“If Singapore ever returned to default WFH, the homeowners of this Geylang BTO will be the true winners”

New year, new system.
To help you better compare between the different sales in this launch, we’re introducing a new ranking system.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = good
⭐ = not as good

Sure, it’s a bit subjective, but aren’t all BTO guides subjective anyway?

Oh btw, don't you know you stand a ✨better chance at securing a BTO ✨if you subscribed to our telegram channel? _{(for legal reasons, i'm joking)}

Prepare your Singpasses, whip out your $10 and put on your reading glasses, cause it’s BTO time again baby.

Guides for the other sites in this launch,

Kallang/Whampoa Feb'22
Tengah Feb'22
Yishun Feb'22

Content Page

Geylang Feb'22
Units Available
Price & Affordability
Transport
Education
Amenities
How much can you earn if you sell this BTO?

Geylang Feb’22

The Singapore Government has been on the RE-trend lately. Meaning, all their initiatives start with RE.

For example, just in 2021 alone, we went from REstrictions to REdiscovervoucher to REturn to office.

But another RE that is a staple favourite of theirs is REdevelopment … and that’s exactly what this BTO is.

What was once the refuge for the victims of the Friday the 13th fire is now being redeveloped into this BTO. Not only that, some of the blocks for this sale will be along the waterfront of Geylang River.

You’ll also be right beside a secondary school, which means 7.25am school bells and a daily serenade of the National Anthem will takeover as your alarm.

BTO Name Prediction:
Dakota Edge / Dakota Court / Dakota Spring

Actual name: Dakota Crest


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Units Available

There is a total of 443 units available, consisting of 2-rm flexis, 3 & 4-rm.

_{Find out more: The different types of houses in Singapore}

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Price & Affordability

Price Table

Mortgage Breakdown

Prices used were the highest amount predicted
15% Downpayment was used for HDB loans, for a max of 25 years
25% Downpayment was used for Bank loans, for a max of 30 years
Bank loans were excluded for 2-rm flexis since banks don't commonly finance 2-rms


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Transport

MRT - 5 mins walk to Dakota and Mountbatten MRT Station
Bus - 2 mins walk to bus stop
Drive - few mins away from KPE, ECP, PIE

Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Transport for this BTO is above average. The convenience and accessibility to the MRT stations will be the biggest draw. Dakota being 1 stop away from Paya Lebar Int. definitely helps with connectivity as well.

Additionally, with the Circle line actually being a circle line now, access to the other half of this line will be easier (eg. Harbourfront station).

There's also a bus stop with multiple buses right in front of this plot, and residents with personal vehicles are just a few turns away from different expressways.

On a side note, (almost) full shelter is available from Dakota MRT to this BTO, but one from Mountbatten MRT to this BTO is currently not present (though they might build it in the next 5 years with this BTO).

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Education

Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In my opinion, the only thing that’s preventing me from giving it a full score is a missing tertiary educational institute. But then again, if you have thoughts of sending your kid overseas, or you don’t even want to have kids, this is all moot right?

This BTO not only has childcares, but is also in the vicinity of a lot of “top” schools because all schools are equally good rightttt???, so it does bode well for eventual parents who have planned out a timeline for their child.

Also, take note that there are no scheduled plans for new schools. This is probably due to Geylang being a developed area, hence the inflated prices for mature estates you saw above.

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Amenities

Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This BTO is surrounded by a variety of amenities that serve almost every need. At first glance, it may seem underwhelming because there’s nothing around the BTO except Old Airport Food Road Centre. However, travel 10 minutes out in each direction and you’ll have every other aspect covered.

Go East and you’ll have the cluster of shopping malls at Paya Lebar that are so close to one another, SDA officers are being deployed there as you’re reading this.

Go West and you’ll have the hub for everything sports, offering facilities for everyday activities like skating and running, to more adventurous pursuits like ice skating and surfing.

Plus, if you’re missing any equipment, the biggest Decathlon in Singapore is just round the corner.

Lastly, go South and you’ll reach East Coast Park in 5 mins. With plans to build a new green corridor being announced, this will be a nearby attraction for cyclists/runners/walkers/skaters.

There are also other miscellaneous facilities around like the Goodman Arts Centre and the Singapore Association for the Deaf.

The only gribe I have is that there is no present medical institution for healthcare, with the nearest option being Geylang Polyclinic, which is about a 20 min bus ride away.

Besides that, food, shopping, health, and leisure are covered. That’s an easy 4⭐for me.

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How much can you earn if you sell this BTO?

If you’re neurotic like me and think everything is a competition and want to know if this BTO will be the most “value”/”worth it”, this may be useful for you.

When it comes to looking at when's the best time to sell your house for maximum profit, the core concept here is the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP).

Simply put, when you buy a house, you need to stay in it for at least 5 years before you can sell it.
This one Gahmen say one

Obligatory disclaimer, everything written below is completely my own opinion.

Here’s what I think the BTO lifespan for the Geylang BTO will look like.

Upside - ⭐⭐⭐⭐(on conditions)

It’s not often that a mature estate BTO gets this high of an upside, which is why I added (on conditions).

The first rise in #1 is common in all BTOs. Since it’s subsidized public housing, it starts below market price, then slowly gravitates towards the market value after 5 years.

Area X is where things get interesting. Typically, units in mature estates don’t get the skyrocketing potential that non-mature estates (like Tengah) will supposedly reap.

Currently, this seems to be the case for this BTO. But, the whole theme for this Geylang BTO has been redevelopment, which brings me to my main point.

The price of this BTO will go higher if there’s more redevelopment in the area.

Yeah, it sounds a bit duh, but this BTO is in an area where the Government has announced that active redevelopment is happening. That’s what sets it apart from other BTOs in mature estates.

Worst case scenario? You only get a bit of profit.
Best case scenario? Area gets redeveloped with amenities and you get more profit (aka the dotted line trajectory)

Only thing left to do is to check back in 2024 when the new URA Master Plan gets published.

Lastly, the regression in #2 is the slow decline that every HDB unit faces as it winds down to the end of its 99-year lease.

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Summary:
16/20 ⭐

BTO wise, a pretty above-average one. It’s predicted that this will be the 2nd most competitive sale this launch, only trailing the Kallang/Whampoa one. Every aspect that’s a “necessity” is above-average.

Yeah sure, things could be “better” if Dakota MRT was an interchange, or if there was a huge mall right beside this BTO, but which other BTO can say they’re right beside the Sports Hub? (let's all pretend the Kallang one doesnt exist hehe)

If you’re more into shopping, or if the circle line is not as applicable to your usage, you may be looking at the wrong BTO.

Units by the waterfront will definitely fetch higher prices compared to the blocks behind it.

For any questions/feedback/makan recommendations, email me - kyler@mortgagemaster.com.sg
Stay safe y’all.