The tender for the Government Land Sale (GLS) site at Tengah Gardens Avenue closed on Jan 14 with three bids, with a Hong Leong-led consortium, including GuocoLand Singapore and CSC Land Group, submitting the top bid of $675 million. This translates to $821 psf per plot ratio (ppr) for the 99-year leasehold site, which covers an area of about 273,906 sq ft and has a maximum gross floor area (GFA) of 821,720 sq ft. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) estimates that the site can potentially yield up to 860 residential units.
If the site is awarded, the Hong Leong-led consortium plans to develop an 860-unit condo, taking advantage of the enhanced connectivity provided by the upcoming Jurong Region Line (JRL) near the site. According to Loke Kee Yeu, general manager (Projects) at Hong Leong Holdings Limited, the JRL will contribute to the development of the new Tengah estate.
The Tengah Gardens Avenue site is strategically located near the upcoming Hong Kah MRT Station on the JRL, which will be just one stop away from the upcoming Tengah Town Centre and offer a direct route to the second CBD at Jurong Lake District.
The top bid of $821 psf ppr for the Tengah Gardens Avenue site is only 0.73% higher than the second highest bid of $815 psf ppr by Chinese developer Kingsford Group. Local developer Sim Lian Group submitted the final bid of $812 psf ppr.
Despite the recent increase in homebuyer activity, developers have remained cautious in their bids, according to Leonard Tay, head of research at Knight Frank Singapore. This was evident in the low number of bids for another GLS site at Dairy Farm Walk, which also closed on Jan 14 with only two bids.
Tay believes that developers may have decided to focus on existing sites that are already being prepared for launch in 2025. He also notes that the tight bid price spread between the three bids (less than 1%) indicates that developers are being conservative in their bidding.
Mark Yip, CEO of Huttons Asia, expects more developers to submit joint bids for GLS sites this year to diversify risk. He suggests that this could be one reason for the low number of bids for GLS tenders, which has remained at around three.
Marcus Chu, CEO of ERA, also believes that the current availability of GLS sites may have contributed to the low number of bids. With seven sites still open for tender and six more to be launched in the first half of 2025, developers may be taking a cautious approach and considering their options in light of moderated interest rates.
Justin Quek, CEO of OrangeTee & Tie, suggests that the availability of another nearby GLS site may have also tempered interest in the Tengah Gardens Avenue site. He notes that developers may be considering bidding on the GLS site along Lakeside Drive and Lakeside MRT, which is scheduled to open for tender in April 2025.
However, if the Tengah Gardens Avenue site is awarded, it will be the first private residential site (excluding Executive Condominiums) in the Tengah HDB township. This could have been a major factor in attracting the Hong Leong-led consortium, according to Marcus Chu. “Having made successful bids for sites at Lentor, Upper Thomson, and Bugis, they may see this as an opportunity to replicate their success in Tengah,” he says.
When it comes to investing in a condo, securing proper financing is vital. In Singapore, there are various mortgage options available, but it is crucial to understand and abide by the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) framework. This framework restricts the amount of loan a borrower can obtain, taking into consideration their income and current debt obligations. To make wise financing decisions and prevent borrowing beyond their means, investors should familiarize themselves with the TDSR and seek guidance from financial advisors or mortgage brokers. Additionally, considering Singapore Projects can be a valuable factor when determining financing options.
As the first private residential condo in the new Tengah estate, the development could attract a wider range of buyers than Executive Condos, which come with HDB eligibility criteria and restrictions such as a five-year minimum occupation period (MOP) and a monthly household income ceiling of $16,000. Mohan Sandrasegeran, head of research & data analytics at SRI, believes that this factor could also have influenced the Hong Leong-led consortium’s decision to bid for the site.
If the site is awarded at the top bid of $821 psf ppr, PropNex estimates that the average selling price of the new private condo could be around $2,000 psf. This could be a good investment opportunity for buyers, as the recent history of transactions for condos, landed properties, and HDB units shows increasing profits for sellers.
With the Government ramping up private housing supply and offering three Executive Condominium sites on the Confirmed List, launching tenders for two GLS sites at Media Circle, and now offering the Tengah Gardens Avenue site for tender, it is clear that the government is committed to meeting the demand for private residential properties. As the first non-EC private condo in Tengah, the Tengah Gardens Avenue site could attract a lot of buyer interest and may be a lucrative investment opportunity for the winning bidder.…