According to the HDB website, the next BTO launch will take place in November 2018 and will comprise of 5 estates: Tampines West, Sengkang, Yishun, Sembawang and the new town of Tengah.
Source: SRX
The property portal SRX has forecast the likely price range for each property type based on previous BTO launches:
Source: SRX
Of these five estates, which are the ones with the likely biggest capital appreciation in the coming years?
Tampines West
Pros
The site is located within walking distance to two MRT stations – 4 minutes from Tampines West MRT station and 11 minutes from Bedok Reservoir Station. It is also close to reputable schools such as Temasek Polytechnic, Junyuan Primary School, East View Primary School, Tampines Primary / Secondary School, St Hilda’s Primary / Secondary School and Springfield Secondary School.
Cons
The area is relatively undeveloped and has few retail amenities. Residents will need to go to Tampines Central for grocery shopping. However, as shown in previous BTO launches, HDB will usually follow up and build community shopping malls with foodcourts and NTUC fairmart shopping centers when the population reaches a critical mass.
Sengkang
Pros
The site is located near Fernvale LRT Station, which is connected to Sengkang MRT Station. It is also close to a stretch of eateries, restaurants, hawker centres along Jalan Kayu and schools including Sengkang Green Primary School, Fernvale Primary School and Pei Hwa Secondary School. The Seletar Mall is less than five-minute walk away and features a good range of daily groceries for residents to choose from.
Cons
Though it is next to a LRT station, future residents still have to spend time commuting to a Sengkang MRT station in order to travel to the city.
Sembawang, Yishun and Tengah
Stay away from these three sites if possible. The areas are relatively undeveloped, not close to any MRT stations with the exception of Sembawang which is close to Canberra MRT station which is still under construction and there is a lack of retail amenities and schools in the vicinity. Though prices are comparatively lower compared to Tampines and Sengkang, the potential for upside is also lower.
Conclusion
In summary, for those budget can stretch further, the new BTO launch in Tampines will be an ideal choice – it is a mature estate, close to two MRT stations and lie in the east where rental yields and capital growth is usually higher.