New Project Info: Archipelago

The 577-unit Archipelago @Bedok Reservoir, a project which boasts a combination of both condominium and strata houses, is expected to preview tomorrow.

The development will be launched in phases; the first phase will feature between 180 and 200 units.

The 99-year leasehold project, which is located on a 491,080sqft site, is expected to fetch an average price of between $1,000 and $1,100psf.

The five-bedroom strata houses are about 4,400sqft each and have an indicative price of above $3 million.

BT understands that a preview of Archipelago will be held for invited guests tomorrow, and for those who have registered interest with the marketing agents. The development is marketed by Knight Frank, DTZ, CBRE and Savills.

Condominium units include one-bedroom to five-bedroom units, and penthouses. One-bedroom units range from 527 to 667sqft, and are expected to fetch $600,000 onwards. Two- and three-bedroom units, which range from 829sqft to 1,894sqft, constitute approximately 63% of the units sold.

There are a total of 15 five-bedroom units, which are split into three stacks; they range between 2,411sqft and 2,648sqft.

There are 51 penthouse units, including 15 penthouse lofts, which feature two bedrooms and a study. The penthouse units range from 1,432sqft to 3,434sqft, and include variations with lofts, four bedroom, five bedroom, and five bedroom with study.

Source: The Business Times

What The Business Times failed to mention in its report is the developer for Archipelago – this development is a collaboration between the UOL Group and Singapore Land.


So we have another new project in Bedok Reservoir… as if the area is not congested enough.

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Spottiswoode Residences (Type C1 – 3-Bedroom)

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The wife and I was at the sales gallery of Spottiswoode Residences today.

Below are photos we took of the 1421sqft, 3-bedroom (Type C1) showflat.

Before you get too excited, all the 3-bedders have been sold. But we reckon units are most certainly available in the resale market if you are still interested.

What we like:

• All bedrooms are tucked on one side of the unit, which ensue privacy.

• The common bathroom actually has two doors – one leading to the walkway into the kitchen/bedrooms and the other into the common bedroom next door. So you actually get two ensuite bedrooms.
• The home-shelter is located in the kitchen, unlike the one- and two-bedders where the shelter is in the master bedroom. This is especially when we need to use this space for the maid’s room.

• Very good-sized yard area with window.

What we dislike:
• The wooden flooring in the kitchen is appealing to the eyes but is not very functional, especially if you are into heavy cooking.

• The common bedrooms are rather small, with the bay windows eating further into the already small space.

• The kitchen entrance is located too close to the bedrooms (especially common bedroom 1) for our comfort.

• Given that the unit is only 1421sqft, it really cannot afford a huge balcony. We reckon the balcony/planter box takes up about 150sqft (mabe even more) of the total unit area.

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Spottiswoode Residences: Sales status

The BT today reported that 130 of the 150 units released at Spottiswoode Residences last week were sold during the project’s preview.

The units sold thus far have achieved prices ranging from $1,720psf to $2,150psf. Four of the project’s seven penthouses were sold, with one fetching $1,850psf. 86% of the buyers were Singaporean.

The freehold 36-storey development comprises 351 apartments – mostly one- and two-bedroom apartments. It is near Outram MRT Station.

The 130 units sold include a dozen bought by former owners of apartments in the two developments that used to stand on the site – Spottiswoode Apartment and Oakswood Heights.

UOL Group acquired the two adjoining sites through separate collective sales in 2007. It paid $740psf ppr for Oakswood Heights; no development charge was payable for this site.

UOL bought the next-door Spottiswoode Apartment site for $732psf ppr including a development charge based on an earlier media report.

UOL said it will release another 80 units for the project’s official launch today.

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Spottiswoode Residences: Floor-plans, anyone?

The wife and I have gotten our hands on the brochure of Spottiswoode Residences, so here is for those who are interested in the project.

Two things we observed while browsing over the floor-plans:

• The bomb-shelter is actually located in the master bedroom for the 1- and 2-bedroom units (Type A & B). And you probably have to use it as a wardrobe too!
• If you intend to air-dry your clothes, you can only do so in the balcony area of the 1- and 2-bedroom units as there is no yard in these unit types.

And according to BT yesterday, about 70 cheques were said to have been received by agents ahead of the freehold condo’s preview last Friday afternoon. UOL has so far released 100 units at $1,720 – $2,100psf, and is expected to offer more units in the 351-unit project’s main launch on Wednesday.

