Our judgment: overall rating 74%

1953 gave buyers the opportunity to keep shophouses in their developments, and even live in them at prices that seem reasonable in today's market.

Its location on the edge of the city also brought 1953 close to towns, especially via public transportation. The disadvantage is the lack of facilities, the corners of some units are a bit strange, and the traffic along Balestier Road is congested.

In the past three years, buyers in the private real estate market have been spoiled, with new launches almost every month. However, you often find that, to be honest, there is actually almost no product differentiation.

Therefore, if you desire a more unique project, the 1953 apartment stands out among the retro hunters among us because it includes a well-preserved shophouse in the development.

Quite interestingly, this 1953 apartment stands out as a freehold project on the fringe of the city, with well-preserved shophouses, which can be said to be a rare find today.

This was only possible by merging two separate locations purchased in 2017-first a piece of land on Tessensohn Road at a price of US$14.5 million, and then a row of shophouses along Balestier Road at a price of US$38 million.

In other words, the 1953 apartment was not the only newly launched apartment that included a protected building. I recently wrote a review about Riviere on Jiak Kim Street, which also includes a protected warehouse.

If this part of the Singapore real estate market is of interest to you, you may also be interested in reading my compilation of the 16 apartments in the CCR, and the buildings in these apartments are protected.

In addition to its scarcity factor, you will also notice that the name of the development project is... unique, to say the least.

I haven't seen an apartment with a number in its name, but 1953 is not a number that is determined at will. Instead, it pays homage to the year the shophouse was built in 1953-Art Deco style, proudly displayed on the top in 1953.

Although the 1953 apartment offers all the wonderful and unique things, you will have to face the fact that this is still a boutique development with only 58 residential units on a small plot of land.

In terms of context, its land area is 17,938 square feet, which is almost a high-quality bungalow. For potential buyers who are looking for a 50m swimming pool, sky deck or tennis court, I am sorry to disappoint you, but this is not the product for you. 

This may be a niche product, but buyers looking for something different may immediately agree with it.

Finally, the 1953 apartment was not actually the latest apartment in town — it was launched in March 2019 and had a good response during the launch weekend, with 31% of the units costing an average of $1,875 per square foot. Price sold. 

If you need any further reminders, yes, this is a freehold project.

Without further ado, let us get a direct insight into what this unique project must provide.

The entrance to 1953 will be along Tessensohn Road, just off the busy Balestier Road.

If you are not familiar with the crowdedness of Balestier Road (some say it is part of the experience of living here!), it may be a good idea to feel it for yourself before deciding to buy.

In any case, its 1953 condominium along Tessensohn Road is opposite Singapore’s Khalsa Association and the Civil Service Club, both of which are long-term landmarks on this road.

Living in 1953 also means that you have a good cultural appreciation (the stereotype here), so you might like being in the many other shophouses nearby, some of which are more colorful than your black and white appearance here.

Since the entrance (via Tessensohn Road) and the exit (via the service road to Racecourse Road) are rather unremarkable, there is no special feeling for those who get off the bus to arrive here.

Personally, I like the more advanced drop-off point because it not only creates a sense of home for myself, but also leaves a good impression on visiting family and friends.

But I have to say that the difference between the walk-in entrance of the apartment in 1953 is day and night.

Known as the Great Courtyard, the location of the sculpture and the details of the door really give it a very stylish retro modern look. It undoubtedly represents the unique claim of the apartment in 1953, and the exterior really looks like a luxurious boutique hotel.

Once you walk in, this will be further magnified, because the internal entrance has a ventilation shaft, which really makes things look more magnificent.

In addition, buyers also need to note that parking is mechanized, which is indeed not the most ideal situation.

You may find this technology cool at first, especially if you have never seen the technology, but having to wait for the car every day or deal with occasional mechanical failures (hopefully not) may disrupt the transaction for some people.

Please note that there are only 42 parking lots, so although it is not a 1:1 ratio, there are enough small units here, which may not really pose a problem.

Of course, despite all my complaints about the humble drop-off point and mechanized parking lot in 1953, we must remember that this is after all a boutique development project on a small piece of land.

If developers have more land to use, they will not do the above two things. Personally, these are not deal breakers for me, because they are just a trade-off for the "cool" factors that remain in the storehouse development project.

Now let's talk about the store component developed. You will find that the 14 commercial units in the well-preserved shophouse on the first floor are sold separately by Oxley Holdings.

In terms of price, during the launch weekend in March 2019, the average selling price of the three commercial units was $3,185 PSF. Commercial units are expected to have restaurants and convenience stores, but it cannot be said with certainty because they will not be managed by developers.

According to strict protection guidelines, a five-foot-long road will remain along the shophouse aisle. This is a unique architectural feature of shophouses not only in Singapore but also in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The selected tiles continue to retain the heritage, because you will notice that they will choose matching mosaic tiles to add a retro touch.

