I've lived at Casa Pasir Ris condo for 20 years: Here's my review of what it's like for families

Commonly known as the sleepy neighbourhood located right at the end of Singapore's East, Pasir Ris may not be top of mind for most people when it comes to looking for a new home. Some stereotypes I've heard over the years are 'your neighbourhood must be so inaccessible' or 'you must go to Wild Wild Wet and book the chalets there quite often'. 

And I'm confident to say that most would agree that neither statement holds true. 

Seasoned residents would tell you that there's actually a lot more to Pasir Ris than meets the eye.

The neighbourhood has seen quite a drastic improvement over the past half-decade, especially with the overhaul of E!Hub and E!Avenue, along with the revamp of the Pasir Ris Park (I personally prefer this beach to the ECP), renewing of the Pasir Ris Interchange and the addition of Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre. 

Pasir Ris has gradually transformed into a lifestyle haven for those who enjoy the outdoors and sports. 

The recent announcement of Pasir Ris being on the Cross Island Line (estimated to be ready in 2030) puts the neighbourhood on the radar for interested homeowners looking for a more laidback lifestyle yet still want to enjoy good connectivity. 

For those who prefer a more tranquil project to come home to, one possible option that you might have come across would be Casa Pasir Ris, a stalwart in the neighbourhood since the late 90s. 

Located at a cul-de-sac within the residential-dense Jalan Loyang Besar area, it is a small development with 58 units. The project has a 946-year leasehold tenure, which is just as good as freehold for most people.

In this resident's review, we'll be speaking to Mrs K, who has lived in the project for the past 20 years and regards it as her matrimonial home. Since then, the family has welcomed and raised two of their children in the apartment. 

Before we explore more about the project, let's first find out what ultimately convinced Mrs K to choose Casa Pasir Ris. 

Comparing other projects to Casa Pasir Ris 

Prior to having children, one of the main considerations that the couple had revolved around lifestyle. 

In essence, they wanted to live in a leafy and tranquil environment. 

"When my hubby and I were looking for our matrimonial home back then, Casa Pasir Ris' exclusive location first caught our attention," Mrs K shared. 

Back in the late 90s, the Jalan Loyang Besar area wasn't as developed as it is today and was primarily surrounded by verdant spaces. Even today, it still overlooks a huge plot of forested area, though the Master Plan has zoned it for future residential use (which also means that the current skyline isn't a permanent one). 

Additionally, Mrs K shared that the surrounding developments are typically low-rise in nature, with most of them being townhouses or low-density projects that are of a similar nature to Casa Pasir Ris. 

"The resort-like living and close proximity to the beach was a refreshing take from the typical concrete jungle that we're used to in Singapore, I think that's what really made us attracted to Casa Pasir Ris in the first place". 

Last but not least, the 946-year leasehold tenure of the project was also a strong plus point that ultimately finalised their decision. "Well, 946 years of lease is almost like a freehold property, right?", Mrs K added. 

What made Casa Pasir Ris stand out

Seeing that there were not many options when they bought their property back in the late 90s, the couple didn't have much choice to choose from. 

"I knew my hubby wanted to buy a new launch project and Casa Pasir Ris was one of the few options available to us that fit our lifestyle needs and budget at that time. Because of that, I don't think we considered any other options", shared Mrs K. 

Ultimately, they fell in love with how quiet and exclusive the environment felt, which can only be found in that particular part of Pasir Ris. 

While some who are not too familiar with the neighbourhood might find Casa Pasir Ris to be inaccessible (since it's located right at the tip of the neighbourhood), it is actually not as inconvenient today.

"Before 2008, I would agree that commuting was very inconvenient since there wasn't any public transport facilitating the neighbourhood at that time and Casa Pasir Ris is located quite deep within the neighbourhood", explains Mrs K. 

Since then, there has now been a shuttle service available for the residents that drops residents at key landmarks like Downtown East and White Sands to run daily errands. 

"For a cosy, relaxed and quiet home, I think it's a fair compromise to make".

A typical day at Casa Pasir Ris 

Being near vast green areas and Pasir Ris Park, one of the main highlights of living at Casa Pasir Ris is the outdoors. 

"When I think about home, the two keywords that come to mind are the sun and beach. We often see people cycling, canoeing and exercising along the beachfront, which is such a treat in a concrete-dense city like Singapore", Mrs K said. 

That said, walking is often required in such an exclusive neighbourhood. Mrs K shares that sometimes, her family would choose to walk to nearby spots like Downtown East for movies, shopping and meals. "It's simple but a nice way to stay active and also bond with my children".

When it comes to affordable groceries, Mrs K recommended heading to the wet market at Pasir Ris Drive 6. "The wet market has a great selection of affordable and fresh groceries, along with many coffee shops to pick up delicious food. The only downside is that there's no direct bus there from my condo". 

As an avid yoga practitioner, the yoga sessions happening on weekday mornings are a big plus point to her lifestyle, too. "If you like doing yoga, there are many yoga sessions available on weekday mornings", Mrs K elaborated. 

A look behind Casa Pasir Ris' facade 

While Mrs K has shared mainly positive things about the project, she admits that there are downsides that might not make it a suitable home for some people. Apart from the deficient transportation facilities, Casa Pasir Ris is a small development that lacks in-house amenities. 

With only a simple small pool that is good enough for a quick dip, Casa Pasir Ris does not offer the typical range of amenities that some might look forward to when staying in a private development. 

"There isn't a gym nor playground in the project, which I know might raise a few eyebrows since those are quite basic facilities when living in a condo in Singapore", explains Mrs K. 

But the family has a different approach to this matter. 

"You know, we are so close to the beach and nature's playground. If you think about it, we don't need a gym if there's an open space and outdoor exercise areas available at the beach."  

That said, this will be subjective to different buyers and the level that they require. Some people feel that most condo gyms are inadequate anyway, and would prefer to pay for a proper monthly gym membership outside (so the connectivity becomes important). Others may just feel that having a gym is part of the required checklist of a condo (whether they use it or not), which may pose problems when it becomes time to sell.

Considerations potential buyers should know 

Hammering on the point of lifestyle at Casa Pasir Ris, Mrs K concludes that it's an ideal project for families who like a safe and cosy neighbourhood. 

"There are only three levels at this project, and both levels 1 and 3 have their own private patios or rooftop gardens. If you like to have your own private outdoor area and enjoy a low-density space, then I would say that this project might be ideal for you". 

Last but not least, potential buyers should look out for future works and projects within the vicinity. 

"I know and am quite excited that the Cross Island Line is expected to be ready in about 10 years time, which I would expect more facilities to be added to the neighbourhood skyline. If you want to live in the area, you should definitely read up on surrounding upgrading works", Mrs K advised. 

Staying at Casa Pasir Ris 

As one of the unique projects that offers such an exclusive location in Singapore, Casa Pasir Ris is often a hit-or-miss for homebuyers. Instead of seeing it as a downside to living at an older project, Mrs K and her family appreciate the upsides that the project offers and think that it's a wonderful place to call home. 

When asked about how long are they planning to stay at Casa Pasir Ris, Mrs K shares that it would probably be her retirement home. 

"Well, I might consider revamping the space by converting the rooftop garden to another unit for my kids or even converting the apartment into a SOHO. Who knows? There are many possibilities to explore".

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This article was first published in Stackedhomes.