In the upcoming November 2021 BTO launch, HDB will offer 3,520 flats across seven projects in one mature and four non-mature estates. One of the non-mature estate launches will be in Choa Chu Kang, where 60 2-room Flexi units will be available.
As mentioned in our overview published earlier, this BTO is the Yew Tee Integrated Development first announced in 2019. The project will cater to the elderly and be integrated with various amenities.
Here’s 99.co’s detailed review of the November 2021 BTO at Choa Chu Kang
Project name: To be announced
Location: Yew Tee Close
Classification: Non-mature estate
Number of units: 60 units (2-room Flexi)
Number of blocks: To be announced
HDB’s estimated completion date: To be announced
The last BTO launch in Choa Chu Kang was in August 2020 for Keat Hong Verge. For its 2-room Flexi flats, the overall application rate was 3.4, in which there were three senior applicants for every unit.
With that, let’s dive into the pros and cons of the November 2021 Choa Chu Kang BTO projects.
November 2021 Choa Chu Kang BTO — The Pros
Accessibility
- Among the November 2021 BTO projects, this Choa Chu Kang BTO will be the closest to the MRT.
- It’s located right next to Yew Tee MRT, so it will just be a three-minute walk for residents.
- What’s more, Choa Chu Kang MRT, which is the interchange for Bukit Panjang LRT, will just be one stop away.
- Despite the ulu location, residents can access three MRT lines within a few stops: three stops to Thomson-East Coast Line (Woodlands MRT), four stops to North South Line (Jurong East MRT), and six stops to Downtown Line (Bukit Panjang MRT). Choa Chu Kang MRT will also be an interchange for the Jurong Region Line (JRL) come 2027.
- As for drivers, Kranji Expressway will just be a couple of minutes drive.
Food and retail amenities
- On top of that, residents will enjoy easy access to food and retail options. For starters, there will be a hawker centre located just within the development, meaning you can just head downstairs when you don’t feel like cooking.
- The Choa Chu Kang BTO will also be right next to Yew Tee Square and Yew Tee Point, where the closest supermarket NTUC Fairprice is.
- For more retail options, you can head down to Limbang Shopping Centre and Lot One, which will take around a 10-minute bus ride.
Healthcare facilities
- This November 2021 BTO will also be integrated with the upcoming Yew Tee Polyclinic and a kidney dialysis centre, providing more convenient healthcare access for residents.
- For now, the closest polyclinic is Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic at around a 20-minute bus ride away.
- On the other hand, the nearest hospital, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, will be a little further at around a 20-minute drive.
Recreational facilities
- Another facility that’s integrated with the BTO is a community club where residents can attend classes and mingle.
- For those who love nature, there’s Yew Tee Park close by at around a four-minute walk.
- Alternatively, you can head to Kranji Reservoir, where you can get a panoramic view of the Johor Straits. It’s around an 11-minute bus ride from Kranji MRT, which is one stop from Yew Tee MRT.
- And for those who are more active, there’s Choa Chu Kang Sports Centre a couple of streets away. It comprises a stadium, sports hall and swimming complex.
- Another option will be SAFRA Choa Chu Kang, located around 15 minutes away by bus. Slated to open in 2022, it will be the first SAFRA to have a sheltered pool and aqua gym.
Schools
- Since this Choa Chu Kang BTO is more for the elderly, having several schools in the proximity is a bonus.
- The closest schools, De La Salle School, Unity Secondary and Kranji Primary, will all be within a 10-minute walk.
- Other schools nearby include Yew Tee Primary, Unity Primary, Regent Secondary, Kranji Secondary and Jurong Pioneer JC.
- Apart from the junior college, all of them are within 1km of the site.
Childcare centres
- Another bonus is that there’s a lot of childcare centres in the area. The nearest ones include My First Skool, Kiddy Campus and PCF Sparkletots at Choa Chu Kang Street 62 — all within a three- to seven-minute walking distance.
- There’s an MOE Kindergarten at Kranji Primary as well.
Price
- Price wise, this integrated development is likely to be one of the more affordable projects due to its location.