In general, you will notice that the exterior of the shophouse will adopt a darker black and white exterior, rather than the more colorful exterior you see along Tessensohn and Race Course Road.

I personally really like it because it exudes a more elegant and mature atmosphere. For those interested, these are actually inspired by Bohemian Rhapsody (you know, the iconic Freddie Mercury).

This is undoubtedly a major selling point of the advantages of staying in a 1953 apartment. Shophouse living is becoming more and more popular in Singapore, and companies such as Figment (Luxury Shophouse Living Together) have accelerated this process.

In an era where many newly launched products are the same, this is a very viable choice for people who like different living environments.

This is especially true when you consider buying a separate shophouse that does bring up other issues that many people do not consider. Although you do have very safe assets, maintenance and maintenance work may require a lot of work.

For the 1953 apartment, you will get the unique attributes of a shophouse living in an apartment environment.

Therefore, with its external conditions managed by MCST and facilities suitable for this lifestyle element, you can see that this will be an attractive package for those looking for a unique residence.

With this, it reminds me of apartment facilities in 1953.

Most of the facilities in 1953 were located on the fourth floor above the heritage wing of the development. As I have warned several times before, don't expect too much from its facilities.

1953 is a boutique development project, sold with the heritage elements and freehold RCR status in its compound. Having facilities here is more important than anything else.

So what you will find here is actually the minimum of private property today.

Among its newly launched counterparts, 1953 apartments were not as scarce as 77@East Coast (indicating poor sales), but more in the Taiqi Alliance along Changi Road. It has a small swimming pool-no more than 50m long-as well as a poolside lounge and cascading water features next to it.

There are also two dining facilities-Alfresco Dining and Western Grill. As you might see from their names, both will be located outdoors.

For those who need to exercise every day, there is also a small gym. (on the left).

Finally, let me talk about design. I like how they combine modern elements (as you can see from the residential units above) with the traditional look of the protected shophouse.

Look, the apartment in 1953 won't win any awards for its facilities. However, I found myself not complaining. I admit that it was on a small plot of almost no GCB size in 1953, with only 72 units.

These are all insurmountable factors. I think developers are trying to pack as many useful facilities as possible within a small area of ​​their land area.

Think about how you choose a hotel during your vacation. A big hotel, many rooms, plenty of activities and facilities to choose from? Or a small boutique hotel, charming, but limited options.

Now, let's go directly to the show unit!

This three-bedroom model house is part of the Heritage Collection in 1953, where you can buy a well-preserved shophouse (there are only 9).

Since you will only have a stratified area on the second floor (the first floor is for commercial use and can also be sold), this provides you with a lower number of entrances into the Singapore shophouse scene.

At 1,141 square feet, this is a comfortable three-bedroom unit, although it does include void spaces in the living and dining areas.

There are three other three-bedroom units of relatively similar size in the Heritage Collection, and another 12 in the Modern and Penthouse series. The layout does vary from unit to unit, but usually there are some weird corners in the unit.

Since the model house is part of a well-preserved shophouse unit, this unit has some unique features (pros and cons), which I will introduce later.

For starters, this is a no-elevator apartment-for those who find the word strange, it means you don't have an elevator to your unit and have to literally say, walk.

If you have elderly parents, newborns, or just have a lot of groceries, then the Heritage Collection in 1953 will not be the most practical choice. But I do know that some colleagues like this lifestyle because they find the walking concept refreshing and fashionable.

When you step into the unit, the first thing you see is the mosaic tiles, which blend with the overall black and white appearance of the shophouse.

This will also be a continuation of the heritage tiles found along the five-foot-long first floor outside the door. It may not suit everyone's taste, but I do like developers to ensure that the overall design theme is consistent from the ground floor to the unit.

This is largely something you either like or dislike, nothing in between.

Compared with a typical new apartment unit, you will notice that the layout of this unit can be said to be a dumbbell in the true sense.

However, the "handle" part of this unit means that there are still some walkways leading to the two bedrooms on one side, and the kitchen, living room, dining room and one bedroom on the other side. There is no doubt that this is a unique layout, just like its façade.

I will start with the kitchen on the left side of the entrance. This is an open kitchen and is usually not suitable for a three-bedroom unit.

Again, for the walk-in concept, the target buyer may not be your typical family, but a more modern family that doesn't mind the open kitchen concept. 

And there are indeed many food choices around you, so this may not be a big problem.

In the kitchen, you will find an interesting mix of colors. It is a combination of glass and laminate, with grey, green and grey-black melamine finishes.

Now, I am not sure about this, but for me, choosing emerald green is to bring back nostalgia for jade ornaments.

Induction cookers, ovens and range hoods were provided by Bosch and Electrolux for refrigerators and washer/dryers stored behind cabinets.

All mass market brands that we may be very familiar with. Storage is only average, and some people may find a lack of countertop space.

Being in the middle of the unit also means that ventilation is an issue, but again, living in a shophouse development will never be the most practical option.

