Upcoming EC, condo launches in 2020 to consider if you are planning for a new home
PHOTO: Facebook/treasurecrest.gw
PUBLISHED ONSeptember 07, 2020 4:18 AMBySi Jie Lim
If you are planning for a new home with your other half, 2020 might just be the right time for you.
Apart from the usual BTO launches, there are a slew of Executive Condominium (EC) and condominium (condo) launches in 2020.
These upcoming launches are definitely options for you and your other half to consider as you enter the next stage of your life.
ECs, Condos vs HDB: What's the difference?
But before we get into the details of the upcoming EC and condo launches, here's a quick primer on what ECs and condos are and how they compare with the typical HDB options.
Condo vs HDB: Private vs public housing
Condominiums, or condos, as Singaporeans call them, are private apartment-like properties. They are very similar to an HDB, except that they can be owned by anyone regardless of your citizenship.
This means that, unlike HDB, which can only be owned by Singaporeans or Permanent Residents (PRs), foreigners can also purchase condos.
Condos also come with amenities like clubhouse, barbecue pits, tennis court and swimming pool, among others. Some condos even have their own KTV rooms and badminton courts.
EC: A HDB and condo hybrid
ECs are the related cousins of condos. Some call them a hybrid of HDB and condo. That's because ECs are considered public housing in the first 10 years post Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP).
This means that only Singaporeans and PRs can own ECs. Once ECs cross the 10-year mark, their status will convert into private housing.
Once that happens, ECs will have the same characteristics of a condo, i.e. privatised. You have the option to sell your EC to a foreigner once it is privatised.
ECS, Condos vs HDB: How do they compare?
One of the biggest differences between HDBs and ECs/condos is the price factor. The average per square foot (psf) price of HDB is between $330 (non-mature estate) to $700 (mature estate).
The psf cost of EC for the same area is around 2-3 times more expensive than an HDB. When it comes to condo, the psf cost goes up to 3-5 times the psf cost of an HDB.
The reason for the difference in pricing is because of the re-saleability of ECs (after privatisation) and condos.
Condos and some ECs are built in desirable neighbourhoods that are close to prime locations such as the Central Business District (CBD).
Together with the option of selling to foreigners, the market for condos and ECs is much bigger than the HDB market. Thus, this allows condos and ECs to command a higher price compared to HDB.
Lists of ECS and condo launches to look out for 2020
For those of you looking to purchase an EC or a condo, this is the list of launches to look out for in 2020.
Executives condominiums (ECS)
| Project Name | Launch Date | Location | No. Of Units | Price | Leasehold | MRT/Bus Interchange | Amenities | Schools |
| OLA EC | Q1 2020, Now open for booking | Anchorvale Crescent | 550 units | $1,100 to $1,200 psf | 99 years | Seng Kang MRT and Bus Interchange | – Compass Point – Rivervale Mall – Riverale Plaza – Seng Kang General Hospital and Community Hospital – Seng Kang Riverside Park – Seng Kang Sports Complex |
– Compassvale Secondary School – Springdale Primary School – Nan Chiau Primary School – Nan Chiau High School – Anchor Green Primary School |
| Parc Canberra EC | Q1 2020, Now open for booking | Canberra Link | 496 units (3 to 5 bedrooms) |
$1,000 – $1,200 psf | 99 years | Canberra MRT | – Upcoming Sembawang Integrated Hub – Canberra Plaza – Hawker Centre |
– Sembawang Primary School – Sembawang Secondary School |
| Piermont Grand | Q1 2020, Now open for booking | Sumang Walk | 820 units | $1,100 – $1,150 psf | 99 years | Sumang LRT and Punggol MRT | – Punggol Waterway Point – Compass One – Rivervale Plaza – Rivervale Mall |
– Punggol Cove Primary School – Waterway Primary School – Nan Chiau Primary School – Nan Chiau High School – CHIJ St Joseph’s Convent |
| Parc Central residences EC | Q1 2021 | Tampines Avenue 10, Tampines Street 86 | 550 units | $1,100 to $1,200 psf | 99 years | Tampines MRT, Tampines West MRT and Bus Interchange | – IKEA – Courts Megastore – Giant Hypermarket – Tampines Hub – Century Square – Tampines Mall – Tampines 1 – Tampines Regional Library |
– UWC South East Asia (East Campus) – Poi Ching School – Junyuan Secondary School – Springfield Secondary School – Saint Hilda’s Secondary School |
Private condominiums
| Project Name | Launch Date | Location | No. Of Units | Price | Leasehold | MRT/Bus Interchange | Amenities | Schools |
| Leedon Green | Q1 2020, now open for booking | Farrer Road | 638 units | $2,800 – $3,000 psf | Freehold | – Farrer Road MRT – Holland Village MRT |
– Farrer Gardens Food Centre – Botanic Garden |
– ACS (International) – Nanyang Primary School |
| Linq @ Beauty World | Q2 2020, now open for booking | Bukit Timah Road | 120 units | $1,900 – $2,000 psf | Freehold | Beauty World MRT | – Bukit Timah Food Centre – Bukit Timah Shopping Centre – Bukit Timah Plaza |
– Methodist Girls’ School – Bukit Timah Primary School |