- In the last launch in Choa Chu Kang, prices for 2-room Flexi flats started from S$99,000 excluding grants. So we expect prices for this time round to be around the same.
November 2021 Choa Chu Kang BTO — The Cons
Type of flats
- With only two-room Flexi flats to be offered, it will be more for the elderly and singles. After all, through the BTO route, singles can only ballot for this type of flat in non-mature estates.
- But since this project is designed for the elderly, we expect more elderly to secure a flat here.
Oversubscription
- This Choa Chu Kang BTO will definitely be oversubscribed, especially given the limited supply (60 units only) and its proximity to the MRT.
- As mentioned earlier, the previous launch in the estate in August 2020 saw an overall rate of 3.4 for 2-room Flexi flats. And during the Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok (which has a similar concept of housing for the elderly) launch in February 2021, the application rate was 4.2.
- So we can expect a similar application rate for this project.
Price appreciation
- Looking at the transactions for 2-room flats over the past five years in the estate, the price increase has been on the low side at only 1.97%.
- Taking a closer look at the BTO projects in Choa Chu Kang so far, there’s only been one project, Keat Hong Axis from the July 2012 BTO, offering 2-room Flexi flats that have hit the resale market. Back then, the flats were sold starting from S$99,000. Since entering the resale market last year, the average price this year is currently S$251,200.
- On the other hand, prices have decreased by 3.38% over the past one year. But since there’s only been eight transactions as of writing, it’s a bit hard to tell if this trend will continue in future.
What else we noted about the November 2021 Choa Chu Kang BTO
- Unlike most BTO projects, the concept for this Choa Chu Kang BTO will be a retirement village. When it comes to public housing in this form, what we’ve seen so far are Kampung Admiralty and Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok.
- Kampung Admiralty comprises housing for the elderly and various facilities like a hawker centre and specialist outpatient care. Each flat is fitted with elderly-friendly features such as hand railings. On the other hand, the flats at Harmony Village launched earlier this year are Community Care Apartments integrated with communal facilities like a hawker centre. One difference is that it also comes with service packages that include monitoring and basic health checks.
- We think this November 2021 BTO is most likely to be pretty similar to Kampung Admiralty. It will be fitted with elderly-friendly features and prioritised for seniors.
- Looking at the site, we think there’s a low chance of getting unblocked views here. The area is surrounded by high-rise residential developments that are around 12 storeys tall, including Yew Tee Residences. And with only 60 units to be offered, we think the block won’t be that tall either.
Our verdict on the November 2021 Choa Chu Kang BTO
We like that it’s very convenient especially for the elderly, given its close proximity to amenities. In addition to being integrated with facilities like a polyclinic and hawker centre, it’s also very near the MRT and shopping centres.
So it’s suitable especially if you’ve been living in the area, where you can retire in a neighbourhood you’re familiar with. And given the large number of childcare facilities and schools nearby, it’s also good for those taking care of your grandchildren during the day.
The downside to this is that with the flats measuring 36 or 45 sqm, there might not be enough space if you plan to have them stay overnight.
November 2021 Choa Chu Kang BTO: Should you apply?
Yes, you should ballot for it especially if you’re downsizing and aren’t living with your children, since only 2-room Flexi flats will be up for grabs. Given its integration with communal and healthcare facilities, this November 2021 BTO is designed for the elderly to live independently.
But with only 60 units to be offered, you’ll have to be prepared for stiff competition.
Will you apply for the November 2021 Choa Chu Kang BTO? Let us know in the comments section below or on our Facebook post.
If you found this article helpful, keep your eyes peeled for our reviews of the other November 2021 BTO projects in the coming weeks.
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Frequently asked questions
When can I apply for the November 2021 BTO?
After the launch is announced in November, you can apply for BTO during the one-week application period.
How long does a BTO take to complete?
A BTO project typically takes around three to four years to complete. However, due to manpower and supply constraints, projects have been delayed. So a BTO can now take around five years to complete.
How many times can I buy a BTO?
As long as you’ve not bought a new HDB, DBSS or EC, or received a CPF Housing Grant before, you can buy a BTO up to two times.
The post HDB November 2021 BTO In-Depth Review: Choa Chu Kang appeared first on 99.co.
