http://www.straitstimes.com/archive/...rices-20130629

HOT SPOT

Condos near town without steep prices

Checking out the page views on the STProperty website gives an instant snapshot of what projects buyers are keen on. This week, we look at developments in districts 13 and 14 that have drawn the most attention.

Published on Jun 29, 2013

By Rachel Scully


THE appeal of city-fringe districts 13 and 14 is a no-brainer: A central location without the sky-high prices.

Home buyers like the combination and have long been zeroing in on developments in both areas.

District 13 covers Potong Pasir and MacPherson, which are served by the North East and Circle MRT lines.

Page views on STProperty's website from June 17 to 23 show that 99-year leasehold Bartley Ridge led the way for private homes.

The 868-unit condominium, which is less than five minutes away from the Bartley MRT station, has an average asking price of $1,241 per sq ft (psf) for its one-, two- and three- or more bedder units. This value was the lowest among the top five projects in the district.

Launched in March, its average transacted price between December last year and last month was $1,291 psf, according to Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) data.

The four other projects in the top five by page views were smaller and included the 330-unit 8@Woodleigh, which had the highest average asking price of $1,627 psf.

Farther east in District 14, which covers Geylang, Eunos, Kembangan and Paya Lebar, a mix of 99-year leasehold and freehold projects enticed home-seekers.

The locations are easily accessible with stations on the East- West and Circle lines, and are also famous for their food outlets.

Waterbank at Dakota topped the list by page views on STProperty, with an average asking price of $1,615 psf in the June 17 to 23 period, the highest among the other projects in the district.

The 99-year leasehold project has 616 units in a mix of one-, two- and three- or more bedders.

It is a stone's throw from the Dakota MRT station on the Circle Line.

The project also registered the highest average transacted price of $1,516 psf, based on URA

data from last December to last month.

Vacanza@East was second by page views and had an average asking price of $1,335 psf for its one- to three- or more bedder units.

The freehold project has 473 units with an average transacted price of $1,262 psf, based on units sold between last December and last month.

The project is near the Kembangan MRT station on the East- West line.

Simsville, a 522-unit condo, the 348-unit Dakota Residences and 228-unit Le Crescendo rounded out the top five in District 14.

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