Please note at this time that there is no utility room or yard in this unit. For a 1,141 square foot unit, these cancellations are rare and a bit disappointing. This means you really need to be creative in storage space.

Those who wish to dry some clothes naturally on the balcony will feel sad if they know that there is no balcony because this is a well-preserved shophouse.

However, on the other hand, this particular unit has a very big advantage. All bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms, which is almost unheard of except for the super high-end category.

If you want to know how the guests are-you will get an extra powder room dedicated to them. Yes, you are right. This unit has four bathrooms.

The powder room is located opposite the kitchen and has all the elements you need. The theme mosaic tiles continue here, albeit with a slightly different, more concise version. You will get Grohe washbasins and mixer taps and built-in wall cabinets.

You will notice that the cabinet has emerald green tiles as the background, which is inspired by the color of jade. There will also be a wall-mounted toilet and hand shower.

Most powder rooms I've seen don't have showers, so it was interesting to find one here. Like a kitchen, there are no windows for natural ventilation, so you will have to rely on mechanical systems.

Please remember that all rooms have ensuite bathrooms, so this powder room can only be used by your guests.

Now turning to the dining and living areas, they form a long and continuous space.

In general, I don't like the interior design here-I know it was inspired by the shophouse lifestyle of the 1960s and 1970s, but I think it's a bit fancy. I also don’t think the shophouse life of the past was luxurious—my father grew up in a place and proved it—so this is definitely a modern interpretation of shophouse life.

Either way, the unit will remove all these design elements, so you can customize and refurbish it at will.

The biggest attraction of this unit is undoubtedly its double volume and sloping roof-it will definitely become one of the first things that attract your attention. It is reminiscent of landing life in the attic and provides an extra sense of space.

This usually also means that you can choose to build a loft (but you may face opposition from the building authorities because it is a protected shophouse). Even so, in its current form, it is very unique and has a loft-like feel.

This road is 7.25 meters high, so it may be as high as any residential apartment unit in Singapore. In my opinion, this is undoubtedly the biggest selling point of condominiums in 1953, and there are certainly not many units in Singapore that can boast such an appearance.

I like the parquet floor here, you can't see it because it is covered by carpet, but you can see more in the bedroom.

For the dining area adjacent to the kitchen, the long space can easily accommodate a table for six or more people, depending on how big a living room you need.

In other words, the main limitation is width. As you can see, when designers use benches here, there is enough aisle space, but large restaurants may encroach more on the aisles.

As for the living room, the long rectangle allows you to choose a sofa set that can accommodate at least three people.

They don’t have a coffee table here, so it’s hard to imagine a space for a coffee table. As with many newly released products, the distance to the TV is the average distance.

As this is a reserved shophouse unit, there is no balcony in the unit. Instead, you will get aluminum sliding windows here. If you pay careful attention, you will also notice a small window at the top, which is part of the original shophouse design.

For people who have lived in shophouses before, ventilation seems to always be an issue, so the extra windows are to ensure better air circulation.

Finally, please note that the end of life is tilted. Visually, it does look more exciting, although it may not be practical in nature.

Then move to bedroom two, next to the living room.

It is equipped with the same parquet flooring as the living room and other bedrooms. The room is medium in size, with a little wasted space, sloping walls (just like a living room).

But because the ceiling here is indeed unusually high, it does give you a better sense of space (and of course uniqueness).

You can still have a queen-size bed here like they do, but there is hardly any aisle space to get around it.

You will also notice that the windows here are only half-length, and there are equally interesting casement windows at the top, which you can also find in the living room and the other two bedrooms.

The lack of full-length windows is by no means a deal breaker for me, but you must admit that this is one of the disadvantages of living in a protected shophouse.

At least you have two different sets of windows here, which does provide additional sound insulation (which goes a long way here).

As mentioned earlier, the advantage of this unit is definitely the ensuite nature of each bedroom. For bathroom two, you will get the same traditional tiles as the powder room and very similar appearance.

Provides GROHE faucet and hand shower, as well as wall-mounted toilet. Compared with the emerald green tiles in the powder room, the tiles used for the background of the built-in cabinets are gray.

Otherwise, because there are no windows, the regular-shaped bathroom relies on mechanical ventilation.

Considering that every bedroom is an ensuite, this three-bedroom unit is actually a good renter, because tenants really like the privacy of an ensuite bathroom.

Next are the other two bedrooms in the unit.

As mentioned earlier, this can be thought of as a dumbbell layout, with bedrooms located at both ends of the house.

Although the location of the kitchen may not suit everyone's taste, there is no doubt that this layout is perfect for privacy (and no one has to share a bathroom in this house!)

In keeping with the theme so far, the corridor leading to the entrance uses the same mosaic tiles as the entrance, and the beginning of the parquet floor marks the entrance to the bedroom.

Let's start with bedroom three.

It also has a strange corner, but it is overshadowed by their creative design of the room. By custom building a deck, the developer can show that the room has enough space to accommodate two single beds or even a study room.

