The notion that the north is only intended for families that have school-going children is fading fast. A new breed of affluent buyers in their 20s and 30s is changing the landscape, buying up homes at Lentor Gardens because the numbers are now more logical: larger homes, fewer commutes than many think about, and monthly expenses which leave real money in the bank at the month's end. What was once thought of as an unattainable goal now appears to be the most inTEL (Thomson-East Coast Line)ligent career choice an aspiring professional can make.
15 hours to Orchard along the Thomson-East Coast Line once Stage 5 is opened, 10 minute drive to office clusters via One-North as well as Biopolis through Biopolis via North-South Corridor, and still returning in time for a night ride along the reservoir. Lentor Gardens Residences delivers the rare combination of space, pace, and peace that central districts cannot compete with at this price. For those who want to own their own home instead of leasing shoeboxes mathematics have never been more obvious.
Door-to-door service from Lentor MRT to Raffles Place takes between 22 and 25 mins on TEL (Thomson-East Coast Line) beats many of the"central" stations "central" stations once transfers and last-mile walking is counted. The planned North-South Corridor expressway will drop travel time for cars towards the CBD to less than 15 minutes during off-peak hours. Weekends in town do not need a military plan.
One- and two-bedroom homes begin at 700-800 square feet with balconies and separate study areas and kitchens that are big enough to hold more than just instant noodles. Couples who are buying their first house here receive the same size of space that is twice as expensive as the amount in District 15 which means bedrooms, gymnasium spaces and wardrobe spaces are real and not Instagram fantasies.
Its integrated mall is a three-minute stroll to get groceries and craft beer bars and late-night eateries. In just eight minutes, the whole Seletar Aerospace Park restaurant cluster will be open. Weekends are when you wake up to the sound of forest trails, not construction noise. Then, you can grab breakfast at Thomson or Dempsey without having to fight to park.
With an estimated $1.9-2.2k per sq ft for 750 square feet, a two-bedder is around $1.5 million, but sometimes less if you buy it early. The monthly payment is below $5,000 for the majority of couples earning two incomes. This leaves plenty of room to invest in travel, investments as well as the occasional weekend getaway.
Maintenance costs are 30-40% less than similar RCR or CCR projects, due to mid-rise blocks as well as effective district cooling. The $1,200 monthly fee is not sucked into bonus funds. The cost of electricity is reduced noticeably due to the cooler micro-climate in northern regions and cross-ventilated designs.
If a person's career requires them to travel abroad for a period of two months, tenants from the nearby biomedical and tech parks can pay $4,200 to $4,800 without making a fuss. The gross yields range from 3.8-4.2 per cent will cover the mortgage, while the property appreciates, which is becoming increasingly difficult to attain in the over-supplied central pockets.
Set Lentor Gardens Residences head-to-head with Newport Residences and the lifestyle gap becomes apparent. Newport Residences offers undeniable prestige and is just a five-minute stroll to legendary hawkers, but it is a 700-800 sq ft two-bedder in the area starts around $2.8 million, and has the cost of maintenance each month at more than $1,000. The commute times are slightly faster on paper, but add in the crowds during peak hours in Tanjong Pagar MRT and the distinction disappears. Additionally, young professionals at Newport Residences frequently trade balconies and natural ventilation for the location and still pay conservation and utility costs that are CBD-based. Both places perform however only one of them leaves the property with a clean slate after 10 years.
Young professionals today have to make a tough choice: either pay too much for a pigeonhole close to the office or stay in a faraway location and dedicate all their lives to commute. Lentor Gardens threads the needle nearly perfectly, with spacious homes, natural nature right at the doorstep and commutes that rival those of high-end districts, and a price that feels reasonable.
These remaining homes will disappear quicker than many anticipate when TEL (Thomson-East Coast Line) is fully operational and it becomes a reality that the North-South Corridor starts shaving minutes off of each trip. People who make the move now will enjoy the lifestyle that buyers in downtown can aspire to for years as they build equity, not merely enriching landlords. In today's market the combination of those two is as similar to a cheat code as Singapore gets.
