Think Woodlands, and most people think about checkpoints and entering Malaysia.
However, the neighbourhood in the northern region of Singapore is way more than just a gateway to our northern neighbours.
Woodlands Civic Centre. Picture: iProperty
Before Woodlands was developed, the place was farmland, filled with rubber plantations, poultry and vegetable farms. It was only developed in the early 70s, with the first HDB flats built in 1972.
Industrialisation soon followed, and all the villages were cleared out to make way for more residential homes and commercial facilities.
The estate is made up of 3 smaller parts – Marsiling, Woodgrove and Admiralty.
Mostly HDBs
Woodlands has around 242,500 HDB residents living in 68,153 HDB units.
371 Woodlands Ave 1, HDB. Picture: iProperty
The units come in a wide range of 1 – 5 room configurations, as well as the more coveted jumbo HDB floorplates.
While the range of prices for the homes varies, the prices are indeed cheaper due to the location, with 1-room HDB homes starting in the $250,000 region, and 4 rooms coming closer to the $600,000 region.
The really interesting ones are the Jumbo flats, which are a combination of 2 units. These flats can run from 1440 sq ft all the way up to 2000 sq ft.
An example would be an 1894 sqft jumbo flat at woodlands Street 83. This unit is asking at a whopping $838,000, or a $442 per sq ft pricing.
See more: Bigger is better – Jumbo HDB Flats
There are also Executive Condominiums in play here. ECs are a hybrid of public and private housing, in the sense that they resemble private condominiums with their gated compounds, security and amenities but come at a lower pricing than private homes because of subsidized
land prices by the government.
Northwave EC, Condo. Picture: iProperty
The latest one is the Northwave, expected to TOP in February 2019. The Northwave is a 358-unit, 99-year leasehold development that consists of a range of units, from 2 bedroom configurations to penthouse sized apartments.
Prices start at $600,000 and go all the way up to $1.05 million, and come in at an average per sq ft of $835.
Private Homes
Don’t be surprised to find great private developments in Woodlands! We’ve found a few good picks to share with you.
First up is Parc Rosewood, a 689-unit condominium development by Kensington Land Pte Ltd. The building was completed in 2014 and comes with multiple lap pools, pavilions and Jacuzzi spots. A 431 sq ft condominium unit at this development would set you back approximately $535,000, or $1241 per sq ft.
Parc Rosewood, Condo. Picture: iProperty
The other development of note would be the Rosewood Suites. This low rise, 200-unit development sets itself apart from the Parc Rosewood with its smaller, but the more exclusive setting.
Rosewood suites, condo. Picture: iProperty
It has only 5 floors and was built for fewer inhabitants and a more exclusive feel. The development comes with the prerequisite pools, saunas, Jacuzzis and BBQ pits, and sits just as close to all the amenities as the other developments in the area.
Price wise, the per square foot is definitely competitive at $816, with a 2303 sq ft 4 room unit going for 1.5 million. It is definitely pricey, but worth it if you want a quieter and more exclusive place to live in.
Amenities and Connectivity
Woodlands Square serves as a kind of town centre for the estate, with two shopping malls. Causeway Point Mall and Woodlands Civic centre, when taken into consideration together, have almost everything you need to live and play there.
Banks, CPF offices, North West CDC, multiple retail outlets, an 11,000 sqm regional library and supermarkets are all concentrated within the Woodlands Square area.
If you’re a fresh food kind of person, you’ll be happy to hear that the Senoko Fishery Port is also nearby, providing access to fresh seafood.
Republic Polytechnic, Woodlands. Picture: iProperty
Great schools dot the area, with 12 primary schools, 9 secondary schools, Republic Polytechnic, Innova JC, Singapore Sports School and Singapore American School.
Transportation is also a breeze, as Woodlands is served by 3 MRT stations and will soon be served by the new Thompson-East Coast Line. Woodlands also has a bus interchange with buses that run into the CBD. Drivers can also connect into town via the BKE, SLE or CTE in under 40 minutes.
See more: Properties near schools
No longer just a way into Malaysia
You may need to put up with some jokes from friends about bringing passports just to visit you, but make no mistake: Woodlands is a viable place to live in.
It’s got everything you need to set up a comfortable home and live well. From food, shopping, transport, all the way to nature and the ability to hop over to Johor Baru anytime you wish, Woodlands has you covered.
It’s no longer “just a way into Malaysia”, it’s now also a great place to live in.
See more: Pressure on private home prices may surface this year
