November 2022 HDB BTO review: Tengah
Artist's impression of Tengah Plantation Farmway.
PHOTO: HDB
PUBLISHED ONSeptember 28, 2022 8:57 AMByJamie Wong
Singapore's newest HDB town and former military restricted area, Tengah, is set to launch 2,070 flats across two Build-to-Order (BTO) projects along Tengah Garden Avenue in the Plantation District, making up around 21.7 per cent of the total units offered in the November 2022 HDB BTO launch.
The flat types offered are two-room flexi, three-room, four-room and five-room.
HDB launched two projects totalling 1,273 units in Tengah in February 2022, which means the November 2022 launch might be easy to ballot for, due to the large number of flats.
November 2022 Tengah HDB BTO: At a glance
| Location | Tengah Boulevard and Tengah Garden Avenue |
| Classification | Non-mature estate |
| Flat types and number of units | 2,070 units of two-room flexi, three-room, four-room and five-room |
| Number of blocks | TBA |
| Estimated waiting time | TBA |
| Estimated completion time | TBA |
| Nearest MRT | Hong Kah MRT and Tengah Plantation MRT |
| Notable amenities | Tengah Boulevard Bus Interchange, Tengah Polyclinic, Jurong Polyclinic, Tengah Town Centre, Central Park |
November 2022 Tengah HDB BTO: Price range
Here are the price ranges excluding grants:
| Flat type | Price range |
|---|---|
| Three-room | $240k – $280k |
| Four-room | $320k – $390k |
| Five-room | $430k – $520k |
Estimated downpayment, monthly instalment and income
Based on these price ranges, we can estimate the downpayment, monthly instalments and household income needed to pay for the November 2022 Tengah BTO flat. These estimates are based on the following assumptions:
- An HDB 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
Let's put this into better focus by taking the median of the price ranges, without accounting for CPF grants or savings. A mortgage calculator will also be used to work out the math.
Do note that for public housing, only up to 30 per cent of your monthly household income can be used to service your home loan.
This is called the Mortgage Servicing Ratio (MSR). 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%) | Minimum downpayment (15%) | Estimated monthly instalment | Estimated monthly household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three-room | $260,000 | $221,000 | $39,000 | $1002.61 | $3,342.03 |
| Four-room | $355,000 | $301,750 | $53,250 | $1,368.95 | $4,563.16 |
| Five-room | $475,000 | $403,750 | $66,250 | $1,831.69 | $6,105.63 |
November 2022 Tengah HDB BTO: The pros
Accessibility
*Disclaimer: Walking, public transport ride, driving durations are based on Google Maps estimates. Actual times may vary.
The main thing that makes up for Tengah's ulu status is its direct access to the MRT. Hong Kah MRT (JS4) is right beside the BTO plot, while Tengah Plantation MRT (JE1) will be within walking distance.
Both stations connect to Jurong East MRT in less than seven stops and have estimated opening dates of 2027 and 2028, respectively.
Tengah Boulevard Bus Interchange at the intersection of Tengah Park Avenue and Tengah Boulevard is currently under construction.
If you commute by car, you will have direct access to the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) and Jurong via Tengah Boulevard in just under five minutes, with a new road interchange at PIE and Jurong Canal Drive ready by 2027.
Amenities
While there aren't any grocery stores in the immediate vicinity of the projects (yet), there's a Giant at Jurong West Street 41 and Avenue 1 (around an eight-minute walk away) and an NTUC Fairprice within a ten-minute walk.
As the Tengah projects are relatively close to the Bukit Batok 2022 BTO launch, you can travel a little further to access the same amenities.
Drive to Bukit Batok West Shopping Centre (a five-minute drive), where you'll find the standard heartland shopping centre housing a wet market, FairPrice, 24-hour Sheng Siong, clinics, banks, bakeries and a coffee shop serving up a variety of local dishes.
West Mall is a six-minute drive away, where you can find a Cold Storage and a range of eateries. Fairprice Finest can be found at Le Quest Shopping Mall, which is also a six-minute drive away.
If you prefer the atmosphere and selection of a wet market, Bukit Gombak Neighbourhood Centre is an eight-minute drive away. There, you can buy fresh produce as well as dine at the hawker centre.
Healthcare
Two health and medical care centres are poised to be built near the BTO plot, and a neighbourhood centre with an integrated polyclinic will be located along Tengah Park Avenue, just two streets away.
