WHY HOLLAND ROAD PROPERTIES?
Holland Road properties are highly sought-after….
Holland Road properties in prime District 10 are some of the most prestigious and sought-after in Singapore for both locals and expats.
Sixth Avenue, Holland Grove, Mount Sinai, Namly Road, Coronation Road, Greenleaf, Leedon Road, Belmont Road, Cornwall Gardens, Peirce Road, to name a few, are homes to many rich and famous. Besides the highly sought-after prestigious good class bungalows (GCB) and landed properties, other housing types such as condominiums and HDB flats in the Holland area are also very popular.
Out of the 39 Good Class Bungalow (GCB), most of them are in the District 10 of Holland/Bukit Timah areas. Both Holland and Bukit Timah are well-known residential districts in Singapore.
Staying in the Holland area is all about lifestyle. It is far away from the hustle and bustle of city life, but at the same time, one can enjoy the convenience of an excellent transportation network, many amenities and near to nature. In general, Holland Road area is very family-friendly, with its proximity to many schools.
Holland Road properties are sound investments:
Holland Village
The key pull factor is Holland Village. Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has classified the Holland Village area an “identity node”, which means it will not lose the charm and ambience that entice so many visitors and residents alike.
This bohemian enclave has earned a reputation as a food paradise, shopping haven and a chill-out hotspot. With the upcoming extension, this gem will grow in stature in future.
Expatriate-Centric
With a high concentration of expatriates in the Holland Road area, there is a strong demand for rental properties.
The presence of the British army based in Singapore in the 1950s to 1960s helped Holland Village to gain a reputation as an expat-centric destination.
Botanic Gardens – Singapore’s First UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is the first and only tropical botanic garden on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
From Holland Village, it is a short 7-minute drive to the Cluny entrance of the Botanic Gardens. Or it is a 2 MRT stations away to the Botanic Gardens MRT station.
Orchard Road & Dempsey Hill
- The Orchard shopping belt, Singapore's well-known shopping district, is only minutes drive away and also easily accessible by direct buses which is a 10-15 minute journey.
- Dempsey Hill, former army barracks, is one of Singapore's hottest lifestyle destination for chic restaurants, trendy bars, cool bistros, hip art galleries and exquisite teak furniture. It is only 2.4km away from Holland Village. The best part of it is, parking is free all day!
Accessibility
Travelling to work in the central business district is a breeze with good road access and public transport.
Holland Village MRT (Circle Line) has excellent connectivity to most parts of Singapore, such as Fusionopolis, NUS, NUH, Haw Par Villa, Harbourfront, Vivocity, Mapletree Business Park and the future Great Southern Waterfront.
From the Buona Vista MRT (Circle Line/EW Line), it is only a 15-minute ride to Raffles Place.
Medical, Research & Educational Hub
- Holland Road properties are close to the educational hub with well-known educational institutions, such as Henry Park Primary School, National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore Polytechnic
- In the vicinity are renowned international schools, such as INSEAD Business School, Essec Business School, Tanglin Trust, Dover Court and United World College
- Nearby is the Singapore medical and research hub: National University Hospital (NUH), One-North, Biopolis, Mediapolis, Fusionopolis and Science Parks
Food Paradise
Holland Village and the vicinity is a food paradise.
The plethora of choices ranges from local to Asian to International cuisines. Besides, there are many chic cafes and swanky bars. You can even find cheap and good Michelin-listed local food!
Michelin-Starred Restaurants:
- Candlenut (1*). Block 17A, Dempsey Road
- Corner House (1*). Singapore Botanic Gardens (Nassim Gate entrance), 1 Cluny Road
Michelin-Guide Bib Gourmand:
- New Lucky Claypot Rice. 44 Holland Drive #02-19
- Sin Kee Famous Cantonese Chicken Rice. Block 40, Stall 7, #01-39, Holland Drive
- Chuan Kee Boneless Braised Duck. Blk 20, Ghim Moh Road #01-04
- Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow. Blk 20, Ghim Moh Road #01-19
Plate-Michelin:
- The Dempsey Cookhouse & Bar. Block 17D, Dempsey Road
- Min Jiang at Dempsey. 7A and 7B Dempsey Road
- Cheng Heng Kway Chap and Braised Duck Rice. 44 Holland Drive #02-05
- Ru Ji Kitchen. 44 Holland Drive #02-28/29
- Ghim Moh Chwee Kueh. Blk 20, Ghim Moh Road #01-54
Pricing of Properties in Holland
Prices of condos in the Holland area have always been very stable, not subjected to the wild fluctuations of market forces. There are a few reasons:
- Almost all are freehold properties, and hence more resilient. Buyers buy into freehold properties for the long haul;
- Most homebuyers for this District 10 area (including Bukit Timah) bought the properties for own stay. Because the property market here is less speculative (as compared to say, Marina Bay), the upward and downward swing is not so drastic;
- There is a more significant percentage of Singaporean ownership in District 10, unlike District 09 Orchard areas. When ABSD came into effect, for a long time, foreign buyers stayed away from those foreigner-dominated areas. It resulted in a fall in demand and prices. The impact on Orchard was greater than Holland. But we do see a reversal of trend now with more foreigners, namely the Chinese, returning to the market for high-end luxury projects.
- District 10 is a family-friendly neighbourhood, with good schools, tertiary institutions, international schools, family recreational centres, etc. Both buying demand from local buyers and rental demand from expatriate families are very stable.
En Bloc Sales Drive Up Prices
In 2018, at the height of the en bloc fever across the entire market, there were a number of collective sales in the Holland/Farrer area, such as Wilshire, Toho Mansion, Hollandia, Estoril, Tulip Gardens and Olina Lodge.
This does not include One Holland Village Residences which was sold through the Government Land Sales (GLS).
The new developments that replace these old condos are setting new benchmarks in this area. We are already seeing some of them crossing the $3,000 psf level, with the 99-yr leasehold One Holland Village Residences leading the pack.
The Future
The gap between prices in District 9 Orchard and District 10 Holland is narrowing. While luxury homes in Orchard have seen a resurgence with the return of foreign buyers, more people are seeing the long-term values of Holland properties.
In the coming years, the Holland area will continue with its renewal process. There are many ageing condos that were built in 1970s’ and 1980s’. There is a good chance we may see another wave of en bloc fever in the not-too-distant future.
Buying a piece of property in the Holland area is likened unto buying a ‘blue-chip’ stock which will see long-term growth.
Danny Han is a licensed property agent since 2005.
As a kampong (village) boy growing up in Holland Village, he has so many fond memories. He grew up with pigsty (yuk!), cemetery, swamp and communal-living (with 10 families under one roof). His childhood games were gasing (spinning top), marbles, kites, spider-fighting and tree-climbing. An open-air cinema was his source of entertainment. 7th-month Hungry Ghost wayang (Chinese opera) and getai (concert) was a once-a-year event that brought the entire village together.
What Danny is passionate about is not just about showing clients properties around Holland Village, but also enjoys sharing anecdotes and nuggets of information that are part of his growing up years.
Danny is an avid hiker and passionate foodie. He has covered most of the nature trails in Singapore, including some that are off the beaten track. Living up to his motto, “walk to eat,” he enjoys going out with his wife, a retired academician, on a food hunt across the island. He also has some foodie kakis who mix work with food. They then share their gastronomic experiences through food blogs. So do watch out, because every time he shows you a property, he will tell you what is the best food nearby!