One of the first few developments to be launched after the third quarter will be Forett at Bukit Timah. If it were not for the COVID-19 situation, I believe this development by Qingjian Realty would have been launched earlier. However, with the circuit breaker, the developer wisely decided to delay the launch to perhaps the third quarter. It would be interesting to see how Forett at Bukit Timah would fare during launch especially if social distancing comes into play with regards to showroom visits.
Details about the development
Forett at Bukit Timah is a freehold development along Toh Tuck Road. It is to be built on the site of the former Goodluck Garden which was launched for collective sale with a reserve price of SGD$550 million back in January 2018. The size of the site spans 33,457.2 square meters. Goodluck Garden consisted of eight blocks of 208 residential units and two commercial shops. In March 2018, it was sold to the Qingjian Group of Companies for SGD$610 million. At that point in time, the en bloc wave was still in place and it was the third largest en bloc deal for the year after Park West (SGD$841 million) and Pearl Bank Apartments (SGD$728 million). This particular en bloc sale hit the news in mid-2018 as 7 minority owners objected to the sale after two failed rounds of mediation. The point of contention was that there was no development charge to be paid to redevelop the site but the homeowners were told by the collective sale committee and the marketing agent that there would be. They felt that without the buyer needing to pay DC charges, they could have sold their properties at a higher price. This, however, was turned down by the high court in November 2018 and the collective sale went through.
Forett at Bukit Timah will consist of 633 units spread over four 9-storey and nine 5-storey residential blocks and two shops. Here is the unit mix:
1 bedroom + study, 474 to 495 sq ft, 76 units
2 bedrooms, 549 to 603 sq ft, 72 units
2 bedrooms + study, 689 to 764 sq ft, 149 units
2 bedroom deluxe, 732 to 764 sq ft, 93 units
3 bedroom, 947 to 980 sq ft, 119 units
3 bedroom premium, 1055 to 1109 sq ft, 28 units
3 bedroom dual-key, 1033 sq ft, 29 units
4 bedroom premium, 1281 to 1356 sq ft, 50 units
4 bedroom suite, 1442 sq ft, 9 units
5 bedroom suite, 1884 sq ft, 8 units
Where is the development located?
Forett at Bukit Timah is located along Toh Tuck Road. If you are travelling along Jalan Jurong Kechil, you will need to make a left turn after Bukit Timah Community Club. The nearest MRT Station is Beauty World MRT Station which is on the downtime line. Amenities that are nearby include Bukit Timah Market and there are a whole array of eateries along the shophouses at Lorong Kilat and Cheong Chin Nam Road. There is a FairPrice Finest at Bukit Timah Plaza and a Giant Supermarket at Beauty World Centre.
Forett at Bukit Timah location map
According to Google Maps, the walk to Beauty World MRT Station will take 11 minutes and cover a distance of about 850 meters. The walk is relatively unsheltered. There is however an entrance to the MRT station on the side of Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre and I believe that that should be the closest entrance to the station.
The walk to Beauty World MRT Station from Forett at Bukit Timah
The MRT entrance next to Bukit Timah Market and Food Centre
The train journey from Beauty World MRT Station to Raffles Place MRT Station will take about 21 minutes over 10 stations. The journey will cost $1.60. The LTA Transport Mobile App suggested this route but I would think that it would make a little more sense to make just one change at Bugis Station to get from the Downtown Line to the East-West Line.
The train ride from Beauty World MRT Station to Raffles Place MRT Station
The train journey from Beauty World MRT Station to Orchard MRT Station will take about 15 minutes over 7 stations. The journey will cost $1.44. You will need to make a switch at Newton to get from the Downtown MRT Line to the North-South MRT Line.
The train ride from Beauty World MRT Station to Orchard MRT Station
The drive from Forett at Bukit Timah to Raffles Place will take about 18 minutes and the distance travelled is about 17 kilometres. Do note that at the time of me doing this Google Map query, Singapore was in the midst of our circuit breaker to curb the spread of COVID-19 and thus road conditions were optimal. Do expect to add on significant time when things get back to normalcy and peak hour traffic is factored in.
The drive from Forett at Bukit Timah to Raffle Place
The drive from Forett at Bukit Timah to Orchard Road will take about 14 minutes and cover a distance of 11.3 kilometres. Once again you do have to factor in typical peak hour traffic.
The drive from Forett at Bukit Timah to Orchard Road
Forett at Bukit Timah is also within a 1-kilometre radius of Bukit Timah Primary School (0.451 km) and Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School (0.843 km) and within a 2-kilometre radius of Kemin Primary School (1.499 km), Bukit View Primary School (1.847 km) and Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) (1.817 km).
