Pasir Ris 8 is an upcoming 487-unit mixed-used development located right next to Pasir Ris MRT on the East-West Line (EWL) and above the Pasir Ris Bus Interchange. Read our review here.
Continue Reading ⋅ 28 July 2021
SingHaiyi Group Limited (SHG) is a growing, diversified real estate company focused on property development, real estate investment and property management services. Its portfolio includes income-generative assets in the commercial and retail sectors with geographical reach into the USA and widening exposure in Asia.
Project Name: The Vales
Address: Anchorvale Crescent
Type: Executive Condominium
Site area: Approx. 175,237 sqft
Tenure: 99 years from 19 May 2014
District: 19
Configuration: 517 units
Unit types:
104 2-bedroom units (753 – 775 sqft)
124 3-bedroom units (904 – 915 sqft)
165 3-bedroom premium units (1033 – 1055 sqft)
52 4-bedroom units (1270 sqft)
39 4-bedroom premium units (1410 sqft)
14 5-bedroom units (1593 – 1604 sqft)
15 mansionette (villa) units (1647 – 1722 sqft)
4 penthouse units (1658 – 1690 sqft)
Maintenance fees: TBA
Parking lots:
518 normal lots
6 handicapped lots
15 private lots
7 motorcycle lots
Expected TOP: August 2018
Expected legal completion: August 2021
Project Details
The Vales is a 517-unit Executive Condominium (EC) at Anchorvale Crescent, right next to Cheng Lim LRT. At time of writing (Nov 2015), all unit types are still available.
Unit sizes range from 1- to 5-bedroom units, maisonette units and penthouse units. The lowest-priced unit on PropertyGuru is a 753 sqft 2-bedroom unit going for $600,000, which translates to around $797 psf. A 1,690 sqft penthouse unit is going for $1,425,000 and this is an estimated $843 psf.
Interested buyers should be aware that the show flat is not on site, but located near Thanggam LRT, three stops down from Cheng Lim LRT.
Construction for the project is underway and the foundation is already standing.
The project consists of nine 15-storey blocks, complete with two levels of basement car parking. Facilities are mostly in the middle of the two rows of blocks.
Some of the maisonette units are on the top floor of the blocks. Residents also have roof access, so gatherings or parties can be held there.
Facilities are as follows:
Source: Developer’s brochure
If you’re looking at getting a 3-bedroom premium unit, stack 12 is internal-facing with a full pool view. Stacks 7 and 15 have a partial pool view.
For 4-bedroom premium units, premium stacks would be 11 and 16, each offering residents a full pool view. For 4-bedroom units, stack 26 would be ideal. Stack 21 has a partial pool view.
Lastly, stack 25 is the only stack for 5-bedroom units, and it is internal facing with a full pool view.
Showflat units are available for 3- and 4-bedroom units. Photos in this review are from both units.
Specifications:
Flooring
- tiles for living, dining areas, kitchen, bathrooms, balcony, roof terrace, powder room, water closet, private enclosed space (PES), utility, yard
- laminate flooring for all bedrooms
Doors
- fire-rated timber door for entrance
- aluminium-framed sliding and/or swing glass door and/or fixed glass panel with clear and/or tinted and/or frosted glass for living, dining areas, bedrooms to balcony, PES, open balcony, private roof terrace
- hollow core timber door for bedrooms, bathrooms, powder room
- timber-framed sliding door with fixed glass panel for kitchen
- aluminium-framed sliding and/or swing glass door and/or fixed glass panel with clear and/or frosted glass for private roof terrace
- PVC bi-fold door for water closet, utility
Sanitary fittings
- wash basin and mixer tap, shower cubicle with mixer set, water closet, mirror and paper holder for all bathrooms
- long bathtub with shower mixer set and two wash basins with mixers for penthouse
- wash basin with mixer, water closet, mirror and paper holder for powder room
- shower set, water closet and paper holder for water closet
- laundry sink with tap for yard
Additional items
- built-in wardrobes for all bedrooms
- wall-mounted air-con from Mitsubishi Electric for living, dining areas and all bedrooms
Cabinets with solid surface countertops and a steel sink come with the kitchen. Appliances provided include a built-in oven and a gas cooker hob and hood from Electrolux. With the 3-bedroom unit, two people can move around in the kitchen at any one time.
The kitchen is almost the same in the 4-bedroom unit, just perhaps slightly wider with the yard area behind bigger as well.
Both units have a yard area with the water closet and utility space, located behind the kitchen. The washer/dryer does not come with the unit.
This is the view from the kitchen in the 3-bedroom unit. The living area extends onto the balcony or PES depending on the unit type.
The space is ideal for additional seating area when guests are over or even as a relaxation corner in the evenings.
