For many parents, the beginning of their child’s formal education commences in primary school. To many, this is a pivotal moment in their lives, as primary school leaving examinations help determine their future path in secondary school and beyond.
The Ministry of Education prioritises a child’s admittance to a school based on the distance from their home.
The following below are the guidelines set by the Ministry of Education (MOE):
- Singapore Citizens (SC) living within 1km of the school.
- SCs living between 1km and 2km of the school.
- SCs living outside 2km of the school.
- Permanent Residents (PR) living within 1km of the school.
- PRs living between 1km and 2km of the school.
- PRs living outside 2km of the school.
Source: MOE
Our inaugural edition will cover properties surrounding CHIJ St.Nicholas Girls’ School (SNGS). We will be focusing on private residential residences that fall within the 1km radius as well as transactions in the past 10 years with sufficient transactional data available. This would provide a comprehensive view of how prices have changed over the years and if being in close proximity to a top school plays a role in the value of the property.
SNGS is an all-girls, Catholic primary and secondary school in Ang Mo Kio, and was founded in 1933 as one of the premier schools in Singapore. It is located in District 20 and is just over 300m to the recently completed Mayflower MRT station.
Overview of property prices in district 20
District 20 mainly covers the area of Ang Mo Kio and Bishan. Both new sale and resale properties have grown extensively in terms of average unit pricing between 2011 and 2021. Overall average unit prices in the district rose to 42.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2021.
The towns in district 20 have also undergone extensive urban rejuvenation over the years. With the AMK Hub, reputable educational institutions, as well as the convenience of a notable public transport network, it has provided an ideal living environment.
Ang Mo Kio is one of the most established towns in Singapore with a wide array of amenities, facilities, community centres and shopping malls. Based on The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)’s master plan announced in 2019, the Ang Mo Kio area is expected to undergo several changes over the next few years when more housing options are introduced at Lentor Hills.
The recent completion of Mayflower MRT station and Lentor MRT station boosts property value as well. In addition, Ang Mo Kio is Singapore’s first model walking and cycling town, with dedicated cycling paths that complement existing footpaths to provide ample space for both pedestrians and cyclists.
New home sales vs. resale properties
Observing the dynamics of both the new sale and resale market, we notice there have been fewer new launches in district 20 in the past few years. The number of transactions had also dwindled in recent years between 2017-2020.
As more interest has shifted towards the resale market, transactions rose to 502 units in the first 9 months of 2021. There’s been a narrowing price gap between 2020 and 2021, and the difference between new sale and resale prices dropped from 27.4% to 20.1%.
Non-landed vs. landed properties
The property enclave near SNGS houses a couple of landed properties. Due to fewer condominium developments, the landed homes have established a premium in prices for the area. Landed properties in district 20 have held their own and prices have remained relatively higher compared to condominiums.
On average, there is a 9.8% price difference between landed and non-landed properties in district 20. Typically, prices are higher in district 20 due to its ease of connectivity to the Central Business District (CBD).
Surrounding properties near SNGS
Price movements of neighbouring properties
Project | 2011 ($psf) | 2016($psf) | 2021($psf) | %Change (2021 vs. 2011) | Est. Distance to School / Est. Walking time | Property Type | Tenure |
SHANGRI-LA PARK | $1,070 | $775 | $1,140 | 6.6% | 463m / 5 min | Landed | Freehold |
ST NICHOLAS VIEW | $890 | $759 | $1,103 | 23.9% | 495m/5min | Landed | 99 yrs LH |
HORIZON GREEN | $496 | $591 | $621 | 25.3% | 504m / 6 min | Landed | 99 yrs LH |
HORIZON GARDENS | $558 | $610 | $663 | 18.7% | 733m / 8 min | Landed | 99 yrs LH |
SEMBAWANG HILLS ESTATE | $941 | $1,076 | $1,543 | 64.0% | 766m / 9 min | Landed | Freehold |
We have conducted research based on the availability of transaction data over a 10 year period for properties that are within the 1km radius of CHIJ St.Nicholas Girls’ School. These projects were analyzed to understand the price changes in this time period.
Among properties within 1km distance, Sembawang Hills Estate had the highest price increase of 64.0% between 2011 and 2021, thanks to its freehold nature. It is a landed housing development and the houses were originally built in the 1980s but some of them have undergone refurbishments over the years.
Despite Shangri-La Park being the closest property to the subject school, its price rose only 6.6% between 2011 and 2021. One of the reasons could be due to it being an older development, which was originally completed in 1988. Lastly, Horizon Green is approx. 934m away from SNGS, and it did have a price increase of 25.3%.
Proximity to SNGS has definitely driven prices over the past 10 years. Now with the new Mayflower MRT station, prices for these developments will likely be further boosted.
Notable properties near SNGS
The Panorama
The following properties below lacked the 10 year transactional data criteria that Ohmyhome sets, but we believe these are notable mentions worth checking out. Let’s start with The Panorama. It is a very short 4 min walk (estimated distance of 400m) to SNGS.
This is a 99-year leasehold property, with a total of 698 units. It was launched in 2014 with a median price of $1,306 psf. Based on our research, average resale unit prices have reached an all time monthly high since November 2018.
The property garnered more interest this year as there were a total of 43 resale transactions as compared to 30 transactions. With one of the few condominium options in the area, it has an added advantage for buyers who are looking for a non-landed alternative. The short walking distance to Mayflower MRT station (estimated distance of 445m), places the development in a favorable position as well.
Lattice One
Lattice One is one of the recent new launches in the vicinity of SNGS. However, this is slightly further away from the school, with an estimated distance of 1.3km. It is a freehold property, with a total of 48 units. It was launched in June 2019, with an average unit price of $1,757 psf. Since then, the property has appreciated in price to $1,871 psf in September 2021. A 6.5% increase and 39 units transacted over the course of 2 years is pretty impressive from an investor’s perspective.
Owning a property near a top school does have its perks, since priority is given to students who live close to it. Even singles or couples without children can consider these properties as good long term investments because of their accessbility to SNGS.
Suggested unit(s) available near SNGS:
The Panorama: 3BR, 1,131 sq ft for $1.9m ($1,635 psf)
Lattice One: 4BR, 1,023 sq ft for $1.8m ($1,784 psf)
Horizon Gardens: 5BR, 2,801 sq ft for $2.2m ($785 psf)
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