http://www.straitstimes.com/Money/St...ry_806123.html
Room with a view? Not always
New projects may spring up next to existing ones, obstructing the breeze and panoramic views
Published on Jun 2, 2012
By Esther Teo, Property Reporter
VIEWS from the top are often coveted and many buyers are willing to pay a premium to secure high-floor apartments.
But these prized views of the city skyline or the sea front, for instance, are not always guaranteed to stay as long as the home buyer.
At times, new developments spring up right next to an existing project, obstructing both the breeze and the panoramic views.
That can leave existing home owners fuming and viewless.
For instance, The Bayshore near East Coast Park used to enjoy sea views, but most of the units there are now blocked by Costa Del Sol. Silversea in the same area, expected to be completed by the end of 2014, is also likely to block the views of some apartments at The Sea View.
But buyers should be savvy enough to know what to expect, experts said. Even if marketing agents push the unblocked views as a key attraction of a newly launched project, their claims can be checked, they added.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) 2008 masterplan, for instance, can be used as a tool to verify information and is easily accessible on the URA website. It indicates plans for Singapore's land use and development in the next 10 to 15 years, and is updated every five years, with the next version expected out next year.
By checking the plan and the gross plot ratio given for surrounding sites, home buyers can get a sense of what project might get built in front of them.
The masterplan indicates whether an undeveloped land parcel, for instance, might be earmarked for residential, commercial or mixed-use development.
The gross plot ratio also determines how intensively the land can be used. For example, a ratio of 1.4 allows developers to build up to five storeys.
The Government Land Sales (GLS) programme on the URA website - which lists the land parcels the Government puts up for sale every half-year - is also a good resource to check where new projects might soon rise.
Experts said new projects are inevitable and it falls on buyers to determine if the prices they are paying - for what could be just a temporary view - are worth it.
Mr Colin Tan, research head at Chesterton Suntec International, said buyers should press their agents about upcoming development sites in the area where they are looking to purchase a home.
'Agents might tell you that plans might be a long way off but buyers can't take them at face value and should do their own research instead,' he added.
'For instance, if an area is slated for an office block in the future, the home owner should be aware that he might lose some of his privacy. So buyers must weigh carefully as to whether the price they are paying is worth it.'
He pointed to 38-storey condominium Sky Habitat in Bishan Central as an example. While the recently launched project seems to have uncluttered views all round for now, there is an empty plot next to it that is likely to be developed for homes in future. This might block the views of some Sky Habitat units, he noted.
Consultancy Ascendant Assets' director Getty Goh cited the case of one of his seminar participants who had been interested in buying a unit at East Meadows next to Tanah Merah MRT station. The participant changed his mind after realising the empty plot of land in front of the project will be sold as part of GLS this month.
Research is crucial because buyers can either negotiate the asking price or think twice about purchasing a unit if they know that its views will not last, he added.
Recently, some residents in Pasir Ris have got hot under the collar about condo projects that will be built in front of their HDB flats, obstructing their sea views. These projects - Watercolours, Ripple Bay, Seastrand and Sea Esta - will be 12 to 14 storeys tall.
OrangeTee research and consultancy head Tan Kok Keong said that for projects with views, most developers do specify to agents from which floor will apartments clear the tree line.
Agents also typically bring copies of the masterplan to justify their sales pitch, he noted.
'But if you're beside an empty piece of land, you should assume that it'll eventually get developed and very likely to the same height as your project, especially if both are on the same side of the road.'
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