Forest Hills Condo

[kingkong1984]

Agree that upside is capped. Seletaris was a good buy at 4xx psf.

No living and rental exp there.

Forrest hill for self stay is good, provided no kids and driving.

How would this fare with 8 courtyards with shuttle bus?

[mantrix]

Agree that upside is capped. Seletaris was a good buy at 4xx psf.

No living and rental exp there.

Forrest hill for self stay is good, provided no kids and driving.

How would this fare with 8 courtyards with shuttle bus?

You provided a list of points earlier justifying why Meadows at Peirce was better - some points were it's newer, better designed, closer to town - these points can be used for Forest Hills versus Seletaris. But again, not apple to apple comparison since not in same vicinity (else I should be using the next nearest for comparison, that of Euphony Gardens)

This is not the seletaris thread so I won't post much but they will be subject to noise from NSE construction apart from the ongoing helicopter noise since they lie straight in the flight paths.

I wouldn't know abt 8courtyards since I have not checked out that area but I am certain the launch price will put me off (like CR) from buying. Besides you'll need to wait for TOP.

If Forest Hills give the impression it's good for self-stay perhaps potential tenants without kids may find it appealing - let me check on the reported jams and verify if it's that bad....

[kingkong1984]

http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/listi...st-hills-condo

2.5k only. Psf 600 only. Can buy for self stay.

[mantrix]

http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/listi...st-hills-condo

2.5k only. Psf 600 only. Can buy for self stay.

2.5K is not current market price for rental - i looked at the caveats it seems 3 bedders are either 1163 sq ft or 1227 sq ft.

This is a ground floor unit which explains why the psf seemed cheaper than norm thanks to the PES - highest psf for this condo reached was 624 psf.

I will be happy to pay 600 psf for a decent 3rd / 4th floor 3 BR though...which should work out to be around 700K...but still gotta monitor the infamous jam to see the consequences before deciding anything

[kingkong1984]

http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/listi...st-hills-condo

This would be it then.

This unit should be the top floor, see the bath room pic.

Got young kids, daughter and that could be the reason for moving.

House is relatively in good condition.

Seems like the seller is genuine too.

Room for negotiating is written all over.

But the buyer's kids got to be old enough to take bus before mrt is up.

[zzz1]

2.5K is not current market price for rental - i looked at the caveats it seems 3 bedders are either 1163 sq ft or 1227 sq ft.

This is a ground floor unit which explains why the psf seemed cheaper than norm thanks to the PES - highest psf for this condo reached was 624 psf.

I will be happy to pay 600 psf for a decent 3rd / 4th floor 3 BR though...which should work out to be around 700K...but still gotta monitor the infamous jam to see the consequences before deciding anything

If you are to check out he jam...the 'best' time is before 8.am..or between 7.30 to 8 am. There a corner coffee shop selling dim sum(nothing t shout about the dim sum) ..you can have breakfast cum monitor...as mentioned,,,is intermittend.

IMO...apart from the current attractive pfs, i felt is more for home stay...quite and green..

rental rate is so so over there..(2.8k and below for 3bedder ?)
Upside and capital appreciation wise.. betting on the MRT will be few years down the road and the development hit a decade celebration and lose out to today current new launches ...

[mantrix]

If you are to check out he jam...the 'best' time is before 8.am..or between 7.30 to 8 am. There a corner coffee shop selling dim sum(nothing t shout about the dim sum) ..you can have breakfast cum monitor...as mentioned,,,is intermittend.

IMO...apart from the current attractive pfs, i felt is more for home stay...quite and green..

rental rate is so so over there..(2.8k and below for 3bedder ?)
Upside and capital appreciation wise.. betting on the MRT will be few years down the road and the development hit a decade celebration and lose out to today current new launches ...

Ok thanks for tip! will go check out one of these days when I too free

yah as long as rental 2.8K + thereabouts rental yield is above 4% so pretty decent...

[kingkong1984]

Ok thanks for tip! will go check out one of these days when I too free

yah as long as rental 2.8K + thereabouts rental yield is above 4% so pretty decent...

If I am not wrong, this is another freehold converted to lease hold. Dun bother to check and please correct me if I am wrong.

[mantrix]

If I am not wrong, this is another freehold converted to lease hold. Dun bother to check and please correct me if I am wrong.

