HDB BTO November 2022 Tengah Review: Green Living In An Up-And-Coming Neighbourhood

With exciting developments in the pipeline for the new up-and-coming neighbourhood, Tengah may become the next Punggol. If you’re looking for an estate that’s affordable yet brimming with potential, these Tengah plots under the HDB BTO November 2022 might be the one for you.

As the newest estate in town since Punggol, Tengah has been part of the past HDB BTO launches for quite a while. And the HDB BTO November 2022 is no exception.

Tengah estate may seem like a ghost town for now, but its upcoming developments and features are sure to excite any homeowner who’s a fan of the West. Envisioned as a “Forest Town” and Singapore’s first car-free town centre, Tengah will be surrounded by lush greenery, parks, and town-wide smart technologies. 

Not convinced yet? Read on to find out why you might want to keep the Tengah plots under the upcoming November 2022 HDB BTO on your radar.

Check out the other HDB BTO Nov 2022 reviews here:
HDB BTO Nov 2022 Kallang/Whampoa Review
HDB BTO Nov 2022 Yishun Review: Will This Be
HDB BTO November 2022 Bukit Batok Review
November BTO Launch 2022 - What To Look Out For

HDB BTO Nov 2022 Tengah overview and location

This BTO launch will feature not one, but two Tengah plots that are located beside each other, along Tengah Garden Avenue, with a grand total of 2,077 units. One of the plots offers about 1460 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room and 5-room units, while the other comprises approximately 610 4-room and 5-room units.

Before you scoff at the location thinking there are no MRT stations around, you’ll be thrilled to know that there are many upcoming stations nearby. The closest one is Hong Kah MRT Station (upcoming JS4) which is located just beside one of the plots, while a short nine-minute walk will get you to the other MRT station, Tengah Plantation MRT station (upcoming JE1). They are both located along the new Jurong Region Line (JRL) that runs through Tengah.

Currently, there aren’t many amenities around the area as the neighbourhood is still undergoing major developments. However, some facilities you can look forward to are the proposed parks, Tengah pond, and Health & Medical Care Centre. If you’ve got children in tow, don’t worry as Tengah estate is home to numerous schools, including Princess Elizabeth Primary School and Jurong Pioneer Junior College.

Estimated Completion Date: 1Q2027
Estimated Waiting Time: 40 months
Selection Period: Feb 2023 - Mar 2024

HDB BTO November 2022 — Garden Waterfront I & II @ Tengah

HDB BTO Nov 2022 Tengah site location, bounded by upcoming Tengah Boulevard and upcoming Tengah Garden Avenue.

Source: HDB

Unit breakdown

Location

Bounded by Tengah Garden Avenue and Tenagh Boulevard, these two Tengah plots offer maximum convenience. As mentioned earlier, there’s the upcoming Hong Kah MRT station due in 2027 located right beside one of the plots, making commuting extremely hassle-free. If you take a 9-minute walk, you’ll also find yourself at the upcoming Tengah Plantation MRT station due in 2028.

For those who prefer to commute by bus, you’ll be happy to find out that the Tengah Park Avenue bus interchange is in the works as well. Accessibility to other parts of the island includes bus services running along Bukit Batok Road and Kranji Expressway (KJE), Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) and Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE).

Instead of looking at concrete HDB flats all day, residents living in this particular Tengah project are in for a treat. Depending on which facing you choose based on your unit, you might be able to enjoy scenic views of the proposed Tengah Pond located along PIE. There are also many proposed parks littered all over, giving you unparalleled views of greenery and fresh air.

Amenities

Tengah may be lagging behind a little with regard to amenities. Besides, it’s still a new town that hasn’t been developed yet. Nevertheless, there are still exciting amenities in the pipeline you can look forward to.

One of the biggest draws of Tengah is the wide variety of schools and institutions available. One look at the map and you will realise that the projects are surrounded by many schools, where the nearest ones include Jurongville Secondary School and Hua Yi Secondary School.

There are also many existing amenities in the area including West Mall, Yuhua Village Market, Bukit Batok Street 11 Food Centre, Boon Lay Shopping Centre and Boon Lay Food Village. While they aren’t exactly within walking distance, a short drive or bus ride will get you to these places. And who knows? There might be more retail outlets and dining options popping up in the few years to come!

The nearest grocery stores are located at Jurong West Street 41 that’s just eight minutes away by foot, and an NTUC Fairprice that is within a 10-minute walk.

Access to healthcare isn’t going to be an issue as well. With two proposed Health & Medical Care Centres slated to open nearby, your medical need will be well taken care of. The nearest hospital currently is Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in Jurong East. Some other key upcoming developments include churches, temples, neighbourhood centres and Community Clubs.

The upcoming Jurong Innovation District (JID) is also slated to open nearby, It features a 6-00-hectare industrial area that will bring together researchers, innovators and businesses together, offering numerous job opportunities.

The recent tightening of cooling measures has made choosing the right home loan even more important than ever. Compare the best home loan rates in the market with SingSaver!

