Feb 2024 BTO: Unit Analysis for Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang

Nestled next to a landed home enclave and a larger BTO cluster, February 2024's Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang is a pretty small project comprising just 360 units. We take a look at what you can expect in terms of current and future amenities as well as check out the best units to pick if you managed to snag a queue number. 

BTO	Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang
Location	Along Hougang St 13
PLH model?	No
Total no. of units	360
Unit types	2-room Flexi, 3- and 4-room units
No. of blocks	4
How tall?	9 to 12 storeys
Estimated completion date	1Q 2028
Pricing	2-room Flexi Type 1: $136K - $154K 2-room Flexi Type 2: $145K - $177K 3-room: $247K - $294K 4-room: $371K - $432K

What’s around the site?

Interestingly, this project has the same name as the Hougang BTO launched back in November 2021. Both projects sit side by side, and don’t have very many units, which may be why HDB chose to cluster them together. Either that, or the architect ran out of names. This has happened before with other BTOs.

Whichever the case, we are here to talk about what’s surrounding Feb 2024’s Tanjong Tree Residences.

The 2021 project in Hougang included a two-story commercial block in the southeast corner of the site. This block will house a supermarket and eating house, serving as the main hub for amenities in the area. Completion for that homonymous project is expected by 2026, so by 2028, when THIS project is done, you'll have access to all these amenities to enjoy.

The previous Tanjong Tree Residences, currently in construction

Hougang St 13, the road next to the BTO, is still under construction

Site for the new Tanjong Tree Residences also sits adjacent to a landed home enclave

Tai Keng Gardens playground, a nearby park nestled within the landed home enclave that residents at Tanjong Tree will also be able to enjoy

Note that besides the landed home enclave, there's also quite a number of commercial and light industry buildings surrounding the area 

You could also check out the neighbourhood centre at Hougang Hainanese Village Centre—it’s just down the road and takes less than 15 mins by foot—where they just revamped the hawker centre last year.

There is no MRT within a comfortable short walking distance from Tanjong Tree Residences. The nearest is Bartley MRT along the Circle Line, but that will take you around a 22-min walk, or approximately 5 stops away. 

Another thing you can look forward to is the potential long-term impact. With Paya Lebar Airbase nearby set to relocate by 2030, it's possible that the area will undergo a revitalisation. However, the immediate effects to this particular project are still uncertain. 

Image credit: URA

One of the main reasons why this project was so popular in February 2024 could be the proximity to highly sought-after primary schools within a 1-km radius. Maris Stella High School (Primary School) and Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Primary) are both believed to be within this distance, making it a desirable location for families with young children. However, some blocks may be just out of reach for Maris Stella High School.

Based on the HDB site map, it looks like the plot of land next to Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang is earmarked for a school. Although it's not confirmed whether it will be a primary school, there's a possibility that we could see more primary schools popping up within a 1-km radius in this neighbourhood due to the growing number of residents here.

Which unit should I choose for Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang?

Even though this project is a relatively small one, there is a good mix of variety types here, with each having quite an equal number of stacks.

2-room

I would go for the 2-room units that are facing the private housing enclave for quietude and privacy. Go for a unit on the 4th floor or higher for unblocked views. These stacks include 170, 172, 174, 176 and 178. (Corner stack 170 may be the most ideal!) Just a heads up, these stacks are positioned to catch the afternoon sun in Singapore, so your home might get pretty warm in the afternoons.

For a cooler 2-room unit, I would recommend going for stacks 166 and 224. These inward stacks may be able to avoid the afternoon sun, but they are facing inwards towards zones where people tend to gather, so you may be subjected to noisier surrounds.

One more thing to consider is that the stacks that are facing the future school site may not be the best option. School compounds tend to get quite noisy during school hours, and since the school hasn't been built or announced yet, there may be construction work happening after you move in, depending on the timeline for the school's construction.

For the 2-room units, do also consider if you want Type 1 (smaller, cheaper) or Type 2 (slightly bigger, pricier).

3-room

Unfortunately, the 3-room units aren’t in the most ideal locations. If we had to choose, we would probably go for a high-floor unit at the stacks at stacks 210 and 212, which overlook the future school site. This way, we might have unblocked views since school buildings are not usually very tall. The inward-looking stacks overlook areas where people tend to gather, so they can get noisy. If you must pick an inward-looking stack, consider stack 164 since it will likely be able to avoid getting the afternoon sun and it’s also quite a distance from an opposite block, so you can get a bit more privacy there. 

Stack 188 is close to a service driveway, so expect a lot of commercial vehicles passing through daily. Additionally, with an eating house and supermarket just across the road, it can get quite noisy. However, the convenience of being near amenities is a definite plus.

4-room

I’m not a huge fan of the 4-room stacks either. They are either facing the service driveway, which can get noisy because of the two-storey commercial block opposite the BTO, or facing inwards towards the on-site amenities like the playgrounds, fitness corners and pavilions. Plus, all the stacks are likely to get the afternoon sun, and they are located near lift lobbies, so really not much privacy there either.

If I had to choose, I would go for stack 200. It's located in a corner and a bit further from the lift lobby than the other stack next to it. It also doesn't face a service bay directly, so there might be less chance of noisy vehicles parking there. Even though there will still be vehicles driving through the service driveway, I would prefer to be closer to the amenities if I have to deal with the noise anyway.