The common room is commendable, isn't it?

Even if you don't have a custom deck, you can still easily put a queen-size bed in this room, even with a slightly irregularly shaped corner. You can still get the standard two-panel built-in wardrobe here. As you have seen so far, it will contain half-length windows here.

As for bathroom three, it is more or less a copy of bathroom two.

There is no rain shower, but you will get a faucet and shower set from Grohe, a well-known brand widely used in Singapore. There are also no windows here, so you will have to ventilate with the mechanical system.

This is common in new apartments these days, so there really isn't much to complain about. In terms of size, it is also very regular and standard.

Finally, enter the master bedroom.

I have some hope that it can be distinguished from other bedrooms by being a bit bigger, but it is interesting to see that it is only slightly so.

The same restriction that affects other bedrooms-there are half-length windows in the master bedroom. If you want to live in a traditional shophouse unit, this is just a small disadvantage (literally) that you must endure.

Otherwise, in terms of size, it is comfortable enough to fit a queen-size bed and a few small bedside tables.

In fact, I find it interesting to be classified as the master bedroom because the first bedroom you see here seems more appropriate because of the high ceiling.

As for the main bath, the size is similar to the other three baths in the unit. Nevertheless, there are some differences in its functions.

First, the built-in cabinets are larger, providing you with extra space to store everything from cosmetics to toiletries. In addition, you can also enjoy Grohe's rain shower here, which is not available in other bathrooms.

In addition, you can find the same wall-mounted toilet, sink and Grohe faucet in other bathrooms. Again, there are no windows here, so you need to be aware of the moisture gathering in this place.

This 1 Study layout occupies three stacks of modern series, built on top of the store on the ground floor.

The area is 614 square feet, which is slightly larger than the average area of ​​a one-bedroom unit, but its additional research means that the rest of the unit will feel standard size. It has the characteristics of a modern apartment-elevator platforms and balconies-different from the shophouse heritage series reviewed above.

When you step into the unit, you will immediately notice its modern design (especially if you visited the three-bedroom Heritage unit first). So there are no heritage-themed tiles, but you will find more common marble-like tiles here.

The walkway is quite spacious, with an open kitchen on the left and a study room on the right. The first impression is positive-the unit feels larger than on paper, which undoubtedly benefits from the above-average ceiling (for those who want to know, it is 3.25 meters).

I will start in the kitchen. The cabinets here do not have the trendy green and fluted glass material-it is the standard gray laminate finish. Personally, I prefer this to the combination in the traditional version, but as always, this is completely subjective.

You can get a considerable amount of built-in cabinets and quartz countertop space, and the washer-dryer and refrigerator will be provided by Electrolux. The induction cooker, range hood and oven are from Bosch.

The space is not bad at all, it feels quite spacious. Maybe it's because there is an open study at the back, but you definitely have enough space to walk around here.

In addition, I don’t think many people will be very useful to the kitchen, especially considering that one of the benefits of living in this area is that it is not lacking in the gourmet department.

As for the study room, you can see that it is actually quite a spacious space. They treat this space as a suitable study room with bookshelves.

However, if you need to use this as an extra temporary room for occasional friends who need a bed after a long night, I believe there is at least enough space for a single bed.

Although it does not have a door, you can easily install a sliding door here to close the space for more privacy. This is a functional space that allows buyers to flexibly convert it into a spare room. Of course, please remember that although there is air conditioning here, there are no windows.

Therefore, it has been a popular unit type since its launch, which is perhaps not surprising, this particular variant is currently sold out (at the time of writing). After all, you can almost easily think of it as a two-bedroom unit.

Continue to the dining area next to the open kitchen, you should have enough space for a table for four. This is a long, continuous space, similar to the space in the three-bedroom unit above.

They used a round table here, but you can also easily use a rectangular table. Of course, the dining table shown here is not a four-person dining table, let alone two (more like an outdoor dining table for afternoon tea).

As for the living area, the distance from the TV to the sofa is the same as other one-bedroom and two-bedroom units on the market. This means that even if it will not be the furthest, buyers will accept this standard and will not ask for more.

In other words, it is difficult to imagine a space for a TV console and coffee table, because there is no space for them. Instead, they placed a large panel of glass, which only helped to highlight the space.

As part of the modern collection, you will get a balcony here. The first thing you may notice are terrazzo-like tiles (by the way, they are actually porcelain). It really blends perfectly with the entire heritage theme of 1953.

In any case, this is not a huge space, but I don't want a bedroom unit either. It provides you with enough space for two sofa chairs and a small coffee table, although I can't say that you will enjoy the most charming view from here.

They also displayed aluminum fins and metal railings, which will help provide you with more privacy when you are on the balcony.

To the master bedroom, it is actually a fairly large room, a bit larger than the newly launched similar room. You have laid wooden slats in the bedroom, and I must admit that it does exude a proper retro vibe.