The selling points of the development
The development will have a freehold tenure. I must stress that although it does not seem like this is important in the current context, there comes a point in time when homeowners will understand that not all developments will undergo collective sale and redevelopment. As developments get larger it will get harder to get the required consent to sell properties en bloc. This, of course, could be changed with a piece of legislation but then this is not certain. I have a predisposition to recommend clients look at freehold developments over leasehold developments wherever possible.
There are also plans for a future transport integrated transport hub down the road. It will be located at the cross junction of Jalan Jurong Kechil and Upper Bukit Timah Road. This should bring more interest and development to this area.
Future transport hub
Possible bad points of the development
The walk to the MRT station is not exactly near. In fact, there are other developments in the area which are nearer to the MRT station. If buyers are looking to purchase this development to have it rented, they should face a lot of competition from units nearby. In fact, the positive point which I described in the previous paragraph about the future integrated transport hub happening would be something that investors would want to take note of. That plot of land is slated for residential and commercial use and when an integrated transport hub comes up, buyers and tenants would naturally gravitate to that development rather than developments with no direct access to a shopping mall and transport access.
My thoughts about the development
If you are looking to purchase Forett at Bukit Timah for your own stay, it is perhaps one of the better choices as it does not front the main Jalan Jurong Kechil Road which means that road noise will not be a concern as compared to other developments like Terrene at Bukit Timah. That being said, buyers must be aware that more competition will come up especially in the previously mentioned residential and commercial development highlighted previously. At the point of writing, pricing of the development had yet to be confirmed so I cannot say more about whether the development is attractively priced or not. I will add on to this blog article in the future when pricing has been confirmed.
Forett at Bukit Timah
Forett at Bukit Timah
Pricing (To be confirmed)
Location 3/5
In my previous review of Daintree Residence, I gave it a 3.5/5. Forett at Bukit Timah is deeper within Toh Tuck Road and despite its name, this development is not actually located along Bukit Timah. It is not even located along Upper Bukit Timah. This could work for you and your family if you are looking for a quiet enclave off the busy Jalan Jurong Kechill Road.
Bukit Timah Road is a long stretch of road that starts somewhere along Stevens Road and leads all the way down to Upper Bukit Timah Road. The start of Bukit Timah Road is truly very close to Orchard Road but the drive from Forett at Bukit Timah, which would take about 14 minutes and cover a distance of 11.3 kilometres would actually be longer than the drive from Serangoon MRT Station to Orchard Road which would take about 10 minutes and cover a distance of 8.9 kilometres.
The drive from Serangoon MRT Station to Orchard MRT Station
Quality 4.5/5
I think it would be surprising to see me give such a high score to a Chinese developer but like my previous review of Jadescape, I mentioned about their developments being awarded the CONQUAS Star by BCA. BCA uses the same metrics to rate developers and if we were to put aside our bias against Chinese developers then we will see a developer who has built quite a number of good quality condominiums in Singapore.
I personally think that their previous development Jadescape is something that if you are looking to purchase from an investment standpoint, would be something worth considering. Forett at Bukit Timah, less so. Let’s perhaps see how they price this one.
Yours Sincerely,
Daryl Lum
My other Singapore Property Reviews
My review of Normanton Park by Kingsford Development
My review of Penrose by CDL and Hong Leong Holdings
My review of Clavon by UOL Group
My review of The M by Wingtai Asia
My review of Kopar at Newton by CEL Development
My review of The Avenir by Hong Leong Holdings and GuocoLand
My review of One Holland Village Residences by Far East Organisation
My review of Neu at Novena and Fyve Derbyshire by Roxy Pacific Holdings
My review of Midwood by Hong Leong Holdings
My review of Royalgreen and Juniper Hill by Allgreen Properties
My review of Sky Everton by Sustained Land
My review of Sengkang Grand Residences by Capitaland and City Developments Limited
My review of One Pearl Bank by Capitaland
My review of The Antares by FSKH Development
My review of Parc Clematis by SingHaiyi Group
My review of Piermont Grand by City Developments Limited
My review of Parc Komo by CEL development
My review of Riviere by Frasers Property
My review of Avenue South Residence
My review of 1953 by Oxley Holdings
My review of Uptown @ Farrer
My review of The Florence Residences
My review of Treasure at Tampines
My review of Fourth Avenue Residences
My review of The Woodleigh Residences
My review of Kent Ridge Hill Residences
My review of Arena Residences
My review of Whistler Grand and Twin Vew
My review of Mayfair Gardens and Daintree Residence
My review of Parc Esta
My review of Jui Residences
My review of The Jovell
My review of JadeScape
My review of Stirling Residences and Margaret Ville
My review of The Tre Ver and Riverfront Residences
My review of Park Colonial
My review of Affinity at Serangoon and The Garden Residences