You mean MCL land bought freehold and sold LH? I thot only FEO does that.
If I don't check how to correct you if wrong? Problem is I dunno where to get started anyways
Not that it matters to me cos if feeehold its price may hit 800psf easily I think

[kingkong1984]

You mean MCL land bought freehold and sold LH? I thot only FEO does that.
If I don't check how to correct you if wrong? Problem is I dunno where to get started anyways
Not that it matters to me cos if feeehold its price may hit 800psf easily I think

As I said, not sure.those who know please check. That area all FH right?

[KarenK]

Ok thanks for tip! will go check out one of these days when I too free

yah as long as rental 2.8K + thereabouts rental yield is above 4% so pretty decent...

the jams don't happen everyday........about 2-3 times a month when the army guys all gotta book in in the morning. the jam can stretch from the camp gates downhill along transit road, sembawang road all the way to mandai road junction. on really bad days, the jams stretch past the junction & go on to upper thomson road. traffic turning left from old mandai road to sembawang road are also affected as the entire left lane of sembawang road there will be taken up by cars trying to enter transit road. middle lane is also affected by cars trying to cut through the left lane to enter the side roads there (chong kuo road etc). thus old mandai road end up being jammed too.

u gotta go several times to catch the jam sightings......

[mantrix]

the jams don't happen everyday........about 2-3 times a month when the army guys all gotta book in in the morning. the jam can stretch from the camp gates downhill along transit road, sembawang road all the way to mandai road junction. on really bad days, the jams stretch past the junction & go on to upper thomson road. traffic turning left from old mandai road to sembawang road are also affected as the entire left lane of sembawang road there will be taken up by cars trying to enter transit road. middle lane is also affected by cars trying to cut through the left lane to enter the side roads there (chong kuo road etc). thus old mandai road end up being jammed too.

u gotta go several times to catch the jam sightings......

Thanks - 2-3 times a month is ok lah...thot everyday. Just plan around those times - do they happen on the weekends?

[sleek]

But think have to take note of the construction of the NSE from 2013 - 2020.

Thanks - 2-3 times a month is ok lah...thot everyday. Just plan around those times - do they happen on the weekends?

[mantrix]

But think have to take note of the construction of the NSE from 2013 - 2020.

huh? it's not cutting through there

[sleek]

But it will affects downstream traffic, so likely upstream will be affected too.

huh? it's not cutting through there

[mantrix]

But it will affects downstream traffic, so likely upstream will be affected too.

Yeah perhaps a little but the condo is close to the upper thomson exit of CTE so if one is driving he won't be affected much - and anyways Lentor Road and Upper Thomson / Sembawang Road serves different crowds so no point in detouring

In fact for those looking for condos in the area will shy away from those affected from the NSE and turn to those nearby which are not so deman will be higher instead IMO

[zzz1]

But it will affects downstream traffic, so likely upstream will be affected too.

In fact i see that the traffic along Sembawang rd will be lesser as it will be diverted into the new expressway

[KarenK]

Thanks - 2-3 times a month is ok lah...thot everyday. Just plan around those times - do they happen on the weekends?

all weekdays lah....why u tink it's so painful? 2-3 times a month is an average figure hor.......I noted that some months for some special reason this may happen more often....

[mantrix]

all weekdays lah....why u tink it's so painful? 2-3 times a month is an average figure hor.......I noted that some months for some special reason this may happen more often....

Let me go do my homework and verify...perhaps go ask their guards

[KarenK]

Let me go do my homework and verify...perhaps go ask their guards

this morning got jam......all the way to the corner coffeeshop Wang Chow selling duck rice & tze char.....as usual bus got problem entering bus bay & sometimes even had to let passengers board & alight from the middle lane outside the bus bay

[kingkong1984]

Very clear details. It's going in. How about going out?

[zzz1]

Very clear details. It's going in. How about going out?

depend, if some goondos block the exist(condo) it will jam a big but in general i don see any jam existing the transist rd..

[mantrix]

this morning got jam......all the way to the corner coffeeshop Wang Chow selling duck rice & tze char.....as usual bus got problem entering bus bay & sometimes even had to let passengers board & alight from the middle lane outside the bus bay

when was that? I passed by the road around 9am all was clear?