Put a big bed here, and you will notice that the bedside table space is actually quite good, especially on the side near the window.

As for the length of the windows, they will only be half the length, because one-bedroom units usually need to mount the air-conditioning wall outside the bedroom. Otherwise, you can also get standard floor-to-ceiling built-in cabinets with laminated finishes (fortunately there are additional cabinets on top).

Finally, head to the main bathroom. The best thing is its jack entrance, which allows both residents and guests to have separate entrances into the bathroom. This means that when you have friends over, you don’t have to worry about tidying up a messy room!

There is indeed a built-in cabinet above your washbasin, and GROHE provides quality bathroom accessories. This includes rain showers, faucets and wall-mounted toilets.

Like most other new products, there are no windows in the bathroom, so you will have to rely on mechanical ventilation to dissipate all moisture.

In 1953, the urban fringe location close to Farrer Park and Wenqing Subway Station brought a large number of public and private transportation options to residents here.

There are two train stations within a 10-minute walk, even though they are both on the same northeast line. From Farrer Park MRT station, you are only two stops away from Dhoby Ghaut, and only three stops away from Somerset, Bugis and City Hall. There is no doubt about the convenience.

In my opinion, Zone 8 has never been a premium zone, but as buyers shift their attention to convenience rather than traditional prestige, this situation is slowly changing.

For those with school-age children, there are two primary schools within 1 km, which is always a good thing. For those familiar with the area, there are many famous foods to choose from-I will let you explore on your own.

More importantly, if you choose to drive, it will be a short distance to the central business district or town. In other words, Balestier Road can sometimes become very crowded, but the driving time below has taken into account the peak hours and still takes less than 20 minutes.

Compared with the Canberra Water Garden I reviewed last time, the convenience of 1953 far surpassed it.

Nearest subway stations: Farrer Park subway station (550 meters, 7 minutes walk) and Wenqing subway station (700 meters, 9 minutes walk)

Direct road exit: One-Race Course Road, which can take you to Balestier Road on the left or Yangon Road on the right.

Oxley Holdings is a fast-growing Singapore real estate developer. This company was founded in 2008 and has only 13 years of history, which is really crazy.

Oxley starts with a piece of land and will eventually become Tyrwhitt 139 with 48 units. Oxley is known for its boutique development projects, but has since continued to develop larger projects such as Affinity at Serangoon, Mayfair Modern, Mayfair Gardens and Kent Ridge Hill Residences.

Park Associates was founded in 1999 by Lim Koon Park. Born in Penang, Park worked at Architects Group Associates (AGA) after graduating from the National University of Singapore. Park Associates has been involved in the design of landed houses from the very beginning and continues to this day.

In addition, they have significantly expanded the scope to include tourism projects such as the USS Sentosa and Shanghai Disneyland, hotels (Ritz-Carlton and Marriott PJ) and schools (Huazhong International School). They are also working on apartment projects such as Nyon, Parc Komo, Three 11 and 1919.

For such a small project with only 58 residential units, frankly speaking, the unit combination will become very messy.

It is an absolute hodgepodge of random unit types distributed in Heritage, Modern, and Penthouse Collections, so you need to be absolutely clear about what you want to buy.

Although it is not surprising to know that one-bedroom units account for most of the units here, it is interesting to see that the supply of three-bedroom units far exceeds the supply of two-bedroom units here.

Even in boutique developments like the apartment in 1953, I found unique four-bedroom and five-bedroom types here.

In a 1953 apartment, it was difficult to choose the best stack, because these units were quite difficult to each other and it would boil down to what you were looking for. Since this is a low-rise apartment, you are unlikely to get any kind of panoramic view.

In other words, if you are looking for a certain landscape, you should consider stacking 9 to 12 floors on higher floors because they can rise to six floors. On the higher floors-probably higher than the fourth floor, you can see the view of the nearby shophouses, and the wide view will also provide better air circulation for the occupants.

On the other hand, if you pursue the 1953 heritage section, your options will be limited to stacking one to eight layers. All of these will face the crowded Balestier Road, so pollution and noise may also be issues you should consider.

As for the 13th to 17th floors, when you face Tessensohn Road instead of the main road, Balestier Road, you will indeed be a little quieter. However, you will get some sun to the west because your general direction will face northwest.

The stacks here either face northwest, northeast or southeast. The stacks that have the most afternoon sunlight are the 13-18 stacks, and the unit is directly exposed to the afternoon sunlight around July. Stack 01-08 can be expected to receive the sunrise during the same period, while stack 09-12 will receive the sunrise at the end of the year.

If you are considering a 1953 apartment, you will undoubtedly compare it to a neighboring development. So this is how it stacks up!

The average price in 1953 made it look really competitive among its peers.

Its closest new launch competitor is Uptown@Farrer, which aroused enthusiastic response after the ad was released. Perhaps this has played a role in completing more transactions, as Uptown@Farrer's sales are good and are expected to peak this year.