| One Holland Village Residences | Q1 2020, now open for booking | Holland Drive | 296 units | $2,400 – $2,800 psf | 99 years | Holland Village MRT | – Star Vista – Holland Village – One-North |
– ACS (International) – Henry Park Primary School – Nanyang Primary School – Fairfield Methodist School |
| Ryse Residences at Pasir Ris Central | Q3 2020 | Pasir Ris Central | 480 units | $1,450 psf | 99 years | Pasir Ris MRT | – White Sands – Pasir Ris Hawker Centre |
– Meridian Primary School – Meridian Secondary School – Meridian Junior College – Hai Sing Catholic School – Elias Park Primary School |
| Kopar at Newton | Q1 2020, now open for booking | Kampong Java Road | 436 units | $2,100 psf | 99 years | – Newton MRT – Novena MRT |
– United Square – Novena Square – Newton Food Centre |
– ACS Junior – SJI Junior – Singapore Chinese Girls School – St Margaret’s Primary – Farrer Park Primary – Laselle College of The Arts |
| Sims Villa Condo | Q3 2020 | Sims Drive | 560 units | $1,400 psf | 99 years | Aljunied MRT | – One KM Mall – Paya Labar Square – Paya Labar Quarter |
– Geylang Methodist Primary – Canossa Convent Primary |
| The Atelier Condo @ Newton | Q1 2020, now open for booking | 2 Makeway Avenue | 120 units | $2,600 – $2,800 psf | Freehold | – Newton MRT – Novena MRT | – United Square – Novena Square – Newton Food Centre |
– ACS Junior – SJI Junior – Singapore Chinese Girls School – St Margaret’s Primary – Farrer Park Primary – Laselle College of The Arts |
| The M Condo @ Middle Road | Q1 2020, now open for booking | Middle Road | 522 units | $2,400 psf | 99 years | Bugis MRT | – Tekka Market – Golden Mile Food Center – Hong Lim Market – North Bridge Road Market – Bugis Junction – Bugis+ – Suntec City Mall |
– St Margaret’s Primary – Stamford Primary School – ACS Junior |
| Verticus Condo @ Balestier | Q1 2020, now open for booking | 3 Jalan Kemaman | 162 units | $2,800 psf | Freehold | – Toa Payoh MRT – Novena MRT |
– Balestier Plaza – Shaw Plaza – Balestier Hill Shopping Centre – Zhongshan Mall – United Square – Novena Square – Whampoa Food Centre And Market |
– CHIJ (Toa Payoh) – SJI International |
| The Landmark @ Chinatown | Q1 2020, now open for booking | 173 Chin Swee Road | 396 units | $2,200 psf | 99 years | – Chinatown MRT – Outram Park MRT |
– Chinatown Food Centre – Chinatown Point – People’s Park Complex |
– River Valley Primary School – Cantonment Primary School – Zhangde Primary School |
| 19 Nassim Hill | Q1 2020, now open for booking | 19 Nassim Hill | 101 units | $2,800 psf | 99 years | – Orchard MRT – Napier MRT |
– Tanglin Market Place – Tanglin Shopping Centre |
– Alexandra Primary School – Singapore Chinese Girls’ Primary School – ISS International School – Raffles Girls’ School |
| Van Holland | Q2 2020, now open for booking | 188 Holland Road | 69 units | $2,800 psf | Freehold | Holland Village MRT | – Star Vista – Holland Village – One-North |
– ACS (International) – Henry Park Primary School – Nanyang Primary School – Fairfield Methodist School |
| Ki Residences | Q3 2020, open for booking | Sunset Way | 600 units | $1,700 psf | Freehold | Clementi MRT | – The Grandstand – Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre |
– Methodist Girl’s School – Singapore Korean International School – Nee Ann Polytechnic – Singapore Polytechnic – SIM Global Education |
| Forett @ Bukit Timah | Q2 2020, now open for booking | Toh Tuck Road | 633 units | $2,000 psf | Freehold | Beauty World MRT | – Beauty World Plaza – Beauty World Centre – Bukit Timah Shopping Centre |
– Nanyang Primary School – Ngee Ann Polytechnic -Canadian International School |
| 77 @ East Coast | Q2 2020, now open for booking | 77 Upper East Coast Road | 41 units | $1,900 psf | Freehold | Siglap MRT | – Siglap Shopping Centre – Bedok Mall – Bedok Point |
– Opera Estate Primary School – St. Stephen’s School – Ngee Ann Primary School |
| Verdale Condo | Q3 2020, now open for booking | 10 De Souza Avenue | 280 units | $1,700 psf | 99 years | Beauty World MRT | – Beauty World Shopping Centre – Jurong JEM |
– Bukit Timah Primary School – Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School – Yusok Primary Secondary School |
The 3 other big launches to consider
Among the list of upcoming EC and condominium launches in 2020, Sims Villa, The Landmark and Parc Canberra are three launches that deserve some attention.
These three launches are definitely worth keeping an eye out for, as their price point appears to be relatively affordable given their locations (Sims Drive, Chin Swee Road, and Canberra Link respectively).
Bonus tip: Linq at Beauty World, at Upper Bukit Timah Road, is another launch that should garner some attention from soon-to-be homeowners for its attractive price as a freehold property. Make sure to compare prices for these before signing the dotted line and becoming proud homeowners!
Getting an EC or condominium soon?
Apart from just focusing your attention on getting the home of your dreams, be sure purchase a home insurance plan that would safeguard your home and its possessions when an accident occurs.
This article was first published in SingSaver.com.sg.
