5 cluster housing projects with units at $2m or under

That landed property sure looks great…until you start thinking about how hard it is to keep the façade clean. And how much it will cost to repaint the gigantic house. And how you’ll still have to drive to the club or public swimming pool, when condo-dwellers have it right downstairs.

Besides, are you really taking full advantage of a “true” landed property, if you’re not rebuilding the house, or making expensive customisations?

If these thoughts make you hesitate, then it’s time to consider cluster housing instead. These provide the conveniences (and savings) of communal facilities, with the privacy and room of a landed property. Here are some you could own for under $2 million:

What’s cluster housing?

We have more details on cluster housing in our previous article ; but as a quick summary, cluster homes are full-houses (be it terrace, semi-detached, detached, etc,) that have a strata title. This puts them somewhere in-between a condo and “true” landed property.

There are some restrictions; for example, you can’t tear down and rebuild the house, and you can’t usually change the façade*. But in exchange, you have communal facilities like pools, clubhouses, 24-hour security, and other condo-style features.

As maintenance is part of the deal (for which you pay maintenance fees), cluster housing is ideal for home owners who want to be more “hands-off” in the property’s upkeep. In addition, cluster housing tends to have a lower quantum than “true” landed properties, while having many of the same advantages.

*Sometimes you can make some minor changes; it depends on whether the development’s managing body agrees.

1. Summer Gardens

According to Square Foot Research, the indicative price is around $612 psf. There were two transactions in 2020, both at below $2 million:

There have been 67 profitable transactions, and 17 unprofitable transactions.

The most recent asking prices at $2 million or under are as follows:

Date	Unit size	Price (psf)	Price (Quantum)
8 Nov 2020	1,800 sq. ft.	$1,111	$2,000,000
10 Oct 2020	1,800 sq. ft.	$1,667	$1,999,999
21 Feb 2020	1,200 sq. ft.	$636	$1,028,888

Address: Upper Changi Road East

Lease: 99-years from 1995

Completion: 2005

Number of units: 86 units

Key highlights:

Summer Gardens is located along Upper Changi Road East, just across the canal and Bedok Park Connector. Unlike many landed properties, there are a number of immediate close-by amenities.

The famous Simpang Bedok food court is just 450 metres away (about a five-minute walk), where you’ll also find a Giant supermarket. There’s also a Cold Storage near the post office, which is in the same general area.

In terms of retail, Summer Gardens will benefit from an upcoming mixed-use development along Tanah Merah Kechil . This will introduce retail shops near the Tanah Merah MRT station, which is about 617 metres (eight minutes’ walk) from Summer Gardens.

On this note, proximity to the MRT station is the biggest highlight of this development; it’s not that common to find landed homes for under $2 million, that are also close to a train station.

There’s also Bedok Shopping Complex (not a mall, a collection of shops) and East Village; but to be frank, these are barely worth mentioning in terms of retail.

There’s also a school within one kilometre; Bedok South Secondary School is about 850 metres away (12 minutes’ walk).

While the overall location is great, we’ve heard occasional gripes about the layout. The homes are packed quite close together, and some viewers have remarked that it feels crowded for low-density housing. This is subjective, so do take a look for yourself.

If you decide this is not for you, but like the location, check out The Springfield; this is an older cluster housing development that’s just 850 metres away (see below).

2. The Woods

According to Square Foot Research, the indicative price is around $428 to $448 psf. The average price is $439 psf. The last five transactions for under $2 million are as follows:

Date	Unit size	Price (psf)	Price (Quantum)
Dec 9, 2020	4,155 sq. ft.	$448	$1,860,000
Oct 23, 2020	4,004 sq. ft.	$446	$1,786,000
Oct 22, 2020	4,004 sq. ft.	$434	$1,738,000
Oct 9, 2020	4,209 sq. ft.	$428	$1,800,000
March 20, 2020	4,790 sq. ft.	$399	$1,738,000

There have been 2 profitable transactions, and 15 unprofitable transactions.

