HDB November 2021 BTO in-depth review: Hougang

Update as of Nov 17, 2021: This article has been updated with information released during the November 2021 BTO launch. 

4,501 flats will be offered across nine projects in two mature and four non-mature estates for the November 2021 BTO sales launch. It will also be the second time this year that HDB is offering BTO flats in Hougang.

If you’ve missed out on the August 2021 launch for Hougang, you might want to look out for this launch. Just like the previous launch, two projects will be launched in the town, with a total of 690 flats available.

Here’s 99.co’s detailed review of the November 2021 BTO at Hougang

Project name: Hougang Olive and Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang

Location: 

• Hougang Olive: Hougang Avenue 3, Hougang Street 12 and Hougang Street 13
• Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang: Hougang Street 13

Classification: Non-mature estate

Number of units: 

• Hougang Olive: 390 units (4-room and 5-room)
• Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang: 300 units (4-room and 5-room)

Number of blocks: 

• Hougang Olive: Four 12-storeys blocks
• Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang: Four blocks, ranging from nine- to 12-storeys

HDB’s estimated completion date: 

• Hougang Olive: Q1 2025
• Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang: Q2 2026

Price range:

Hougang Olive

With that, let’s dive into the pros and cons of the November 2021 Hougang BTO projects.

November 2021 Hougang BTO — the pros

Accessibility

• The good thing about the MRT access here is that you’ll have three MRT lines in the vicinity. Besides North East Line, you can also easily switch to Circle Line in just one stop at Serangoon MRT.
• On top of that, the future Cross Island Line will be ready in a few years after the BTOs are completed. The line will also include Hougang MRT as an interchange.
• And as for the drivers, Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) and Tampines Expressway (TPE) will be a couple of streets away.

Food and retail amenities

• Given that currently, the food and retail amenities are a little far, the good news is that there will be a supermarket, eating house and shops at the commercial block of Tanjong Tree Residences.
• Beyond both projects, there’s generally a good spread of food and retail options nearby.
• For instance, the nearest mall will be Heartland Mall located next to Kovan MRT at around a 15-minute bus ride away.
• It’s also where the closest supermarkets, Cold Storage at Heartland Mall and NTUC Fairprice at Hougang Street 21, are at. That is, until the new supermarket at the BTO opens.
• For more options, you can also head to Hougang Central at around 15 to 20 minutes away by bus, where there’s Hougang Mall and The Midtown.
• And for the days when you crave hawker fares like duck rice and carrot cake, Hougang Hainanese Village Centre will be within a 10-minute walking distance.

Schools

• But what makes these Hougang BTO projects stand out from the other November 2021 projects is the high number of schools in the vicinity. This includes popular schools Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ and Maris Stella High.
• Schools within 1km include Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ and Yuying Secondary. In fact, the girls’ school can be reached in 15 minutes on foot.
• Other schools nearby include Xinghua Primary, CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity, Xinmin Primary and Secondary, Holy Innocents’ Primary, Holy Innocents’ High, Bowen Secondary and Anderson Serangoon JC (future holding site from 2022 onwards).

Childcare centres

• For those planning to have kids, there will be a childcare at each of the project.
• Outside of the BTO projects, there are some childcare centres nearby as well, including My First Skool that’s within a five-minute walk.
• The next closest ones will be PCS and Sparkletots at Hougang Avenue 1. Both will be around a 10-minute walking distance.

Recreational facilities

• Residents won’t have to travel far to access sports facilities either. It will take around a 20-minute bus ride to Hougang Sports Centre, where there’s a stadium, sports hall and swimming complex.
• Likewise, those who prefer nature can simply head to Punggol Park instead of travelling further out of the estate.

Type of flats

• Only 4-room and 5-room flats will be available in both November 2021 Hougang BTO projects. So it’s more ideal if you’re a family looking for a bigger space.
• On the other hand, singles won’t be able to ballot here this time round since they can only apply for 2-room Flexi flats in non-mature estates.

Price appreciation

• If you manage to score a flat here, you can expect a healthy price appreciation after the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) has ended.
• Looking at the resale transactions for 4-room and 5-room flats in the estate for the past five years, there’s been a high price increase of 20.89 per cent.
• Among the BTO projects in Hougang that have entered the resale market, we took a closer look at the 4-room transactions of Hougang DewCourt from the November 2011 BTO. This is the nearest BTO from the November 2021 BTO sites, although it doesn’t have 5-room flats. Since the flats entered the resale market last year, prices have increased by 5.52 per cent. As of writing, the average price for a 4-room flat is $493,725.

November 2021 Hougang BTO — The Cons

Accessibility

• Kovan MRT and Defu MRT (on the Cross Island Line, to be ready in 2030) are the nearest MRT from the two BTO sites. However, it will take around a 15-minute bus ride to get to either station.
• The next closest one is Bartley MRT, which will be around 20 minutes away by bus.
• So we feel that the MRT stations here are generally a little far compared to the other November 2021 BTO projects.

