August 2022 HDB BTO in-depth review: Tampines

One of the projects in the HDB BTO August 2022 launch offering five-room flats is the Tampines BTO. So here’s where you might want to apply if you’re looking for a bigger space. 

August 2022 Tampines HDB BTO at a glance 

Source: HDB

August 2022 Tampines HDB BTO indicative price range

HDB hasn’t released the price range yet. So for now, you can refer to SRX’s estimations based on nearby resale transactions and launch prices from recent BTO launches. 

Flat type	Price range
four-room	$390,000 – $490,000
five-room	$530,000 – $650,000

Source: SRX.

These estimations have been adjusted for differences in property age and location. If a launch is nearer to an MRT or commercial development, it’s likely to be more expensive.

Estimated downpayment, monthly instalment and income 

Based on these pricing forecasts, we can estimate the downpayment, monthly instalments and household income needed to pay for the August 2022 Tampines BTO flat. These estimates are based on the following assumptions: 

• An HDB concessionary loan is taken, maximising the 85 per cent loan-to-value (LTV)
• The loan tenure is 25 years, with the current interest rate of 2.6 per cent
• There is no other housing loan to service

To illustrate, we’ll use the median of the estimated price range and won’t be taking into account any CPF grants or savings to be used. We’ll also be using a mortgage calculator to do the math.  

Another thing is that for public housing, you can only use up to 30 per cent of your monthly household income to service the home loan. This is called the Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR), which you can calculate using our MSR calculator. By taking this into account, we can then find the estimated household monthly income needed for the flat. 

Flat type	Median price	Loan amount (85 per cent)	Min. downpayment (15 per cent)	Estimated monthly instalment	Estimated monthly household income
four-room	$440,000	$374,000	$66,000	$1,696.72	$5,655.73
five-room	$590,000	$501,500	$88,500	$2,275.15	$7,583.83

What we noticed about the August 2022 Tampines HDB BTO

This Tampines BTO is one of the three projects in this August 2022 BTO launch to offer five-room flats. The other projects offering this flat type are the Ang Mo Kio BTO and Choa Chu Kang BTO. 

The Tampines BTO is probably less popular than the Ang Mo Kio BTO since it’s located far from the city centre. 

At the same time, this BTO is the smallest project in this launch, with only 260 units up for grabs. So we expect a little competition here due to the lower number of flats available and increasing demand for bigger space. 

Another thing that stands out is that this is one of the few BTOs to be launched in Tampines East. Since HDB started launching BTO projects in Tampines, many of them were located in Tampines North, which is not as developed.  

More importantly, we like that this BTO is pretty close to the heart of Tampines, where amenities are more accessible. 

August 2022 Tampines BTO: The pros

Accessibility

One main highlight of the August 2022 Tampines BTO is that it’s within walking distance of the MRT. Tampines East MRT is around an eight-minute walk. 

It’s just one stop to Tampines MRT, which you can also walk to for around 15 minutes from the BTO. 

With these two MRT stations, you can enjoy easy access to the East-West Line and Downtown Line. 

There’s one more MRT line to look forward to a few years after the project’s completion date, with the opening of the Cross Island Line in 2030. From Tampines MRT, it’s just one stop to Pasir Ris MRT, where you can get on the Cross Island Line to switch to other MRT lines such as North-East Line, North-South Line and Thomson-East Coast Line faster.  

For drivers, Tampines Expressway (TPE) and Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) are just a couple of streets away, linking you to other expressways like East Coast Parkway (ECP) and Central Expressway (CTE). 

Food and retail amenities

Just like Jurong East, there are plenty of retail options here with three malls available: Tampines 1, Tampines Mall and Century Square, which are all one-stop away or a 15-minute bus ride away.  

As of writing, the nearest supermarkets are around an eight-minute walk away, such as Sheng Siong Supermarket at Tampines Avenue 7 and NTUC Fairprice at N4 Neighbourhood Centre. Here’s also where you can find various eateries and shops for daily essentials. 

Our Tampines Hub is around a 10-minute bus ride from the BTO. Source; URA

The nearest hawker centre is located at Our Tampines Hub, which is around a 10-minute bus ride away. 

Childcare centres

There are several childcare centres nearby as well. Those within a 15-minute walk of the Tampines BTO include PCS Grow and Glow and MY World Preschool at Tampines Street 41, and Genesis Childcare and PCF Sparkletots at Tampines Street 43. 

Schools

Another reason why this Tampines BTO is ideal for families is the number of schools in the area. 