The layout is pretty much the same with the 4-bedroom unit, except that the balcony or PES area stretches the entire length of the living space.
There are more possibilities with the space in the 4-bedroom unit. It could even be made into a sort of alfresco dining area.
The common bedrooms can just about fit a queen-sized bed. However, you will be left with very little space after, so it would be best to go with the single bed option. (FYI: the bed in the above photo is a double bed)
Single beds may be better if you want more space.
If you really wanted a queen bed, it would be better if it’s backed against the wall like in the photo to maximize the floor space.
Alternatively, you can convert one of the common bedrooms into a study or work space. Or even into a lounge or entertainment room of sorts.
Something to be aware of, is that wardrobes in the common bedrooms are smaller than usual.
Master bedrooms can accommodate a king-sized bed and still have ample maneuvering space.
In the 4-bedroom units, they come with a balcony too.
Common bathrooms are pretty decent-sized. There is a wet and dry area as per normal and fittings are from Rigel.
Master bathrooms are similar to the common bathrooms.
Location
Etymology: Sengkang is an urban planning area and satellite residential town situated in Northeast Singapore. The area used to be a fishing village initially, but is now undergoing rapid development to become a mature housing estate.
The town is now made up of four neighbourhoods – Rivervale, Compassvale, Anchorvale and Fernvale – with the town centre being in Compassvale.
Sengkang means ‘prosperous harbour’ in Chinese and the name is derived from a road called Lorong Sengkang off Lorong Buangkok. Previously known as Kangkar (Gang Jiao) or ‘foot of the port’, Sengkang used to be home to fishing villages and rubber, pepper and pineapple plantations.
Anchorvale is located between Sungei Punggol and Compassvale, with the west loop of the LRT serving the areas. Construction of the estate was fully completed in 2001.
Source: streetdirectory.com
Getting there: The Vales is a 1-minute drive away from the Tampines Expressway (TPE). If you’re travelling by train in the mornings, Raffles Place MRT is a 27-minute ride from Cheng Lim LRT. By car, it is an 18-minute drive to town via the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE), assuming optimal traffic conditions.
Going straight will get you to Sengkang MRT and Compass Point. Turning right leads to Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 and eventually the Central Expressway (CTE) exit. Taking a left will have you on the TPE in less than a minute. From there, you could be at Pasir Ris, Tampines or Changi in 15 to 30 minutes. Getting on the Seletar Expressway (SLE) will take you to Yishun and Woodlands.
Cheng Lim LRT is at The Vales’ door step. It is the first stop on the west loop of the Sengkang LRT route. Now, you have to be careful with the LRT, especially if it’s your first time taking it from Sengkang station.
There are the east and west loops and they run concurrently. On top of that, each LRT runs in a particular direction. So, you have to check the screen carefully before you board, or you may end up taking the wrong one like I did, and end up at a completely different part of Sengkang.
Sengkang MRT is a 7-minute walk away from The Vales. From there, it is roughly a 20-minute ride to Dhoby Ghaut MRT, where you have Plaza Singapura and the entire Orchard Shopping Belt a short distance away.
Serangoon MRT which is connected to NEX Mall, is four stops down. It is also where commuters can switch to the Circle Line.
The estate: The area surrounding The Vales is mostly residential. The upcoming Sengkang Hospital however, is going to be directly opposite the development.
Source: Developer’s brochure
The project is a short drive away from malls like Compass Point and Seletar Mall. The future Waterway Point at Punggol will also be a short distance away.
Source: Google Street View
There is a bus stop along Sengkang East Road, in front of the future Sengkang Hospital. The Vales is slightly ahead. Between them, the services 43, 83, 109 and 119 cover areas like Punggol, Sengkang, Serangoon, Hougang, East Coast, Paya Lebar, Pasir Ris and Changi.
Source: thevalesec.com
As for school options, there are a selection of primary and secondary schools nearby.
Nan Chiau Primary School and Springdale Primary School are nearest to The Vales.
International Schools
- Chatsworth Kindergarten
Compass Point is about 500m away. The mall is currently closed for renovation. However, by the time the project attains its TOP, it should have reopened, with a more varied tenant mix.
The mall is also connected to Sengkang Bus Interchange in addition to Sengkang MRT.
Seletar Mall, the first mall in Northeast Singapore to have a cinema, is a 4-minute drive away. The 6-storey mall boasts 132 stores and services.
The upcoming Waterway Point next to Punggol MRT, slated to open in January 2016, will be a 3-minute drive away. Anchor tenants include Shaw Theatres & IMAX, Uniqlo and NTUC Fairprice Finest. Rivervale Mall is a 2-minute drive away and Punggol Plaza, a 3-minute drive.
Source: Google Images
Jalan Kayu and its laidback charm is a 4-minute drive away via the TPE. Most famous for its crispy roti prata, residents can head over for a relaxed evening at one of the eateries, or during the weekends.
