Belgravia Ace Review – Rare Freehold Strata Landed Homes In Seletar

Belgravia Ace Fact Sheet

A Freehold Legacy Home

Given the scarcity of land in Singapore and the government only offering 99-year leasehold land for sale, freehold land will only come from en bloc sales or private land held by property developers.

As such, this will underpin the value of freehold properties like Belgravia Ace in the long-term. Also, with no lease decay concerns, they will allow families to bequeath their homes to the next generation.

Besides legacy planning, Belgravia Ace is designed for multi-generational and young families who are looking for a sizeable landed home with a good range of facilities that cater to all ages. Not unlike condominiums, the gated development with 24-hour security services and dedicated pick-up/drop-off point. This will enhance the safety of all residents, especially young children waiting for their school buses.

Greenwich V - A Short Walk From Belgravia Ace

Greenwich V

Although living in a private landed home provides a certain level of exclusivity, residents usually have to put up with some inconvenience due to a lack of amenities nearby. However, Belgravia Ace faces no such problems as Greenwich V is only 12 minutes’ walk away.

Greenwich V is a retail and lifestyle hub with a relaxed and charming village-like ambience coupled with a unique outdoor concept. Located within Seletar Hills Estate, it has a nice blend of offerings that include tantalising F&B options such as Cedele, Rakuichi Sushi, Toast Box, Awfully Chocolate and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, to name a few.

There is also a Cold Storage supermarket where residents can stock up on groceries and fresh produce. The other services include a 7-Eleven outlet, Guardian Pharmacy, medical clinic and several children’s enrichment centres.

Other than Greenwich V, Belgravia Ace residents will also have access to several shopping malls within a short drive, providing residents with a range of retail, lifestyle and entertainment options. These include:

• Seletar Mall ~ 8 minutes
• Compass One ~ 8 minutes
• AMK Hub ~ 10 minutes
• NEX ~ 11 minutes
• Rivervale Plaza ~ 11 minutes

Popular Eateries Near Belgravia Ace

Belgravia Ace is surrounded by many popular dining destinations. These include the 24 hour Jalan Kayu eateries, Chomp Chomp Food Centre, Upper Serangoon food outlets and The Oval @ Seletar Aerospace Park. All of them are within a 6-11 minutes’ drive and are very popular with residents living in the surrounding housing estates.

Jalan Kayu – Besides the well-known roti prata, its row of shophouses lining both sides of the road offer a variety of food options ranging from Chinese, Western, Malay and Indian food. With many of the eateries operating 24-hour, it is a popular place to satisfy one's hunger pang throughout the day and night.

Chomp Chomp Food Centre - Originally known as Serangoon Garden Food Centre, it is a landmark in Serangoon Gardens estate because of the variety of good food it offers. Known to locals and foreigners alike, some of the local favourites that can be found there include Hokkien mee, fried carrot cake and BBQ chicken wings.

Upper Serangoon Eateries – From hearty brunch fare to old school delights and authentic Thai cuisine, it is a place thriving with lush cafes and hip joints alongside traditional eateries selling popular dishes like braised duck, claypot frog leg and satay. Many of them open past midnight and it is a favourite dining destination for night owls.

The Oval @ Seletar Aerospace Park – It is perhaps one of the most interesting dining places as it allows visitors to experience a slice of Singapore’s colonial past. Its numerous black and white bungalows that used to house RAF personnel and their families have now been repurposed and transform into a lifestyle hub. Some of them have been converted to iconic bars and restaurants selling everything from European fare to traditional Teochew dishes.

The park also plays host to bazaars and carnivals.

There is also a aeroplane-themed playground surrounded by green open spaces, which provide great spots for picnics. At the same time, visitors can have a view of the Seletar airport runway. Another interesting activity is exploring the Hampstead Wetlands Park. Featuring boardwalks, viewing decks and a trail for adventurers to admire the area’s rich flora and fauna, the untouched sanctuary is home to butterflies, dragonflies and even birds like the white-throated kingfisher.

Nature Recreation Near Belgravia Ace

There are several nature parks a short 10-13 minutes’ drive from Belgravia Ace. The proximity of these nature parks provides a fascinating experience for residents living around the area. Other than the Hampstead Wetlands Park mentioned above, the others are:

Lower Seletar Reservoir Park – A short 10 minutes’ drive from Belgravia Ace, its calm waters, balmy breezes and peaceful surrounding provides a pleasant place for leisure activities, both on land and in water. Featuring a Family Bay with a new performance stage, a water play area, a bioswale rain garden, as well as a Heritage Bridge, there’s always something for everyone to enjoy.

Fitness enthusiasts can also take long, leisurely strolls or jogs, while a fishing jetty that extends from the park into the reservoir allows avid anglers the opportunity to reel in their next big catch.

The Rower’s Bay Park – It is located further north of Lower Seletar Reservoir near Yishun Dam. Besides being a popular venue for kayaking and dragon-boating, which is managed by PA Water-Venture, it is one of the best spots to catch the sunrise or sunset in Singapore.

