With plans under way to rejuvenate one of Singapore’s oldest towns, Bedok offers plenty of potential for prospective homeowners.
With plans under way to rejuvenate one of Singapore’s oldest towns, Bedok offers plenty of potential for prospective homeowners.
Mature estates may not appeal to some new homeowners, due to their older facilities and dated appearance, especially compared to new estates. But some are recognising the conveniences that come with mature estates such as Bedok. When sales executive Samantha Ang, 34, started shopping for her bachelorette pad, she zoomed in on the town immediately.
Though she has always lived in the west, she plans to move to the east when she can buy a Housing Board flat under the Single Singapore Citizen Scheme, upon turning 35. “I want to live in the east, and popular towns like Marine Parade are priced out of my budget. Bedok is more reasonably priced, and has all the amenities that I need,” she says.
A historic town
It’s hard to imagine, but this sprawling estate covering 2,169ha was once a sleepy fishing village, and has a long history dating back to even before Stamford Raffles’ time. Apart from fishing, Bedok was also known for coconut plantations, but all that changed when reclamation work started in 1966 along the coastal area. In 1975, public housing began spouting up in Bedok, making it Singapore’s fifth self-contained new town.
Most of the early HDB flats were three- and four-room units catering to low- and middle-income families that needed new homes due to the redevelopment initiatives then. Over the years, many primary and secondary schools, as well as higher education institutions, including Temasek Junior College and Temasek Polytechnic, have been built to serve residents. Today, Bedok is home to 289,750 residents, making it the town with the largest population in Singapore.
It is divided into eight subzones – Kaki Bukit, Bedok Reservoir, Kembangan, Bedok North, Frankel, Bedok South, Siglap and Bayshore – where a mix of old and new HDB flats, condominiums and landed properties coexist.
New and revitalised
In 2014, the revamped and bigger Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre at New Upper Changi Road, which moved from the old Bedok interchange, opened with a bang. Besides offering a larger dining area, it also has free wireless internet, cashless payment by Nets Flash Pay and an extra 200 parking spaces in the multistorey carpark.
Another revitalised food haven is Simpang Bedok, which houses the famous 24-hour prata stall Syed Restaurant – a supper powerhouse for generations. The revamped Bedok Marketplace, featuring vintage touches reminiscent of 1960s’ kopitiams, is also drawing hipsters with its photogenic decor and east-west offerings.
On weekends, families and camera-toting bloggers tuck into wagyu yakitori at Burning Oak and grilled fresh seafood at Ah Hua Kelong. Foodies will also be familiar with Feng Shan Market and Food Centre (commonly known as Bedok 85). One of the newest amenities is Bedok Mall. Touted as the first major shopping mall in the heart of Bedok Town Centre, its shop mix includes household names such as Fairprice Finest, Best Denki, Uniqlo, Levi’s and Din Tai Fung.
It is also an integrated transport hub connected to Bedok MRT station and the new bus interchange. As a mature town, Bedok has a large population of elderly residents. Two new facilities, the Bedok Family Medicine Centre and Eastern Community Health Centre (Bedok North) Community Health Centre, will help meet increasing health-care needs.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in this estate is also easy, thanks to its many parks. Its flagship Bedok Reservoir Park offers a treetop course by Forest Adventure, and is popular with watersport enthusiasts. The town’s many great initiatives include plans to ensure most homes in Bedok will be within 400m of a park or park connector. New parks at Bedok North Road, Bayshore Road, Telok Kurau and Jalan Kembangan, as well as a new 3.8km green corridor that will also link up Bedok Town Centre, Bedok Reservoir and East Coast Park, will allow residents easy access to greenery.
Living in Bedok
Bedok’s most conveniently located condominium is undoubtedly the 583-unit Bedok Residences. Completed in 2015, it is perched on top of Bedok Mall and connected to Bedok MRT station and the bus interchange, attracting both home buyers and tenants. Its eight blocks consist of various unit types, from one-bedders (currently marketed at $918,000 for a tenanted 581sqf unit) to a $3.056-million, four-bedder penthouse of 2,616sqf.
For a private property with a view of Bedok Reservoir, a 1,280sqf unit at the fiveyear- old Waterfront Waves – located close to the reservoir – sold for $1.338 million in October 2016. At the newer Waterfront Isle, completed in 2015, a 1,377sqf unit was marketed at $1.63 million. Sharing a similar (but more distant) view is Belvia.
Completed in 2014, it is the first Design Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) project in Bedok and close to the upcoming Bedok Town Park MRT station on Downtown Line 3, due to open in 2017. Though not available for resale on the open market yet, rental rates for a master bedroom go for $1,000 to $1,180. Due to Bedok’s huge size and varying age of its HDB flats, prices can vary greatly.
For example, a six-year-old 1,184sqf unit at Block 220C Bedok Central that’s within walking distance to the station was recently marketed at $788,000. A much older but roomier unit (1,302sqf; 34 years old) at Block 601 on Bedok Reservoir Road, however, was listed at just $488,000 – a cool $300,000 difference. Though it meets Samantha’s budget of $500,000, she prefers one that’s nearer to the action at Bedok Mall.
“I don’t even mind a smaller, older fourroom flat. I intend to lease out at least one of the bedrooms, and I believe tenants will be willing to pay more for the convenience,” she explains. During May 2016’s Build-to-Order (BTO) exercise, units at Bedok North Woods saw strong interest. Prices started from $272,000 for a three-room, and $408,000 for four-room flats, with 1,580 applicants vying for the 247 four-room flats.
At press time, prices were not available for the 1,660 units of two-room flexi, three-room, four-room, and five-room flats for November 2016’s BTO exercise. “We like Bedok, but buying a more expensive flat here instead of a non-mature estate like Punggol will mean shelling out more in monthly instalments,” says home buyer Chan TJ, 25, though he acknowledges that he can probably sell it at a higher price in the future.
Indeed, analysts at SRX Property note that over the last decade, the HDB resale market in Bedok has appreciated by 7 to 9 per cent, per year. So, if your budget allows it, Bedok’s rejuvenation plans make the estate an attractive home now – and over 280,000 residents will agree with you.
Don’t miss part three of our four-part series next month, as we visit the bustling town of Ang Mo Kio.
The new Bedok Residences condominium is conveniently connected to a mall, the bus interchange and the MRT station.
Bedok Mall, the first major one in the mature town, saw 17.7 million visitors in 2015.
The revamped Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre draws foodies from all over the island.
Prices of new and old HDB flats in sprawling Bedok can vary widely, with those nearest to Bedok MRT station priced at a premium.
Temasek Polytechnic, which overlooks the scenic Bedok Reservoir, is Singapore’s third polytechnic.
For a home with a view, privateproperty hunters can check out several condominiums (such as the new Water Isle) surrounding Bedok Reservoir, where you can try water sports and a treetop adventure course.
