfront Development Pte Ltd (Subsidiary of Cheung Kong Holdings)

You have heard it all before about THE VISION: “The Icon of the West”, “Most Luxurious Condo in West Coast area” and not forgetting, “Bathrooms that cost 3 times more to built compared to a typical condo”.

Here are what you SHOULD know after our visit to the sales gallery last weekend.

The Good bits:
• Over 70% sold during VIP preview.

• 70% units will enjoy panoramic sea view that blends seamlessly with verdant greens.

• 5 –mins drive to Biopolis and One-North, 10-mins drive to Sentosa IR & Theme Park and Vivocity shopping and entertainment mall, 20-mins drive to Orchard, CBD & Marina IR and across the road from West Coast Park.

• Dedicated lift access to the Sky Paragon clubhouse on the 33rd floor of Tower 1 – you go “non stop” from ground level to the 33rd floor, which is a rather unique feature.

The “Not so good” bits:
• All 14 units of the 3-storey Strata Houses are fully sold.

• All but one unit of the 4-bedders are already sold – the remaining unit is on the ground floor facing a carpark.

• Both the penthouses are already sold (as far as we know).

• The supposed “Reserved seaview units” left in the 2 Towers (i.e. around 50 units comprising 2- and 3-bedders) are all facing the west sun directly or partially.

• Many of the units have odd-shaped balconies, living rooms and master bedrooms

• The bomb shelter for most units are located in the kitchen (instead of the yard), with some of the doors blocking the hob area when opened.

• The two showflats are “ID-ed” to their death in gaudy-looking designs – this is the first time we felt really uncomfortable making our rounds in a showflat.

• The marble used for the living/dining room flooring are non-standard in size – you get a mix of square and rectangular pieces interlaced with each other, which looked rather ugly in our opinion.

• The microwave oven is “built in” at the same height as the conventional oven, i.e. below the hob, which seems rather strange.

• The doors of the top-tier kitchen cabinet in the 3-Bedroom showflat are loose at their hinges – quite unbecoming of a project that supposedly prides itself for quality furnishings.

• The laminate finish on the wardrobe doors produce sharp edges while the colour combination left little to be desired.

• You get a “chandelier-like” set of lights in both the common and master bathroom, which most of the marketing agents sing about. However, the wife and I felt that it made the bathrooms looked tacky rather than elegant.

• And speaking of bathrooms, we really failed to see why they should cost 3 times more to build compared with other projects, as they certain did not look the part.

So, have we told you that we really dislike what we saw at the showflats of THE VISION?

There are two showflats on display at the sales gallery – a 1604sqft, 4-Bedroom unit (Type C) and a 1313sqft, 3-Bedroom unit (Type B3). The common features include:
• Ceiling height of 2.8m

• Marble flooring for the living/dining room

• Balcony/planter area of about 100sqft

• Kitchen that comes with homogenous tiles flooring, and equipped with “Smeg” induction hob/hood/oven/microwave/fridge and solid-surfaced kitchen worktop.

• Small strip of a yard

• “Toto” (USA) toilet and “Hansa” (Germany) bathroom fittings in all the bathrooms

• Common bathroom and attached bathroom in Junior Suite (for 4-bedders) do not come with rain-shower

• All bedrooms, especially the common rooms, are a tad small.

• The master bathroom has both a long tub and standing shower stall. The shower stall is installed with “Hansa” shower system with massaging and rain shower functions. It also comes with the “chandelier” that we have spoken about earlier.

• Ample wardrobe space in the master bedroom, although the quality of finish and colour scheme can certainly be better.

Pricing wise, a 1313sqft unit on the 16th floor of Tower 1 (#16-07) is priced at $1,313,053, which equates to about $1000psf. However, the marketing agent will try to get us the 3% discount that was previously given to “Early-Bird buyers” if we decided to purchase the unit. Monthly maintenance fee for the 3-bedder is around $390.