There is a boardwalk to explore the wetlands, which are filled with plant species that will attract and provide a habitat for native wildlife in the area such as the grey heron and copper-cheeked frog.

Sengkang Riverside Park – It is home to the unique Sengkang Floating Wetland that was constructed to collect and filter rainwater naturally through its aquatic plants. The park is built and maintained by PUB. When embarking on the park’s many trails through the marshland and wildlife habitat, the sight of mangrove birds and damselflies provides an interesting day out for the whole family.

Running along the perimeter of the wetland is a Fruit Tree Trail that features 16 types of fruit trees. These include mangosteen, pomelo, mango, lime and starfruit, to the more exotic Pond Apple, Island Lychee, Sweetsop, Java Olive and Custard Apple.

Thomson Nature Park – It is located to the east of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve between Old Upper Thomson Road and Upper Thomson Road. The 50-hectare Thomson Nature Park is rich in biodiversity and is home to rare animals such as the Sunda Pangolin, Malayan Porcupine, and the critically endangered Raffles’ Banded Langur.

Apart from its rich wildlife, Thomson Nature Park has a unique cultural heritage as it is the site of a former Hainan Village. Visitors can embark on three specially curated walking trails and the remnants of the past kampung life that can still be found there!

Springleaf Nature Park – It is a relatively small park with a walking trail traversing Sungei Seletar, a canal that eventually ends up flowing into the Lower Seletar Reservoir.

Due to its close proximity to the Central Catchment Reserve, it is rich in biodiversity, and is home for more than 80 species of resident and migratory birds. These include the White-throated Kingfisher, Blue-tailed Bee-eater and Long-tailed Parakeet.

Proximity to Schools

Buying a property near schools has always been a key consideration. This is especially so due to the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) distance-based school allocation system for the Primary 1 admission.

Although there are no primary schools with a 1 km radius, there are several between a 1-2 km radius. This includes the very popular Rosyth School. The others are:

• Fernvale Primary School
• Hougang Primary School
• Jing Shan Primary School
• Sengkang Green Primary School

For secondary schools, there is quite a number of them less than 10 minutes’ drive away. These include:

• Nan Chiau High School
• Bowen Secondary School
• Pei Hwa Secondary School
• Xinmin Secondary School
• Serangoon Garden Secondary School
• Anderson Secondary School

For post-secondary education, the nearest are Nanyang Junior College, Anderson-Serangoon Junior College, Nanyang Polytechnic and ITE College Central.

The nearest tertiary institution is the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) in Punggol, which is 15 minutes’ drive from Belgravia Ace.

The nearest international school is Lycee Francais De Singapour (International French School). Offering education from kindergarten to high school, it is just 8 minutes’ drive away. For those looking for property investment, this could attract housing demand from expatriate families.

Public Transportation – A Compromise for Exclusivity?

A potential drawback is the lack of a MRT station within walking distance of Belgravia Ace. The nearest bus stop is along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 about 400m away. Perhaps, this is a price to pay for exclusivity.

Nevertheless, this should not be a major issue for buyers as most are likely to own cars. Hence, they will be glad that major expressways such as the Central Expressway (CTE), Tampines Expressway (TPE) and Seletar Expressway (SLE) are easily accessible.

Hence a trip to Orchard Road and Raffles Place only takes about 20 minutes’ drive.

Come 2026 with the completion of the North-South Corridor (NSC), travelling to the city will be much improved. When operational, it will connect the northern region to the city and East Coast Parkway, passing through areas such as Ang Mo Kio, Bishan and Toa Payoh. At the same time, it will relieve the traffic congestion along CTE during the morning/evening peak hours.

The NSC will be Singapore’s longest Transit Priority Corridor spanning 21.5 km. Featuring dedicated bus lanes, cycling trunk routes and pedestrian paths, it will provide smoother and faster journeys for everyone.

Major Industrial Parks

Besides the major industrial parks along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, there are several others in north-eastern Singapore not far from Belgravia Ace. The development of these industrial parks is part of the Singapore government’s plan to decentralize some economic activities away from the city and bring jobs closer to where people live. This will help to fuel demand for properties.

Seletar Regional Centre

Seletar Regional Centre – It will be Singapore’s fourth regional centre after Tampines, Jurong and Woodlands. Over the longer term, the Seletar Regional Centre has the potential to grow to two times the size of the Tampines Regional Centre. Located next to it is the Seletar Aerospace Park which provides a range of activities including training, and research and development.

It is home to a thriving aerospace industry cluster with more than 60 multinational corporations (MNCs) and aerospace businesses that include ST Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, Airbus, Eurocopter and Pratt & Whitney. It will play an instrumental role in Singapore’s push to be a global aviation hub.

The Seletar Regional Centre and Seletar Aerospace Park, when completed, is set to become a major employment node for people living in the North and Northeast.

Sengkang West Industrial Park – Home to wafer fabrication plants, its gradual expansion will create more high-skilled job opportunities for citizens in the northeastern region, providing homeowners a potential pool of high-earning tenants.

