Bishan and Bidadari. Both mature estates and both in popular demand. The only difference might be that Bishan is more established while Bidadari is a new foundling in the already-mature estate of Toa Payoh.
The recent buzz around the centralised Bidadari estate has prompted many to call it the “next Bishan”. How exactly do these 2 estates compare?
Photo credit: HDB
As far as history goes, Bishan was one of the first model HDB towns 30 years back. And now Bidadari, which means “angel” or “fairy” in Malay, seems to be taking its place as the next big thing. Both B-word towns have good city-fringe locations and are built on land which were once cemeteries. Bidadari will have the luck of having Bishan run its course with the stigma of living on cemetery land. Buyers of today are no longer as affected by this fact.
Even though property agents and analysts say they are unsure how resale prices and infrastructure in this new estate will pan out, the initial response is very positive. Both its November 2015 and February 2016 launches were about 23 times oversubscribed despite the more expensive sales tags. Its proximity to the city centre plus the 3 MRT stations (Potong Pasir, Bartley and Woodleigh) serving it, Bishan makes up for the difference only by its direct access to its own shopping mall, park and amenities such as sports facilities, library, community centre, offices and business facilities. The Bishan MRT station is also an interchange station between the North-South and Circle MRT lines.
Photo credit: HDB
Resale HDB flats in Bishan can go up to $730,000 for a 5-room flat. While the new BTO flats in Bidadari were launched at prices between $544,000 and $625,000, they look set to reach possibly higher resale prices once they are available in the resale market.