Or was it the cars parking along the animal clinics that caused the jam?

[mantrix]

depend, if some goondos block the exist(condo) it will jam a big but in general i don see any jam existing the transist rd..

i just feel if the jam is serious to the point the bus can't even park in bus bay the authorities will do something about it, since this, if true, is obviously a safety issue

no time nowadays maybe when i go viewing the units can kaypoh ask the guards there

wait for my report soon

[zzz1]

i just feel if the jam is serious to the point the bus can't even park in bus bay the authorities will do something about it, since this, if true, is obviously a safety issue

no time nowadays maybe when i go viewing the units can kaypoh ask the guards there

wait for my report soon

i observed that jam is up to 8 or 8 plus the most. just happen is the same time resident moving out or those coming back(fetching kid to school)

[mantrix]

KarenK, just realised you have been rather negative to most condos in the north!

Happened across your response to one of my previous comments and I searched abit more and this is what I found:

On Estuary:

Last Sat evening around 645pm, I was stuck in a massive jam from khatib mrt stn all the way to the junction of Ave1/Ave2!!! horror horror......

On Rosewood:

there is only a single 2-lane road leading in & out to a few condos in the area. Rosewood is the innermost condo currently. Imagine the morning peak hour traffic as everyone tries to drive out & turn into the main road which is already chockful of traffic in the morning. Furthermore there is a huge plot of land further in so maybe another 1-2 condos will be developed in the future & add on to the choke?

On Northoaks:

I was there at a friend's BBQ a few years ago. got an instant headache the moment I stepped out from the carpark into the poolside/clubhouse area. hordes & hordes of people everywhere........children running/screaming everywhere.......bbq smoke all over the place as every single pit was being heavily utilised. the function rooms were side by side (not sure how many but seems quite a lot to me) & each room was overflowing with people.....I remember telling my hubby that I rather squat in our peaceful HDB flat than stay there....

oh ya, I also remember lots of owners illegally washing their cars in the carpark in non-designated parking lots.....there were huge puddles of water in the car park thanks to them....

On Regentville:

my SIL has been staying there for 10 years since it TOP. she complains abt the numerous Filipino tenants (coz nobody else wants to rent the apts there) and also that the usage of the swimming pool is not very well monitored. the swimming instructor on the pretext of teaching the kids in the condo lessons will also subtly bring in kids from the neighbouring housing estates. she has also seen a Malay woman in tudung & full attire enter the swimming pool once! nobody stopped her.

anyway these are just some "horror" stories from my SIL that I've heard over the years. just a bit of spice to add on to the positive reviews from the earlier posters

I was not impressed by her 3BR unit. very small with a triangular-shaped living room & tiny bedrooms. she personally hates it too but has to live with her own folly

On Goodlink Park:

Goodlink Park Apts are crap. car accessories shops (4 units owned by same guy) and car rental shop below. car park? most of the units are taken up by the car rental's cars and the car accessories shop's customers in the day time. the car rental co is the bigger culprit. in the day time, the staff will shift the cars to the car park in front thereby taking up most of the lots. in the evening, they will shift to some place in the back (not sure where) to make space for residents returning from work. so what happens if u are on leave and come back in the day time?

Well not that I disagree with all your comments but they are mostly negative - you seem to like playing devil's advocate.

Still I am taking your comments on the jam seriously hence will go research that myself

[kingkong1984]

Negative or not, you need to verify it yourself. North prices were super low up till ktp hospital and new expressway. Things are not quite the same now. It is going to be more vibrant.

[mantrix]

Negative or not, you need to verify it yourself. North prices were super low up till ktp hospital and new expressway. Things are not quite the same now. It is going to be more vibrant.

Yes that's what I said. Not just ktp and nse, there is TSL and seletar tech park and more attractions (new zoo attraction, train station, etc) so it's gonna be the next big thing like Jurong / Paya Lebar

[rattydrama]

Yes that's what I said. Not just ktp and nse, there is TSL and seletar tech park and more attractions (new zoo attraction, train station, etc) so it's gonna be the next big thing like Jurong / Paya Lebar

cannot be lah, still need sometime. But north area is the only estate which is not densely populated.

[mantrix]

cannot be lah, still need sometime. But north area is the only estate which is not densely populated.

Exactly that's why must buy now before it heats up!