The Pearl at Mount Faber (D4, 99 years, Sim Lian)

[pearly]

Hi, any residents of the pearl out there? my boyfriend and i just bought a unit there and will be moving in after we get married. Have not lived in this area before. Would like to find out more about the place and surroundings, any "insider" tips would be much appreciated

[yes]

i think the pearl may go up in price as it is very near keppel rd. when reflections @ keppel launches and after IR complete this whole area might boom. sorry i don't know any lobang in this area as i have not lived here before also..

[Unregistered]

what is the meaning of lobang?

[pearly]

Any tips on where are the best places around here for cheap shopping, good eating places, cheap groceries, and other amenities. Thanks!

[Unregistered]

Any tips on where are the best places around here for cheap shopping, good eating places, cheap groceries, and other amenities. Thanks!

I think you may have to make a short drive to Harbourfront for those things. Another alternative is to go up Lower Delta Road to Fraser service apartments on River Valley Rd. They have Cold Storage there. In between, there are some HDB coffee shops. Oh! And Tiong Bahru is nearby as well. Some good food there!

[ahlahdin]

You mean you didn't check such things out first before you bought your property?

[Unregistered]

What has the pearl got to do with the IR ????

[look at the map!]

What has the pearl got to do with the IR ????

It is near the Sentosa IR, as well as the Keppel Bay condos (Caribbean and Reflections).

[Unregistered]

Hmm, with all the attention focused on Reflections and other newer condos and en blocs around Pasir Panjang area, people have overlooked the Pearl. The Pearl's location is just around the corner to Harbourfront, as well as a 5 minute drive to Orchard. Best kept secret in town!

[Unregistered]

To Orchard is 5 mins drive north. to Raffles Place is 5 mins drive east. To Sentosa is less than 5 mins drive south. Location location location? This is what I call location.

[Unregistered]

Hi

I bought a unit in 2003 when it was launched. My reason for buying is investment and my reason for investing in this development is the blooming activities at habourfront.

1. St James - you want nite activities like pub, disco etc...is only a 5-10min walk to the place. (It is especially shorter if you take a nice stroll along mt faber road and then take a short cut - a few 10s of steps down to Temenggong road where you will exit at Telok Blangah road and find yourself standing directly infront of the sentosa gateway).

2. Vivocity - one of the biggest if not, biggest shopping mall now in SGP. You can find almost anything here and lots of restaurants, fast food etc here. Same route as going to St James. Plus you have habourfront shopping mall next door to Vivocity to explore.

3. Future IR on Sentosa - if you want a casino and theme park near your place with good beaches...you have it.

4. Habourfront MRT is about 10-15min walk (again take the short cut route to out to Telok Blangah road and make a right turn at Habourlights and you will see the MRT station plus a few more steps down you will see the World Trade Center Bus Terminal). This NS line will take you to many interesting places like Chinatown, Little India, Orchard etc.

5. If you like to enjoy some local SGP lifestyle like neighbourhood coffeeshop, wet market, mama shop (small convenient stall), laundry shop, bird and fish shop etc...take the gate out along Mt Faber road and cross the road to cut across the car park. Walk along the Telok Blangah Rise road until you see a building with red top (about 3-5min) and you will get all the local stuff you need.

6. If you like me enjoys jogging, beside the gym...you have Mt Faber to run up, around and down. Is a nice place to jog but watch out for the buses (something i wish the authority can do something about - maybe build a tram up Mt Faber and have all buses park below the "mountain")...is quite noisy and heavy especially in morning and evening time.

7. Mount Faber have a pub, restaurant and also a cafe for you to enjoy especially during nite time if you like a romantic time with your love one. You can also take a cable car across to Sentosa and back just for the romantic moment. During New Year...you might even catch some fireworks...good place for a romantic walk.

8. There at least 3 buses 123, 124 and also 143 to Orchard road. It takes about 15min but on a cab it is a short 5min drive. And to General Hospital, Chinatown etc etc...there are buses right outside Pearl to take you there. Did I say the railway station is about 3-5min cab ride to reach? You can take trains to Malaysia from here...not to mention there have a great muslim eat place outside the station.

9. You can assess easily to ECP aka AYE to go to East Coast Park, Marina area and also it is a short distance to SGP financial downtown Shenton Way. Trust me, there are many many buses along Telok Blangah road that you can take to reach there. Lau Pak Sha is within reach for some reasonably good food like satay.

10. Last, if you like cruising and travelling to other islands, the docks is at Habourfront...go for it.

There are many mores...is nice place tucked below Mt Faber and unlike her bigger "brothers and sisters" Keppel Carribean and soon reflection which faces a highway cutting across it, a marina place for boats and also sea view i cannot think of anything which might make Pearl a poorer development (minus a few facilities maybe - i might be ignorant). Imagine cramping 1000+++ units at Keppel area...and also, the walk time and distance to all the places i mentioned above is almost the same as Pearl.