Location

Site Plan


Leisure Terrace

Entertainment & Wellness Terrace
Schematic Chart

Floor Plans (click on the link below):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47881767@N05/sets/72157625262722597/

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Spottiswoode Park, UOL (Showflat Update)

You may recall that the wife and I have been monitoring the construction progress of the sales gallery/showflat for the above project, which we understand is named (tentatively at least) Spottiswoode Residences.

http://sgproptalk.blogspot.com/2010/07/spottiswoode-park-uol.html

We decided to drop by the site yesterday for another update.

From our observation, it will probably be at least a month (or two) before the showflat can be ready for general viewing… if the developer does not decide to delay the launch, that is.

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Spottiswoode Park, UOL…?

Our blog has been receiving quite a number of hits for above. This relates to the new project at the site of the ex-Oakswood Heights/Spottiswoode Apartment along Spottiswoode Park Road.

United Overseas Land (UOL) has bought these two adjacent freehold sites via collective sales back in 2007. The developer’s plan is to build a new project of about 350 units on the combined site.

Given the interest, I decided to swing by the site today to check on the status of the sales gallery/showflat.

As you can see from the photos taken, the sales gallery is not quite ready yet – the external structure is mostly up but it is still pretty much an empty shell within.

The sales gallery is rather huge though – it stretches from the main entrance area of Oakswood Heights all the way to the carpark area of the adjacent Spottiswoode Apartment plot.

The wife and I are eagerly waiting for the launch of this project, which is slated for the second half of this year. This project also carries special sentiments for yours truly – I have spent a good 7 of my younger years residing at Oaskwood Heights.

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TERRENE @BUKIT TIMAH (Review – continue)

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We pick up where we left off yesterday.

The second floor of the sales gallery features what the upper level of a 4-Bedroom Penthouse will look like. 

The master bedroom is located on the upper level. This comes across as much smaller than the one we saw in the 3-bedroom unit. This is probably because of the huge roof terrace area that took up quite alot of space on this level.

The master bathroom is definitely more spacious than the one in the 3-bedder. However, the furnishing is similarly unimpressive.

There is no bathtub in the master bath even for the penthouses. The other thing that we find quite strange is the two wall-mounted showers in the standing shower stalls. The wife and I have seen our fair share of “His” and “Hers” bathroom sinks and even wardrobes, but this is the first time we have come across a “His” and “Hers” shower!

There is one other bedroom on this level but this felt more like a study given its small size. There is also a common bathroom outside the “study”.

The roof terrace area is huge, so much so that it can accomodate a big jacuzzi (which comes standard with the 4 and 5-bedroom penthouses) and still have enough space to hold a small party for 6 – 8 people.

What we like:
• Location – The wife and I are not exactly big fans of the Jalan Jurong Kechil/Toh Tuck Road area, but it is a relatively straight road from TERRENE to PIE/Dunearn Road/AYE (via Clementi Road), all of which are just minutes’ drive away. However, we understand that the morning traffic along this stretch of road can be quite daunting.

• The upcoming Beauty World MRT Station is supposedly less than 500m from TERRENE. It is also fairly close to eateries and amenities along Bukit Timah Road.

• For those with kids entering primary school come 2015, there is a choice of Bukit Timah or Pei Hua Primary that are within 1-km of TERRENE.

• The Canadian International School (Elementary) and German European School are also within a kilometre from TERRENE, which may mean rental demands from expatriates with children attending these schools.

What we dislike:
• This is the third project by UOL (i.e. after Waterbank @Dakota and Meadows @Pierce) that the wife and I have seen since we began writing our blog. And we are disappointed a third time with the quality of furnishing at TERRENE.

• The common rooms in the showflats are too small for our comfort and please do not even get us started on the tiny utility aka maid’s room in the 3-bedder unit.

• Given the low-rise status (i.e. 5-storey) of this project, the external view of all outward facing units at TERRENE are likely to be blocked. And if you look at the facility offerings and their layouts, there is nothing much to look into even for the inward facing units.

Despite our grievances about TERRENE, there seems to be quite a lot of people that disagree with our take on the project. This is reflected by the extremely strong take-up rate – we were told that developers have sold more than 10 units over last Friday and Saturday alone, so it is not far-fetched to assume that TERRENE will be completely sold out within the next 1 – 2 months.

Price wise, we understand that this ranges from slightly below $1000psf for the penthouses to over $1250psf for the smaller units. So one can buy a 2000+sqft, 999-years tenure, 2-level penthouse in district 21 for about $2 million dollars. Granted that TERRENE is not exactly located at the most fancied part of district 21, but it is still a relatively good deal if you consider the current property market situation.