Despite being a 99-year-old project, Uptown@Farrer's average PSF is exactly the same as in 1953, namely freehold. Although this may be due to its shorter distance from Farrer Park MRT station and more units but more facilities, I think the facilities of Uptown@Farrer are not good.

Therefore, if you plan to hold the property for a long time, having the same PSF does seem to make 1953 look more attractive.

Compared with resale units, there are two ways to look at them-the first is to compare 1953 with similar boutique-scale development projects. 8 Farrer Suites and Jool Suites are two examples I thought of.

Compared with them, there were slightly more units in 1953, but the premium was less than 20%. I do think this sounds like an attractive button because it is lower than the 25-30% premium that I usually think of newly released.

The second way to compare 1953 is to go with the larger and more complete apartment facilities. In my opinion, City Square Apartment is the undoubted leader in Farrer Park area. Freehold and many interesting facilities (with a bowling alley), prices have been rising strongly for many years.

With the addition of Sturdee Residences in 1999, the cost in 1953 would only increase by about 11% or less. Although this means to some extent that 1953 seems to be excellent value for money, it will depend on your personal needs and wishes.

Both City Square Residences and Sturdee Residences have complete apartment facilities. Some people may specifically look for these facilities, especially when upgrading from a HDB flat. The only thing that stands out is Kerrisdale, which has a price premium of 65%. However, since 1998, the lease term is 99 years. There is no doubt that it is continuing for several years (with 76 years remaining in the lease term), so this may also be a factor in its lower price.

In general, the PSF in 1953 does seem to be a relatively good bet. However, you need to remember that some of these units are double-volume or penthouses, which means that your price also adds vacant space. Therefore, if you finally decide to buy a 1953 apartment, you should analyze the price further.

But let's go deeper.

Also read: $2,000 to transform the HDB room into a jungle hideout for humans and his pet spiders

The center of the district is Farrer Park MRT Station, and the famous City Plaza Shopping Center is just opposite.

If you look carefully at the master plan, you will find how long the history of this area is-this may be why you don't know much about the reconstruction of this area.

That's because most of the houses in the area have kept shophouses marked in brown.

Except for four large undeveloped residential plots (which, by the way, are not on the GLS list), most of the plots here are very small.

More importantly, the area has many height restrictions and is subject to the Urban Design Guidelines, which means that developers must operate within the framework set by the URA to maintain the characteristics of the block.

This brings me to my next point-in view of these constraints (height, characteristics, floor area ratio, size...), many residential developments here are quite boutique.

1953 was another of them. In this pricing review, I will look at some nearby development projects (not all because of the large number of small apartments around) and compare their conditions.

But first, let's take a look at the pricing in Zone 8 compared to the average prices in other regions. Please note that only resale and resale prices are considered to eliminate the impact of the peak of new launches in the corresponding year.

Since 1995, the performance of District 8 has been inferior to other regions in the Singapore market. Considering its central location, as well as the charm and tradition of the shophouses in the area, this may be surprising.

As the real estate market started to pick up in 2007, you can see that the price of $PSF not only caught up, but also exceeded the Singapore average.

This may be due to the surrounding new development projects (which we will discuss in detail) pushing up prices, as the facilities in the area have become more mature, such as the completion of the City Plaza shopping mall in 2009 (by the way, this is Singapore’s first An ecological mall).

So what was the price of an apartment in 1953?

The following are the surrounding resale apartments and their prices:

As you can see, many of the surrounding resale projects are boutique in nature, similar to apartments in 1953.

So how does the PSF in 1953 compare to the surrounding development? Since most of the units here are of 1 S type, I will use its average $PSF based on actual transactions to compare with surrounding one-bedroom and two-bedroom development projects.

Please note that due to the small scale of development here, $PSF may be inaccurate, because certain cell attributes may cause data skew due to a small number.

Although the $PSF in 1953 ranked first in both cases (expected), compared with the next two highest two-bedroom $PSF, the gap is actually not that big.

Maybe this is just an exception for Sturdee Residences and 8 Farrer Suites, considering that the prices of other two-bedrooms at $PSF are much lower.

In addition, the $PSF of two bedrooms at Sturdee Residences and 8 Farrer Suites is higher than other bedrooms.

If you look at a one-bedroom $PSF, you will find that their average price is $1,472 PSF, while the average price of a two-bedroom $PSF is $1,303 PSF. Therefore, Sturdee Residences and 8 Farrer Suites may be more of an exception than the norm.

Let's take a look at the next two most expensive two-bedroom units calculated in $PSF.

The first is Strudee Residences, at $1,762 per square foot. One reason Sturdee Residences is priced so high is that it is not only the latest development project in the area (built in 2019), but also one of the largest development projects in the surrounding area.

In the area surrounded by boutique apartments, this 305 unit development provides a full range of apartment facilities, and maintenance costs are shared by more people, thereby reducing living costs.

However, this is a lease development project.