Healthcare facilities

• Healthcare facilities are also generally less accessible here compared to the other November 2021 BTO projects.
• For instance, Hougang Polyclinic is around 20 minutes away from both BTO sites.
• The closest hospital, Sengkang General Hospital, is a little far from the sites at around a 20-minute drive away.
• There’s a proposed health and medical care centre next to Hougang Olive, but we don’t know what it will be used for and when it will be ready.

Price

• Although the flats are situated in a non-mature estate, prices here are higher than the the Jurong West BTO.
• Surprisingly, prices here are slightly cheaper than the Tengah BTO flats.
• The starting price for a four-room flat is S$308,000 in Hougang Olive, and S$318,000 for Tanjong Tree Residences.

Oversubscription

• At the same time, we think that the flats will definitely be oversubscribed, given that only around 300 flats will be available for each project.
• The application rate this time round probably won’t be as high as what we’ve seen for the 4-room flats of the August 2021 project, where there were 18.5 first-time applicants for each unit.
• But we can expect a similar figure just like the application rate for the 5-room flats of Hougang Citrine, which is just nearby the November projects. Throughout the one-week application period, 7.2 first-timers were vying for each unit.

What else we noted about the November 2021 Hougang BTO

• There’s a Chinese temple just across the street from both BTO sites. So be prepared for some noise during festivals.
• The November 2021 BTO sites are within a 3km radius of Paya Lebar Airbase. So you can expect some airplane noise from time to time before it’s relocated to Tengah from 2030 onwards.
• With an estimated waiting time of 33 months, Hougang Olive will be one of the projects with the fastest completion time.
• If you’re looking for unblocked views, the Tanjong Tree Residences site is the one to look out for. At its north is a park, while the west side comprises landed properties.

• On the other hand, there’s a lower chance of getting unblocked views at the Hougang Olive site. For starters, there’s Paya Lebar Lodge at its north and the upcoming Hougang Citrine at its south. The land parcel at the east of the site is a designated Business 1 site. So the surest way of getting unblocked views is to secure a flat at the stacks facing the park.
• There’s a proposed health and medical care centre right next to the Hougang Olive site. So it’s located just opposite the Tanjong Tree Residences site. As of writing, we don’t know what kind of healthcare facility will be built there. But you might want to be prepared for some noise pollution during construction and when it’s operational.

Our verdict on the November 2021 Hougang BTO

One gripe we have about the November 2021 Hougang BTO sites is that the MRT and retail options are a little far from the BTO sites. Among the projects in this launch, both projects are the furthest from the MRT.

But we like that both project sites are close to popular schools like Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ and Maris Stella High. If you plan to send your kid to a single-sex, autonomous school with a secondary school affiliation, here’s an option to consider.

November 2021 Hougang BTO: Should you apply? 

Hougang is the estate to ballot for especially if you have (or planning to have) children. This is because the sites are near a lot of schools, including two popular ones.

With 4-room and 5-room flats available, it’s suitable for those who need bigger space as well.

Plus a little bit of luck, your chances of getting a flat here is a little higher as well. Compared to other estates (except Tengah), more units are available here.

HDB resale flats for sale in Hougang

See all listings

560 Hougang Street 51

Singapore 530560 · D19

4-bedroom, 2 bathrooms

1,539 sqft

$720,000

365A Upper Serangoon Road

Singapore 531365 · D19

2-bedroom. 2 bathrooms

721 sqft

$499,000

364A Upper Serangoon Road

Singapore 531364 · D19

3-bedroom. 2 bathrooms

990 sqft

$688,000

375 Hougang Street 31

Singapore 530375 · D19

4-bedroom, 2 bathrooms

1,517 sqft

$868,000

231 Hougang Street 21

Singapore 530231 · D19

4-bedroom, 3 bathrooms

1,636 sqft

$868,000

473A Upper Serangoon Crescent

Singapore 531473 · D19

3-bedroom, 2 bathrooms

1,216 sqft

$720,000

533 Hougang Avenue 6

Singapore 530533 · D19

4-bedroom, 2 bathrooms

1,560 sqft

$928,000

557 Hougang Street 51

Singapore 530557 · D19

3-bedroom, 2 bathrooms

1,141 sqft

$475,000

473D Upper Serangoon Crescent

Singapore 538473 · D19

3-bedroom, 2 bathrooms

1,205 sqft

$660,000

475B Upper Serangoon Crescent

Singapore 532475 · D19

3-bedroom, 2 bathrooms

1,173 sqft

$898,800

Frequently asked questions

Is Hougang a mature estate?

No, Hougang is considered a non-mature estate.

How long do I have to wait for BTO?

It usually takes around three to four years to complete a BTO. However, due to manpower and supply shortages caused by the pandemic, it takes longer to complete the projects. So the waiting time now is around five years.

Can I apply for two BTOs at the same time?

You can do that under the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme (MGPS), which allows you and your parents to jointly apply for two BTOs at the same time. Take note that there must be at least 2-room or 3-room flats available in the project.

This article was first published in 99.co.