The most recent asking prices below $2 million are as follows:

Date	Unit size	Price (psf)	Price (Quantum)
Oct 9, 2020	1,000 sq. ft.	$2,000	$2,000,000
June 30, 2020	4,250 sq. ft.	$471	$2,000,000
June 30, 2020	4,250 sq. ft.	$471	$2,000,000
March 4, 2020	4,003 sq. ft.	$425	$1,700,000

Address: Westwood Avenue

Lease: 99-years from 2010

Completion: 2013

Number of units: 93 units

Key highlights:

There are two main attractions for The Woods. The first is the amount of space you’re getting for the price; $439 psf is hard to match in 2021 (note that all the units are semi-detached houses, of various sizes).

Second, there are two schools and one international school, all within walking distance.

Pioneer Primary and Westwood Secondary School are around 450 and 490 metres respectively; this is about a seven-minute walk for the children. One World International School (Nanyang Campus) is the furthest at about 580 metres, but still just about a nine-to-10-minute walk.

If your children are older, it’s worth noting that NTU is only 2.7 kilometres away, or about a six-minute car ride.

The Woods isn’t close to any MRT station; but this is not unexpected for most landed housing. For retail and some dining, Gek Poh Shopping Centre is just around 500 metres away (seven minutes’ walk).

Some home owners may not like that there’s a condo across the road from The Woods (Westwood Residences), as this may “spoil” the feel of being in a landed enclave; but the area is quiet despite the larger neighbouring development.

3. Cabana

According to Square Foot Research, the indicative price is around $583 to $639 psf. The average price is $609 psf. The last five transactions for under $2 million are as follows:

Date	Unit size	Price (psf)	Price (Quantum)
1 Dec 1, 2020	2,917 sq. ft.	$627	$1,830,000
Nov 9, 2020	2,917 sq. ft.	$639	$1,865,000
Oct 30, 2020	2,939 sq. ft.	$596	$1,750,000
Oct 28, 2020	3,165 sq. ft.	$600	$1,900,000
Oct 19, 2020	3,068 sq. ft.	$583	$1,790,000

There have been 9 profitable transactions, and 18 unprofitable transactions.

The most recent asking prices below $2 million are as follows:

Date	Unit size	Price (psf)	Price (Quantum)
Oct 6, 2020	2,885 sq. ft.	$669	$1,930,000
June 26, 2020	2,817 sq. ft.	$657	$1,850,000
June 10, 2020	2,917 sq. ft.	$624	$1,820,000

Address: Sunrise Terrace

Lease: 103-years from 2009

Completion: 2013

Number of units: 93 units

Key highlights:

Cabana is just a five-minute drive from Nanyang Polytechnic, and about a three-minute drive to Ang Mo Kio Electronics Park (where you’ll find ST Engineering, 3M, etc.)

As such, it could be a good location for families with children attending the Polytechnic, or for those looking to rent to executives in the electronics park.

The emergence of Greenwich V mall, about a five-minute drive away, is a big help to this development. Previously you would have to go much further to Seletar Mall for your shopping.

These aside, Cabana is a cluster housing project that feels very much like a true landed property, due to its location. You’re completely surrounded by other landed properties, without a single tower block in site; and traffic noise is almost non-existent. But this comes with the usual drawback of needing to drive (there is no MRT station or supermarket nearby, and even the nearest bus stop is quite a walk).

Note that Amoy Quee camp is very close to Cabana – about 1.5 kilometres by road, and behind the development. We’ve never heard of any noise complaints arising from this, although some home buyers dislike being close to military camps.

4. D’manor

According to Square Foot Research, the indicative price is around $591 to $679 psf. The average price is $643 psf. The last five transactions for under $2 million are as follows:

Date	Unit size	Price (psf)	Price (Quantum)
Dec 9, 2020	2,723 sq. ft.	$679	$1,850,000
Oct 28, 2020	2,723 sq. ft.	$658	$1,793,000
Oct 12,  2020	3,305 sq. ft.	$591	$1,952,000
March 18, 2020	2,723 sq. ft.	$638	$1,738,000
Feb 20, 2020	2,723 sq. ft.	$652	$1,775,000

There have been 129 profitable transactions, and 26 unprofitable transactions.