Developer of Belgravia Ace

The developer for Belgravia is Fairview Developments Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Tong Eng Group, which is renowned for developing beautiful landed homes as well as condominiums.

Its history dates back to the 1940s when Teo Thye Chor and his younger brother Teo Thye Hong migrated from the Hui An District of Fujian, China, to Singapore in search of a brighter future. After overcoming early challenges, they formed Tong Eng Brothers after the Second World War, engaging in the trading of electrolytic tin plates used in the production of cans and bottle caps.

Responding to the call for post-war rebuilding in the 1950s, the brothers anticipated a surge in demand for accommodation. Hence, this started their diversification into property development. And the rest, as often said, is history.

Over the years, they have built up an impressive portfolio of properties. These include Belgravia Villas, Belgravia Green, Poet Villas, Three Balmoral and Goodwood Grand, among many others.

Belgravia Ace's Expected Pricing

The pricing for Belgravia Ace has not been released yet. However, judging by the latest transactions for Belgravia Villas that is located beside it (refer to table below), they are transacted close to $900 psf.

Belgravia Villas Latest Transaction Prices

And for Belgravia Green which is still under construction nearby, the asking price is about $950 psf. Hence, Belgravia Ace is likely to be launched in the region of $950-$1,000 psf given the current bullish sentiment. For updates of pricing or request for floor plans and E-brochure, please email us. Alternatively, you may WhatsApp Us.

Conclusion – Belgravia Ace’s Investment Potential

Belgravia Ace offers promising investment potential due to the limited supply of freehold landed housing in Singapore. The future supply of freehold land will only come from en bloc sales or landbank held privately as the government has stopped offering them under its land sale programme.

In addition, developers that acquire new landed parcels via en bloc sale may not necessarily redevelop them into landed housing, crimping the supply further. As land bought via en bloc sale would likely cost more, this would naturally lead to higher prices.

Meanwhile, the popularity of strata-landed housing has been increasing over the years as buyers are drawn to the facilities that come with such developments. It is equivalent to living in condominiums but with the added advantage of more privacy, exclusivity and spaciousness.

But how did landed housing perform amid the increasing scarcity of supply? Let’s look at the charts below:

URA Housing Price Trend for Different Property Types

As can be seen, private property prices for all types have rebounded strongly from the trough of the global financial crisis in Q2 2009. Since then, the market has gone through several rounds of property cooling measures, with the latest in July 2018 which saw the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) increased and the Loan-to-Value (LTV) decreased.

Despite some blips along the way, the market has been on an uptrend. However, it is noteworthy that landed properties have outperformed non-landed properties. From the trough of Q2 2017 till Q1 2021, their prices were up 35.1% and 23.4% respectively. In Q1 2021 alone, landed homes jumped by a hefty 6.7% quarter-to-quarter.

And in Q3, prices of landed properties rebounded by a strong 2.6% following a slight 0.3% contraction Q2.

Another interesting point to note is that freehold landed properties have seen more transactions every month than leasehold landed properties in the last year. This goes to show the ongoing appetite for freehold landed homes. See the chart below:

Landed Home Transactions Trend - Freehold versus Leasehold

As mentioned earlier, a freehold landed property is favoured not only for asset progression, but it also enable owners to pass it down to subsequent generations. A leasehold property with decaying lease will not be able to fulfill this criterion.

Besides what have been mentioned, the following are the other reasons why landed homes like Belgravia Ace will continue to see strong demand:

Fear of new property cooling measures – Singapore private property prices rose 2.2% in 2020 despite the covid-19 pandemic, contrary to the expectation of a plunge. This is followed by a 3.3% and 0.8% quarter-to-quarter rise in Q1 and Q2 2021 respectively. And on the back of the strong demand for Pasir Ris 8 in July where some units were transacted as high as $2,000 psf, this has prompted many developers to raise the prices of their post-launched projects. As a result, this has fanned fears of another round of property cooling measures which could include lowering the Loan-to-Value (LTV) limit or raising stamp duties.

Low-interest rate environment - At present, home loan rates are at 1.2 - 1.3% pa. Although there may be fears that any US interest rate hike could have a knock-on effect on Singapore, the impact is likely to be limited. This is because interest rates in Singapore have been very low for more than a decade. Since the 2008 global financial crisis, the SIBOR (Singapore Interbank Offer Rate) has remained below 2%.

With such a low mortgage financing rate, more of the monthly instalment will go towards principal reduction rather than interest payment, making property investment an attractive option. In addition, properties will offer investors the chance to enjoy potential capital appreciation.

More space required for work from home – Amid the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, there is a growing preference for bigger living spaces as more people work from home. Children also require more space for Home-Based Learning. Hence, a sizeable home like Belgravia Ace will offer sufficient rooms and privacy for all inhabitants.

Apart from the above, Belgravia Ace’s proximity to major industrial hubs, amenities and nature parks adds to its investment appeal.

For enquiries, show flat viewing or to request for e-brochure, please Email or WhatsApp Us.

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