5 more affordable little-known freehold landed estates (priced from $2.55m)

When it comes to landed property in Singapore, a few neighborhoods like Nassim, Cluny Park, and for those familiar with the eastern side - Frankel and Opera Estates, often steal the spotlight.

Those are the famous ones, but there are more landed enclaves in Singapore than you might suspect - and some of these may be good places to find a more affordable unit. They might also be free of the usual problems of choosing a landed home, such as being too far from amenities. Here are some under-the-radar areas you might want to explore:

1. Jalan Singa

Jalan Singa is one of the most quiet parts of Eunos, in an area that straddles the boundary with Bedok Reservoir. Traffic is virtually non-existent, except among the residents themselves; and this is one of the few landed areas where you're spared from outsiders blocking your driveway. 

Some parts of Jalan Singa - such as the cul-de-sac area of Singa Hills condo - provide a large open area. Given the low volume of traffic, it's safe for children to ride their bikes or play around these spots. 

Despite the isolated appearance of Jalan Singa, accessibility is quite good. Some landed units are within walking distance of Kaki Bukit MRT (DTL). The bus stop for this area, just outside Jalan Singa Park, also has services that connect directly to Eunos interchange (EWL). From there, Paya Lebar station is only one stop away, so residents have good access to the Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) hub. 

For day-to-day amenities, many of the homes here are within walking distance of the Bedok Reservoir HDB cluster. This is a very mature area, with a lot of coffee shops, minimarts, and restaurants. 

All in, this is one of the more underrated low-density spots in Singapore; especially for those who want access to a green recreational area like Bedok Reservoir (less than a 10-minute drive from this enclave).

2. Nemesu Avenue 

If you've heard of Nemesu Avenue at all, it's likely due to Sembawang Hills Estate. This is the best-known project in the area, consisting of freehold landed housing. That isn't the be-all and end-all of this area though.

Nemesu Avenue has excellent walking access to Lower Pierce Reservoir Park (formerly called Kallang River Park). This is a favourite among hardcore nature lovers and trail walkers, who sneer at places like Fort Canning or the Botanical Gardens as being "too basic." The Jacaranda entrance to the park is the one closest to Nemesu, which is a plus because it's more private (the other two entrances, which are more for public transport access, are where more people enter and exit the park.)

While there's no MRT access, the bus stop at Sembawang Hills FC has a good number of service routes. Buses like 163 mean good access to most parts of Toa Payoh. A small foodie hub, clustered around Sembawang Hills Food Centre, has also emerged over the years. You'll find a few artisanal cafes mixed in with local fare. 

The key appeal here will be schools: the venerable CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls' is within one-kilometre of most addresses here, as are Mayflower and Pierce Secondary. 

This Upper Thomson area might be a viable substitute for the Bukit Timah location, for those who absolutely need greenery and distance from urban centres. 

Project Name	Transacted Price ($)	Area (SQFT)	Unit Price ($ PSF)	Sale Date	Property Type
SEMBAWANG HILLS ESTATE	$2,830,000	1,931	$1,466	Aug 17 2023	Terrace House
SEMBAWANG HILLS ESTATE	$4,100,000	3,118	$1,315	Aug 8 2023	Terrace House
SEMBAWANG HILLS ESTATE	$5,300,000	1,956	$2,710	June 13 2023	Terrace House
SEMBAWANG HILLS ESTATE	$4,860,000	1,501	$3,239	June 5 2023	Terrace House
SEMBAWANG HILLS ESTATE	$3,600,000	2,687	$1,340	May 10 2023	Terrace House

3. How Sun Landed Estate

How Sun landed estate is one of the more down-to-earth landed areas. The properties here tend to be older or smaller, with many dating back to at least the 1960s. Older single-storey properties sit side-by-side with more contemporary units, making this area a bit of a hodge-podge mix of styles. 

If you're into nostalgia or eclectic mixes, you'll like the aesthetic; but if you want a landed enclave where everything is fancy and new… best look elsewhere. 

We see some resemblances between How Sun Avenue and Opera Estate in the east: by that we mean a more balanced demographic mix. Not everyone living in the landed homes here is among the affluent; many are living in intergenerational homes that have been handed down over the years. So you'll find just as many nurses, teachers, and workers as you might find C-suite executives or directors. 