The most recent asking prices below $2 million are as follows:

Date	Unit size	Price (psf)	Price (Quantum)
Oct 30, 2020	2,723 sq. ft.	$698	$1,900,000
Oct 11,2020	2,723 sq. ft.	$698	$1,900,000
Oct  11, 2020	2,723 sq. ft.	$698	$1,900,000
Oct 7, 2020	2,723 sq. ft.	$661	$1,800,000
Jan 19, 2020	2,723 sq. ft.	$698	$1,900,000

Address: Tanah Merah Kechil Avenue

Lease: 99-years from 1997

Completion: 2001

Number of units: 174 units

Key highlights:

174 units may not be considered “small” or “exclusive” in the eyes of some home buyers; not for a landed development.

However, we’re highlighting D’Manor for broadly the same reason as Summer Gardens (see above): this is a landed development that’s around 420 metres, or six minutes’ walk, from the Tanah Merah MRT station.

Again, we refer you to the fact that a mixed-use development with retail is coming up in this area; so you’d have fast access to both Tanah Merah MRT station, as well as shops that are a short walk away.

Also, because D’manor is even closer to the train station than Summer Gardens, you might see rental interest from those working in the airport or Changi Business Park.

D’manor is a little older than Summer Gardens, although not substantially so at four-years. However, it shares a similar issue: some home buyers have expressed that it feels a bit densely packed, and loses that spacious “landed” quality. Interior-wise, we occasionally hear grumbling that there isn’t a toilet on every level; if that matters to you.

Do note that, besides Summer Gardens and The Springfield (below), this is one of the few cluster housing options that’s both close to an MRT station, and also in the $2 million range…

5. The Springfield

According to Square Foot Research, the indicative price is around $586 to $587 psf. The average price is $587 psf. There were four transactions for under $2 million in 2020:

Date	Unit size	Price (psf)	Price (Quantum)
Oct 22, 2020	2,379 sq. ft.	$588	$1,398,000
Aug 17, 2020	2,390 sq. ft.	$586	$1,400,000
March 13, 2020	2,411 sq. ft.	$614	$1,480,000
Feb 17, 2020	2,519 sq. ft.	$532	$1,338,888

There have been 69 profitable transactions, and 33 unprofitable transactions.

The most recent asking prices below $2 million are as follows:

Date	Unit size	Price (psf)	Price (Quantum)
Oct 27,2020	2,348 sq. ft.	$745	$1,750,000
June 26, 2020	2,387 sq. ft.	$628	$1,498,988
June 25, 2020	2,387 sq. ft.	$628	$1,498,988
June 23, 2020	2,387 sq. ft.	$628	$1,498,988
Jan 26, 2020	2,593 sq. ft.	$733	$1,900,000

Address: Chempaka Kuning Link

Lease: 99-years from 1995

Completion: 1999

Number of units: 111 units

Key highlights:

We’re presenting this as an alternative to Summer Gardens (above). The Springfield is about six years older, but we feel the price difference is sufficient to make up for it ($587 versus $612 psf).

In terms of location, The Springfield is a bit worse off than Summer Gardens. It’s further to the MRT station: 1.3 kilometres or about 15 minutes’ walk, which some homeowners may discount as being convenient. It also has a location that’s at the absolute end of the road, so it’s the furthest one in.

That said, Simpang Bedok is still just 600 metres or seven minutes’ walk away; and the schools accessible from Summer Gardens are also more or less the same distance from here.

Speaking subjectively, the interior spaces and overall layout of The Springfield feel more spacious than D’Manor or Summer Gardens (odd since it has more units than Summer Gardens!) Perhaps it’s a perspective issue, as The Springfield is also nestled in the deepest part of a peaceful landed enclave.

So if you’re interested in D’Manor or Summer Gardens, we’d recommend that you also pay The Springfield a visit.

This article was first published in Stackedhomes.