In the next BTO launch in August, we will see 4,940 flats being offered across seven projects in three mature and two non-mature estates. Hougang will be one of the two estates offering two projects in the same launch, with a total of 1,320 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room and 5-room flats available.
Here’s 99.co’s detailed review of the August 2021 BTO at Hougang
Project name: To be announced
Location: Hougang Avenue 3 and Upper Serangoon Road
Classification: Non-mature estate
Number of units:
- Along Hougang Avenue 3: 740 units (2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room and 5-room)
- Along Upper Serangoon Road: 580 units (2-room Flexi, 3-room and 4-room)
Number of blocks: To be announced
HDB’s estimated completion date: To be announced
Indicative price range:
We’ll only know of the starting prices when HDB announces the August 2021 BTO launch. In the meantime, you can refer to these estimations based on nearby resale transactions and launch prices from recent BTO launches.
| Price range | |
| 3-room | S$300,000 – S$340,000 |
| 4-room | S$430,000 – S$600,000 |
| 5-room | S$570,000 – S$750,000 |
Source: SRX. These estimations take into account property age and location. If a launch is nearer to an MRT or commercial development, it’s likely to be more expensive.
Among the August 2021 projects, these two projects probably won’t be as hyped as the Queenstown BTO and Jurong East BTO. But we think this Hougang BTO is also one to watch out for. It’s been a while since the last launch in the estate. The previous time HDB launched a project here was five years ago in August 2016 for Buangkok Woods.
With that, let’s dive into the pros and cons of the August 2021 Hougang BTO project.
August 2021 Hougang BTO — The Pros
Accessibility
- A major highlight is that the BTO site along Upper Serangoon Road will be right in front of Kovan MRT. With the MRT within a five-minute walk, this BTO will be the closest to an MRT station compared to other projects in the August 2021 launch.
- Aside from the proximity to the MRT, residents of both projects will have easy access to Circle Line (one stop to Serangoon MRT) and the future Cross Island Line (one stop to Hougang MRT) that will open from 2030 onwards.
- For those who drive, Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and Tampines Expressway (TPE) are just a few minutes drive away from both sites.
Food and retail amenities
- Shopping malls are relatively accessible for both Hougang BTO projects. For instance, it takes around a 20-minute bus ride to Hougang Mall and The Midtown.
- It’s even better if you manage to snag a flat at the Upper Serangoon Road BTO. Both the Kovan 209 Market & Food Centre and Heartland Mall will just be within a five-minute walk. The nearest supermarket, Cold Storage, is also at Heartland Mall.
Childcare centres
- For those with children, there’s also a number of childcare centres available in the area.
- The nearest ones from the Hougang Avenue 3 BTO include My First Skool and PCS, both at Hougang Avenue. These are within eight to 15 minutes walking distance.
- As for the Upper Serangoon Road BTO, School House By The Garden at Hougang Avenue 1, Junior Champs and Kinderland Preschool at Hougang Street 21 are within a five- to 10-minute walk.
Schools
- But what sets these two Hougang BTOs apart from the other August 2021 projects is the number of schools nearby.
- Within 1km of the Hougang Avenue 3 BTO is Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’, which can be reached in eight minutes by bus.
- More schools are located within 1km of the Upper Serangoon Road BTO. These include Xinghua Primary, Yuying Secondary and the future holding site for Anderson Serangoon JC (from 2022 onwards). All are less than 10 minutes away by foot.
- Other schools nearby include Maris Stella High, CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity (Primary), Xinmin Primary and Secondary, Holy Innocents’ Primary, Holy Innocents’ High and Bowen Secondary.
Recreational facilities
- A variety of recreational options are also available for residents here.
- Hougang Sports Centre, which comprises Hougang Stadium, Hougang Sports Hall and Hougang Swimming Complex, will be around a 15- to 20-minute bus ride away from both Hougang BTOs.
- For those who love taking a walk, Punggol Park will be around a 20-minute bus ride.
Price appreciation
- If you manage to snag a flat here, you can expect a healthy price appreciation as well.
- While the average price of HDB resale flats in Hougang has been hovering around S$400,000 to S$500,000, prices have actually been increasing by 18.22% over the past five years.
Price
- Given the non-mature estate status of Hougang, we expect the prices here to be at the lower end of the spectrum. Being located in the north-east side of Singapore will also make them more affordable as compared to the other August 2021 launch, especially those in the city fringe.