For instance, Gongshang Primary is right in front of the BTO. Another primary school within walking distance is Tampines North Primary at around a 15-minute walk. 

Other primary schools within the 1km radius are Yumin Primary and Chongzheng Primary. 

On top of these schools, you can find several institutions in the area: 

• Pasir Ris Secondary 
• Dunman Secondary
• Ngee Ann Secondary, 
• East Spring Secondary 
• Tampines Primary and Secondary 
• Junyuan Primary
• St Hilda’s Primary and Secondary 
• Springfield Secondary
• Junyuan Secondary
• Poi Ching School
• Angsana Primary 

Tertiary institutions nearby include Temasek Junior College (from 2024 to 2027), Temasek Polytechnic and Singapore University of Design and Technology (SUTD). 

There are also upcoming special schools in the area: Pathlight School 2 and Maitri School. 

Recreational facilities

We also like that there are many recreational options here, so you don’t have to travel towards the city centre. 

If you’re looking for some greenery, Tampines Eco Green and Pasir Ris Town Park are both around a 30-minute bus ride.

Tampines Eco Green Park is around a 30-minute bus ride away.

There’s also Wild Wild Wet at around 10 minutes away by car. 

Or if you want to go to the beach, you don’t have to head to East Coast Park or Sentosa. Around a 12-minute drive away from the Tampines BTO is Pasir Ris Beach. 

Closer to home, there’s also Our Tampines Hub, where you can find the stadium, sports hall, swimming complex and library all in one place. 

Healthcare facilities

We also notice that this Tampines BTO has a polyclinic within walking distance. Here, Tampines Polyclinic is within an eight-minute walking distance.

For those who require more comprehensive medical services, you can head to Changi General Hospital that’s around eight minutes away by car. 

August 2022 Tampines BTO: The Cons

No markets nearby 

This won’t be much of a concern if you get your groceries online or from the supermarket. 

But if you prefer to head to the wet market, you’ll need to travel a bit further. 

As of writing, the nearest wet markets are at Tampines Street 32, and Tampines Round Market and Food Centre at Tampines Street 11. Both are around a 20-minute bus ride. 

August 2022 Tampines BTO: Where are the best stacks with the best views?  

Since HDB hasn’t released the site plan yet, for now we’re just figuring this out based on the surrounding area of the BTO. 

The plot is mostly surrounded by residential blocks, so there’s not much chance of getting unblocked views here. 

You might be able to get a view of the Tampines Eco Green Park and the beach if you manage to get an upper-floor unit at the north-facing stack. 

On the other hand, you might want to avoid a south-facing unit that faces Gongshang Primary. That is, unless you don’t mind the noise and traffic coming from the school in the morning and afternoon.

August 2022 Tampines BTO: What’s the potential price appreciation? 

In general, the average price psf has increased by 13.95 per cent for four-room and five-room flats in Tampines. We also notice that the price increase has been steeper for the past two years at 13.88 per cent. 

We’re also looking at the resale prices of the BTOs nearby that have entered the open market. More specifically, we’re looking at the average price psf of four-room and five-room flats at Tampines Greenwood and Tampines Greenleaf. 

Generally, they have a higher average price psf since entering the resale market in 2019; it’s hovering around $500 to $600 psf, compared to the average in the whole town at $450. 

Taking a closer look at the projects, flats at Tampines Greenwood have seen a price increase of 14.21 per cent, while those at Tampines Greenleaf have a price increase of 9.75 per cent. 

There are also some rental opportunities here, given its proximity to Tampines Regional Centre and Changi Business Park. If you’re looking for some rental income, consider renting out a room during the MOP, or rent out the entire unit after the MOP.  

August 2022 Tampines BTO: Should you apply? 

Yes, if you don’t mind living far from the city centre and are looking for a five-room flat. 

If you’ve been planning to live in the east, this is the BTO to ballot for. As mentioned earlier, we’ve noticed that so far, many of the Tampines BTOs launched in recent years were located at Tampines North. Save for IKEA, Courts and Giant supermarket, there’s not much development in the area yet. For instance, Tampines North MRT will only be ready in 2030 with the opening of the Cross Island Line. 

So this BTO is one of the few that will be launched closer to the heart of Tampines, where more amenities are already available, such as MRT stations, schools, malls and neighbourhood centres.  

ALSO READ: The no B.S. guide on how to increase your HDB BTO ballot chances

This article was first published in 99.co.