Hope this help!

Smile

[Unregistered]

Happened to see this thread and took a sunday trip to visit this project. You were quite rite smile and i see a lot of potential for this Pearl Condo. I wonder if the red condo (i understd it is call Faber Lodge) will be enbloc? I noticed the noise level along the main road was quite high but overall it is quite a nice hill side condo within city and close to the major happenings as you mentioned. Pua

[orange]

I agree it is a good investment.

[Unregistered]

Hi Smile,

I live on the west side and I have been thinking of moving nearer to the city. I was deciding to buy an unit in the newly launched Reflection @ Keppel until I saw your detail writeup. So my wife and I took a trip down to Pearl and was pleasantly surprised by location and convenience of the place as you have written. We even have a chance to speak to a few residents (although we saw quite a handful of expats) at the pool area.

Now, we are thinking of buying one unit at Pearl before the price starts to move north further. I am not sure if anyone is selling. I heard the psf is around $730psf now which is still relatively cheap compared to the development by Keppel which is around $1000psf.

My only complaints is noise caused by the movement of the traffic along the main road but those facing the Mt Faber is wonderful. Is full of green!

John Tan

[Unregistered]

Hi Pua & John,



Am glad to know my write up has been useful. Just sharing my tots.



On the south side there are only a couple of development compared to East side, West and of course the golden district area. This I feel is especially an advantage for Pearl which beside Mt Faber Lodge, the rest like Teresa Ville, Carribean, Reflection, Harbourlight, Fairway, Habourlight Tower are all quite a distance away (>500m). With only 198 units, the competition for rental is especially less and with the green of Mt Faber plus her closeness to many amenities as mentioned, I find quite a good number of expats actually like to live here. Is not too congested and have enough facilities (minus a tennis court) to satisfy most needs. Soon there will be a linking bride that connects Mt Faber to Telok Blangah Hill to Kent Ridge...this is great!

Alrite i leave you here...feel free to write and ask for more information. My only complain is why the price or psf of this development not moving as fast as places like Meyer road or those at Keppel. Hopefully, someone will discover this little gem at Mt Faber and give her the premium value she deserved . I hope it is not just my wishful thinking.

Take care...smile

[Unregistered]

The Pearl is a marvelous condo! It is really the best kept secret in Harbourfront area. Yes, I do consider Mt Faber Harbourfront area as it is really in the same vicinity.

Right now I am renting out my unit (3 bedroom, high floor, facing road) at $5000/month. After the contract is up next year, who knows, I may just consider moving in! Every time drive by I would feel a longing to stay in there. Hope my tenant takes good care of my place. What I love are the good size of balconies. I have the intention of making the big balcony a dining area complete with plants, small water feature, and scented candles!

Cheers!

[pearly]

Wow thanks for all the terrific responses! Yeah when my bro advised us to buy this condo, we didn't think that it will be that good. In the past week alone I got more than 10 enquires from agents asking if i want to sell. Had no idea it was so hot now! We are going to enjoy living here man!

[potential neighbour]

Wow thanks for all the terrific responses! Yeah when my bro advised us to buy this condo, we didn't think that it will be that good. In the past week alone I got more than 10 enquires from agents asking if i want to sell. Had no idea it was so hot now! We are going to enjoy living here man!

When will u be moving in? With your spouse and kids?

[Forever Faber Fab (F3)]

hey hey...welcome to pearl

heard from a friends there is a website writing abt Pearl and i decided to check it out. hey all to be pearlian and pearlian, welcome welcome!!!

yeah, i got call almost every week to sell my unit. i have one 2+1 and currently rented out for 3800. how i wish i did not rent if out for 2 years cos the rental has been rising and rising and rising, but i am happy with it!

i wish i can stay there too but aya everytime the cheque comes in i forget to stay or to rent is better. nonetheless, i don see why pearl cannot beat those 2000 keep units at harborfront minus the sea view loh like smile has said. so crowded and with a highway with cars zoom zoom on one side. aiyo!

anyway, i like my pearl with her big big balcony is nice to sit by and watch the day goes by except occasional stupid tourist bus that comes zooming up the mountain. very noisy loh. when is the govt or tourist board going to wake up their idea and build a tram system up mt faber with all the buses parked near the harbourfront interchange (smile i am with you)? this reduce pollution, reduce noise, reduce traffic and crowdy parking and make $$ from tram service and also make it more interesting like hong kong peak and penang hill. aiyo...we must write in to make a case here.

ok ok...bye bye now. have fun living in pearl or investing in pearl. i hope one day the psf can grow to $1200...wow i can retired happily liao. just kidding i love my pearl too much unless they make an offer i cannot refused (dreaming dreaming).

