Clementi may be considered a fringe area on paper, but it's a property hotspot nonetheless. From access to key educational institutes (NUS and the NUS High School of Maths and Science, Nan Hua, and Singapore Polytechnic), to its good mix of greenery and amenities, Clementi is probably one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in the west.

And while Clementi was considered an "HDB area" for much of its history, that's changed with the increasing number of quality condos in the area:

Most notable condos in the Clementi area

1. Parc Clematis

Parc Clematis is probably the best-known project in Clementi right now, and it's also one of the largest in Singapore. This 1,468-unit mega-development is close to 634,000 sq ft, and one of its claims to fame is that 400,000 sq ft is dedicated to common facilities. 

You can think of this as almost being three projects joined together, as it's literally divided into three zones (and the facilities match, such as the condo having three different lap pools). So in terms of comparison, Parc Clematis will always win the "best" or "most facilities" category, as well as being the condo with the biggest landscaped areas for families to play around in. 

In terms of MRT access, residents can use the bus stop at NEWest (just across the road) and take services like 201. This leads to Clementi MRT (EW), which is next to Clementi Mall. This is one of the biggest heartland malls in the West, and probably where residents will go for most needs. 

Do note that NEWest is itself a mixed-use development with some restaurants, but we don't consider this a significant amenity (see below). 

Whilst a common issue with mega-developments is the fear of competition (i.e., too many competing listings for rental or sale in the same project), this isn't looking like a problem. Parc Clematis is quite new — completed in 2023 — but already has a good record of 200 profitable transactions to a single losing transaction.

Upgraders will probably consider Parc Clematis steep, which is unsurprising due to how new it is (average price of $2,086 psf). Even so, this project is likely to become the yardstick against which other Clementi condos are measured, at least in the near future. 

5 most recent transactions

2. NEWest

NEWest is a natural point of comparison with Parc Clematis, as the two are facing each other (although separated by AYE). As such, the location advantages are mainly similar (see point 1). But beyond location, the two are significantly different. 

One big factor is NEWest's 956-year loan tenure, which is effectively similar to freehold. The other key difference between NEWest and Parc Clematis is size.

Whilst Parc Clematis has over 1,400+ units, NEWest has just 136. This does mean a much smaller land area compared to its neighbour (just around 150,700+ sq ft) and more modest facilities.

The low unit count also explains the very large units that can be found here; while 570 sq ft one-bedders do exist, NEWest also has townhouse units that reach over 2,500 sq ft. At an average of $1,029 psf, these may appeal to those who prize more space.

For comparison, consider that a 1,044 sq ft unit at Parc Clematis transacts at around $2.38 million, whilst NEWest has 2,400 sq ft units transacting at $2.48 million.

That said, it is somewhat relative when we say there's more space, as it is spread over 4 floors (so more space is taken up by stairs), although it does have a lift. All the townhouses are also clustered together, so some people may feel that it is quite cramped for their liking. 

NEWest's weakest point, however, is its squandered commercial element. If you're a regular Stacked reader, you'll know we're quite emphatic about a controlled tenant mix; and NEWest disappoints in this regard. Its retail space is quite uncoordinated, and when last we checked, it was predominantly a mix of small restaurants. This is a pity, as it would be nice for residents here to have a commercial amenity outside of Clementi Mall

5 most recent transactions

3. The Trilinq

This is another older neighbour to Parc Clematis, and one that's differentiated by its unit layouts. 

The Trilinq is a medium-sized (755-unit) leasehold condo completed in 2017. This project is catered toward those who like loft-style, double-volume units. The ceiling height is an impressive 5.8 metres in the living room, for the three and four-bedder units; and even the regular units have a bit more vertical space than usual (2.9-metre ceiling height).

Unfortunately, high ceilings at the time of Trilinq's launch counted toward the overall cost, in the form of strata void space (something that we no longer do for condos, thankfully). This resulted in slow sales initially, as buyers who care less about aesthetics don't like paying for the empty space between floor and ceiling.

When sales failed to move fast enough, the developers dropped the prices close to the ABSD deadline; this resulted in a stronger transaction record for some of the later buyers as some bought in the range of $1,200-$1,300 psf. 

As this project is so close to Parc Clematis, the locational advantages are broadly similar. The deciding factor for a buyer is how much they love — or perhaps hate — the high-ceiling units. Whilst some find it wasteful, others will find it permits a wider range of design themes and lends itself better to styles like Art Deco apartments. 

5 most recent transactions

4. Clement Canopy 

Prized mainly for its proximity to NUS, and the NUS School of Mathematics and Science, this 505-unit condo was the first launch in 2017. The market was slow at that time, and the developers gave out a $6,000 discount for two-bedders, $8,000 discount for three-bedders, and a $12,000 discount for four-bedders at launch. Prices were at $1,330 psf to $1,360 psf, which sounds incredibly affordable at this moment in time. 

The Yale-NUS campus is one of the closest points of the university to this project. 

Clement Canopy's tradeoff for being close to NUS/NUS School of Mathematics and Science is its distance from Clementi MRT station. So for those who don't care about school/university access, this project has a weaker location than Parc Clematis, NEWest, or Trilinq.

That's not to say Clement Canopy is inaccessible though — if you go to the bus stop at block 410, services like 14 will get you to Clementi MRT (and Clementi Mall) relatively fast. 

Clement Canopy may also be the most aesthetically pleasing condo next to Parc Clematis/Clavon. While it's smaller, the developer managed to fit an impressive range of facilities over three levels; and the centrepiece (a waterfall/pool) makes this an oasis amidst the concrete. 

Clement Canopy also benefits from the nearby HDB enclave, which is very well-developed and has the usual range of coffee shops, convenience stores, etc. This will appeal to HDB upgraders who want condo facilities, but miss the heartland conveniences being on their doorstep. 

5 most recent transactions

5. Clavon

Clavon was one of the best-selling projects of 2020, and was completed at the time of writing. The fast sales were more due to competitive pricing than anything — at a new launch price of $1,640 psf, it's widely believed that the developer was underpricing the condo. Subsale transactions have certainly been strong, with 58 profitable sales so far.

Clavon neighbours Clement Canopy, so the locational advantages (proximity to schools) are quite similar. Both are also leasehold projects of a roughly similar size, with 640 units at Clavon; so the close points of comparison may partly explain the competitive pricing.

They were both built by the same developer UOL, so it isn't any surprise that they are broadly the same product. 

Differences will mostly boil down to layout, as even the facilities are comparable. The two-bedders here are some of the more efficient layouts we've seen for any condo, using a dumbbell approach that minimises wasted space (e.g., no need for a corridor when the living/dining area connects the various bedrooms and kitchen). 

Clavon also provides good access to the PIE and AYE, but the latter is also a problem. Some buyers may be disturbed by how close Clavon is to the AYE; and whilst we haven't heard any complaints, those who like quiet will want to pick their stack with care (or perhaps just pick a higher unit). 

5 most recent transactions

This article was first published in Stackedhomes.