- But we predict the Upper Serangoon Road BTO will come at a slightly higher premium than the Hougang Avenue 3 BTO, owing to its proximity to Kovan MRT and other amenities.
Type of flats
- If you’ve been trying to secure a 5-room flat, here’s where you can try to get one. In fact, Hougang will just be one of the two estates in this August 2021 BTO launch to offer 5-room units.
- However, do note that the 5-room units will only be available at the Hougang Avenue 3 BTO.
August 2021 Hougang BTO — The Cons
Accessibility
- The nearest MRT of the Hougang Avenue 3 BTO site will be Kovan MRT and Defu MRT (on the Cross Island Line that will only be ready in 2030). Both will be around a 15-minute bus ride.
- The next nearest MRT will be Bartley MRT at around 20 minutes away by bus.
- So in terms of MRT accessibility, the Hougang Avenue 3 BTO pales in comparison. In fact, among all the August 2021 projects, this BTO is the furthest one from the MRT.
Food and retail amenities
- Another downside of the Hougang Avenue 3 BTO is that food and retail amenities will be a little far for residents.
- For instance, the nearest hawker centre at Hougang Hainanese Village Centre will be around a 12-minute walk.
- What’s more, residents will need to take a 20-minute bus ride to the closest supermarket at NTUC Fairprice at Hougang Street 21. Not very near, if you ask us.
Healthcare facilities
- Compared to other projects in this launch, healthcare facilities will be less accessible for both BTO projects.
- Hougang Polyclinic will be around a 15- to 20-minute bus ride, which is not too bad.
- But for more comprehensive medical services, the nearest hospital, Sengkang General Hospital, will be a little far at around a 20-minute drive.
- While the Hougang Avenue 3 BTO will be right next to a proposed health and medical care centre, we don’t know what type of facility it is and when it will be built.
Oversubscription
- We think the Hougang BTO will be oversubscribed. Many balloters will try to snag a flat at the Upper Serangoon Road BTO, especially given that it’s right next to Kovan MRT. Plus, only 580 units will be available for this project.
What else we noted about the August 2021 Hougang BTO
- Both sites are close to Chinese temples just a couple of streets away. So expect some noise pollution on some festival days.
- In addition, both sites are situated within a 3km radius from the Paya Lebar Airbase. Until it relocates from 2030 onwards, expect the occasional airplane noise.
- As for the Hougang Avenue 3 site, right now the west side is mainly landed properties, while the east side across the road is Singapore Girls’ Home. So when the BTO is built, the west-facing stack will have an unblocked view.
- On the other hand, the land parcels at the west have been designated for residential developments. So you might lose this unblocked view in future.
- Alternatively, consider going for the south-facing stack if you want to avoid getting your view blocked by residential developments. But do note that the land parcels here have been designated for school sites. So there might be some noise pollution from schools as well.
- As for the Upper Serangoon Road site, the best unblocked view will be at the east stack facing landed properties.
- There are a few condos around the area as well, such as Stars of Kovan in the north and Kovan Residences in the north west. So you might not be able to get unblocked views in the north and north-west stacks.
Our verdict on the August 2021 Hougang BTO
We think the Upper Serangoon Road BTO has one of the best locations for this launch. We love that it’s right in front of Kovan MRT. Besides, retail amenities such as Heartland Mall will just be within walking distance.
On the other hand, its location makes the Hougang Avenue 3 BTO way less attractive. Among the projects in this launch, it’s the furthest from the MRT. Retail amenities are less accessible as well.
Nevertheless, for those with or planning to have children, either of these Hougang BTOs might just be the one for you. Both of them are located close to a number of schools, including Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ and Maris Stella High.
August 2021 Hougang BTO: Should you apply?
Yes, if you’ve always wanted to live next to the MRT. Although only 580 units will be up for grabs at the Upper Serangoon Road BTO, you might just be able to secure a flat here if you’re very lucky.
Or, if you don’t mind living close to industrial areas, the Hougang Avenue 3 BTO is a good option as well.
Will you apply for the August 2021 Hougang BTO? Let us know in the comments section below.
If you found this article helpful, check out our August 2021 BTO reviews of the other projects here:
- Queenstown
- Jurong East
- Kallang/Whampoa
Keep your eyes peeled for our review on the Tampines BTO projects in the coming weeks.
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