F3

[Smile]

I think Pearl will hit 1000 sqft if the trend of habourfront properties continue to bloom. I saw a transaction that indicate a $848psf. Fantastic! Cheers. Smile

[Unregistered]

I think Pearl will hit 1000 sqft if the trend of habourfront properties continue to bloom. I saw a transaction that indicate a $848psf. Fantastic! Cheers. Smile

Hey Smile, Pearl has hit 1000 psf.

[Smile]

Hey

I just checked the URA...wow you are rite man!!! someone bought a 1604sq unit price ~850K in 2004/05 at 1.6mil...997$ psf.

That seller must have walked away laughing like nobody to the bank...

well lets see if it can hit 1200sqf with Telok Blangah House (possibly with Citiport) going enbloc and building maybe hotels.

Did you notice something else...across the Telok Blangah road on the vivocity side things have been changing like St James, Vivocity, Merrill Lynch Financial Building, SPI house converting into hotel, reflection at Keppel, IR. etc (except labrador area which the plan is still not clear to me but there are huge pieces of land there.

And on the the side of Pearl or mt faber..things are just about to move. Fairway enbloc, Pendeer court enbloc, who is next habourlight, faber lodge? Also, they are pieces of land near to habourfront interchange that is still untouched (carpark now) and area around the Morse road which i understand will be built into a gateway into mt faber, area around keppel hill yet to be fully developed etc except the mosque area which i doubt the govt will touch it. I also heard all the PSA activities and warehouse will be moved to Jurong area in coming years to make way for lifestyle activities between marina and sentosa...imagine if it is true, the amount of land that can be utilized (although i have my doubt)...i do feel island brani might be rebuild into something along the theme of sentosa.

My only complain is traffic along that stretch...govt needs to do something about it if not that place will be KL, Bangkok...pack. That is why i find Pearl is better bcos it is away from all the traffic...along telok blangah road...imagine container trucks, tour buses, cars going to vivocity, sentosa etc...something must be done to move this volume of traffic out (e.g. move the warehouse and psa out) or build more road like the 2 way 2 storeys into sentosa...just my tots.

Alrite hooray to all the Pearl owners...hopefully, it will hit 1200$psf...then maybe i can semi retired liao.

Cheers all...Smiley...dreaming dreaming

[Unregistered]

If Telok Blangah House (possibly with Citiport) going enbloc at a high price and building maybe hotels. Prices will likely go up at the surrounding areas. If faber lodge is going enbloc, Pearl will definite go up.

I have aslo notice the changes across Telok Blangah road. As for labrador area , I think there is a spa or concept hotel in labrador park facing the sea, there will aslo be a MRT station at the junction of telok blangah rd and alexandra rd.

I am not too sure what's the plan for the land near harbourfront interchange, have to wait for masterplan 2008. As for PSA, maybe they will move to tuas, therefore no more container trucks, they are the ones making the most noise, dragging up kg bahru rd.

I am aslo dreaming, hopefully it will hit 1200psf.

[Gordon]

Hi guys,

Just to share, i understand that a 3 brm unit was recently sold for 1.45m !! This must be a record!

[Unregistered]

Unless you have another property to stay, otherwise sell at ridiculous price, have to buy another one at ridiculous price, what's the point..

[Unregistered]

Hey folks! I am selling my unit and buying one at Clementiwoods park. Still in the west... but almost half the price Can pocket some $$$

[pearl]

we are considering whether to sell too!

[smile]

i feel finally justice has come to Pearl...prices have moved. But i still feel this area has gone from scratching the surface to peeling the onion liao. I feel there are still developments to be announced at habourfront. i am not selling cos i am renting it out at this point and i am happily staying in Tiong Bahru I will sell definitely it ever cross >1200$psf...and who knows one day that dream might come true.

Ridiculous...i think this is a structural change in the property market in SGP...>1500psf might just become a normal thing.

Smile...

[hans]

i feel finally justice has come to Pearl...prices have moved. But i still feel this area has gone from scratching the surface to peeling the onion liao. I feel there are still developments to be announced at habourfront. i am not selling cos i am renting it out at this point and i am happily staying in Tiong Bahru I will sell definitely it ever cross >1200$psf...and who knows one day that dream might come true.

Ridiculous...i think this is a structural change in the property market in SGP...>1500psf might just become a normal thing.

Smile...

I agree with you, but i put my 3 bedder for sale at $1.5m, that will be 325% return on investment. If the price go up further, i have no regrets, have already made my $$$. Lets others make some $$$ too. Will keep you guys updated.

[Unregistered]

Agent said now is about 900-1000psf generally.. saw many trying to sell. Some buyers are a bit concren about heavy traffic noise. if i get about 1000 i'll sell. Maybe rent a ulu place to stay 1st...
Housing price gone up so much but salary didn;t go up much.. hmm.