The nearest hospital will be Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in Jurong East.
As Tengah continues to develop into a full-fledged residential estate, there will be more grocery and dining options within walking distance.
Green spaces
The nearest green space would be Bukit Batok Central Park (a 6-minute drive away), a small linear park with jogging tracks, a pavilion and various playgrounds for children.
Bukit Batok Town Park is slightly further away, clocking in a 10-minute drive by car. There, you can take in glorious views of Little Guilin, a towering granite rock encapsulated by a lake and surrounded by lush greenery.
Also a 10-minute drive away lies Jurong Lake Gardens, Singapore's third and newest national garden. It's a sprawling 90-hectare verdant space with three zones – Lakeside Garden, Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden.
Explore the garden's rich biodiversity and thriving fauna, or head to Passion Wave to enjoy a range of water sports such as kayaking, dragon boating, rafting and windsurfing.
HDB plans to have forest and nature themes featured front and centre in the planning of the Tengah estate, so you can expect to see lush nature in the form of several parks as well as Tengah Pond in the future.
November 2022 Tengah HDB BTO: The cons
Lack of immediate amenities
As we mentioned above, Tengah is still in its infancy stages of estate development, so amenities in the immediate vicinity are few and far between.
However, it'll probably have a plethora of child-related amenities such as playgrounds, childcares and primary schools, as its first few groups of residents will likely be couples and families with young children.
Schools
Tengah is still a relatively new town, but there are schools in the vicinity where parents can send their children. A primary school has been proposed to be built beside the BTO plot, within a 3-5 minute walk.
- Shuqun Primary School (1km)
- Jurong Primary School (1.1km)
- Rulang Primary School (1.3km)
- Hong Kah Secondary School (420m)
- Hua Yi Secondary School (590m)
- Jurongville Secondary School (610m)
- Dulwich College (3.2km)
*The distance of schools is an approximation.
Currently, there's only one primary school that'll be built in Tengah, beside the BTO sites.
According to the URA Master Plan, there are six other sites around the area marked out for educational institutions, but it will take a few years for it to come to fruition.
If the schools aren't completed by the time you receive the keys to your flat, it means that you'll have to go up against other parents when balloting for the Primary One registration in the neighbouring estates of Jurong and Bukit Batok.
Almost the same price as the Bukit Batok 2022 BTO launch
When we compare the prices of the Tengah projects with the Bukit Batok project in the same launch, the prices are just S$10,000 less across the board, despite the severe lack of established amenities.
This might be because the new town has a myriad of smart technology incorporated into it, such as EV charging stations for electric vehicles, a smart waste management system and AI-enabled monitoring of the town.
A subscription-based centralised cooling system also eliminates the need for bulky air-conditioning compressor units.
While the cooling system will be cheaper and more sustainable in the long run, Tengah residents may be footing the bill for such developments in the initial stages, which explains the higher BTO price.
November 2022 Tengah HDB BTO: Price appreciation
Tengah has no price data at this point since all projects are still under construction, with the first BTO flats only hitting the resale market in 2028.
Instead, we'll look at the price of three-, four- and five-room HDBs near the Tengah plot.
Three-room flats saw a price appreciation of 32.01 per cent over the last five years, while four-room flats came in slightly lower at 31.5 per cent. Five-room flats had the lowest (but still decent) appreciation, at 27.74 per cent.
With the rise of developments such as the Jurong Innovation District and Tengah's proximity to it, property prices of the BTO projects should rise along with it.
November 2022 Tengah HDB BTO: Conclusion
If you don't mind moving in while the estate is still under development and waiting for amenities to be established, you can opt for the Tengah BTOs.
The projects are also great for those who are tired of constantly being turned down during balloting since there are a large number of units up for grabs which means it'll be easier to get a flat, especially a five-room unit if you're looking for more living space.
You'll also get bragging rights for living in the newest Singapore estate that comes with all the bells and whistles, such as being able to pre-cool or turn off your air-con remotely via the SP Utilities App.
If you're looking for a neighbourhood nearby with five-room flats and already-established amenities, look no further than the Bukit Batok 2022 BTO project that's coming up in the same launch.
ALSO READ: August 2022 HDB BTO in-depth review: Choa Chu Kang (Keat Hong Grange)