Many people will wonder if it is worth buying leasehold rights in an area full of freehold development, but perhaps because of its unique selling point as a mature apartment, considering how most owners here have made money so far, it may not matter :

On the other hand, 8 Farrer Suites is a boutique development project with only 34 units.

However, it is freehold. Although the $PSF looks high now, the transaction here is not as fruitful as the two unprofitable records it has recorded, and it has only been profitable once since its first sale in 2013. Diagram of the transaction.

After careful observation, you will find that 8 Farrer Suites has a very unique two-bedroom layout:

It is rare to find a two-bedroom unit with two ensuite bedrooms and a guest bathroom. The typical unit here has a ceiling height of 3.2 meters and is close to Farrer Park subway station. The only crime I saw here was to provide minimal wardrobe space for bedroom one.

In terms of quantity, the average transaction price of a two-bedroom apartment in 8 Farrer Suites was US$1,070,000, while the average price in 1953 was US$1,129,962, which is equivalent to a 5.6% premium.

Considering that both bedrooms have their own bathrooms, the layout of 8 Farrer Suites is also more practical because it is a double bed and it is also convenient for guests to come over because of the public toilet.

But the 1 S unit in 1953 was also very large. From my previous review, you can see that 1 S can be converted into a bedroom.

In fact, with its versatile bathroom layout, this 1 S can even be a two-bedroom unit. Quantum wise, here are the prices of other two-bedroom units in the area:

The 1S in 1953 can also be used as a two-bedroom apartment, which is really competitive. At almost the same price, you can get a new freehold development project that can be used as a two-bedroom unit, or just as 1 S for those who want to be alone but want more space.

Therefore, the 1 S here provides buyers with great flexibility. In the future, this layout will be open to two types of target groups-those seeking larger self-occupied units, or those seeking to purchase investable units People can rent out as one-bedroom or two-bedroom units.

Next, let's take a look at the comparison of one-bedroom. In terms of $PSF, the closest is the 28 RC suite. But how does it compare in terms of quantum?

Considering how big 1 S is compared to the surrounding one-bedroom apartments, you can see that the price is almost twice the price of the surrounding one-bedroom apartments, and the Oxford Suite is ranked second due to its large size.

If you are looking for one-bedroom units in the area, you can find units here for an average of about $600K.

If we compare it with a one-bedroom unit with an average price of $993,000 in 1953, you will find that it is about 50% higher than the quantity you can get.

This is because the one-bedroom units here are quite large (549 square feet), and the one-bedroom units often exceed 400 square feet.

Although this does increase its overall price, it has a positive side.

You can see that the 1953 apartment is distinguished from other newly launched apartments that the area is known for its “shoebox” feature, and it does get out of the symbolic “box” by the opposite of grain.

Let's take a look at the various floor plans of the surrounding one-bedroom units and their respective sizes:

For shoebox sizes (less than 500 square feet), it is even more shocking to see the presence of flower pots and bay windows in some of these layouts.

Some of them also come with a family shelter, which is not a bad thing in itself, but when there is not much space to use, it is best to have no structural walls, and there is nothing you can do about it except to place it.

However, the layout of Soho 188 looks pretty good, and the living area looks wide enough to even hold a small study desk.

Now this is what the layout of a one-bedroom apartment in 1953 looked like:

Although the size is larger, the layout does have its drawbacks.

Its tilt brings the awkwardness of furniture placement, especially in the living room.

It also does have a somewhat wasteful entrance, and a balcony that is quite large for a single bed.

In addition, considering how large the kitchen area is, the efficiency of the kitchen area is not very high, but it lacks the extra countertop space that should have such a spacious space.

The advantage of this is that the living area is wider because it does not share the width of the unit with the master bedroom, and there is plenty of sunlight in both rooms.

In general, it is difficult to judge this unit by its layout. I have seen units under 500 square feet, and despite the good layout, the unit still feels claustrophobic. Although the area is 549 square feet, I don't think this is a problem, although the layout does hinder most of its potential.

In the end, compared with the surrounding resale projects, what I can draw is that the apartment in 1953 here provides an opportunity to own a new apartment with a larger than average freehold. The apartment is located at a distance from The RCR subway station is not far away-this is especially true for the 1 S unit.

Next, let's take a look at its comparison with Uptown@Farrer. Uptown@Farrer is a 99-year new lease project launched along Perumal Road:

You will immediately find that Uptown@Farrer has a location advantage. First of all, it is closer to the City Plaza shopping mall, but more importantly, unlike the apartment in 1953, it is within a real walking distance of Farrer Park MRT Station.

But what is the price of Uptown@Farrer?

You might immediately think that the two-bedroom unit here is cheaper and closer to the subway station, which means it is more cost-effective than the 1 S in 1953.

But this is where more clarification is needed. There are several types of two-bedroom units. One is compact, and the other is conventional.