The marketing tagline for THE VISION is “See beyond what others see at The Vision”. Maybe the wife and I are just too myopic, as we really failed to “see beyond” the mediocre quality and apparent lack of consideration to the interior design of this project. So we find it rather puzzling that there was so much buzz generated for THE VISION, and stranger still that so many people were willing to fork out so much money to buy into THE VISION. Maybe $1000psf has really become the new “affordable” norm these days…

Click to view slideshow of THE VISION here:
http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649

THE VISION – Sales Update

The wife and I understand that THE VISION, termed “The Jewel of the West” by some marketing agents, is more than 70% sold after the first week of its launch.

However, there are still some 2- and 3-bedroom units on the high floors available. Prices range from $928 – $1250psf.

Do look out for our review this weekend!

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THE VISION – tallest and priciest condo in West Coast?

The Business Times has reported that Cheung Kong will launch THE VISION at West Coast Crescent this week. The Hong Kong developer plans to release no more than 100 units at the 99-year leasehold project, and the average asking price will range from $1000 – $1200psf.

THE VISION comprises 281 apartments and 14 strata terrace units. The apartments will be housed in two towers – one with 33 levels and the other with 32. The project will be the tallest residential development in the area. It will have two-, three- and four-bedroom units ranging from 818 – 1604sqft. There will also be two penthouses. Going by the average asking price cited, a four-bedder could cost about $1.9 million.

The target psf price tag for units at THE VISION looks high compared with those at developments nearby. Just next door is the 99-year leasehold Blue Horizon, which was launched around 2001. Units there went for $764 – $808psf last month, as caveats lodged show.

Homes at Clementi-Woods Condominium in the vicinity changed hands at $836 – $957psf last month. It has a 99-year lease and entered the market in 2007.

But Cheung Kong is marketing THE VISION as a high-end project in the West Coast area – and that probably shows in the asking prices.

According to the developer, the construction cost is “high due to the quality finishes and high-end fittings used”. For instant, Cheung Kong says it will cost about three times more to build a bathroom in THE VISION than in a typical condominium.

The developer says it is confident there will be demand because of several factors. For one thing, the site is across the road from West Coast Park, and about 70% of units will enjoy unblocked sea views.

The area is also popular with expatriates. And this is a group which THE VISION is targeting, besides Singaporeans. BT understands that agents have collected cheques from potential buyers.

According to a property consultant, THE VISION’s target pricing could be “a bit strong” for owner-occupiers. Investors would not mind paying, if they believe property prices will continue rising, but they tend to be more interested in one-bedroom units. If the launch is successful, it will set the benchmark for developments in the West Coast area.

Do keep a lookout for our review of THE VISION in the coming weeks – the wife and I are certainly looking forward to those “costing three times more” bathrooms.

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THE VISION – Early Bird Discount!

The wife have received an email yesterday about the 5% early bird discount given to selected buyers of THE VISION.

We have reproduced the email content as received, typo and all – we would LOVE to see what the “Pen House” looks like.  (* no offense, Darren *)

Please feel free to contact Darren if interested – he is not related to us in any way, just for the record.

Early Bird Discount http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=27384915&access_key=key-2csfpz0jdgnk3ftzmm56&page=1&viewMode=list

THE VISION: A new property launch in the West…finally!

This may not be breaking news to some, but the wife and I reckoned that we are probably the first people to share this with you on a “non commercial” basis.

We understand that THE VISION, to be located at West Coast Crescent, will be launching soon. Here are the preliminary details of this new project:

Location: West Coast Cresent (District 5)
Tenure: 99-years wef 25 June 2006
No. of Units: 295
Expected TOP: March 2015
Description: 2 Towers of 32/33-storey & 14 3-storey Strata House units
Developer: Grand Waterfront Development Pte Ltd

Location Plan & Site Layout http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf

Unit Types:
• 2-Bedrooms: 818 – 904sqft
• 3-Bedrooms: 1259 – 1313sqft
• 4-Bedrooms: 1604sqft
• Penthouses: 2702sqft
• Strata Houses: 4919 – 5328sqft 

View from Blue Horizon Condo (next door)

Preliminary Floor Plans http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf

All we can say is: We will get to THE VISION… eventually.  🙂

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