Some of the units at How Sun is within walking distance of Bartley MRT station (CCL), which means access to Serangoon MRT (NEL, CCL) in just one stop. This is a big deal for convenience, as Serangoon MRT is attached to NEX Megamall, which can fulfil most needs. 

A large food cluster has also formed along Quernoy Road; some Serangoon area residents even come here as an alternative to Serangoon Gardens, from time to time. This is a good area for home buyers who like low-density living, but still want an area that's laid-back or down-to-earth, rather than posh. 

Project Name	Transacted Price ($)	Area (SQFT)	Unit Price ($ PSF)	Sale Date	Property Type
N.A.	7,000,000	6,835.14	1,024	July 6 2023	Detached House
N.A.	4,510,000	3,430.49	1,315	June 15 2023	Semi-Detached House
N.A.	2,000,000	1,280.92	1,561	May 19 2023	Terrace House
N.A.	4,160,000	1,277.69	3,256	Dec 22 2022	Terrace House
N.A.	3,434,000	1,280.92	2,681	Oct 20 2022	Terrace House
N.A.	4,480,000	2,257.21	1,985	July 14 2022	Terrace House
N.A.	2,360,000	1,276.61	1,849	June 17 2022	Terrace House
N.A.	4,150,000	1,277.69	3,248	May 30 2022	Terrace House

4. Jurong Park Landed Estate

Don't be fooled by the name. The Jurong Park landed enclave is really between Bukit Batok and Beauty World. This area is ideal for those who like Upper Bukit Timah or Beauty World, but want to maintain some distance from its noisier areas.

From Jurong Park, it's less than a five-minute drive to Beauty World Plaza. This is also where you'll find the main mall, a cluster of eateries, retail shops, etc. If you don't want to drive, you can also take bus 61 near Grand Chateau, which will take you to Beauty World in just a few stops. Beauty World MRT (DTL) is also in the same area, so some residents arguably have MRT access; they just have to be okay with a bus connection to the train.

Jurong Park also has good access to Bukit Timah proper, with the nature park being less than a 10-minute drive. Most of the amenities in Bukit Timah (e.g., Bukit Timah Shopping Centre) are hence also within reach; but Beauty World is frankly a bigger hub.

Given the area, you also get nice greenery views from here, and the Jalan Tekukor playground is probably one of the more spacious and best-located playgrounds that you'll find.

We'd consider this area if you want the convenience of Beauty World, but don't want the traffic and constant redevelopments near Beauty World Plaza.

Project Name	Transacted Price ($)	Area (SQFT)	Unit Price ($ PSF)	Sale Date	Property Type
JURONG PARK	$7,880,000	5,584	$1,411	July 13 2022	Detached House

5. Mariam Way 

Mariam Way has something a lot of landed enclaves wish for: nice, wide streets, with few parking problems. The homes here also tend to be quite sizeable, as there's no shortage of space in this part of Changi. 

Mariam Way is the ideal landed enclave for those who work at Changi Airport, or simply like access to places like the Changi Jewel or their next holiday flight. You can get to the airport in around five minutes, from most parts of Mariam Way; and to Changi Business Park in less than 10. 

This also means good access to Changi Village (about the same distance as Changi Business Park). So if you're the sort who likes the occasional trip to Pulau Ubin, you might like this area. 

This landed estate also borders Loyang Villas, a leasehold landed estate where you'll find one of the cheapest landed homes available in Singapore with prices starting from $1.8 million.

Overall, if you like the kind of place that "doesn't feel like Singapore," you might want to check out this area. The larger plots also make Mariam Way good for homeowners who aspire to customise/build their own landed homes. 

The only downside is that Mariam Way - and Changi in general - are places for drivers. Access to public transport is limited in this area, and that won't be changing anytime soon. 

Project Name	Transacted Price ($)	Area (SQFT)	Unit Price ($ PSF)	Sale Date	Property Type
CHANGI GROVE	$5,600,000	4,585	$1,221	Jan 11 2023	Detached House
AVILA TERRACE	$3,350,000	1,786	$1,876	Nov 30 2022	Terrace House
LIRIA TERRACE	$2,550,000	1,679	$1,519	Oct 10 2022	Terrace House
AVILA TERRACE	$3,908,000	2,776	$1,408	Aug 15 2022	Terrace House
AVILA TERRACE	$3,500,000	2,730	$1,282	July 27 2022	Terrace House

ALSO READ: 5 spacious cluster landed homes above 3,000 sq ft near green spaces

This article was first published in Stackedhomes.