The compact two-bedroom units range in size from 517 square feet to 538 square feet. The average selling price of a 517-square-foot unit is US$1,058,447. This is what it looks like:

As you can see, the compact two-bedroom house here is very similar to the 1S in 1953. It only has one bathroom and there is no jack-and-jill, so it is not very convenient.

The second bedroom is really small (almost like a study room), it has a balcony, which is weird because I believe that most people prefer indoor study areas to the balcony to relax in front of the air-conditioning compressor.

The main difference in why this is a two-bedroom is because it actually has a window, unlike the 1S in 1953 without windows.

Uptown@Farrer's two-bedroom apartment is now priced at US$1,058,447, which is about 6.5% cheaper. I think it's hard to say which is better here. On the one hand, I do like the more spacious 1 S, whose spacious study area can also be used as a bedroom. But if it is for investment, I also understand why it is difficult to find tenants who are willing to accept the windowless bedroom in the 1953 apartment.

In my opinion, finding a single tenant looking for an affordable bedroom in such a convenient area is much easier than finding someone who is willing to accept a bedroom without any natural light.

Next, let's take a look at Uptown@Farrer's larger two-bedroom unit:

The two-bedroom unit here is 538 square feet, which is once again comparable to the 1 S in 1953. It has a small window in bedroom two, and the window is also very small, but it does have a pretty good wardrobe space, which looks only half the size of the bedroom. It also has an oversized balcony.

On average, a 538-square-foot unit here was sold for US$1,052,737, which is about 7% cheaper than 1 S in 1953. What you get is a complete two-bedroom, two-bathroom layout at this price, if we compare it with the 1S in 1953.

In general, I think in terms of price, the 1953 apartment seems to be more suitable for those who have the lifestyle elements of a larger living area in this area full of small unit projects.

Its 1 S layout proves this, and a study even challenged some bedroom sizes in other "larger" unit types.

Also read: 13.4% of BTO apartments sold within one year of MOP: What does this mean for home buyers?

For the longest time, the Kampong Bugis area was just a large open space. Even in recent years, the only prominent structure is Kallang Riverside Apartments, which will be the only freehold project nearby.

Adjacent to the Kallang Basin, facing the Kallang River and located in the park, the large site covering more than 8 hectares will become a very ideal residential area, conceived as a light car, a community center and sustainable development.

Interestingly, although the plan for the plot is now entirely residential, the original plan in 2008 seems to envisage that the plot also includes offices, hotels, and retail/entertainment facilities as one of the three commercial centers outside the city and the other The two are Jurong and Paya Lebar.

With its revival, it is expected that the neighborhood will be more vibrant, and hope that there will be more demand for nearby properties (such as 1953 apartments).

I think this can be seen as a blessing or a scourge. Despite the obvious conveniences, not many people are willing to live near the hospital, especially after many years of being alone.

You will get a hospital in the form of Kwong Huizhao Hospital opposite the apartment in 1953. This is a community hospital traditionally funded by Cantonese, but rest assured that most other medical institutions are not actually that close.

There is Farrer Park Hospital within a two-minute drive, KK Hospital within a five-minute drive, and Novena Health City within a six-minute drive. Of course, the most anticipated is the Novena Health City, which is scheduled to be completed in 2030.

The built-up area will be increased by 240% from the existing 250,000 square meters to connect the Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the medical school, and all public and volunteer medical facilities.

With the development of healthcare facilities in the region, we hope that medical tourism will also take off. Therefore, some of these patients will also increase their demand for short-term lease contracts.

The fact is that Singapore is unlikely to build any more shophouses. They achieved their goals in Singapore where land was scarce at the time, and it was no longer a viable option.

Therefore, as Singapore reaches the status of a developed country, we have become more and more aware of and appreciate our heritage.

In the 1953 apartment, the remaining shophouse was part of the development, making it one of the more unique developments around it. I estimate that fewer than 50 private development projects contain protected elements, and even fewer have freehold status.

Therefore, 1953 may attract a small but growing group of buyers who want to buy a piece of Singaporean history in the future.

There is no doubt that the 1953 apartment is a truly unique product in this era when there are more and more cookie-cutter projects.

By adding traditional shophouses to it, living in a place where there is no maintenance hassle, and even increasing the benefits of facilities is an attractive place.

Its location on the edge of the city also allows you to take the subway to the town very easily, just three stops to Somerset, City Hall and Bugis.

Of course, there are shortcomings-including its boutique status, which means that compared to typical modern apartments, the facilities here are lacking. You may also face road congestion, especially during peak hours.

However, the average PSF of RCR freehold development projects is slightly less than $1,900, which is worth a try, especially when our OCR counterparts have set new highs in the past few months.

This is certainly not for everyone. But for the right person who is looking for a differentiated life experience and does not regard its limitations as a liability, this will be a person to watch.

If you meet the following criteria, you might like 1953:

If you meet the following conditions, you may not like 1953:

Also read: 9 newly launched apartments will be built in 2022 for people who need it urgently

This article was first published on Stackedhomes.