Not only do exclusive private mansions, bungalows, landed properties and condominium apartments or penthouses have waterfront views, public housing now offers such options, especially in the form of executive condominiums (ECs).
These hybrid property types begin their journey as public housing eligible for application under the Housing Development Board (HDB), and after 10 years, they become private condominium apartments, enjoying the benefits and price tags of private properties in the market. When they come with waterfront views and lifestyles, all the better.
A few of these EC properties include Bellewaters, and one in Punggol aptly named Waterwoods. Both situated in the new towns of Sengkang and Punggol, they seem targeted at young families and families who are looking to relocate or upgrade. With a projected temporary occupation permit (TOP) acquirement date of 2017, and now the raised income ceiling from $12,000 to $14,000 for ECs, it could be the prime time to seek out a good unit in potential EC developments. A bonus point for Bellewaters is that it was launched before 2013, thus the resale levy which is levied on home buyers who have previously bought a HDB flat or have taken a CPF housing grant does not apply here.
There are big things planned for the Sengkang and Punggol HDB estates in the next couple of decades, including a North Coast Innovation Corridor with the Seletar Regional Centre and Seletar Aerospace Park in its midst, as well as the Punggol Creative Cluster and Learning Corridor which includes The Singapore Institute of Technology and links to the Punggol waterfront. The Punggol Waterway is also set to be a hub of commercial, retail and recreational activity.
Transport, though slightly lacking for now, will no doubt improve in time to come, and the new townships will have immense potential for growth.
