Nov 2019 BTO: Yio Chu Kang Beacon at Ang Mo Kio unit analysis

In the November 2019 BTO sales exercise, Yio Chu Kang Beacon in the Ang Mo Kio neighbourhood received much love, especially for its 4-room units, which are the biggest unit type in the development.

Our team dropped by the site during evening peak hours on a weekday to see what makes this site tick. Despite the hours, the area was still relatively tranquil.

Ang Mo Kio Ave 9, the road which borders the BTO, saw some traffic, although it wasn't overly busy. It might get busier after the school holidays though, seeing as the area is surrounded by a number of schools.

Buildings surrounding Yio Chu Kang Beacon aren't very tall, so you are likely to get unblocked views if you decide to go for a unit on the higher floor (block 651B goes all the way to the 18th floor).

Older HDB blocks (the one adjacent to Yio Chu Kang Beacon is just 12 storeys high) and schools surround the immediate vicinity, while the Thye Hua Kwan Hospital sits just opposite the site.

Amenities-wise, it was less than a 10-min walk to the nearest MRT, Yio Chu Kang along the North-South Line, and it was a short walking distance to a decent-sized hawker centre, Ang Mo Kio 628 Market & Food Centre.

If you managed to snag a queue number for Yio Chu Kang Beacon, congrats. We check out which units are the best picks depending on a number of factors.

WHICH UNIT TO PICK?

1. COOLER UNITS

In Singapore, the western sun comes from two directions: northwest and southwest. If you don't want your home to feel like a baked oven when you come back in the evening, avoid units that have the main windows facing these two directions.

However, the western sun can also trap heat on the walls, so make sure it's not facing any important walls e.g. bedroom of the unit you pick.

Stacks 334 and 336 of block 651B and stacks 346 and 348 of block 651C are unlikely to have any western sun. However, they will bear the brunt of the morning sun, which rises from the east.

This is a good thing if you are a morning person and like to wake up with the sun. This is not a good thing if you happen to do night shifts and need to sleep in during the day.

2. PRIVACY

If you want to avoid having a neighbour sneaking glances into your flat when they are passing through the corridors, get a corner unit away from the lifts and the rubbish chutes.

651A: 308

651B: 324, 340, 336

651C: 346, 342, 358

3. UNBLOCKED VIEWS

Most of the stacks will be able to get relatively unblocked views since the site is mainly surrounded by relatively short buildings. For stacks 320 and 318, which face existing HDB block 621, get a unit that is higher than the 12th floor (if any) if you want relatively unblocked views.

Stacks facing the 7-storey carpark with roof garden on the 8th floor, 310, 308, 324 and 322, will benefit from unblocked views if you go with a unit higher than 8th storey.

If you are opting for a stack facing the surrounding schools (Presbyterian High School or Anderson Primary School across the road), you might want to get a unit higher than the 8th or 9th floor (approximation) for unblocked views.

We based this estimate on the Nuovo condo, which is located right next to Anderson Primary School.

WHAT ELSE TO TAKE NOTE OF?

Avoid picking a unit that faces the road, Ang Mo Kio Ave 9, if you don't like to be disturbed by traffic noise.

We think this particular road can get quite busy especially during school drop-off and pick-up hours. These stacks are: 320, 300, 302, 304, 306, 326, 328, 330, and 332.

This article was first published in Renonation.