Source: Google Images
For some calm and greenery, you could head over to Sengkang Riverside Park, a 2-minute drive away. The park features a constructed wetland and rich biodiversity, making it a hit with nature lovers.
For golfers, there is a golf driving range (PAR Golf Range @ Punggol East) a short distance away from Punggol Plaza.
Source: Google Images
Sengkang Sports and Recreation Centre is just opposite the park. Kids are bound to love this place and it makes for a nice treat during the weekends.
Source: theladyironchef.com
The recently opened Coney Island is a 4-minute drive away. Activities there include hiking, cycling, bird watching, and visiting the different beach pockets. The whole family could go down for a fun weekend adventure.
As for healthcare needs, Sengkang General and Community Hospital will be directly across The Vales. While it is under construction presently, it is slated to be completed in 2018.
Analysis
Caveated transactions for The Vales at time of writing (Nov 2015) stands at 125. Recorded transaction prices range from $635K to $1.44M, with an estimated 88 percent of the transactions coming in at $1M or below (see Chart 1).
Sales Transactions
Source: PropertyGuru, URA
Source: URA
The Vales’ closest competitor would be Bellewaters, another EC located 500m away also along Anchorvale Crescent. Launched in November 2014, its current median price is $788 psf to Bellewaters’ $791 psf.
Occupants of Bellewaters are going to be home buyers as well, with it being an EC. With the upcoming Sengkang Hospital directly opposite The Vales, property prices in the area are bound to see a rise. So, there could be investment potential, if buyers are willing to wait out the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP).
Units at Bellewaters range from 3-5 bedroom units while The Vales consists of 2-5 bedroom units, mansionette units and penthouse units.
To understand pricing better, we will be looking at 3-bedroom units in particular, across both developments. According to caveats, The Vales’ 3-bedroom units have a median price of $844 psf while Bellewaters’ is $810 psf. Transactions for the units at The Vales range from $745K to $790K, and from $690K to $904K at Bellewaters.
Before deciding based on these numbers alone, we should look at unit sizing as well. By comparison, 3-bedroom units at Bellewaters have larger proportions and are between 926 sqft and 1,055 sqft. At The Vales, they range from 905 sqft to 915 sqft.
True, Bellewaters seems to be just slightly more affordable. However, The Vales is right next to Cheng Lim LRT and opposite the future Sengkang Hospital.
For one to be a clear winner, developers will have to price their projects more competitively.
Future Rental Potential
The Vales is an EC, which means that buyers can only expect any form of yield after the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) of five years.
To have a general idea of what rental prices will be like for The Vales, we need to look at rental prices for projects in the vicinity. The current median rental price for District 19 (Serangoon Garden / Sengkang / Hougang / Punggol) is around $3.07 psf per month at time of writing, based on rental transactions for the past 4 quarters.
At these rates, a 3-bedroom unit around 910 sqft at The Vales would go for around $2,800 to $3,000 a month. With the median price for the unit being around $765K, the annual gross rental yield at the current rate would be an estimated 4.5%. Assuming that rental prices increase in future with the revamp of the Punggol district, the same 3-bedroom unit could possibly fetch up to $3,200. Gross rental yield then moves up to 5%.
The median unit size of a 3-bedroom at Bellewaters, on the other hand, would probably fetch around $3,100 a month at today’s rental rates. This translates to around 4.7% in annual gross rental yield. Rental could go up to $3,300 a month with future developments in the surrounding areas. Annual gross rental yield would then be in the 5% range as well.
While the projects are only a short distance away from each other, there is a slight difference in terms of nearby amenities. Cheng Lim LRT is at The Vales’ doorstep while the upcoming Sengkang Hospital will be a stone’s throw away. Unit sizing differs slightly with Bellewaters having more generous proportions. Overall, rental yields for both developments seem to be in the safe zone.
Summary
The Vales offers residents good location in terms of easy access to major expressways. The project is also walking distance away from Sengkang MRT and right next to Cheng Lim LRT. Residents will have Compass Point and Seletar Mall as nearby mall options for daily needs and occasional entertainment.
The upcoming Seletar Regional Centre and Seletar Aerospace Flyover are within a 10-minute drive from The Vales and this will have an effect on residential prices in the future. In addition to these, Sengkang Hospital should be fully operational by 2020, which means an overall potential increase in job opportunities in the area.
A potential drawback is the lack of a range of educational institutions within short distance. Primary and secondary schools are plenty, which fits Sengkang’s profile as a young estate, but there is a lack of tertiary institutes nearby.
Overall, units at The Vales are decent-sized and the price tags are pretty affordable. With the coming developments in the vicinity, securing a unit may prove to be worthwhile in the long run.