However, TERRENE is not a project that the wife and I will consider buying into, for obvious enough reasons.
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TERRENE @BUKIT TIMAH (Review)

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District: 21
Location: Jalan Jurong Kechil/ Toh Tuck Road
Developer: UOL & LaSalle Investment Management
Tenure: 999-years
Estimated site area: 130,000sqft
Expected TOP: 31 March 2014
Description: 8 blocks of 5-storey each
Total number of units: 172
Total number of carpark lots: 172 + 4 handicapped (all basement)

The wife and I finally found ourselves at the sales gallery of TERRENE on Sunday morning. The much talked-about project was officially launched last Friday, but with only 42 of the 172 units left for sale.

The sales gallery is located at the actual site itself, i.e. the junction of Jalan Jurong Kechil and Toh Tuck Road. Entrance to the gallery is on Toh Tuck Road, but the actual condo entrance will be along Jalan Jurong Kechil.

The sales gallery was expectedly filled with both prospective buyers and agents alike, with many crowding around the site model and others roaming around the showflat.

The types of unit available at TERRENE are fairly standard. However, there is a vast number of penthouses (30) found in this project.

Unit Types & Sizes:
• 1-Bedroom (22 units): 506 – 624sqft
• 2-Bedroom (68 units): 915 – 1184sqft
• 3-Bedroom (44 units): 1109 – 1572sqft
• 4-Bedroom (8 units): 1550 – 1841sqft
• 3-Bedroom PH (14 units): 1733 – 2034sqft
• 4-Bedroom PH (11 units): 2067 – 2443sqft
• 5-Bedroom PH (5 units): 2659 – 3025sqft

In terms of facility, TERRENE has incorporated the standing offering found in most new condo project but in a nature setting. So you will find water-walls, gym that is set beneath a ridge and a “Bird’s Nest” – which is essentially a playground/treehouse built around a big tree. However, there is no sky terraces (given the low-rise status) or tennis court. The wife and I actually found the facilities quite basic.

The primary showflat on display is a 1539sqft, 3-Bedroom ground-floor unit (Type C7G).

The wife and I were disappointed the moment we stepped into the showflat – the living/dining area is real tiny for a 1500+sqft unit. We were also not impressed with the small-slab marble flooring. All units come standard with 2.9m ceiling.

The kitchen is squarish and decent size. The quality of the L-shaped worktop and kitchen cabinets are nothing much to shout about. The unit comes with “Tekka” hood/hob/oven and that is about all the appliances you can expect.

There is not much of a yard area to speak of, so doing laundry in here will be a challenge. The utility/maid’s room is quite pathetic in size – it is long and narrow and so will probably fit a custom-made bed but nothing much else. A small bathroom is available opposite the utility room.
The two common rooms are a tad small. It comes with a modular wardrobe with “foldable” doors – not exactly classy looking.

The common bathroom is good-sized and comes with ‘Grohe” bathroom fittings and a standing shower stall. However, we are not particularly thrilled with the quality of furnishing – e.g. the not-very-appealing ceramic wall/floor tiles, wall cabinet with very sharp edges and bath sink that looked very “old-school”.

The master bedroom is surprisingly very spacious – one of the few things we liked about this unit.
The wardrobe has sliding doors this time, but it is quite non-descript.

The master bathroom is quite small and you be disappointed if you are expecting a bathtub – it only has a standing shower stall with standard shower head. And unlike many other new condos, the master bathroom does not come with marble floor or walls.

The sales gallery of TERRENE also showcased what the upper level of a 4-Bedroom Penthouse unit will look like. We will review this section tomorrow and also tell you what we think about this project.
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TERRENE @BUKIT TIMAH: Executive Summary

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This might come in handy for those who are interested in TERRENE @BUKIT TIMAH.

Our thanks to Knight Frank.

Executive Summary (Terrene) http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=33585643&access_key=key-14ikg3ytp5ku32qt9ln7&page=1&viewMode=slideshow

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TERRENE @Bukit Timah – Exclusive Preview this Saturday!

The wife received a text message today informing her about an exclsuive preview by Knight Frank for TERRENE @Bukit Timah (former Rainbow Garden) this Saturday (June 26th).

The venue for the preview is Bukit Timah CC (Toh Tuck Road) Level 3 @2pm.

Bring cheque… the message said.

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