More on this topic:
November BTO Launch 2022: What to Look Out For
How to Buy a House in Singapore: A Complete Guide (2022)
S$1 Million HDB Flats in Singapore: Are They Worth the Hype?
4-Room Keppel Club Flats Going at an Estimated S$700,000

HDB BTO Nov 2022 Tengah price 

I bet everyone’s itching to find out just how much these projects will cost, since we mentioned that it is relatively affordable compared to the rest. Though this launch’s price has not been released yet, we can speculate and gauge the prices based on previous launches in the area.

Right off the bat, Tengah stands out as a neighbourhood that is priced affordable, where you can get a 5-room HDB BTO flat under S$530,000.

If you quickly scan through past projects under the August 2022 BTO launch, you’ll realise that projects located under the Prime Location Public Housling (PLH) model like the Alexandra Vale cost an upward of S$500k for a 4-room flat, compared to Tengah’s which hovers around an average of S$350,000.

Unfortunately, we don’t have any resale prices to compare against as Tengah is still a very new estate with no resale flats available.

Read more:
[Sep 2022 Update] Loan-to-Value Ratio & Limits in Singapore
New Singapore Housing Loan Rules in 2022 — How Much Can You Borrow?
Getting a Bank Loan For HDB vs. an HDB Housing Loan — What’s the Difference?
How to Use CPF to Pay For Housing Loan
HDB Loan Repayment: Should You Use CPF or Cash?

HDB BTO Nov 2022 Tengah analysis

Is Tengah the one for you? We dish out more facts about this project so you can decide it for yourself — the good and the bad.

2-minute walk to the MRT station

Situated close to the MRT station means that you can do away with additional commute time. If you need to take a bus to the nearest MRT station, that could easily add 10 to 15 minutes to your commute time. Especially during peak periods when crowds are insane, you might have to forgo a couple of buses before finally being able to board one. Else, non-peak periods could also result in a lower frequency of buses, meaning longer waiting times at the bus stop.

I’m not sure about you but I personally look out for units that are within walkable distance of the MRT station. And while we say it’s a two-minute walk to the MRT station, it really depends on which plot, block and unit you choose. If you purchase a unit that’s located right at the end of the project, the walking distance could increase up to nine minutes.

While this is a good thing for many, some may intentionally avoid projects close to an MRT station. Why is this so? Noise pollution. Especially since both Hong Kah and Tengah Plantation MRT stations are elevated stations, hearing the tracks drone on late into the night might be a problem for some. Footfall will also be heavy, which means that it might be possible that loud chatters could keep you up at night.

On top of that, convenience may not be a priority for some if you own a family car. In such cases, units near an MRT station may be unnecessary.

Enjoy green living

To be fair, this point is applicable not just to this specific project but to anyone living in the Tengah neighbourhood. Envisioned as a “Forest Town”, Tengah brings a whole different vibe altogether. Away from the usual concrete jungle that is Singapore that we’re used to, Tengah is slated to be a green, sustainable and smart neighbourhood, as well as Singapore’s first car-free town centre.

If you’re someone who enjoys nature and constantly yearns to get away from the hustle of city life, Tengah might be your new haven. Designed to allow residents to enjoy the experience of living amongst nature, five unique housing districts will be developed — PLantation, Park, Garden, Brickland and Forest Hill Districts will be nestled in lush greenery and surrounded by numerous parks.

One of the key features is the Plantation Farmway, which is a recreational corridor that features spaces for residents to enjoy community gardening and family. This is slated to be part of the Plantation district.

Take a quick glance at the map of this Tengah project and you will realise just how many proposed parks are in the works all around the blocks. You’ll also be able to wake up to views of the proposed Tengah Pond that spans along PIE. Is there any estate that can get any greener than this?

Higher competition for first-time applicants

BTO launches have been fiercely competitive the past few launches, But things are still continuing to heat up. As of 30 August 2022, the government announced that more BTO units in non-mature estates are reserved for first-time applicants.

For first-time families, at least 85% of 3-room units and 95% of 4-room BTO units supply are being set aside. This increased from the previous 70% and 85% respectively. Hence, this means tougher competition among first-timer applicants across all room sizes.

If you have been keeping up with the news surrounding BTO projects, you would know just how oversubscribed these units are. There has also been an increasing demand for five-room units especially since spacious units are increasingly a scarcity in Singapore, given the halt in jumbo flat and maisonette unit production.

The HDB BTO Nov 2022 Tengah flats are for you if:

• You’re on a tiger budget (<S$530,000) but still want to ballot for a 5-room unit
• You value convenience and are looking for a project near an MRT station
• You want to escape the city life and experience living amongst nature
• You have kids and prioritise close proximity to schools

The HDB BTO Nov 2022 Tengah flats are NOT for you if:

• You don’t want to live too far away from Town or CBD
• You want direct MRT connectivity to other lines i.e. Circline Line, Northeast Line
• You want access to a diverse range of amenities
• You prefer living in crowded neighbourhoods
• You want to live in a mature estate

See also: 8 Hacks to Improve Your HDB Ballot Chances

The recent tightening of cooling measures has made choosing the right home loan even more important than ever. Compare the best home loan rates in the market with SingSaver!

Read these next:
7 Lesser-Known Things You Should Be Aware of Before Purchasing a BTO Flat
3 Ways to Finance HDB BTO Flats
BTO vs. Resale vs. Executive Condo: Which Gives the Best Bang For Your Buck For Investment?
How Much Do You Need to Buy Your First Home in Singapore?